Indianapolis

[TravelGal]

I just had to post about yesterday's race but titled it so we can have one thread to cover the month of May.

For crying out loud! I put the thing on late in the evening thinking I could sleep through it or at least fast forward. To paraphrase Dos XXs, it was the most interesting race I've seen in....seems like forever. Notice I didn't mean necessarily good but my G-d, it had everything. Rain, dry, slicks, spins, drifting, payback, strategy, and looks who's leading the championship now. :eek::eek::eek:

[TedN]

This was the first wet race since the aeroscreen was introduced. Anyone hear any comments from the drivers on visibility issues?

[pfc_m_drake]

What I took away from the race: Similar to the AeroKit era...similar to the CART era...when the teams have choices between strategies, chassis setups, and tires - what ends up happening is that you get a very interesting race.

This is in sharp contrast to what typically happens during the typical IndyCar race of 2022. Today we have everybody running the same spec Dallara spec chassis, the same spec Firestone tire, with the same spec UAK (universal aero kit). For your typical 'dry' race, everybody uses the same simulation software to compute the same setup and strategy for the same race...the cars circulate until the race is complete, and in winners circle we congratulate ourselves on having the best racing on the planet.

But somehow the ratings/attendance/advertising (and every other 'metric' assessing popularity) decreases year-over-year. Saturday's race re-introduced the concept of why the struggle of man+machine was ridiculously popular during the CART era.

The absolute BEST thing that could happen to IndyCar would be to get back to multiple chassis/engine/tire manufacturers. Then, through competition (and the test of man+machine that naturally results) would IndyCar popularity rise again. As Saturday's race proves...with the unpredictability of setup/tire choice/strategy/etc. playing a key role.

But unfortunately none of that will happen. In fact - I can foresee IndyCar instituting rules in the future in an attempt to prevent a reoccurrence of what we saw Saturday. Too bad...if only TPTB realized that Saturday's race is what made IndyCar/CART special back in the day.

Here's to the drama of 33 cars attempting to qualify for 33 spots that awaits us later in the month.

[SteveH]

This was the first wet race since the aeroscreen was introduced. Anyone hear any comments from the drivers on visibility issues?

IndyCar’s aeroscreen gets mixed reviews in 1st rain test
https://www.wishtv.com/sports/indycars-aeroscreen-gets-mixed-reviews-in-1st-rain-test/

[TravelGal]

IndyCar’s aeroscreen gets mixed reviews in 1st rain test
https://www.wishtv.com/sports/indycars-aeroscreen-gets-mixed-reviews-in-1st-rain-test/

AP had a longer article from which this was mostly poached. Connor Daly had the first tweet I saw. So, yeah, problems. What would you expect????

[pfc_m_drake]

Re-reading post #3 I have no idea what I was talking about.
I must have been drunk.
Sorry everybody. :eek::rofl:
I'll do better next time.

[stroker]

Hy-Vee is at least trying to do something...

1147

[TravelGal]

Re-reading post #3 I have no idea what I was talking about.
I must have been drunk.
Sorry everybody. :eek::rofl:
I'll do better next time.

Oh oh. I thought it was the most lucid post I'd read in a long time. Perfectly, sarcastically, sardonically laid out the situation. I loved it.

[pfc_m_drake]

Oh oh. I thought it was the most lucid post I'd read in a long time. Perfectly, sarcastically, sardonically laid out the situation. I loved it.

You give me too much credit! :)
Hope to see you soon - you, Steve, and me need to find a race with a 'good' time where we can chat. I miss you guys!

[SteveH]

Re-reading post #3 I have no idea what I was talking about.
I must have been drunk.
Sorry everybody. :eek::rofl:
I'll do better next time.


Ha, it made sense to me so I was wondering if I were drunk when I read it. :laugh:

[pfc_m_drake]

Ha, it made sense to me so I was wondering if I were drunk when I read it. :laugh:

:rofl:

[opinionated ow]

Hy-Vee is at least trying to do something...

1147

HyVee also sponsoring McKenna Haase in sprintcars too at the moment. Someone at head office must be into motorsport. One of their previous marketing people was clearly into triathlon because they used to sponsor a $200,000 to win race too

[TravelGal]

Anybody know why they changed from "second fastest" to "fastest" pole in Indy history? I mean besides the obvious PR value of saying "fastest." Average vs one lap?

[dirtyboy]

Anybody know why they changed from "second fastest" to "fastest" pole in Indy history? I mean besides the obvious PR value of saying "fastest." Average vs one lap?

Luyendyk's run in 1996 was on day 2 and not for pole. Thus, its the fastest pole, yet not the fastest average ever.

[TravelGal]

Luyendyk's run in 1996 was on day 2 and not for pole. Thus, its the fastest pole, yet not the fastest average ever.

The tweets and articles I'm reading say, "it broke Scott Brayton's record from 1996 as the fastest pole-winning run in track history." They are using the word "run" which is completely ambiguous to me.

[JoeBob]

The tweets and articles I'm reading say, "it broke Scott Brayton's record from 1996 as the fastest pole-winning run in track history." They are using the word "run" which is completely ambiguous to me.

The key there is "pole winning." "Run" is really "four lap qualification run."

It's not the fastest four laps in qualifying. But it is the fastest four laps in qualifying that won the pole position.

That make sense?

[TravelGal]

Yes, folks, the are still Crapwagons and they still do fly. Just ask Colton Herta. “I think I was going a little too fast for that corner,” Herta said.

[SteveH]

https://i.imgur.com/DFH8QVJ.jpg

[pfc_m_drake]

Just saw this. Really scary :eek:

[TheGuywho]

I can’t sleep because cars are racing up and down Washington Street. Ganassi hasn’t won in 10 years… I think Palou might change that.

Ran into Roger yesterday, would post a pic, but I don’t know how?

Anyways, enjoy your weekend.

[RTKar]

Red Flag - Too Nascar'ish :thumbdown:

[TKGAngel]

Red Flag - Too Nascar'ish :thumbdown:

The red flag didn't bother me, but the two warm up laps counting did. Let them have the full four laps at the end to shoot it out.

[Elmo T]

The red flag didn't bother me, but the two warm up laps counting did. Let them have the full four laps at the end to shoot it out.

Glad I wasn't the only one who thought that. If you are going to throw a needless ("but it is for the show") red flag, then go all in and don't count any laps back until the green flag drops. :rolleyes:

[nissan gtp]

Glad I wasn't the only one who thought that. If you are going to throw a needless ("but it is for the show") red flag, then go all in and don't count any laps back until the green flag drops. :rolleyes:

That could well catch somebody out on fuel.

[gjc2]

That could well catch somebody out on fuel.

I'm sure that was the reason

[swift]

Jimmie Johnson ROY. :saywhat:
https://racer.com/2022/05/31/opinion-the-indy-500-roy-judging-panel-got-this-one-wrong/

[pfc_m_drake]

Jimmie Johnson ROY. :saywhat:
https://racer.com/2022/05/31/opinion-the-indy-500-roy-judging-panel-got-this-one-wrong/It's all about Racertainment now. Johnson was a shoe-in for ROY the second he agreed to run this year's race.

As the article points out, both Ferrucci and Herta went to backup cars due to crashes on Carb Day, but they both maintained their starting positions on race day (e.g. didn't goto the back of the field). So apparently the driver and NOT the car qualifies these days. Who knew.

Oh yeah...and we also had a provisional starter this year (again) as well since there's only 33 cars for 33 starting positions.

[SteveH]

Carvana ran the most commercials.

[TravelGal]

Jimmie Johnson ROY. :saywhat:
https://racer.com/2022/05/31/opinion-the-indy-500-roy-judging-panel-got-this-one-wrong/

:mad::mad:

[pfc_m_drake]

Carvana ran the most commercials.
I'm sure that had nothing to do with it.
Well, ok, maybe...

[SteveH]

Carvana is in deep trouble. Will be interesting to see if they renew their sponsorship next year.

[opinionated ow]

It's all about Racertainment now. Johnson was a shoe-in for ROY the second he agreed to run this year's race.

As the article points out, both Ferrucci and Herta went to backup cars due to crashes on Carb Day, but they both maintained their starting positions on race day (e.g. didn't goto the back of the field). So apparently the driver and NOT the car qualifies these days. Who knew.

Oh yeah...and we also had a provisional starter this year (again) as well since there's only 33 cars for 33 starting positions.

It's not like the speedway hasn't got form in this area. They gave it to Simona de Silvestro and Fernando Alonso too despite neither being the best rookie finisher or qualifier in their year

[pfc_m_drake]

It's not like the speedway hasn't got form in this area. They gave it to Simona de Silvestro and Fernando Alonso too despite neither being the best rookie finisher or qualifier in their yearThe differences there are:

1) Everybody I talk to thinks that Alonso would have won that race if his engine didn't let go.
2) de Silvestro outqualified (the great) Mario Romancini by 6 positions

#2 doesn't sound like a big deal, until you realize it meant that Simona was safely in the field while Romancini and a bunch of others had to goto bump day. I know it seems like an eternity ago, but in those days people actually FAILED to qualify for the Indy 500. Including, in the year in question (2010) the likes of Paul Tracy, Milky Doughnuts, Anthony 4, and one of the heroes that the IRL was created for, Jaques Lazier. Jay Howerd (another rookie) also missed out.

I don't remember the specifics of the 2010 race...you'll forgive me if I don't go back and watch it :rofl: ...but our man Romancini finished 1 place ahead of de Silvestro, as the last 2 cars on the lead lap. They were the highest finishing rookies, in a class that also included Taku.

So under the circumstances, I don't think it was a huge snub to Romancini. Considering that Johnson is a 7-time NASCAR (presumably he learned *something* about ovals along the way) and had a seat in what was clearly the car to beat all month (Ganassi) I think it's not unreasonable to have expected more.

Between you and me, Johnson *LOOKED* like a newborn rookie out there. He made a ton of mistakes all month...it truly wasn't a good showing.

But we've probably spent way more effort than it was worth debating the subject :rofl::D

[SteveH]

Carvana is in deep trouble. Will be interesting to see if they renew their sponsorship next year.

https://twitter.com/IndyCarInsider/status/1533098553450582016?s=20&t=Y3Pr1petklRyQFLfwcZHrA

[TravelGal]

https://twitter.com/IndyCarInsider/status/1533098553450582016?s=20&t=Y3Pr1petklRyQFLfwcZHrA

:laugh::laugh: