Thoughts on the Race

[Insomniac]

First and Foremost, I am glad ChampCar is back!

Again, the yellow flag start! The more things change...

The second time around, it was better, but only the first 4 or 5 rows. The rest weren't even in a 2 by 2 and started single file.

Suggestion time: I know they need to build heat. Some of you guys that know more can tell me if this is possible. Two laps before the start have the pit car pull out of their way and they go around at a much higher speed (not quite race speed) for one lap and are then collected back up by the pace car on the lap before green. Then, once they are all in a 2 by 2 formation, the pace car speeds off and it is all fair game when the green flag drops. Otherwise, the front row needs to be PT and Bourdais every week. ;)

It looked like Junky braked too early going into turn 1 and PT used some quick reflexes (the car really came darting out with a litlle bit of oversteer). Very good move there. I wonder why he braked so early. :thumbsup:

No one mentioned it on air, but I suspect the push to pass was used during the yellow start as well.

What a bad start for Jimmy. I couldn't tell who started all of that. They seemed to implicate Lavin for the Allmendinger spin. But then, somebody (Marques) decide to drive up over a car. I saw that break Sperafico's front right suspension. :flame:

Not much passing during the race. It didn't seem like the option tire helped at all. I really did expect 1s a lap going into the weekend, but I guess they aren't that much better. Push to pass did work at the start since Bourdais moved back not using it. (I don't think he'll do that again)

I felt real bad for Tags. He was on track for a 3rd place finish and the last pit stop killed him. Add that on top of getting stuck behind Hunter-Reay he did a good job just keeping his head on to finish. (On a side note, didn't Tags win in Rio? Jenkins said he never won a race. I thought he won one real early in his career.)

Good job by PC and the crew to get him up in front of Dominguez to finish 4th.

Who else was mad that PT didn't get enough fuel. At least they warned him early this time. My other thought was he had all that push to pass left amd wouldn't get to use it. Fortunately, turns out it was a mistake and he got back on it.

Anyone know if there were any donuts?

Congratulations PT and what class thanking everyone that he did.

I hope they spend the next month tweaking the graphics for the race. I'm looking forward to Monterrey!

[RTKar]

I was hoping the push to pass button would have come into play a bit more. I can't recall any solid attempts for position change among the leaders that had me on the edge of my seat. That said, I'm thankful we have a series and tv coverage. Being the first race of the year, I'm sure the guys were a bit rusty. Having race director helped, although I couldn't get the video, the drivers radio was slick. Hearing the teams and drivers always makes the races more interesting. Too bad we have to wait a month.

[Ziggy]

Tags is 0fer 78 or something like that.

No wins


Ziggy

[JT265]

Ziggy's right. TagZZZZZZZZZZZZZ would have won Rio but for 9 laps before the flag he resorted to his tried and true TA brain fade and looped the car.

[RTKar]

Ziggy's right. TagZZZZZZZZZZZZZ would have won Rio but for 9 laps before the flag he resorted to his tried and true TA brain fade and looped the car.


Must have been thinking of some dangerous curves. ;)

[Turn7]

A perfect formation on the start is asthetically pleasing however, it would just cause a larger pile up in turn 1. When only x many cars can fit in a given spot for a given time, compressing the cars at a greater rate isn't going to help a situation that seems like that can't get right to begin with.

[FRANKY]

Just felt for Vasser.

[Jervis Tetch 1]

I'm sure I'll be off the Friends of Dinger Christmas card list, but I thought it was his fault he went down a lap with that move of his. I waited until after watching the replay when I came to that conclusion.

Tags had no shot at winning and I wouldn't doubt it if he didn't win this year and become an 0 fer Something.

Am I wrong, but when did Tarso Marques become "Marquis?" What, did he become the Marquis of Puss-N-Boots?

Justin Wilson impressed me. Poor Oriol. He better get used to the crap that is Coyne Racing.

TK is still showing his immense dislike of PG, which is refreshing. He commented to the effect (from what I gathered) that he should just race and quit whining.

Bruno's whining was no surprise. Congrats to PT, the new King of the Beach.

Glad Champ Car is back overall. :thumbup:

FTG

[Steve99]

Long Beach never gets that many rows lined up at the start because of the hairpin.

Probably no donuts because the engine needs to last 2 or 3 races.

Doesn't TK drive one of PG's Trans Am cars?

Sucks for Jimmy. :cry:

[formulaben]

Am I wrong, but when did Tarso Marques become "Marquis?"

TK is still showing his immense dislike of PG, which is refreshing. He commented to the effect (from what I gathered) that he should just race and quit whining.

Bruno's whining was no surprise. Congrats to PT, the new King of the Beach.

Glad Champ Car is back overall. :thumbup:

FTG

--Yeah, could someone please tell Jenkins the proper pronunciations?!

--TK is racing for PG, so I doubt his has a dislike...he's just calling it like it is.

--Bruno, you are quickly becoming a sad excuse for a MAN.

--ChampCar back at Long Beach. :D

--FTG? Always.

[cart7]

Good 1st race, though there have been much better.

Sucked for Jeemy and Dinger.

Good to see CCWS back period.

[mueber]

Good 1st race, though there have been much better.

Sucked for Jeemy and Dinger.

Good to see CCWS back period.

My thoughts exactly.

I have felt for years that the first lap accidents make CART/OWRS look like a bunch of amateurs. Something should be done. Beyond that, it’s just nice to be back in business.

[KLang]

The Trans-Am race started exactly the same. PG takes the lead in the first turn from the second row and a few seconds later a big pile up in the turn.

[racer2c]

My thoughts exactly.

I have felt for years that the first lap accidents make CART/OWRS look like a bunch of amateurs. Something should be done. Beyond that, it’s just nice to be back in business.

And what would you propose? A pace car to lead them through the first corner at 60mph in single file? Come on! First corner accidents are unfortunate realities of road racing. :rolleyes:

[cartgal]

Another L1, turn 1 incident for Jimmy. I coulda cried (and almost did). How many does that make for him over the years?

I knew the instant it happened. He almost cleared the corner but the with the ?/Lavin tangle, Lavin (I think) just clipped JV's tire -- enough to throw JV into the tire barrier. And then who were the drivers who came plowing into the mess late? Shades of Surfer's Paradise, sans rain.

Oh, but what a relief to hear and see it all. I thought 4/18 would never get here. ChampCars Rock!!!!

[lateralus42]

My thoughts exactly.

I have felt for years that the first lap accidents make CART/OWRS look like a bunch of amateurs. Something should be done. Beyond that, it’s just nice to be back in business.


You must not watch alot of F1, where the chance of a turn 1 accident are pretty high. Think Ralf Schumacher flying through the air....

[RacinM3]

I thought it was a good one. Excellent pass for the lead from 3rd by PT. Great strategy for Bourdais to go from 6th (I think) to 3rd on the last stop. I liked it. The middle part of the race was a yawner, but I accepted a long time ago that it doesn't have to be edge of your seat action every lap. That's racing. I also thought Allmendinger was fun to watch in a champ car, even if his power slides through T9 were burning up his rear tires.

[Old3Fan]

I give a :thumbup: for the race. Not the greatest I ever watched but not the worse either. The announcing was just so-so but will improve in the future I think. I would like to see a 1/2 hour lead in to the race and a 1/2 hour critique. That won't happen though in the near future. I don't mind commercials but they should not cut out some racing to get their commercials in. Overall a :thumbup: for the first race of this season.

[KLang]

I would like to see a 1/2 hour lead in to the race and a 1/2 hour critique.

There was a half hour pre-race show on HDNet.

[Forza Lancia]

I was certainly glad to see the ChampCars back in action after all the uncertainty, but it has to be said that the race really was pretty dull. I recall that we had a thread on the Formula One forum about the Bahrain Grand Prix -- that race had much more action than Long Beach did, unless there were things happening mid-field that the television director chose not to show.

But let's look forward to Monterrey -- at least the series is back underway, with a good crop of drivers. It's pretty hard to imagine that Paul Tracy will remain unchallenged the way he was in Long Beach.

[lateralus42]

I was certainly glad to see the ChampCars back in action after all the uncertainty, but it has to be said that the race really was pretty dull. I recall that we had a thread on the Formula One forum about the Bahrain Grand Prix -- that race had much more action than Long Beach did, unless there were things happening mid-field that the television director chose not to show.

But let's look forward to Monterrey -- at least the series is back underway, with a good crop of drivers. It's pretty hard to imagine that Paul Tracy will remain unchallenged the way he was in Long Beach.


I dont think it was a fact that Paul was unchallengeable, reading the post race tracnscripts it was clear that Newman Haas followed a different strategy. It didnt pay off for them. Had they stayed on the same pit strategy as Paul, it might have been closer at the end.

[Steve99]

I knew the instant it happened. He almost cleared the corner but the with the ?/Lavin tangle, Lavin (I think) just clipped JV's tire -- enough to throw JV into the tire barrier. And then who were the drivers who came plowing into the mess late? Shades of Surfer's Paradise, sans rain.


Yeah, who was the driver batting cleanup there? There wasn't much damage until he came through.

[Madmaxfan2]

It is good to see them take the green flag. The sounds were there, which are unique to racing, and the action was there. Tracy's cakewalk took some of the exitement away but it still beats a crapwagon farting bee party.

[Wally]

I was not impressed with Bagdad Bob Jenkins, I didn't hear much in the way of preparation.
I'll give him one more race before calling for his replacement. :shakehead

[skidmarks]

not me. OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!

[Rogue Leader]

Is it just me or did anyone else think the video and sound quality sucked.. I have Spike TV on digital cable and MOST stuff looks real good here, but the downmix from HD was weak, and for some reason the sound quality and mixing was pretty bad at some parts... some of the music sounded choppy, and at certain points the cars drowned out Bob (not nessicarily a bad thing) and TK.

As bad as Spike can be sometimes at least they are going to broadcast most of th races live unlike Speed last year :rolleyes:

[racer2c]

Is it just me or did anyone else think the video and sound quality sucked.. I have Spike TV on digital cable and MOST stuff looks real good here, but the downmix from HD was weak, and for some reason the sound quality and mixing was pretty bad at some parts... some of the music sounded choppy, and at certain points the cars drowned out Bob (not nessicarily a bad thing) and TK.

As bad as Spike can be sometimes at least they are going to broadcast most of th races live unlike Speed last year :rolleyes:

I mentioned it here Link (http://www.offcamber.net/forums/showthread.php?p=47525#post47525). You and I are the only two so far.

[Rogue Leader]

I mentioned it here Link (http://www.offcamber.net/forums/showthread.php?p=47525#post47525). You and I are the only two so far.


Yeah i didnt notice any stretchiness on my ghetto 27 inch, but youre right about the blurriness and some graininess.... And part of the time I thought my amplifier was crapping out (ahh champ cars in surround sound it kicked ass when it worked!)

[RaceGrrl]

PT's pass was amazing. Twitchy Junquiera was... well.... twitchy. Glad to see Wilson do so well. I felt bad for Jeemy. Other than that, it wasn't an exciting race as far as racing goes, but I'm very happy that we have another season of ChampCars.

Bob Jenkins sucked. Real bad. If I was a conspiracy theorist, I'd suggest that he sucked that bad on purpose, just to screw ChampCar over. But I'm not, so I won't.