Swintal is crazy!

[RaceGrrl]

but it's an impressive kind of crazy:

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/content/photos/2004/By800/20041107P_0055.jpg

[Rob]

That is very cool, but I certainly hope they make it abundantly clear during the driver's meeting that he's going to do that!

[theunions]

Not like it's never been done before...

[tllips]

When SeaBass pulled towards the right side line to take the checkered, I would have dropped a load if I were standing on the line where Mr. Swintal was. :eek:

[FCYTravis]

Swintal is THE MAN. :)

[RTKar]

Like days of old...nice to see so many people in the stands too.

[RaceGrrl]

Not like it's never been done before...

Exactly. That's why he's crazy.

[Jervis Tetch 1]

Quick, someone show that picture to those I*R idiots who think they have the great races and crowds.

FTG.

[racer2c]

What a great picture. No, make that an awsome picture. When I was watching the race I and saw Swintal throwing the flag on the track I was blown away. Very cool.

[Warlock!]

Nice angle... makes all those empty seats in the grandstand dissappear...

:rolleyes:














;)

[theunions]

Exactly. That's why he's crazy.

No, the precedent is exactly why he's NOT crazy!

Even TG did it for the first IMS USGP, IIRC. But that has nothing to do with being crazy... ;)

I don't recall a flagman in any series being taken out while at ground level...but I DO know of one who was taken out and badly hurt while working the flagstand as normal 100 odd feet above the start/finish line (I think the shot's at flamefame somewhere)... :eek:

[Sean O'Gorman]

It looked alot closer on TV than it does in that pic. I remember PT getting close last year, but I still jumped when Sebastian blew by him at the checkered!

[Sean O'Gorman]

but it's an impressive kind of crazy:

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/content/photos/2004/By800/20041107P_0055.jpg

For comparison:

http://www.motorsport.com/photos/cart/2003/mex/cart-2003-mex-tm-0302.jpg

That is one cool job to have. :cool:

[Andrew Longman]

And look at those grandstands! I wonder how they will compare to The Glen next year. ;)

But to be fair I didn't feel to cramped at RA this year. Hard to argue with the route the 3 amigos are taking

[Andrew Longman]

Why is this a Swintal tradition only at Mexico? Are Mexican liability laws different? ;)

I love it and it makes Mexico special, but why limit it?

[M-O Dude]

What a great picture. No, make that an awsome picture. When I was watching the race I and saw Swintal throwing the flag on the track I was blown away. Very cool.
My thoughts EXACTLY! Instant ear to ear smile. :D :thumbup:

[Steve99]

Why is this a Swintel tradition only at Mexico? Are Mexican liability laws different?

I love it and it makes Mexico special, but why limit it?

I assumed this was a local flagman to just do the checkers. Didn't realize it was Swintal.

[JoeBob]

Why is this a Swintal tradition only at Mexico? Are Mexican liability laws different? ;)

I love it and it makes Mexico special, but why limit it?

Here's what was said about it last year.

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=7222


Resurrecting a tradition that harkens back to the late, great Mark Donohue and the early 1970s, the CART Champ Car World Series will see today's Gran Premio Telmex-Gigante Presented by Banamex/Visa wrapped up by a checkered flag being waved trackside along with another set of checkers waving from the customary starter's stand.
Former CART starter and current series Clerk of Course Jim Swintal will signal the end of Sunday's 70-lap race by waving the checkered flag from pit wall, ending the race in conjunction with the flag being waved by current starter J.D. Wilbur. This marks the first time that a CART event has been flagged from trackside, and is the first time that a Champ Car race has seen a trackside flag since Mark Donohue won the 1971 Pocono 500.

I seem to recall there being a famous photo of something like that at Mexico City, but I could be wrong. It might also be bringing back an old F1-like tradition at an old F1 track.

Kind of like they've been doing the Le Mans podium celebration at Road America for a few years.

My guess is they want a "signature visual" for each event.

[Ankf00]

Insurance? RacerMike told me that they can't have the local yellows with workers on course removing vehicles in the US b/c of the insurance cost that entails...

[pchall]

Tony George did this for the first of the dismal USGPs at IMS. Except in those pictures TG looks like he is mostly worried about crapping the pants of his US$2k suit.

Jim Swintal actually looks like he enjoys being part of the sport.

[indyfan31]

I thouight TG was standing on the wall when he did that, I remember hoping he'd get blown off.

[pchall]

[QUOTE=indyfan31... I remember hoping he'd get blown off.[/QUOTE]

Why else would a doper spend all that money to hold a bad F1 race on a lousy infield "road course"? BTW, a gomer who will remain nameless once insisted that the IMS infield was a naturally confined cornfield course....

[nissan gtp]

great pic, and a terrific way to end the "season that never happened" :D

[Andrew Longman]

"Resurrecting a tradition that harkens back to the late, great Mark Donohue and the early 1970s, the CART Champ Car World Series will see today's Gran Premio Telmex-Gigante Presented by Banamex/Visa wrapped up by a checkered flag being waved trackside along with another set of checkers waving from the customary starter's stand.
Former CART starter and current series Clerk of Course Jim Swintal will signal the end of Sunday's 70-lap race by waving the checkered flag from pit wall, ending the race in conjunction with the flag being waved by current starter J.D. Wilbur. This marks the first time that a CART event has been flagged from trackside, and is the first time that a Champ Car race has seen a trackside flag since Mark Donohue won the 1971 Pocono 500.

Today's event, which will be led to the green flag by current Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford points leader Paul Tracy, begins at 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. Eastern) and can be seen live on SPEED Channel in the United States."


? :confused: ?

I thought CART was dead. I thought I watched a CCWS race. I know I watched it on Spike.

Seems the CCWS folks need to tidy up their PR. This might also explained why the channel guide in my Sunday Newark Star Ledger said there was a CART race at 4pm yesterday.

[RaceGrrl]

That excerpt from ChampCar's website was from last year's race, dated Sunday, October 12, 2003.

[Anteater]

If my desktop computer is ever up and running again, that photo is going to be the wallpaper! :thumbup: I enjoyed watching Swintal's finess with the flag; he didn't just wave it, it was more like a figure-8, figure-8, then a plie with figure-8. Sorry, ex baton-twirlers can't help this sort of analysis. :D Anyway, it was very cool, but the guy is nuts!

[RacinM3]

TG did it wussy-style:
http://www.rp-online.de/layout/fotos/303x240/F1_UNITED_STATES_GP_NAA1223f77450a5a9a.jpg

[RichK]

TG did it wussy-style:

...and with all the personality of a bag of doorknobs.

[Dirty Sanchez]

not sure if anyone noticed... but the finish line is in a different spot from 2003/2004. odd.

[audi quattro]

not sure if anyone noticed... but the finish line is in a different spot from 2003/2004. odd.
Yeah, I did too.
The stands looked differnt.

[Rogue Leader]

That should be done for the champ in the final race every year, it is so cool and classy, could make an Awesome trademark tradition!

[Amanda B.'s Mom]

VEry cool, none the less. I like the Champcar take on having a different signature "happening" at each track.