427 replies to this topic

[Massa]

I don't like the DW12 IndyCar.  I don't really like the IZOD IndyCar Series all that much.

But Indy's Indy and I've been won over.  I think the rules are all wrong, and I think qualifying's going to be a real disappointment, and the drivers I like are either stuck with Lotus or have gotten free from Lotus but don't actually have an engine, etc, etc, etc.  But it's still Indy.

Michel Jourdain, Jr. last ran the 500 in 1996.  He's reunited with RLL Racing (Team Rahal in his day).  Has two oval race victories in CART, but it's been a while since he's driven much of anything significant.  The number will be 30, not 45, but here's the car.  Note the speedway wings.  Looks a lot better, at least in the render, though I wish they had real speedway wings on the front (no endplates).



If not for Andretti Autosport's stupid chrome nose, this would be one of the all-time great liveries.  Ana Beatriz driving this one.



Render has it in a darker blue, here, not sure about that: http://3.bp.blogspot...arroBia2012.jpg

Weird render: Townsend Bell's car for Schmidt-Pelfrey (not to be confused with Schmidt-Hamilton).  Bell's other jobs include racing a Lotus Evora in ALMS for Alex Job Racing, and serving as a commentator on the NBCSN coverage of IndyCar races.  I've yet to see an Indy race this year, but he's apparently done really well with that.  I'm not surprised, given that Bell, a former F1 test driver with Honda and maybe Jaguar, filled in on the SPEED F1 broadcast a few years ago and was excellent.  I wish he had been permanent over there.



Sebastián Saavedra with AFS.  Top one the DW12, bottom his Indy Lights car.



MSPaint render from Dollar General, giving Josef Newgarden one race as they reunite with SFHR.  Why you don't burn bridges.

[Massa]

Confirmed entries:

2. Ryan Briscoe (Sydney, Australia) - Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet

• Needs to win the 500 to make himself relevant again.

3. Hélio Castroneves (Ribeirão Preto, Brazil) - Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet

• Early favorite to win.  Would tie Rick Mears, Al Unser, and A.J. Foyt at four.

4. J.R. Hildebrand (Sausalito, California) - Panther Racing Dallara/Chevrolet

• How many replays of last year do you think we get to see?

5. E.J. Viso (Caracas, Venezuela) - KV Racing Technology Dallara/Chevrolet

• Has never finished the Indianapolis 500.

6. Katherine Legge (Guildford, England) - Dragon Racing Dallara/Lotus

• Early favorite to FTQ in the event of 33+ entries.

7. Sébastien Bourdais (Le Mans, France) - Dragon Racing Dallara/Lotus

• Most people remember the 2005 Indy 500 as Danica's race to lose; it was actually Bourdais'.  Won't be with a Lotus, though.

8. Rubens Barrichello (São Paulo, Brazil) - KV Racing Technology Dallara/Chevrolet

• First oval race ever.  This can only end poorly.

9. Scott Dixon (Brisbane, Australia) - Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda

• Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi.

10. Dario Franchitti (Bathgate, Scotland) - Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda

• Good place to turn a season around.  He needs it.

11. Tony Kanaan (Salvador, Brazil) - KV Racing Technology Dallara/Chevrolet

• Imagine how many 500s he could have won if he hadn't spent his entire month setting up his teammates' cars.  More of the same this year.

12. Will Power  (Toowoomba, Australia) - Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet

• Yeah, Long Beach was cute and all, but when's he going to win the only one that matters?

14. Mike Conway (Bromley, England) - A.J. Foyt Enterprises Dallara/Honda

• Completely lost last year at Indy.  Needs some confidence on ovals.

15. Takuma Sato (Tokyo, Japan) - RLL Racing Dallara/Honda

• Great in qualifying last year.  RLL put out good stuff.  Time to make an impression.

17. Sebastián Saavedra (Bogotá, Colombia) - AFS Racing Dallara/Chevrolet

• Back in Indy Lights this season.  Maybe he'll learn something this time before he quits his team.

18. Justin Wilson (Sheffield, England) - Dale Coyne Racing Dallara/Honda

• This ain't his track.

19. James Jakes (Leeds, England) - Dale Coyne Racing Dallara/Honda

• Lucky to have Honda backing.  Should make his first 500.

20. Ed Carpenter (Indianapolis, Indiana) - Ed Carpenter Racing Dallara/Chevrolet

• His season begins here.  One of the few USAC guys still around.

25. Ana Beatriz (São Paulo, Brazil) - Andretti Autosport Dallara/Chevrolet

• Best equipment she's ever had...unless AA spread themselves too thin again.

26. Marco Andretti (Trenton, New Jersey) - Andretti Autosport Dallara/Chevrolet

• He's a great driver at IMS.  It took his father years to be relevant, so I'm not saying he has to do it this year, but damn, he has to do it this year.

27. James Hinchcliffe (Oakville, Ontario) - Andretti Autosport Dallara/Chevrolet

• Danica Patrick was one of the steadiest drivers to run at Indianapolis.  Mentions of her during the broadcast should be steady, too.

28. Ryan Hunter-Reay (Dallas, Texas) - Andretti Autosport Dallara/Chevrolet

• He'll be booed this year.  Again.  They never forget.

30. Michel Jourdain, Jr. (Mexico City, Mexico) - RLL Racing Dallara/Honda

• Remember that time he won two oval races in CART like I said he did?  He actually didn't.  He only won one.

38. Graham Rahal (Columbus, Ohio) - Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda

• He's a major tool.

41. Wade Cunningham (Auckland, New Zealand) - A.J. Foyt Enterprises Dallara/Honda

• Finally!

57. Bryan Clauson (Sacramento, California) - Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Dallara/Honda

• Arguably the best driver in all of USAC.  Most anticipated debut at Indy, I think.  Very versatile.  Dirt, asphalt, midgets, sprints, stock cars...

67. Josef Newgarden (Hendersonville, Tennessee) - Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Dallara/Honda

• Who?

77. Simon Pagenaud (Poitiers, France) - Schmidt Hamilton Racing Dallara/Honda

• I can't wait to see what kind of oval racer this guy is.  He's good.

78. Simona de Silvestro (Thun, Switzerland) - HVM Racing Dallara/Lotus

• Great story in qualifying last year.  Now just stay out of the spotlight, get 500 miles out of the Lotus, and let the speedway teach you how to drive.

83. Charlie Kimball (Chertsey, England) - Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda

• American son of Ayrton Senna's former race engineer Gordon Kimball.

99. Townsend Bell (San Francisco, California) - Schmidt Pelfrey Motorsports Dallara/Honda

• Always runs well at Indy.

Entries contingent on engine leases:

22. Oriol Servià (Pals, Spain) - Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dallara/TBA

• Please please please please.

60. Jay Howard (Basildon, England) - MSR Indy Dallara/TBA

• Team won the Rolex 24 this year.

98. Alex Tagliani (Montréal, Québec) - Bryan Herta Autosport Dallara/TBA

• Please please please please please.

About to be withdrawn entries:

x. Jean Alesi (Avignon, France) - Newman/Haas Racing Dallara/Lotus

• Money isn't there.

Withdrawn entries:

21. TBA (TBA) - Ed Carpenter Racing Dallara/Chevrolet

• No funding.

[Massa]

Newman/Haas Racing and Jean Alesi have officialy withdrawn from the 96th Indianapolis 500.

30 entries at present, maximum of 33 if the three others on the list can get engines.

I guess I started this thread too early since there's only going to be on meaningful day at Indy this season...

[HandyNZL]

The lad carries a NZ passport. Not happy with you.

[Massa]

I don't have any passport, what's that make me?

People should stay loyal to their place of birth, always, under all excuses!  USA!  USA!  USA!

Of course had everyone in my family stayed loyal, I would be chanting Italy or Czechoslovakia or Austria-Hungary or France or Yugoslavia, I know I'm forgetting another country but I'm not sure which, probably Eastern European I'm sure, which means it probably doesn't really exist anymore, which is why I don't remember it.

Anyway, I'm just bitter because I think I see a few Americans on that list but I'm not sure I really support any of them...other than Charlie Kimball...and he was born in England!  Gaaah.

[Massa]

Deadline for engines is Monday.  MSR Indy, BHA, and Dreyer & Reinbold waiting.  Belief is that Herta will have Honda and Dreyer & Reinbold will have Chevrolet.  MSR Indy are currently resorting to Twitter to start a campaign to convince either supplier to back them, an amateur enough effort that I assume they have absolutely no chance of getting a motor at this point.

Hopefully they all do.  I want thirty-three.  I want more than thirty-three but I at least want thirty-three, and having Tagliani and Servià with good engines would be great.  D&RR isn't a very good team, but Servià has a real talent for racing patiently and cleanly.  You put in consistent laps over 500 miles and you're going to get a top five, and the Chevrolet engine is the best one so far in oval testing.  I wouldn't count him out of a good run.  He likes flat ovals, too.

[Massa]

Will Power carries a three-race winning streak into the Indianapolis 500, but even now, he's not a favorite to win this race.  If he can win this race, everything else he's done will be validated and relevant.  No one wants their greatest accomplishment in American auto racing to be Long Beach, as tremendous of an event as that one is.

I figure the guys to watch are:

Hélio Castroneves.  He's finally getting it done again.  He has the equipment.  The fourth to take four?  It took Rick Mears fifteen tries (failed to qualify in 1977), A.J. Foyt twenty, and Al Unser twenty-three (one withdrawal).  This will be the twelfth contest for Castroneves.

Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon.  I'll put Chevrolet outpacing Honda to the side for now, because we haven't seen these engines over 500 miles, especially in a race where fuel efficiency has been so key.  Other than a rare Ganassi gaffe last year, these guys are nearly unbeatable as a tandem.

Ed Carpenter.  Given the results he's had in the equipment he's driven, it's hard to say he isn't the best oval racer in the sport.  Challenge of a new team, but then again, Bryan Herta Autosport wasn't exactly a powerhouse, and just as BHA had Sam Schmidt's backing, Ed Carpenter Racing is supported by Derrick Walker and Vision Racing.  Chevrolet power, too.

J.R. Hildebrand.  He has to want it.  He's off to a much better start this year, Panther Racing put out great stuff at Indy, and he knows he needs to win it this year.  They really know how to do the late-race fuel strategy, and that's the most important thing at Indy.

Servià and Tagliani, with the right engines, could be up there, too, and if the Andretti Autosport drivers were a little better I'd throw them in the mix, too, but I don't trust Marco Andretti over 500 miles, I don't think James Hinchcliffe is an elite enough talent, and I don't think Ryan Hunter-Reay really delivers that well at IMS.  But I suspect the team as a whole is absolutely starving after what happened last year, and as much as I'll poke fun of the broadcast focusing too much on 2011, it was the greatest race "weekend" (weeks, really, of practice, qualifying, and the race itself, all so superb, with so many stories), any series, in the entire time I've watched racing.  I don't think so much has happened at Indy in a very long time, maybe since 1995.  It was definitely a highlight of the single-chassis, single-engine era.

[Massa]

Honda and Chevrolet have turned MSR Indy down.  Assuming Bryan Herta Autosport and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing get engines, there will be 32 cars entered.  If not, there will be 30 or 31.

Everyone entered will start the race provided they don't destroy their equipment and withdraw, or lose funding and withdraw, etc.

There will be no reason to have Bump Day.

Eleven rows of three will be a lie this year.  Last time there were fewer than 33 cars?  1947.  1930-1933 saw over 33 (ranging from 38 to 42).  In 1941, only 31 cars started, after two of the qualifers had to withdraw (practice crash for Sam Hanks, garage fire for George Barringer).

Shame.

[Massa]

MSR Indy have let Jay Howard go.  They will not contest the 500-mile sweepstakes this year.  However...

Chevrolet say they are full with fifteen engines and will not supply any further entries.  Currently there are thirteen: Andretti Autosport with five (the AFS car is an AA car), Penske with three, KV with three, Panther with one, and ECR with one.  Apparently fourteen is for Oriol Servià and Dreyer & Reinbold.  A fifteenth engine would be a thirty-third car, and it's being held for a current Chevrolet team (hence MSR didn't get it).  It is rumored Panther will have a second entry with Buddy Rice, as they did last year.  We might get to thirty-three now...even though it's well past the deadline for new entries.

However, now we have a big issue.  Dreyer & Reinbold, as well as Bryan Herta Autosport (who I guess are with Honda now) got to leave Lotus and switch.  Now Dragon Racing is trying to leave Lotus, and guess what?  IndyCar has given itself the power to say "no" to engine supplier changes in an effort to stop them.

http://auto-racing.s...pplier-changes/

I have no idea how it's fair to let some teams do it and others not.  I am very happy that Servià and Tagliani will have better cars for Indy, but I would love to see Bourdais have a real engine now, too.  He can get the job done.

[HandyNZL]

Is it just me, or is the whole thing seemingly being run by amateurs this year?  It just seems so airy-fairy....change the rules here....bend them there...enter that team....pull that team out...run with that guy....use that engine......change that engine.....

[Massa]

Well, I wouldn't call that a new thing for this year, but yeah, the series itself has completely lost me.  I still care about the 500, barely, on legacy alone, but the series...it's just maddening to follow sometimes.

I think the biggest criticism for Randy Bernard has always been that, while he admits he doesn't come from auto racing, he has used that as an excuse to listen to too many people with too much influence.  Every decision he makes seems to be someone else's, and then when someone else doesn't like the decision, he goes back on it.  I'm not sure if it's the team owners or Tony George or the media or whomever that is running this show, but Bernard is too close to all of them and too willing to let them make his mind, and then change it.  It was okay in his first little while to say "I'm going to talk to people and get an idea for this," but in year three, yeah, we should be running this a little better.

Oh well.  It's still Indy.

[Massa]

I cannot confirm this as true yet but this is what I've seen:

The fifteenth Chevrolet engine is for Bryan Herta Autosport (meaning we still have 32 cars, not 33.  However, Jay Howard is floating around with money, and Jean Alesi may or may not be.  There just aren't any engines).

How is that significant?

Apparently the only way they were able to get the Chevrolet engine was to be "acquired" by Panther Racing.

I am not sure if this is true, but that's the talk right now, that Panther has acquired Bryan Herta's team.  Hildebrand, Tagliani, and Chevrolet.  Man I really think that team has a huge chance to win...

Now we need Honda or Lotus to get a thirty-third car out there and I'll just let Bump Day go.

[Massa]

So now I'm seeing on another forum that it's Panther partnering with Dreyer & Reinbold.

But that doesn't explain the fifteenth Chevrolet engine, since we already assumed D&RR were number fourteen.

Still, Hildebrand/Servià is a stout lineup, with Panther's prowess at Indy (second in the last four races with three different drivers).  Servià's experience would help Hildebrand tremendously.  Interestingly enough, Servià has a degree in engeering, something Hildebrand was about to pursue at MIT (one of the most selective schools in the U.S.) before his racing career really took off.  Two very, very bright guys.

Now I'm intrigued.

Also, Jean Alesi apparently has a Lotus ride now.  I assume it's HVM Racing as they are the last real Lotus team (Dragon will field Lotus engines, but they're trying to get away).

So now that's 33 if Alesi comes through.

And then it's 34 if there is a fifteenth Chevrolet.

[Grabthaw the Hammerslayer]

Jean Alesi? WTF?

I liked Jean, but, I mean, where on the car will he store his walking stick and glasses

What next? Stirling Moss in a Penske?

[Massa]

I'll believe Alesi when I see him.  The money he has is from Lotus, which means there's no money at all.  They've never paid anyone.

Dreyer & Reinbold have formed an alliance with Panther.  They'll operate as a single, two-car team.  Oriol Servià and J.R. Hildebrand.  Chevrolet engines.  This is great news.

ESPN Classic will air the following Indianapolis 500s in the United States.  Probably be streamed or something.

May 21
1979
1996
1997
1999
2006

May 22
1967
1969
1981
2000
2002
2009
2005
2011

May 23
1980
1983
1984
1988
1991
1986
2010

I wish they'd spread them out over the entire month.  I'll try to catch one per day.  My one complaint: not enough from the early 90s.  A lot of IRL era races, and that's fine, but they really should show 1992 and 1995.  Those were both really good.  Of course I've already seen them so I guess it makes no difference and no one watches ESPN Classic.  Still.  Those were both cool races.  And 1989?  How can they not have 1989?!  Oh well.  I'll see a few from the IRL era that I never saw (even if I know who won), and the older ones.

[Massa]

Apparently HVM turned down Jean Alesi, and if there's another Lotus, it may actually be Dragon Racing's third car (this is already a horrible idea) for Jay Howard (now it's even worse).

I don't think we'll see another Lotus, though.

Still no word what the fifteenth Chevrolet is.  Could the Panther/Dreyer & Reinbold relationship yield another car?  Panther had two last year, and D&RR had four.  Conceivably, if the engine lease is there, the new team could do a third (but I hope not; Servià/Hildebrand is a good lineup and I don't want to see them spread too thin).

After Indy, Honda will carry eleven leases (one from the ten heading into Indy, and down four from the fifteen for the 500).  No idea if the eleventh is for the second RLL car, as it was supposed to be (but Luca Filippi apparently lost his backing) or for Bryan Herta Autosport, who still don't have an engine for the 500.  Chevrolet don't intend to add any leases beyond D&RR joining Panther.

[Massa]

I don't want to bring too much negativity here, but I will say this: I hate engine leases.  It's tough for IndyCar, I realize.  Their series doesn't mean enough to the suppliers for true competition to happen, where they all work hard to improve and catch up.  It's not worth it.  In IndyCar, the best engine would end up in every car and the other two would pull out.

But I still like that process a lot better than I like this one.

[BradSpeedMan]

Massa, on 26 April 2012 - 03:53 PM, said:

15. Takuma Sato (Tokyo, Japan) - RLL Racing Dallara/Honda...Great in qualifying last year.  RLL put out good stuff.  Time to make an impression.

dear lord, where on earth did he pop up???? hope he makes it for one lap (or any lap I might add) without any incident, him being the culprit or not..

[HandyNZL]

Actually Braddles, he's not doing too bad, and was actually going quite good on the ovals last year.

[BradSpeedMan]

HandyNZL, on 06 May 2012 - 08:43 AM, said:

Actually Braddles, he's not doing too bad, and was actually going quite good on the ovals last year.

Good and glad for him, IndyCar seem to be a platform to extend ex-Formula 1 drivers careers, makes sense...

[JHS18]

HandyNZL, on 06 May 2012 - 08:43 AM, said:

Actually Braddles, he's not doing too bad, and was actually going quite good on the ovals last year.

Yeah that.

Maybe some fans should have a more open mind about the driving talent in motorsport that isn't F1 for once...

I know Eric will laugh at that. "Talent? In Indycar? I think you need your eyes testing!"

[Massa]

BradSpeedMan, on 06 May 2012 - 01:07 PM, said:

Good and glad for him, IndyCar seem to be a platform to extend ex-Formula 1 drivers careers, makes sense...

Don't let them tell you that, Brad!  He crashed out on lap 20 of last year's Indy 500 after qualifying tenth.  Classified jack last in thirty-third.  What a stiff.

[BradSpeedMan]

Massa, on 06 May 2012 - 03:42 PM, said:

Don't let them tell you that, Brad!  He crashed out on lap 20 of last year's Indy 500 after qualifying tenth.  Classified jack last in thirty-third.  What a stiff.

Trust Handy to lead us astray

[Massa]

Allegedly, there won't be a fifteenth Chevrolet unless there has to be.  If they can't get 33 cars, one current Chevrolet team will field an extra car (Penske said he can if he has to.  Cue Sam Hornish, Jr. or A.J. Allmendinger speculation.  I figure an extra Chevrolet would be a Buddy Rice car, though, for Ed Carpenter or Panther/D&RR).

Also, one driver may be splitting from his/her team, leaving a ride open.  I have no idea who this driver is or what team he/she drives for.  Just a rumor.

[Massa]

There won't be that Chevrolet because Jean Alesi has a ride:

http://auto-racing.s...nited-for-indy/

I am confused.

[HandyNZL]

Massa, on 06 May 2012 - 09:55 PM, said:

I am confused.

We knew that......

[Massa]

Dragon Racing and Lotus have parted ways.

They will apparently use Chevrolet engines.  I think Bourdais will be a real factor.  I think Legge will still suck.

http://www.indystar....|IndyStar.com|s

For those following the series as a whole, there's no word whatsoever on how Dreyer & Reinbold, Bryan Herta Autosport, and Dragon are going to race beyond Indy.  They don't have engine leases after that, but I think it is suggested that with the Panther alliance, D&RR will continue on.

I also wonder, if Chevrolet only has one extra engine, if one of the Dragon drivers is this "driver parting from his/her team."

[JHS18]

Have to say what a complete mess it all seems. Some teams with no engines, some teams changing engine suppliers, loads of cars having engine related problems during a weekend...

I guess it was bound to be like this after years with the same package, and now everything's so new. I hope they get things sorted eventually.

[Massa]

The only way to sort it?  Do nothing.

IndyCar should have no role whatsoever in these changes.  Engine leasing is the dumbest system I've ever heard of.  Let them run whatever they want and if Ilmor and HPD want to play favorites amongst their own, who cares?  Dig deep and earn it like Penske and Ganassi have.  Not happy?  Switch.

IndyCar over-regulated themselves into a mess.

But it's the Indy 500.  Just get my guys in good cars.

[Massa]

The gloves are off.  Dragon suing Lotus for $4,600,000.

Some tidbits:

Remember that contractual dispute pre-season?  Dragon alleges that Lotus would not deliver the engine to them unless they paid "substantial" amounts of money.  We knew that.  However, Lotus was apparently already $1,000,000 in debt to Dragon at the time.

Dragon paid $500,000 to get their engine despite this.

Dragon allege that Lotus damaged the team's reputation by making false claims that the contract dispute was over a lack of payment on Dragon's part.