427 replies to this topic

[Massa]

Keen eye Bob Jenkins.  Andretti Autosport MIA today.  I guess they're negotiating a NASCAR deal.

[Massa]

Times are getting all jumbled up with this towing going on.  I feel like Bob Cole felt at 0:19 in this video.



EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING!

[Massa]

223.088 FOR SCOTT DIXON IT'S A NEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWW DW12 REEEEEEEECOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORD.

[Massa]

I think.  Right?

[Massa]

I'm thinking, and it's hard to say without Andretti doing qualifying runs, Sato might be this year's Servià, getting a surprise spot on the front row.  Do I think he can finish top five like Servià did?  I don't trust him, yet.  But he's going to turn some heads this month so all you F1 guys better tune in after Monaco and cheer for your boys Sato, Barrichello, and Billie Jean Alesi.

[Massa]

Con-way trucks into the top ten (Con-way Freight is a trucking company just ignore me).  Those Foyt cars are fast because Mike's been tentatitve at Indy.  Franchitti advances, knocking Tagliani to eleventh.

Jourdain in the tow: slower than teammate Sato all alone.

Hey, look, it's Ryan Hunter-Reay.  He hasn't been out all day.

THREE WIDE into the first corner guys simmer down.  How has there only been one incident all practice?  These guys are crazy.  The DW12 must really stick.  Or they're better drivers than I ever thought.

James Hinchcliffe appears on the pit lane with 10 minutes to go in Happy Hour.

No one too speedy is out there now.  Looks like Dixon will end the day on top unless Andretti Autosport decide to go drafting.

[Massa]

Hunter-Reay did two installation laps in the 140s.  I wonder what the deal is.

[Massa]

A "chrome" car sponsored by Google's rival Bing.



I'd say it's pretty sharp.  Katherine's car looks cool, too.  Dragon at least look professional, even if they're constantly surrounded by drama (i.e. De Ferran Dragon signing Tony Kanaan before 2011, the double-car withdraw/FTQ at Indy that same year, the Lotus engine stuff in testing, the lawsuit now and everything).

[Massa]

Franchitti slipstreams Rahal, blows by Viso.  Slingshot move right there.

Five minutes to go today.

[Massa]

They're saying that Ana Beatriz' 219.604 lap was without a tow.  I didn't see it myself.  That's quick.  Still, with so many other cars on the track, I'm sure she got some kind of tow, even if it wasn't obvious.  The more cars out there, even on another end, the quicker you'll go.  No denying that Andretti cars are fast, though.  Chevrolet and Honda are really battling hard.  It's cool, I think, to see those two going head-to-head.  I'm partial to Honda, because I drive a Honda and there's another one parked next to it in the garage, but as you can see from my signature, I have five Honda drivers and seven Chevrolet drivers.

[Massa]

The session is over.

[Massa]

Alright guys, here's the good stuff, the events that will be televised (at least in the U.S.) and therefore you may be able to watch (all you savvy kids with your illegal methods):

SATURDAY MAY 19: POLE DAY 11 AM TO 2:30 PM, 4:30 PM TO 6:30 PM GMT -5

SUNDAY MAY 20: BUMP DAY 12 PM TO 6:30 PM GMT -5.

FRIDAY MAY 25: CARB DAY 11 AM - 4 PM GMT -5 THIS BROADCAST INCLUDES THE FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS FREEDOM 100 AT 12:15 PM

SUNDAY MAY 27: INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRE-RACE 11 AM GMT -5

SUNDAY MAY 27: INDIANAPOLIS 500 RACE 12 PM GMT -5

The ones in all caps are the ones I think you guys should all watch.

[Massa]

So tomorrow is Fast Friday.  140 kPa.  You guys think we'll see a 227 in the tow?  I do.  It's going to be wild.

Bourdais is out now setting up Legge's car.  Got it up to 212, pitted.  I guess Katherine will get in now.  Note that timing and scoring is INCORRECTLY listing the 212 lap as Legge's.  It was Bourdais.  Anyway, they have until 7:00 PM (it's 6:21 now) and Legge needs to get out there.

T.J. Patrick, Danica's father, has been at IMS this whole time, rather than at his daughter's race in Darlington.

Quote

"I'm not at Darlington because I didn't want to go," T.J. Patrick told me Saturday afternoon on pit lane at Indy. "This is the Indianapolis 500 and there is no place I would rather be in May. If you are a racer, this is where you want to be."

http://sportsillustr...l#ixzz1vATy5Y00

[Massa]

Legge passes phases one and two.  She will have to pass the third phase tomorrow.  I am unsure if she gets to try to pass it under Fast Friday regulations (extra boost) or not.

Anyway, credit where credit's due, she did a good job to pass under pressure.

[Massa]

I'm not sure this is what they had in mind when they paid (it's funny because Lotus never actually pays) this guy to be a brand ambassador.  Alesi's brutal comments about the engine, and hints that he may withdraw.

http://www.crash.net...dy_500_bid.html

I don't think that Alesi realizes you don't just withdraw after the weekend.  You do so before it.

Anyway, I wonder if Alesi and his team know what we've heard rumored, that T-cars are coming out on Bump Day, and they're just going to give up before they get bumped out if those extra entries actually happen.  I also wonder if Alesi, like the rest of them, just never got his money from Lotus and has had enough.  I wonder even further if Alesi's making a public campaign to INDYCAR (the sanctioning body is all caps, the series is not) to let Lotus run with the extra boost in the race by threatening to take away the 33rd car.  If he's doing that, though, his team must not be aware that Jay Howard and Vitor Meira are floating around with money.  Davey Hamilton may be, too.

[HandyNZL]

Interesting article there Eric.  Alesi always called a spade a spade in F1, and was one of a few that would do burnouts and donuts.

What I would like to know, is that if the T-cars of other teams come out, which have been set up by team drivers whom will be in the non T-cars come qually, what drivers would you expect to see, and wouldn't they be at a disadvantage to the others having not tested all week prior, nor having set the cars up for their driving styles?

RE Wade...it's ok if you bash him - he's a Kiwi and we got wide shoulders.  I don't give a hoot about out of car attitude - that only affects him and his career.  But I have watched him for years through NZ racing (Formula Fords and Formula Toyota), and at the first A1GP that was held in Taupo I watched him carve his way through the FToyota field from the back row in a car he had not driven until the first lap of the race.  The boy was head and shoulders above the others I thought during that race, from car placement on track, spatial awareness, and setting passes up from several corners back (Taupo is an oversized Kart track - you need a very long second gear in FFord).

I think if he doesn't prang, then he may well top ten.  Comfortably.

I hope.

[JHS18]

Massa, on 17 May 2012 - 10:01 PM, said:

Alright guys, here's the good stuff, the events that will be televised (at least in the U.S.) and therefore you may be able to watch (all you savvy kids with your illegal methods):

SATURDAY MAY 19: POLE DAY 11 AM TO 2:30 PM, 4:30 PM TO 6:30 PM GMT -5

SUNDAY MAY 20: BUMP DAY 12 PM TO 6:30 PM GMT -5.

FRIDAY MAY 25: CARB DAY 11 AM - 4 PM GMT -5 THIS BROADCAST INCLUDES THE FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS FREEDOM 100 AT 12:15 PM

SUNDAY MAY 27: INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRE-RACE 11 AM GMT -5

SUNDAY MAY 27: INDIANAPOLIS 500 RACE 12 PM GMT -5

The ones in all caps are the ones I think you guys should all watch.

They sure do know how to drag an event out in America land don't they?

No, thanks for the dates and times. If nothing else, I'll make sure I find a stream for the race after Monaco.

[Massa]

HandyNZL, on 18 May 2012 - 07:03 AM, said:

Interesting article there Eric.  Alesi always called a spade a spade in F1, and was one of a few that would do burnouts and donuts.

What I would like to know, is that if the T-cars of other teams come out, which have been set up by team drivers whom will be in the non T-cars come qually, what drivers would you expect to see, and wouldn't they be at a disadvantage to the others having not tested all week prior, nor having set the cars up for their driving styles?

RE Wade...it's ok if you bash him - he's a Kiwi and we got wide shoulders.  I don't give a hoot about out of car attitude - that only affects him and his career.  But I have watched him for years through NZ racing (Formula Fords and Formula Toyota), and at the first A1GP that was held in Taupo I watched him carve his way through the FToyota field from the back row in a car he had not driven until the first lap of the race.  The boy was head and shoulders above the others I thought during that race, from car placement on track, spatial awareness, and setting passes up from several corners back (Taupo is an oversized Kart track - you need a very long second gear in FFord).

I think if he doesn't prang, then he may well top ten.  Comfortably.

I hope.

Disadvantage?  Yes, but not as big as the Lotus is.  Bump Day isn't going to be very active, obviously, because at best you have two cars trying to bump.  And when no one is lined up to qualify (which no one will be, because the guys in the 33 aren't going to withdraw their times and the T-car(s) want practice), the track goes green for practice until someone lines up to qualify.  So the T-cars can take all day to practice with the new drivers until they're all set up.  And Foyt's been known to pull out the T-car before.  Felipe Giaffone was out shopping with his wife on Bump Day when Foyt decided the wind was blowing in the right direction and wanted an extra driver.  They got in the field.  End of the day, you only need to go over 212 (that's generous) to bump out a Lotus.  Sébastien Bourdais stepped into Legge's car, that had never been on an oval yet, and did 212 pretty quickly.  And that was with the race level of boost, not qualifying level, so in theory, he would have been doing 216-217.

Drivers?  Vitor Meira, definitely.  Jay Howard, too.  Both have money.  I know Meira's been hanging around with some pals from Honda.  Conveniently, I've heard both Foyt and Rahal as possible T-car teams, and sure enough, they are both Honda teams that Meira has driven for in the past (Rahal almost hired Meira to drive for him full-time this year).  I don't see the T-cars coming out without a driver who brings sponsorship, so those two make the most sense.

I know he's up there in years, and probably retired, but if we were going on who I trust most to put the car in the field, it's Buddy Lazier time.  He became the face for the IRL by winning the 1996 500 so he's much maligned, but this guy's a great Indy 500 racer.  Not sure why he's so awful for having a weaker field to beat (with a broken back and a worse car) but Juan Montoya's an Indy 500 legend for taking a Ganassi car against that same weak field and dominating.  The only guy who gave Montoya a challenge and led that day?  Second-place: Buddy Lazier, taking a Hemelgarn crapper to Ganassi.  He finished fifth with half a front wing in 2005.  Newman/Haas wanted the guy to do an all-oval schedule in CART.  But that's all irrelevant because we won't be seeing Lazier anymore, I don't think.

JHS18, on 18 May 2012 - 11:04 AM, said:

They sure do know how to drag an event out in America land don't they?

No, thanks for the dates and times. If nothing else, I'll make sure I find a stream for the race after Monaco.

The Indy 500 has actually been condensed in the past few years.  It used to start the first weekend in May and go on from there.  As you can see from the horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible, terrible attendance, there's just no sense in opening the track much anymore.  People show up for one day and that's it now.

Monaco?  Never heard of it.

[Massa]

Alright, I've done some rumor checking.

Vitor Meira is likely to drive the #7 for Bourdais at Milwaukee.  He was apparently in Indy working with the Dragon team, particularly as a backup to Legge in case she didn't pass orientation and couldn't qualify.  After last night, Meira was dismissed.  Doesn't rule him out, but...

Meira was also linked to Ed Carpenter Racing, but it's very, very, very unlikely.

Pippa Mann's floating around.  Not sure she's the best pair of hands for last-minute heroics.

Curt Cavin says: Foyt, Coyne, Schmidt, and ECR are thinking about third cars.

Three of those teams are Honda teams.  I wonder how many engines Honda feels like handing out.  Foyt's always thinking about running his T car.  It's rumored every year.  Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't.  I mentioned the Meira/ECR link.  Schmidt could probably have Davey Hamilton, since his name is on the team.

A lot of teams are worried about Lotus causing a wreck, and I think Randy Bernard is behind the scenes trying to get T cars deployed.  Why?  Because Beaux Barfield says he means business and is going to black flag the two Lotus cars right away.  It's embarrassing for Indy to have two cars essentially start-and-park (since they're going in knowing they're getting flagged).  I'm sure Mr. Bernard would consider it a win-win to have 1) bumping on Bump Day, even if it's barely (since Lotus won't bump back) and 2) 33 cars actually intending to go the whole distance.

I would find it hilarious if a Honda/Chevrolet team hired Simona or Jean to bump themselves out.

I have to be honest, I feel bad for Alesi more than de Silvestro.  He's gotten everything there is to get out of that car/engine.  He impressed the hell out of me after being a real embarrassment for a while.  He's been faster than de Silvestro every time with a team that's never entered an Indy race before.  Good on you Jean.

[Massa]

Boost looks good for about 4 mph.  A lot warmer today, and warmer again tomorrow.  Expect a 224 or 225 pole time.  Hildebrand did a 223.9 all by himself today and he's not even the fastest guy I've seen.  Plus they can still go even more into the negative with the wing angles.

These cars sound mean.  I know I say that every day.  But wow.  They just sound vicious.  I love it.  Honestly, just have racecontrol.indycar.com on as background noise, don't even watch, just listen to it while you do whatever.  It's cool.

Some teams are hitting the rev limiters today.

[Massa]

Hinchcliffe does a 225.062 with a very, very, very slight tow.  Looks quick to me.

Andretti is on top at 225.916.  That was with a tow.

Beatriz doing 224.899 with a very, very, very slight tow.

What I'm trying to say: watch for these Andretti cars.  They're really strong.

[Massa]

224.877 for Hunter-Reay all alone.  210.901 for de Silvestro.  Only 14 mph off the pace, not a safety hazard at all!

Seen at the track: Buddy Lazier.  Get him in a T car!  Do it do it do it do it please.

[Massa]

225.243 for Hunter-Reay.  Very minor tow.  Guy can probably break 225 in qualifying.  Andretti brought it this year.  They had to, after what happened in 2011.

[Massa]

Andretti in clean air.  No tow.  All alone.  Does four laps, simulates qualifying.

225.052
225.230
225.307
225.273

I have a feeling Marco Andretti will be on the pole, and Ryan Hunter-Reay will be on that first row with him.

[Massa]

Jourdain in smoke on the back stretch.  A little fire.  Jourdain's the first engine failure of the month, and probably not the last today with the extra boost.  Jourdain was in the 221.3 range.

[Massa]

Waiting to hear from Servià and Bourdais...the latter didn't really get to practice at all yesterday.  You would think with a late start, that team would be desperate to get running.

[Massa]

It seems to me that de Silvestro just doesn't have it in her to run oval races.  Maybe she's better off in sports cars.  I say that as nicely as possible.  I'm not discrediting Alesi at all, but a 47-year-old rookie with a team formed a week ago shouldn't be faster than someone in her third 500 with a team that's been in the sport for decades.  He has been, every day.  If we get one T-car, de Silvestro FTQs, Alesi races.  If we get two, they're both out, but just one, Alesi's still in the 500.  I just don't think de Silvestro has the confidence or the courage to be a racing driver in a series that includes ovals.  Nice person, can't cut it.  No excuses this year.

[Massa]

If five of the nine cars in the pole shootout tomorrow evening are from Andretti Autosport, don't be surprised.  Saavedra does a 224.661 all alone and that's slow compared to his teammates.

[Massa]

This is what rookie orientation sounds like.

Katherine Legge said:

Thanks guys for working so hard, this is awesome!

http://www.16thandge...rine-legge.html

Legge passed phase three today.  That's the 500.  Unloading a car at 3:30 AM and getting **** done.

[Massa]

Power on the track all alone:

224.931
224.732
224.520
224.285

That's a top nine time for sure, though not pole pace.

Bryan Clauson:

222.436
222.854
222.320
221.789

I'd like to see a little more speed there.

Ryan Briscoe:

220.142
222.880
223.147
222.880

None of those times are good at all for a Penske guy.  Something's missing in the 2 camp.

Charlie Kimball:

221.197
221.291
221.247
220.977

Looked better in race trim.

Ed Carpenter:

221.290
220.437
224.114
224.400

I have no idea where the jump in those final two laps came from.  Did Ed find the gas pedal?

Alesi can trim the car out more and go faster, according to his team.  Won't matter; he's already gotten as far as he can go, which is faster than the other Lotus.  I know Alesi's getting on in years but you know...if someone invited him back next year to drive a real car with a real engine...I think he'd do alright.