Clicky

Jump to content

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Massa

Indianapolis 500

Recommended Posts

Not a race, not a race, we're talking about practice.

Ehv8q.png

Penske guys getting dicey with Tagliani and Servià.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

craigsboy (get it like craigslist) Hipster Wade Cunningham got to fourth while running out there in the big pack. Obviously it's in the draft, but that's a quick time. Good for him and A.J.'s boys. They've come along way from being in the ranks of Alesi as not passing ROP on day one.

Yellow's out for something. Probably inspection or debris or catching their breaths from Cunningham wading through all the cars ahead of him on the time sheet. :P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Remember the Josef Newgarden video from Long Beach where he interviewed fans about himself?

Did it again here. He's a good sport. Well-spoken. This kid has a future in the broadcast booth when he's done racing, which will be, what, 20 years from now?

Bourdais described Legge's car as the loosest he's ever been in a racecar. Bad combo for Katherine. Ill-handling car, not-so-talented driver. Going to be hard to get out of orientation and I know this guy, his name is Jay Howard...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Bob Jenkins and Jerry Baker really like Bourdais' chrome car. Me too. He's out there now. A lot of guys are out there now. The engine noise fo all these cars at the same time. Guys, oh my god, you need to hear these cars. 33 of them at Indy...whoa whoa whoa. They sound so cool!

NkXbD.png

ZFeBs.png

Anyone who thinks six-cylinder turbos won't sound good in F1, you're kidding yourself. Wow these things are vicious!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sixteen cars on track now. Double that and add another for the race. It's crazy! Practicing like this, it's great.

Purple purple purple. Purple everywhere with everyone in a huge tow.

Still going purple, everywhere, how do I even keep track?

Bourdais is bring his 7 up to speed a lot quicker than he got the 6 going this morning. Good on the Dragon boys. It took until 5 PM on Thursday, but they have a car ready to go for a great driver.

Power...he's quick in qualifying trim, he's quick in the draft. Watch that guy and hope his pit crew doesn't mess up.

I'll tell you something...these cars, they're going slower than last year, but they sound faster, and they don't look any slower. This is exciting.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

5UtfK.png

lDsGP.png

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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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

YxgCg.png

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).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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

Five minutes to go today.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

"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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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/indycar/news/179805/1/alesi_may_call_time_on_indy_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.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

tongue.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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? :P

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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

tongue.png

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.

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

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.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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. :P

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.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...