IndyCar 2015

TheChrisD · 17-02-2015 10:06pm #1

So, Chevy released their aero kit. Nice looking, although just a little bit... "F1 2008" about it with all the crazy winglets. Comparison image:

6 weeks to St. Pete!

Ghost Train · 29-03-2015 10:04pm

Awful lot of cautions due to those winglets getting knocked off

Ghost Train · 29-03-2015 10:45pm

Montoya leading with 12 laps to go

TheChrisD · 13-04-2015 4:23am

Well, the race at NOLA was... not the most entertaining of events. And that's putting it lightly.

Hopefully some redemption at Long Beach next week. Where we get to use the whole track instead of only part of it! *cough*FormulaE*cough*

Charlie-Bravo · 13-04-2015 8:31am

TheChrisD wrote: »

Well, the race at NOLA was... not the most entertaining of events. And that's putting it lightly.

Hopefully some redemption at Long Beach next week. Where we get to use the whole track instead of only part of it! *cough*FormulaE*cough*

Leave FormulaE alone ya big bully.

Will there be as much action though? We'll see...

Uno my Uno. · 13-04-2015 9:55am

TheChrisD wrote: »

Well, the race at NOLA was... not the most entertaining of events. And that's putting it lightly.

Hopefully some redemption at Long Beach next week. Where we get to use the whole track instead of only part of it! *cough*FormulaE*cough*

Didn't get to see the race but read on twitter that a lot of it was run under caution? Was It just the weather or were there a lot of incidents? Looked like a scary shunt at the end.

The track looks very new and underdeveloped, can't imagine there was much in the way of atmosphere.

Uno my Uno. · 13-04-2015 1:39pm

Uno my Uno. wrote: »

Didn't get to see the race but read on twitter that a lot of it was run under caution? Was It just the weather or were there a lot of incidents? Looked like a scary shunt at the end.

The track looks very new and underdeveloped, can't imagine there was much in the way of atmosphere.

Watched the two minute highlights on You Tube, only 22 laps run under green, 25 under caution. Seems like a lot of the drivers really struggled in the wet, spinning on the way out of corners, I'd expect more than that from drivers at that level. Sebastian Bordais had a good quote, he said drivers needed to up their game as they made them all look like "monkeys".:D:D:D

TheChrisD · 13-04-2015 3:50pm

astrofluff wrote: »

Leave FormulaE alone ya big bully. Will there be as much action though? We'll see...

I got no problem with FE, in fact I enjoy watching it myself. I just don't appreciate them cutting some historic circuits in half :pac:

Uno my Uno. wrote: »

Didn't get to see the race but read on twitter that a lot of it was run under caution? Was It just the weather or were there a lot of incidents? Looked like a scary shunt at the end.

First 16 laps went off without a hitch, including green-flag stops to change to slicks. Then there were 6 cautions all immediately after the last. Literally the lap they went green, they had to go back to yellow for whatever reason.

Uno my Uno. wrote: »

The track looks very new and underdeveloped, can't imagine there was much in the way of atmosphere.

It's basically another club track trying to improve and make a name, similar to when Barber was first added to the series. Although NOLA isn't as well developed as Barber as of yet.

There are some areas that do need to be improved on with regards to barrier locations and draining (although that in itself is a conundrum given it's flat and basically at sea level), but those will come over time. Sometimes you just have to have the problems surface themselves when in use to be able to fix them for the future.

Uno my Uno. · 15-04-2015 1:33pm

TheChrisD wrote: »

It's basically another club track trying to improve and make a name, similar to when Barber was first added to the series. Although NOLA isn't as well developed as Barber as of yet.

There are some areas that do need to be improved on with regards to barrier locations and draining (although that in itself is a conundrum given it's flat and basically at sea level), but those will come over time. Sometimes you just have to have the problems surface themselves when in use to be able to fix them for the future.

I read a couple of articles in the US press on Monday about the race and the gist was that NOLA is an unremarkable club track with few facilities and little draw in the local region, only 8,000 fans attended the Race :eek::eek::eek:

One article asked the legitimate question of why races like this are being added to the calender while tracks like Watkins Glen, Road America and Mid Ohio all of which would attract large crowds are being ignored. I'm sure there are some legitimate reasons relating to the likes of Watkins Glen but they can't be insurmountable.

Ghost Train · 15-04-2015 1:51pm

Watch the race a day or two back, pity the race never got restarted properly, woild have expected the wet conditions to give some good racing

TheChrisD · 15-04-2015 4:55pm

Uno my Uno. wrote: »

I read a couple of articles in the US press on Monday about the race and the gist was that NOLA is an unremarkable club track with few facilities and little draw in the local region, only 8,000 fans attended the Race :eek::eek::eek:

Walk-up crowds were put off by the weather forecasts, unfortunately.

Uno my Uno. wrote: »

One article asked the legitimate question of why races like this are being added to the calender while tracks like Watkins Glen, Road America and Mid Ohio all of which would attract large crowds are being ignored. I'm sure there are some legitimate reasons relating to the likes of Watkins Glen but they can't be insurmountable.

NOLA was given funding by the state government to help pay for necessary safety upgrades and, crucially, the sanctioning fee. The other tracks aren't willing to pay that fee out of pocket, it's the sad truth.

Uno my Uno. · 15-04-2015 5:14pm

TheChrisD wrote: »

Walk-up crowds were put off by the weather forecasts, unfortunately.

NOLA was given funding by the state government to help pay for necessary safety upgrades and, crucially, the sanctioning fee. The other tracks aren't willing to pay that fee out of pocket, it's the sad truth.

8,000 tickets is still shockingly low for what is the premier open wheel racing league in the US. Formula Ford Meetings at Oulton Park would get the same.*

The IRL need to address the sanctioning fee in that case because that is some bad business. Indy Car is dying on its ar$e and it can't go on like this. It is such a shame to see the league in this state, I remember how exciting CART was back in the mid to late 90s, all the ingredients are still there they just need to be put together properly.

Edit: Just saw that Mid-Ohio is on the circuit this year, hopefully that will provide a decent race, I've always thought it was a challenging track.

*maybe not but you know what I mean

Charlie-Bravo · 26-04-2015 9:02pm

Ah Power, what were you thinking! That's tuned two people's races!

Ghost Train · 26-04-2015 11:55pm

Pretty good race in the end, a lap or two longer and Rahal might have won it. Interesting to see the marbles from the firestone/bridgestones, must be similar enough to the old f1 bridgestones

Charlie-Bravo · 27-04-2015 1:02am

Yeah, great race altogether. Plenty of action on such a narrow track. Sometimes I prefer not seeing too many walls as drivers take more risks on overtaking!

Cookie_Monster · 13-05-2015 9:21pm

Castroneves has a bit of a moment at indi500 practice :eek:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11448421

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQZ0mnJKllU

Zcott · 13-05-2015 9:34pm

Well that's not terrifying at all...you can see when he realised he was about to have a big one when he took his hands off the wheel and held them close to his body. Great that he was able to walk away though.

Ghost Train · 13-05-2015 10:19pm

Scary moment when it took off, lucky it took off that it kept away from catch fence

Uno my Uno. · 13-05-2015 10:38pm

Open wheel racing on ovals is just so dangerous, I enjoy watching it but my heart is always in my mouth.

TheChrisD · 13-05-2015 11:08pm

And now Pippa in the wall too

13-05-2015 11:15pm

Uno my Uno. wrote: »

Open wheel racing on ovals is just so dangerous, I enjoy watching it but my heart is always in my mouth.

The Texas races, especially when pack racing was possible, was so terrifying.

acquiescefc · 14-05-2015 11:48pm

...and now Newgarden. Cant imagine this with 20 odd drivers.

Uno my Uno. · 15-05-2015 9:44am

Big shunt, He looked a little shook afterwards. There will probably be closer to 35 runners in the race.:eek:

TheChrisD · 15-05-2015 3:43pm

Uno my Uno. wrote: »

There will probably be closer to 35 runners in the race.:eek:

35, there's going to be an extra entry?

Uno my Uno. · 15-05-2015 5:59pm

TheChrisD wrote: »

35, there's going to be an extra entry?

33 starters the last two years, some teams enter additional cars and other teams only have the funding to run a couple of races and so target the big ones like the 500.

TheChrisD · 16-05-2015 12:23am

Uno my Uno. wrote: »

33 starters the last two years, some teams enter additional cars and other teams only have the funding to run a couple of races and so target the big ones like the 500.

I'm well aware of the mechanics of the entries; I was kinda taking the piss at how you were claiming 35 when there's only 34 on the entry list this year and nothing last minute since neither Honda nor Chevy will supply more than 17 engines each :P

acquiescefc · 17-05-2015 2:01pm

Uno my Uno. · 17-05-2015 2:37pm

Those accidents look bad enough on an empty track, what would it be like with a full field? I think the most alarming thing is the frequency with which they are getting airborne.

acquiescefc · 17-05-2015 4:07pm

I think they need to have serious discussions about it, if indeed they already are during this red flag.

Would definitely be worried to have 30+ twitchy cars in the same place. I know its safer these days but theres been a lot of incidents already without other cars present.

Ghost Train · 17-05-2015 6:25pm

They have made some changes to qualifying, making them run more of a race configuration

Because of three separate, single-car incidents in the past five days in which race cars have gotten airborne in practice, INDYCAR also announced the following measures for qualifications:

-- The boost level, which was increased from 130 kPa to 140 kPa for “Fast Friday” practice May 15 and scheduled qualifications May 16, was returned to 130 kPa for Pole Day qualifications. That relates to about a 40 horsepower reduction to the Chevrolet and Honda 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 engines. The boost level will remain at 130 kPa for final practice on Coors Light Carb Day on May 22 and the 500 Mile Race on May 24.

-- The aerodynamic bodywork package that Chevrolet- and Honda-aligned entries qualifying with must be utilized in the 200-lap race.

“This morning we saw a third car get into wall, turn backwards and lift into the air. We’ve said all along we want to go faster, but we want to do so safely," said
Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Company, parent of INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "As a precautionary measure, INDYCAR will require that the cars qualify today in the same aero set up that they will run in the Indianapolis 500 next weekend. Also, for today, boost levels will return to race conditions. Given these changes, we have elected to not award points for today’s qualifications.

"Safety for drivers and fans is the top priority for INDYCAR and we will continue to be proactive in our research and development to improve all safety aspects of our sport.”

http://www.indycar.com/News/2015/05/5-15-Indy-500-qualifications-set-up

Uno my Uno. · 17-05-2015 11:23pm

Ghost Train wrote: »

They have made some changes to qualifying, making them run more of a race configuration

http://www.indycar.com/News/2015/05/5-15-Indy-500-qualifications-set-up

It's good they are taking some steps but I'd still be concerned, indycar, don't have a great track record when it comes to safety concerns.

IndyCar 2015

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