2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bull!!

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

The bigger ? is what will the penalty be for not following the procedure? We all know someone will lose their cool.

It will be a slap on th wrist. NASCAR is more concerned with ratings and the soap opera drama than with driver safety.

[solovsfett]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I can't wait for sunday at the Mile! I met Michael Andretti, Zach Veach, James Hinchcliffe, Josef Newgarden and Matthew Brabham tonight. All were very cool (well, maybe Hinch was more aloof than the others)...David Hobbs came across as a total knob, he didn't have time for anyone despite being at a table where he was ostensibly there to sign autographs. One guy brought INDY 500 qualifying photo's of Hobbs and DH just took the book and started talking to Newgarden while the fan was hoping for maybe a bit of conversation...anyway fun nonetheless

[solovsfett]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Great day at the Mile today. I really thought Matthew Brabham would take his 2nd Indy Lights win but lost out on the final restart. Brabham really is a star in the making, won USF2000 and Pro Mazda titles and it appears he's heading in the right direction in Indy Lights now. One more season of lights and I hope Andretti calls him to the big cars.

The future of Indycar could really be: Josef Newgarden, Sage Karem, Matthew Brabham, Conor Daly, Carlos Munoz.

As for the ABCSupply 250...man I can't stand Will Power so to see him win ****es me off to no end. Especially when Castroneves had a lackluster day along w/Pagenaud (yeah, yeah 7th)

Newgarden in 5th for Sarah Fisher. I mean, this kid is outdriving his equipment there's no doubt about it.

Also...*** w/Montoya hitting a tire in the pits and not getting a penalty? I'm a JPM fan and want him to win but if Newgarden suffers a drivethrough at Mid-Ohio for his pit crews error (he ran over the hose left out by his slothful pitcrew) then Montoya deserved one for his own error. He's **** lucky that tire didn't bound into the neighboring pit stall

[alfablue]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I was going to complain that the race wasn't that exciting, but I quickly understood how wrong I am. Of all the ovals, Milwakee is more of a road coarse that goes around over a mile. So seeing the cars spread out like that is quite natural. It also results in cars that can change a lot over a run, and more importantly over the race as the teams mess with them.

Power/Penske did a great job keeping the car out in front. The one time he was behind Kaanan was more a strategy issue (which I thought was curious, being that yellows are more likely than not) where Power stayed out long so that he only had one more stop, which lost a lot of time To Kaanan. In the end, the TCG team did not give Tony a car that he could race with at the end- which kinda sucked. He should have been able to carve up at least to Power, but couldn't even close any gaps.

That track is obviously really hard to get right.

Newgarden- great drive. I heard that Fisher and Carpenter are teaming to make a two car team, which should help a lot. But Josef has not resigned. Wondering who he thinks may try to get him on their team other than the Fisher/Carpenter team.

It WAS a good race. The bonehead moves have really gone down, it seems. Mostly quite clean. Felt bad for RHR, so rare to see a car break when not hitting something. Start in the back, get into the top of the race, and then break? Ugh.

[joecct]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Spa week.

You do not lift at Eau Rouge.

[Timothy A]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

The race at the Mile was pretty good. The thing that I hate on the small ovals is once the leader gets you a lap down, the lapped cars need to yield to the following cars on the lead lap. That would improve the show. It's senseless for a lapped car to hassle the 2nd place car in getting by.

[solovsfett]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I was going to complain that the race wasn't that exciting, but I quickly understood how wrong I am. Of all the ovals, Milwakee is more of a road coarse that goes around over a mile. So seeing the cars spread out like that is quite natural. It also results in cars that can change a lot over a run, and more importantly over the race as the teams mess with them.

Power/Penske did a great job keeping the car out in front. The one time he was behind Kaanan was more a strategy issue (which I thought was curious, being that yellows are more likely than not) where Power stayed out long so that he only had one more stop, which lost a lot of time To Kaanan. In the end, the TCG team did not give Tony a car that he could race with at the end- which kinda sucked. He should have been able to carve up at least to Power, but couldn't even close any gaps.

That track is obviously really hard to get right.

Newgarden- great drive. I heard that Fisher and Carpenter are teaming to make a two car team, which should help a lot. But Josef has not resigned. Wondering who he thinks may try to get him on their team other than the Fisher/Carpenter team.

It WAS a good race. The bonehead moves have really gone down, it seems. Mostly quite clean. Felt bad for RHR, so rare to see a car break when not hitting something. Start in the back, get into the top of the race, and then break? Ugh.

You nailed it re: the Mile being like a road course. The flat turns force it into a drivers track and they have to be great with set-ups (which makes it a mystery as to why Andretti's cars were off all day, cause if anyone knows how to set-up for Milwaukee it's Michael)

If Newgarden hasn't re-signed to Sarah Fisher/Hartman I'm thinking he's waiting for a 5th car announcement w/Andretti or potentially a spot w/Schmidt's team to replace Pagenaud (if Pagenaud leaves)

that kid really needs to be on a top 3 team

Conor Daly was tweeting how much he loves Indycar, I hope he gets a look soon

Spa! RE: DO NOT LIFT AT EAU ROUGE, take a look at Hakkinen getting the drop on Schumacher by going flat through there...Incredibly ballsy move from years ago

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Hearing rumors that Vergne has been dropped by STR in favor of Max Vanstappen. However, Vanstappen doesn't have a superlicence but I guess he could maybe get a provisional one like was done for Kimi years ago.

Also, Felix da Costa possibly in one of the Caterham's......

EDIT: Vanstappen will be in STR for 2015.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Spa week.

You do not lift at Eau Rouge.

According to Sutil, that might not be possible this year.

[joecct]

According to Sutil, that might not be possible this year.

WHAT??

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

WHAT??

This season, Formula 1 took steps to decrease the downforce of the cars meaning there is less grip especially in the corners.

Sutil reckons that will be notable this weekend at the high-speed Spa-Francorchamps circuit and could force drivers to lift through Eau Rouge.

"Eau Rouge is one of my favourite corners, and this year it will be difficult to go flat out due to less downforce," he said of Spa's most famous corner.

"With the new cars we will have more top speed and less grip, so it will be interesting to see how it will be to drive under these conditions."

[alfablue]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

This season, Formula 1 took steps to decrease the downforce of the cars meaning there is less grip especially in the corners.

Sutil reckons that will be notable this weekend at the high-speed Spa-Francorchamps circuit and could force drivers to lift through Eau Rouge.

"Eau Rouge is one of my favourite corners, and this year it will be difficult to go flat out due to less downforce," he said of Spa's most famous corner.

"With the new cars we will have more top speed and less grip, so it will be interesting to see how it will be to drive under these conditions."

I would rather have it that way vs being able to blindly go WOT through it. Separate the good cars and good drivers from the less good.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I would rather have it that way vs being able to blindly go WOT through it. Separate the good cars and good drivers from the less good.

Agree!

Now, if we can just pass on that philosophy to the Indy 500...

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Agree!

Now, if we can just pass on that philosophy to the Indy 500...

+1

[joecct]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

This will be interesting to watch.

Bob Varsha @bobvarsha 10m
I'll be hosting FOX Sports coverage of #FormulaE on Sept 13, and the more I prep the more I think this is going to be very cool.