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Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
- Thread starter alfablue
- Start date
solovsfett
Registered User
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jrl6-oZJeI
hmm...I like the sound of this!
it could be higher pitched but this is an excellent start
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jrl6-oZJeI
hmm...I like the sound of this!
it could be higher pitched but this is an excellent start
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
Not bad at all. Especially considering it is one car and not 33!
Not bad at all. Especially considering it is one car and not 33!
solovsfett
Registered User
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
Some interesting comments about Danica leaving in the Cininnati paper. the biggest was sponsor activation and how Verizon has done a kick *** job w/Will Power.
Target REALLY needs to step up as well as a few others. Get Franchitti, Dixon, Hunter-Reay, etc out there
what about Geico and TK? put him in a commercial w/the lizard?
In other news, I'm still unsure if Lotus is going to be here next year or not but there is this interesting tidbit re: Audi http://www.racer.com/vw-to-indycar-or-alms/article/213250/
Some interesting comments about Danica leaving in the Cininnati paper. the biggest was sponsor activation and how Verizon has done a kick *** job w/Will Power.
Target REALLY needs to step up as well as a few others. Get Franchitti, Dixon, Hunter-Reay, etc out there
what about Geico and TK? put him in a commercial w/the lizard?
In other news, I'm still unsure if Lotus is going to be here next year or not but there is this interesting tidbit re: Audi http://www.racer.com/vw-to-indycar-or-alms/article/213250/
solovsfett
Registered User
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
also...Connor Daly announcing he's focusing on F1 100% now.
I've never seen him race, is he good enough to eventually get there?
also I'm hearing a lot about Kyle Larson and how he could be the next Jeff Gordan. I hope the hell Randy Bernard pressures Penske/Ganassi/Andretti/KV to take a pro-active approach and start testing this kid now while they've got a chance. if he goes Nascar it will be embarrassing.
http://kylelarsonracing.com/
Robin Miller is really championing this kid
Franchitti starts 11th today w/Power on pole. Meanwhile Helio and Briscoe at the back...*** with that?
also...Connor Daly announcing he's focusing on F1 100% now.
I've never seen him race, is he good enough to eventually get there?
also I'm hearing a lot about Kyle Larson and how he could be the next Jeff Gordan. I hope the hell Randy Bernard pressures Penske/Ganassi/Andretti/KV to take a pro-active approach and start testing this kid now while they've got a chance. if he goes Nascar it will be embarrassing.
http://kylelarsonracing.com/
Robin Miller is really championing this kid
Franchitti starts 11th today w/Power on pole. Meanwhile Helio and Briscoe at the back...*** with that?
solovsfett
Registered User
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
wow. fantastic race @ Kentucky...I'm really happy for Ed Carpenter and Sarah Fischer.
just great racing all day...to bad Andretti got hit in the pits, and Rahal's crew seems to be out to sabotage his every pit stop. both guys had great cars
wow. fantastic race @ Kentucky...I'm really happy for Ed Carpenter and Sarah Fischer.
just great racing all day...to bad Andretti got hit in the pits, and Rahal's crew seems to be out to sabotage his every pit stop. both guys had great cars
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
Great finish. Interesting to see two lines that are so close to each other in speed when running side by side.
And it was cool to see Helio really throw a wrench in the Ganassi team work.
Congrats to Ed and Sarah- and I hope she can find sponsorship for next season, being that DG is going away.
Great finish. Interesting to see two lines that are so close to each other in speed when running side by side.
And it was cool to see Helio really throw a wrench in the Ganassi team work.
Congrats to Ed and Sarah- and I hope she can find sponsorship for next season, being that DG is going away.
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
This is interesting. I think that VW is more likely to get further involved in sports car racing as opposed to Indycar. I think it is more of their target buyers. But heck stranger things have happened.
I am up in the air on Daly. I have only seen him race once this year on TV. So I don't have a great sample size. However, I am unimpressed with his GP3 season. He only finished in the points in three races so that is not good. On the other hand he did improve as the season went along. He certainly has potential and another year in GP3 or Renualt F3.5 on a better team would serve him well. Although with the way F1 is now days he really needs to show his stuff ASAP otherwise age will catch up with him soon.
I agree. I am interested to see what this kid has. Indycar really needs to get a better young driver evaluation program in place. It's a tragedy to keep loosing young talented open wheel drivers to Nascar.
For American young drivers...I am big on Alexander Rossi. He had a good year in Renault F3.5. I would like to see him get a GP2 ride next season. I think it probably depends upon how his upcoming GP2 test goes at Jerez and Barcelona.
Great ending to the Kentucky race. Even though I am a Penske fan, I love see the "little guy" beat out the big teams. And it doesn't hurt that it was Ganassi cars Carpenter beat out. Overall I didn't think it was a great race but the ending made up for the slow beginning.
*** was up with the messes in the pits? Lucky nobody was very seriously injured. Wow.
I see the preliminary schedule was announced for next season's Indycar.
St. Petersburg, FL - street course
Birmingham, AL - road course
Long Beach, CA - street course
Sao Paulo, Brazil - street course
Indianapolis, IN - oval track
Detroit, MI – street course
Ft. Worth, TX - oval track (Saturday night doubleheader)
Newton, IA - oval track (Saturday night race)
Toronto, Canada - street course
Edmonton, Canada - street course
Lexington, OH - road course
Sonoma, Calif. road course
Baltimore, MD - street course
Fontana, CA - oval track (Sat Night Race)
Qingdao, China (street course)
Las Vegas, NV - oval track
I can't wait to ream Miller's Mailbag and read all the people whining about the lack of ovals on next year schedule.
This is interesting. I think that VW is more likely to get further involved in sports car racing as opposed to Indycar. I think it is more of their target buyers. But heck stranger things have happened.
I am up in the air on Daly. I have only seen him race once this year on TV. So I don't have a great sample size. However, I am unimpressed with his GP3 season. He only finished in the points in three races so that is not good. On the other hand he did improve as the season went along. He certainly has potential and another year in GP3 or Renualt F3.5 on a better team would serve him well. Although with the way F1 is now days he really needs to show his stuff ASAP otherwise age will catch up with him soon.
I agree. I am interested to see what this kid has. Indycar really needs to get a better young driver evaluation program in place. It's a tragedy to keep loosing young talented open wheel drivers to Nascar.
For American young drivers...I am big on Alexander Rossi. He had a good year in Renault F3.5. I would like to see him get a GP2 ride next season. I think it probably depends upon how his upcoming GP2 test goes at Jerez and Barcelona.
Great ending to the Kentucky race. Even though I am a Penske fan, I love see the "little guy" beat out the big teams. And it doesn't hurt that it was Ganassi cars Carpenter beat out. Overall I didn't think it was a great race but the ending made up for the slow beginning.
*** was up with the messes in the pits? Lucky nobody was very seriously injured. Wow.
I see the preliminary schedule was announced for next season's Indycar.
St. Petersburg, FL - street course
Birmingham, AL - road course
Long Beach, CA - street course
Sao Paulo, Brazil - street course
Indianapolis, IN - oval track
Detroit, MI – street course
Ft. Worth, TX - oval track (Saturday night doubleheader)
Newton, IA - oval track (Saturday night race)
Toronto, Canada - street course
Edmonton, Canada - street course
Lexington, OH - road course
Sonoma, Calif. road course
Baltimore, MD - street course
Fontana, CA - oval track (Sat Night Race)
Qingdao, China (street course)
Las Vegas, NV - oval track
I can't wait to ream Miller's Mailbag and read all the people whining about the lack of ovals on next year schedule.
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
Detroit? When did they decide to come back here? Hope it goes well.
Heck with the oval complaints, I don't like street courses.
The only good thing that has come out of the last Detroit race was the paddock, which is this nice flat piece of concrete that the City of Detroit is happy to rent out to amateur racers. Great autocross venue.
I wish they had more than 3 races on permanent road courses.
It's also interesting to see them cross the country so much- Toronto to Edmonton to Ohio to California to Maryland to California.... And THEN to China.
Detroit? When did they decide to come back here? Hope it goes well.
Heck with the oval complaints, I don't like street courses.
The only good thing that has come out of the last Detroit race was the paddock, which is this nice flat piece of concrete that the City of Detroit is happy to rent out to amateur racers. Great autocross venue.
I wish they had more than 3 races on permanent road courses.
It's also interesting to see them cross the country so much- Toronto to Edmonton to Ohio to California to Maryland to California.... And THEN to China.
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
Detroit was a surprise to me also. I am guessing that it was a Penske/GM collaboration that made this happen.
I am not a fan of street courses either, but like Miller says they are on the schedule because they make money.
Totally agree on the road courses. But I think they are a hard sell for promoters and there just aren't that many tracks that can handle an Indycar. Maybe the new track at Austin will want Indycars there....
I am not sure that is the correct order of races. That list was from Miller and he didn't even know the exact dates.
Detroit was a surprise to me also. I am guessing that it was a Penske/GM collaboration that made this happen.
I am not a fan of street courses either, but like Miller says they are on the schedule because they make money.
Totally agree on the road courses. But I think they are a hard sell for promoters and there just aren't that many tracks that can handle an Indycar. Maybe the new track at Austin will want Indycars there....
I am not sure that is the correct order of races. That list was from Miller and he didn't even know the exact dates.
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
I assume Lexington, OH is Mid-Ohio and Birmingham, AL is Barber.
Road America in WI surely could handle Indycars.
Road Atlanta?
Laguna Seca?
I've heard rumblings about F1 wanting to limit events at the Austin track. If that's <em>not</em> true, then it also seems like an obvious destination. (If it is true, I would understand them wanting to keep out the local open-wheel competition.)
I know of several other road courses in various parts of the country that get used for low-level races, but I don't know if any of them have the kind of infrastructure that would be needed to handle a major racing event (or if they're set up to handle the kinds of speeds an Indycar would be capable of).
I assume Lexington, OH is Mid-Ohio and Birmingham, AL is Barber.
Road America in WI surely could handle Indycars.
Road Atlanta?
Laguna Seca?
I've heard rumblings about F1 wanting to limit events at the Austin track. If that's <em>not</em> true, then it also seems like an obvious destination. (If it is true, I would understand them wanting to keep out the local open-wheel competition.)
I know of several other road courses in various parts of the country that get used for low-level races, but I don't know if any of them have the kind of infrastructure that would be needed to handle a major racing event (or if they're set up to handle the kinds of speeds an Indycar would be capable of).
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Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
Yes, on both tracks.
I meant road course compared to ovals.
Road Atlanta is too small. Much like in all reality, Barber is.
Laguna Seca would probably be OK as would Road America.
Most other road courses (i.e. Lime Rock) are too small. The only other that I know of that is large enough is Watkins Glen. Oh and I guess the road course at Indy. Ha!
Yes, on both tracks.
I meant road course compared to ovals.
Road Atlanta is too small. Much like in all reality, Barber is.
Laguna Seca would probably be OK as would Road America.
Most other road courses (i.e. Lime Rock) are too small. The only other that I know of that is large enough is Watkins Glen. Oh and I guess the road course at Indy. Ha!
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
(facepalm) Not sure how I forgot about Watkins Glen.
What do you mean by too small? Too narrow? Or too short? If the latter, what's your standard for length? Road Atlanta is 2.5 miles, which is longer than the Indycar configuration at Infineon (about the same length as the full course there), Laguna Seca, and Mid-Ohio.
(facepalm) Not sure how I forgot about Watkins Glen.
What do you mean by too small? Too narrow? Or too short? If the latter, what's your standard for length? Road Atlanta is 2.5 miles, which is longer than the Indycar configuration at Infineon (about the same length as the full course there), Laguna Seca, and Mid-Ohio.
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
Mostly Narrow. Also I know there is an issue with no straights being long enough on some tracks. Also I am no expert, I am getting my information from stuff I have read over the years by Miller.
Mostly Narrow. Also I know there is an issue with no straights being long enough on some tracks. Also I am no expert, I am getting my information from stuff I have read over the years by Miller.
Timothy A
Let's go RED!
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
The mentality a split causes....Years ago, there were races every Saturday night at the 1/2 mile at the local fairgrounds. It was very well attended. Then a local telecommunications company built a 1/3 mile high banked track 5 miles from the fairgrounds and held races the same nights the fairgrounds did. This went on for a few years. The new track outdrew the old because it was something different, but the new track attendance did go down over time. The old track fans were pretty loyal. Then the fairgrounds stopped holding races. The first year of that, attendance at the new track wasn't even close to that of the old track in the heyday before the new one was built. Where did all the people go? I look at openwheel the same way, where did all the fans go from the mid 90's heyday? I really think US openwheel is doomed to be a very nitchey sport, just like college hockey. When you lose fans, it's nearly impossible to get them back. They get into different things and replace thier interest in it. I think the only hope is to get to 250 mph @ Indy and Michigan. It needs a mega WOW factor.
The mentality a split causes....Years ago, there were races every Saturday night at the 1/2 mile at the local fairgrounds. It was very well attended. Then a local telecommunications company built a 1/3 mile high banked track 5 miles from the fairgrounds and held races the same nights the fairgrounds did. This went on for a few years. The new track outdrew the old because it was something different, but the new track attendance did go down over time. The old track fans were pretty loyal. Then the fairgrounds stopped holding races. The first year of that, attendance at the new track wasn't even close to that of the old track in the heyday before the new one was built. Where did all the people go? I look at openwheel the same way, where did all the fans go from the mid 90's heyday? I really think US openwheel is doomed to be a very nitchey sport, just like college hockey. When you lose fans, it's nearly impossible to get them back. They get into different things and replace thier interest in it. I think the only hope is to get to 250 mph @ Indy and Michigan. It needs a mega WOW factor.
solovsfett
Registered User
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
you might be right, but I think as INDY goes so does Indycar. INDY is on the upswing for the first time since 1995 (wow 16 years already) and once it begins to sell-out again and reclaim its spot as the most prestigious race of the year, I think attendance at other races will also rise as a result and tv ratings.
I look at the sponsor activation as one way to speed that process up. Target has got to get off its *** and follow Verizon's lead w/Will Power. Same w/Izod and same with Geico, DHL, etc.
also, Marco and Graham should be plastered everywhere from here on out.
I haven't lost hope. Nascar was built on WWE-type fake endings and fake parity. that circuit is drifting back now (from the 2-3 big races I saw like michigan) to what it used to be where the cars aren't as close as they were and guys are winning by 2-3 seconds etc., that's how things ALWAYS were back there, like the 80's when Elliott would win by 5-6 seconds or more and there weren't that many contenders
races like Kentucky and Chicagoland for Indycar should sell-out in comparison due to the closeness of the races (and it's NOT manufactured)...but...espn doesn't care because Indy hasn't been Indy in 16 years. another 3-4 years and INDY will be the monster again and I'm looking forward to the series as a whole getting healthier for it
you might be right, but I think as INDY goes so does Indycar. INDY is on the upswing for the first time since 1995 (wow 16 years already) and once it begins to sell-out again and reclaim its spot as the most prestigious race of the year, I think attendance at other races will also rise as a result and tv ratings.
I look at the sponsor activation as one way to speed that process up. Target has got to get off its *** and follow Verizon's lead w/Will Power. Same w/Izod and same with Geico, DHL, etc.
also, Marco and Graham should be plastered everywhere from here on out.
I haven't lost hope. Nascar was built on WWE-type fake endings and fake parity. that circuit is drifting back now (from the 2-3 big races I saw like michigan) to what it used to be where the cars aren't as close as they were and guys are winning by 2-3 seconds etc., that's how things ALWAYS were back there, like the 80's when Elliott would win by 5-6 seconds or more and there weren't that many contenders
races like Kentucky and Chicagoland for Indycar should sell-out in comparison due to the closeness of the races (and it's NOT manufactured)...but...espn doesn't care because Indy hasn't been Indy in 16 years. another 3-4 years and INDY will be the monster again and I'm looking forward to the series as a whole getting healthier for it
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
I totally agree. A while back I wanted to buy a Izod Indycar shirt to show support for the series and to support Izod for stepping up and sponsoring Indycar racing. Could I find one? Nope! What is up with that? How in the world can a title sponsor of a sport not have any sponsor type apparel for customers to purchase????? They're a frigg'in clothing company for cripes sake! It's no wonder Indycar can't get ratings with a title sponsor like that. And the only way I know that Izod is sponsoring Indycar is from watching races! There is nothing anywhere else showing that they are the title sponsor.
Agreed. Although I have to admit that maybe Marco is, as I am not in the demographic of his sponsors so I have no clue if they have him promoting stuff or not. And Indycar certainly should be promoting both of them more, along with RHR and Simona. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against foreign drivers (I am not in the camp of the bemoaning of foreign drivers) but I think having more of the younger drivers (no matter nationality, as I don't think that younger more easily influenced audiences care like apparently the old guard does) as the "face" of Indycar is the key.
I was a HUGE Nascar fan back in the late '70's through the '80's and into the early '90's. I was more so of a Nascar fan than an open wheel fan back then. One of my favorite memories of true racing was when Harry Gant won (I think it was either Bristol or Martinsville. Short track for sure.) with a car that had no hood or front fenders due to racing incidents, and he came back from two laps down (without that BS lucky dog crap) to do it! That is racing. Not this made up garbage that Nascar currently promotes.
And dang, was Elliott fast back in the '80 on those super speedways or what!?!?! He was fearless and awesome on those tracks. On a side note Bill Elliott is one of the nicest, most humble drivers I have ever met and I have met several dozen from all types of racing over the years.
I totally agree. A while back I wanted to buy a Izod Indycar shirt to show support for the series and to support Izod for stepping up and sponsoring Indycar racing. Could I find one? Nope! What is up with that? How in the world can a title sponsor of a sport not have any sponsor type apparel for customers to purchase????? They're a frigg'in clothing company for cripes sake! It's no wonder Indycar can't get ratings with a title sponsor like that. And the only way I know that Izod is sponsoring Indycar is from watching races! There is nothing anywhere else showing that they are the title sponsor.
Agreed. Although I have to admit that maybe Marco is, as I am not in the demographic of his sponsors so I have no clue if they have him promoting stuff or not. And Indycar certainly should be promoting both of them more, along with RHR and Simona. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against foreign drivers (I am not in the camp of the bemoaning of foreign drivers) but I think having more of the younger drivers (no matter nationality, as I don't think that younger more easily influenced audiences care like apparently the old guard does) as the "face" of Indycar is the key.
I was a HUGE Nascar fan back in the late '70's through the '80's and into the early '90's. I was more so of a Nascar fan than an open wheel fan back then. One of my favorite memories of true racing was when Harry Gant won (I think it was either Bristol or Martinsville. Short track for sure.) with a car that had no hood or front fenders due to racing incidents, and he came back from two laps down (without that BS lucky dog crap) to do it! That is racing. Not this made up garbage that Nascar currently promotes.
And dang, was Elliott fast back in the '80 on those super speedways or what!?!?! He was fearless and awesome on those tracks. On a side note Bill Elliott is one of the nicest, most humble drivers I have ever met and I have met several dozen from all types of racing over the years.
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solovsfett
Registered User
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
MattS yes on nascar...as in I also used to be more of a nascar guy in the 80's. My dad brought me to state fair park when we moved from chicago around 1980 or 81. On top of seeing mario, a.j., lone-star jr, johncock and ongais, i saw dick trickle, joe ruttman, rusty wallace, allen kulwiecki(sp?) and an 18-year old phenom named mark martin. so I saw 3 future nascar stars and 1 or 2 guys that made it too late
for a time Bill Elliott was my favorite driver but around that time I began watching F1 and that made me appreciate Indy more as well. pretty soon I was more a fan of the speed and sound of Indy and F1 and then nascar didn't help themselves by "fixing" their seasons or races w/phantom yellows, restrictor plates, etc.
I remember awesome bill being 1 lap down at michigan, making it up on track and winning by like 8-9 seconds, it was unreal.
as for Indy and sponsor activation you're right. at milwaukee I saw NO Izod stuff, and in fact it was difficult to find anything no related to danica. there *may* have been one Andretti truck, one penske but that was all I saw....***?
MattS yes on nascar...as in I also used to be more of a nascar guy in the 80's. My dad brought me to state fair park when we moved from chicago around 1980 or 81. On top of seeing mario, a.j., lone-star jr, johncock and ongais, i saw dick trickle, joe ruttman, rusty wallace, allen kulwiecki(sp?) and an 18-year old phenom named mark martin. so I saw 3 future nascar stars and 1 or 2 guys that made it too late
for a time Bill Elliott was my favorite driver but around that time I began watching F1 and that made me appreciate Indy more as well. pretty soon I was more a fan of the speed and sound of Indy and F1 and then nascar didn't help themselves by "fixing" their seasons or races w/phantom yellows, restrictor plates, etc.
I remember awesome bill being 1 lap down at michigan, making it up on track and winning by like 8-9 seconds, it was unreal.
as for Indy and sponsor activation you're right. at milwaukee I saw NO Izod stuff, and in fact it was difficult to find anything no related to danica. there *may* have been one Andretti truck, one penske but that was all I saw....***?
solovsfett
Registered User
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
please...ANYONE but Vettel next year, please for the love of god.
in a straight fight I think he loses to Alonso, Hamilton, Schumacher (yes, still). but since he gets the best equipment we'll never know for sure
please...ANYONE but Vettel next year, please for the love of god.
in a straight fight I think he loses to Alonso, Hamilton, Schumacher (yes, still). but since he gets the best equipment we'll never know for sure
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2011, hurry, before we downsize your engines....
At least Button won the race- wasn't all that exciting, even with Jensen and Fernando outdriving Seb.
Can't figure what happened to Hamilton- he was going well until the second set of tires, and he had some pit issues. Weber- held his own.
In more alarming news- did anyone catch the comment at the end that this was the first race a Lotus finished on the lead lap? Granted- helped by a safety car. But progress is progress.
At least Button won the race- wasn't all that exciting, even with Jensen and Fernando outdriving Seb.
Can't figure what happened to Hamilton- he was going well until the second set of tires, and he had some pit issues. Weber- held his own.
In more alarming news- did anyone catch the comment at the end that this was the first race a Lotus finished on the lead lap? Granted- helped by a safety car. But progress is progress.