Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

[Craig P.]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Some news on the tire front, Pirelli are asking that the FIA enforce rules on L/R swapping of tires, camber, and tire pressure, which points toward possible contributing factors in the tire failures this past weekend.

I think there was an April Fool's joke on Nelson Ledges once. What a pit that place is, but I love it. Won my first race there, and always had my car nicely dialed in. But man, the bumpiness can sure wear you out. And you never want to drop a wheel there!

Especially when it's wet, just ask the ChumpCar guys (rollover city during the 25 hr race a couple years back).

But, they spent a fortune building [CotA], and I don't know how much the other events as well as renting the track to clubs is going to help recoup that investment when so much will simply need to go towards running and maintaining the facility.

The current business plan seems to be to blow off clubs and try to rent it to rich guys (and they charge exorbitant fines for damage to the facility by users). I'll be interested to see what happens when we check back in five years.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

I crashed my lola at Road Atlanta (in turn one, I hit another car that had spun at the exact same spot, this during the sunday morning warm up of all things) at maybe 25mph and did a ton of damage, but I was unhurt. Of course I didn't flip either.( I was able to rebuild the chassis, but it took two months at the shop)

You're right nelson ledges is really bumpy, just like, I can't remember the name of it, used to be in Wentzville, Mo. Summit Point wasn't actually that bad.

I drove a few races at Lime Rock and the track was a lot of fun, but it was a long tow, and they only race on saturday's, so it was a very short time in the car for a long tow. quit doing it after a while.

I'm sure somebody has done the financials in austin, but man, it doesn't look all that wonderful to me. After the 5 year period, then what? And..What's so awful about modifying Watkins Glen.?

I'll tell ya what I miss now days in scca racing... It used to be you would qualify 1.5- 2 seconds off the lead in a national and be 8th out of 35, and at Road America the fields were 50 or 60 cars. Even in Super vee there were 20 cars. Those races were so much fun. Now the fields are so small. watching the video, it still looks fun, but not much traffic.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Especially when it's wet, just ask the ChumpCar guys (rollover city during the 25 hr race a couple years back).

I went off at Nelson Ledges in the wet. I think I'm still sliding...

The current business plan seems to be to blow off clubs and try to rent it to rich guys (and they charge exorbitant fines for damage to the facility by users). I'll be interested to see what happens when we check back in five years.

I'm not surprised. I heard that a bunch of racing clubs had rental contracts with COTA, and then when COTA realized they were a) renting out their track for lower than the going rate and b) could make even more renting to private marquee clubs, they tried to break these contracts with the clubs. It caused quite an uproar to the point where the racing clubs threatened to boycott working any of the pro events there. COTA finally backed down.

But, to be fair, all tracks can make more money renting to the private (rich) clubs than to the racing clubs, and it costs tracks less money to operate a track when the private clubs are using it. However, all tracks continue to block off dates for the racing clubs, because they know it's important to support the grassroots part of the sport for the health and success of their pro events. Something COTA nearly learned the hard way.

Watkins Glen also charges the clubs for damages, especially to the guardrail, including charging by the bag for Speedy-Dri. But, they are usually fair about it.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

I crashed my lola at Road Atlanta (in turn one, I hit another car that had spun at the exact same spot, this during the sunday morning warm up of all things) at maybe 25mph and did a ton of damage, but I was unhurt. Of course I didn't flip either.( I was able to rebuild the chassis, but it took two months at the shop)

Glad you weren't hurt. You do know what the nickname they gave the Lola FF's back then? The "Lola Limp" from the injuries caused from crashing those chassis.

You're right nelson ledges is really bumpy, just like, I can't remember the name of it, used to be in Wentzville, Mo. Summit Point wasn't actually that bad.

Summit Point is a fun (and fast) track. Did some night time enduros there with EMRA in November ... in a Spec Racer. Talk about freezing your *** off!!!

I haven't been to Summit Point in ages.

I drove a few races at Lime Rock and the track was a lot of fun, but it was a long tow, and they only race on saturday's, so it was a very short time in the car for a long tow. quit doing it after a while.

Yeah, I know what you mean. With the local restrictions on racing (can't start till 10:00am on a weekday, 9:00am on Saturday, must end by 6:00pm all days, and no Sunday racing), you are limited to track time.

I'm heading to Lime Rock this weekend for the ALMS event. Great track to watch those guys (and gals).

I'm sure somebody has done the financials in austin, but man, it doesn't look all that wonderful to me. After the 5 year period, then what?

??????????????????

I suppose try to convince Texas to continue giving them money...

And..What's so awful about modifying Watkins Glen.?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

None of which Watkins Glen nor ISC care to spend.

Besides Bernie still insists Watkins Glen owes him $50,000. Seriously. He doesn't seem to understand American bankruptcy laws. That debt has long been erased ... legally. But, not in the mind of Bernie...

I'll tell ya what I miss now days in scca racing... It used to be you would qualify 1.5- 2 seconds off the lead in a national and be 8th out of 35, and at Road America the fields were 50 or 60 cars. Even in Super vee there were 20 cars. Those races were so much fun. Now the fields are so small. watching the video, it still looks fun, but not much traffic.

Well, the economy sure puts a dent into that. Plus, there are so many other clubs now which offer racing cheaper and less hassles. And, there are way too many classes.

 

[Craig P.]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

I'll tell ya what I miss now days in scca racing... It used to be you would qualify 1.5- 2 seconds off the lead in a national and be 8th out of 35, and at Road America the fields were 50 or 60 cars. Even in Super vee there were 20 cars. Those races were so much fun. Now the fields are so small. watching the video, it still looks fun, but not much traffic.

If you want to race with a lot of traffic, look up a ChumpCar or LeMons race on one of the tracks that's popular in the respective series. LeMons stuffs ~180 cars onto Sonoma. ChumpCar won't go that high, but they had ~125 at Daytona and I think over 100 at Watkins Glen.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Glad you weren't hurt. You do know what the nickname they gave the Lola FF's back then? The "Lola Limp" from the injuries caused from crashing those chassis.



Summit Point is a fun (and fast) track. Did some night time enduros there with EMRA in November ... in a Spec Racer. Talk about freezing your *** off!!!

I haven't been to Summit Point in ages.



Yeah, I know what you mean. With the local restrictions on racing (can't start till 10:00am on a weekday, 9:00am on Saturday, must end by 6:00pm all days, and no Sunday racing), you are limited to track time.

I'm heading to Lime Rock this weekend for the ALMS event. Great track to watch those guys (and gals).

the front of my car looked like a pretzel.

I was at Summit point a lot because I was renting a ride from Bill Scott in a march for a few races. However I was in over my head and quickly went back to Fords. Plus it was really expensive.

If you want to race with a lot of traffic, look up a ChumpCar or LeMons race on one of the tracks that's popular in the respective series. LeMons stuffs ~180 cars onto Sonoma. ChumpCar won't go that high, but they had ~125 at Daytona and I think over 100 at Watkins Glen.

I like to race against someone, but I'm not crazy!! I had an Elden mk 8, that I had bought from a guy who had flipped it at Daytona in a lot of traffic, a few months before and was selling everything out. It was a good deal, Unfortunately it had a Metso gearbox instead of a Hewland. And it was very twitchy.

BTW, were those spec racers fun to drive?

 

[alfablue]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Fun race today. Especially at the finish with the closing.

Lots of wheel to wheel action- those few laps where were Hamilton and Alonso were going at it was great. And it made me appreciate NBCSP over Speed since it all happened during a commercial break yet we got to see it on Side by Side.

So, what happened with Ferrari? Masa just stopped. And Alonso stopping after the end- will he be included on the final results or not? If he ran out of fuel, I don't think he will. That wasn't a mechanical problem, he just stopped the car.

Red Bull should get a pretty hefty penalty for that wheel problem with Webber. Even if that happened on track and didn't touch anyone, that's a big problem. But being that it hit people in the pits- that's pretty bad.

Vettel did a great job managing the end of the race vs. Kimi. I just can't like him.

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Man I'm so tired of Vettel. ugh

and Ganassi sweeps the top 3 in Pocono ugly weekend for this fan.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Man I'm so tired of Vettel. ugh

and Ganassi sweeps the top 3 in Pocono ugly weekend for this fan.

Ditto.

I think Indycar needs to have a rule that you have to use the same spec engine for qualifying and the race. You can change engine, just not use a different spec. Qualifying just can't be this meaningless procedure.

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Ditto.

I think Indycar needs to have a rule that you have to use the same spec engine for qualifying and the race. You can change engine, just not use a different spec. Qualifying just can't be this meaningless procedure.

excellent point on the engine change

I hope Ganassi's team (though I have no problem w/Honda) isn't waking up now

as to F1 I think it's becoming clear Vettel is going to get 4 in a row and become on the the 3rd driver in history to do so (though...Fangio and Schumy were older when they accomplished those feats)

 

[joecct]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

The F1 T-Shirt store is now open!

 

[alfablue]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Indy Car Standing start: Saturday was waved off, but just saw the Sunday race start that way- started really well and pretty clean, all things considered.

Now for the rest of the race.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Hated the aborted standing start Saturday, but the race was awesome. Loved the standing start Sunday, the race was boring, but that's racing. Here's an awesome idea.....all restarts to be standing. The fans love the standing starts.

Indy needs to get the lapped cars to the back of the pack on restarts. They hurt the front runner's ability to mix it up on restarts.

Power is just a mess right now. What a bummer. Helio is hanging on, but will soon be flattened by the Dixon freight train, unless Penske/Chevy can pull some wabbits out of a hat or 3.

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

I too really enjoyed the standing start on sunday. It's kinda funny to me that the only driver to have a problem with it was Ed "left turn" Carpenter!

don't know how Ganassi is doing it really. such a sudden turn, and this is a poor time for Hunter-Reay and Andretti to have bad luck.

Kudos to Scott Dixon though a class act and now he's alone at 7th in all-time wins at 32. wow...that's a huge deal, and of course it exposes Indycar's lack of national recognition anymore. he's just 2 wins shy of tying Little Al and 10 away from tying Michael for 3rd all-time

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Andretti's going to have a Formula e team. I'm looking forward to seeing this play out. I thought the car looked pretty cool on Speed's website.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Hungaroring this weekend. Vettel must be stopped, I don't care who does it, though I'd prefer the prancing stallions to do it.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Hungaroring this weekend. Vettel must be stopped, I don't care who does it, though I'd prefer the prancing stallions to do it.

Well, if you look at the two practice session times today, your hope might be hopeless.

Couple that with a track that is notorious for boring races, and we may be begging for the four week break...

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

Well, if you look at the two practice session times today, your hope might be hopeless.

Couple that with a track that is notorious for boring races, and we may be begging for the four week break...

Well, not quite hopeless, no one was expecting Hamilton to dominate like he did. Alonso lost ground unfortunately. And yes, it was a pretty boring race, though at least the Renault guys and Webber made things interesting. It's pretty pathetic that Rosberg couldn't come back from the lap 1 off while his teammate was dominating.

 

[MattS]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

It's drives like this weekend is why I think Hamilton is one of the two best drivers on the grid right now (Alonso being the other). He got the best out of that car and dominated.

Good to see Vettel not do as well as he normally does.

The penality on Grojean was BS too. Once again the stewards are clueless.

Now for the month off from racing. Ugh.

 

[Craig P.]

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2013...year of the driver swap!

The penality on Grojean was BS too. Once again the stewards are clueless.

I thought he should have been penalized, but not for the pass that they actually got him for. I thought he should have gotten it for cutting the chicane.

Edit: Maybe I misunderstood the telecast, and he did get punished for the pass where he cut the chicane and another one as well?