TBK-Light.com

Motorsport videos and chat.
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 12:19 pm

All times are UTC+01:00




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 2158 posts ]  Go to page Previous 1 2 3 4 5108 Next

Who is the better driver?
Dario Franchitti 20%  20%  [ 18 ]
Mark Plourde 80%  80%  [ 74 ]
Total votes: 92
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:45 pm 
Offline
Moderator - Shareholder
Moderator - Shareholder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:50 pm
Posts: 20807
Location: Dortmund/Cologne
Has thanked: 142 times
Been thanked: 1009 times
remember the F1 concept with the closed cockpit that was posted recently? How about an IndyCar Version

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dansanfy13/6277388264/


Top
PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:45 am 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:21 am
Posts: 6389
Has thanked: 407 times
Been thanked: 652 times
As far as the future of Indycar, IMHO America needs a major open-wheel series, and Indycar is the only real option for that currently. I don't see why it has to have the oval racing element though - Indy 500 aside, maybe they should just run road courses. Could bring the series back into relevance as an F1 feeder series.

_________________
Image


Top
PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:49 am 
Offline
Silver Member
Silver Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:09 pm
Posts: 1466
Has thanked: 24 times
Been thanked: 12 times
American Openwheel Racing has always had the oval element, though. Get rid of the dangerous ones, yes, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.


Top
PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:17 am 
Offline
Silver Member
Silver Member

Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:51 pm
Posts: 1679
Has thanked: 133 times
Been thanked: 93 times
closed cockpit wont help for the incident dan was in. he hit the post backward and the roll bar was ripped off from behind. which would have also taken the "closed cockpit" with part off at the same time. well thats my uneducated opinion lol. but who knows. if we could play the what if game i'd just say what if the accident didnt happen and still have dan here.

in reference to the post above. here that pic of tracy's helmet
Image


Top
PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:43 am 
Offline
Sent from my SCH-R910 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SCH-R910 using Tapatalk
User avatar

Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 11:52 pm
Posts: 16493
Location: Garden Grove, CA
Has thanked: 139 times
Been thanked: 213 times
Closed cockpits would make it worse. It's like going out of the frying pan (head trauma) and into the fire...literately.

_________________
Ducks Angels Sounders Spurs
Image


Top
PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:06 am 
Offline
Bronze Member
Bronze Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:35 pm
Posts: 684
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 13 times
sennadesillva wrote:
closed cockpit wont help for the incident dan was in. he hit the post backward and the roll bar was ripped off from behind. which would have also taken the "closed cockpit" with part off at the same time. well thats my uneducated opinion lol. but who knows. if we could play the what if game i'd just say what if the accident didnt happen and still have dan here.

in reference to the post above. here that pic of tracy's helmet
Image



You might want to watch it again, he didn't hit it backwards. Was still a freak thing, but I don't think it's going to be one certain rule change that is going to fix, or prevent this from happening again, but multiple adjustments......even still you will probably only lessen the chance of it happening again, not stop it completely.


Top
PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 7:36 am 
Offline
Honorary Member
Honorary Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 am
Posts: 10226
Has thanked: 314 times
Been thanked: 386 times
Fact is motorsports is dangerous and they can do many things to prevent injury but unfortunately shit happens, doesn't however mean we can be complacent and rest on our laurels.

_________________
"An idea whose time has come cannot be stopped by any army or any government"


3x TBKL rFactor Hillclimb champion


Top
PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:52 pm 
Offline
The Finnish Paul Page
The Finnish Paul Page
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:07 pm
Posts: 6308
Location: Racing is in my blood
Has thanked: 725 times
Been thanked: 563 times
Well, there are some things they could do for next year with a short notice.

1 ) More boost, more power.
2 ) Increase minimum weight.
3 ) Lower the seating position, raise the cockpit sides, add windshield if possible.
4 ) Forget the Vegas and Texas events.
5 ) Less downforce on ovals at front and more drag in the back (more drag, smaller cornering speed).
6 ) IndyCar Super Licence (so long crappy drivers with a checkbook).
7 ) Pack racing practice sessions (at least for rookies).
8 ) Start the IndyCar Drivers Association, drivers' voice should be heard.

_________________
"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."


Top
PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:24 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:34 pm
Posts: 9498
Location: South Florida
Has thanked: 318 times
Been thanked: 684 times
They'll probably just slap a restrictor plate on the faster oval tracks.

It won't work, but knowing how fear-stricken (and incompetent) the front office is, it wouldn't surprise me.


Top
PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:39 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:22 pm
Posts: 93121
Location: New ribs please...
Has thanked: 396 times
Been thanked: 1334 times
They've had a drivers association since last year. They had a meeting with the drivers yesterday and their thoughts will be taken into account.

You can bet the driver opinions will be a lot louder now.


Top
PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 7:14 pm 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:41 pm
Posts: 2034
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 7 times
it is a fictional design but it looks quite good actually

Image


Top
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 4:03 am 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 12:21 am
Posts: 9244
Location: Chile
Has thanked: 83 times
Been thanked: 275 times
Always I have thought that restrictor plates were used only on carburetors, but I've heard now that they'll be used in NASCAR next year with the new EFI systems and could be a possibility for IndyCar. So, it's just something to limit the air intake into the engine, whatever the type of it?


Top
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 4:16 am 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:51 pm
Posts: 8057
Has thanked: 1465 times
Been thanked: 428 times
Yeah, it's easier to restrict a fuel injection engine than it is a carb one, you'd just adjust the pulse width setting in the ECU to match the reduced airflow from the restrictor plate above (or below) the butterfly, because you can control the fuel rate with the ECU it's much easier to do (and control) than a plate over a carb.

But that's not the answer and will just lead to more tightly packed, pack racing.


Top
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 4:56 am 
Offline
Moderator - Shareholder
Moderator - Shareholder
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 8:05 am
Posts: 10060
Has thanked: 432 times
Been thanked: 519 times
Ian-S wrote:
But that's not the answer and will just lead to more tightly packed, pack racing.


Exactly. Knocking 20mph off the top speed and keeping them in packs won't solve anything.


Top
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 6:15 am 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:00 pm
Posts: 4796
Location: St. Peters, MO
Has thanked: 36 times
Been thanked: 155 times
I just read that Marco Andretti is going to be a contestant on the NBC show Celebrity Apprentice. Some of his fellow team members include Dee Snider from Twisted Sister, George Takei, from the orginal Star Trek, Clay Aiken and Lou Ferrigno, who played The Incredible Hulk in the TV series.


Top
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 2:08 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:08 am
Posts: 6260
Location: Birmingham, UK
Has thanked: 13 times
Been thanked: 434 times
Dario thinks Indycar should continue racing on Ovals:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95680

He's also testing the 2012 car at Sebring today.

And there was a 'Productive' 3 hour meeting between drivers & officials meeting on Monday:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95666


Top
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 2:28 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:48 pm
Posts: 10342
Has thanked: 293 times
Been thanked: 279 times
I agree with a lot of the article on the previous page. But one thing that I've seen a lot of people say, that I have to disagree with, is that there were too many inexperienced drivers at Vegas. I'm pretty sure that every driver in that field had either raced an Indycar on a 1.5 mile oval before, or had several Indy Lights starts. Indy Lights has exactly the same high downforce pack racing. I know the fields are smaller, and they're running 40mph slower, but they'd still be familiar with the concept of sticking your foot to the floor and racing inches apart every lap.

34 was obvious too many cars, but I think they were 34 of the most qualified drivers for that kind of racing. Not that it matters anymore.

I also disagree that they shouldn't be racing at Michigan and Fontana. I think both were very good for Champ Cars. Improvements have been made to the circuit since we lost Greg. If Indycar can produce a similar style of racing then they'll be fine. Vegas and Texas, I'm not so sure.

I hope the new car is a lot faster on the road courses as well. They should be pushing 200mph at the end of a long straight. I'd like to see lap times that wouldn't be far off an F1 car.


Top
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:17 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:08 am
Posts: 6260
Location: Birmingham, UK
Has thanked: 13 times
Been thanked: 434 times
Randy Bernard's 1st interview post Vegas:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/in ... 50916756/1
Quote:
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Randy Bernard knows there are people who blame him for Dan Wheldon's death, who say the IndyCar CEO pushed the series over the edge.

IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard he has felt pain in the nine days since Dan Wheldon's fatal accident.

In the 24 hours after the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner was killed in a fiery 15-car accident in the season finale, Bernard wondered if perhaps all the hate mail accusing him of sacrificing safety for the show was right.

"The last week was probably the most horrific week of my life," Bernard told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview.

It's been open season on Bernard since the accident, and his silence all last week only intensified the scrutiny on his leadership of the open-wheel series.

Now, nine days later, Bernard is able to publicly talk about Wheldon and the day all his work toward building a spectacular finale went terribly wrong minutes into the race. He still becomes emotional about it, taking a deep breath in his office at IndyCar headquarters as he recalls the controversial decision to cancel the race.

Bernard is focused on moving forward and helping IndyCar through this dark period. He says he never once considered resigning but admits IndyCar is now "in crisis, and we have to get answers."

"In tough times, that's when you have to be focused," Bernard said. "You have to lead, and I know this is a time I have to make sure I am going to be very decisive, very articulate and be a leader. In tough times is where you build your character; it's not in good times."

The second-year CEO was hired to revitalize the series despite no auto racing experience, and that's contributing to blaming Bernard for creating the circumstances that led to Wheldon's death.

He allowed a season-high 34 cars on a high-banked oval, where a field of mixed experience levels had enough room to race three-wide at over 220 mph around Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And he offered a jobless Wheldon the chance to earn a $5 million bonus if he could drive from the back of the field to victory lane.

All those elements created a buzz around the race, where Dario Franchitti and Will Power would end their championship battle and superstar Danica Patrick would run her final event as a full-time IndyCar driver. It was everything Bernard had been hired to do when IndyCar lured him away after running Professional Bull Riders for 15 years. He was so confident of improving on the poor TV ratings from the year before that he promised to resign if ABC's broadcast drew anything less than a 0.8 rating. That would have meant that fewer than 1% of the nation's homes with televisions watched the race.

Bernard insists he did not sensationalize the inherent danger in auto racing.

"I think anytime we are on any track it's always dangerous — we do as much as we can to make it safe — (and) our storylines were never, 'Come watch this dangerous event!'" he said.

"Our storylines going to Las Vegas were first and foremost 'Come watch Will and Dario fight it out for the world championship.' The No. 2 storyline was Dan Wheldon competing for $5 million starting at the back. Our third storyline was Danica Patrick. … Our fourth storyline was 34 cars in the race.

"I think none of those, looking back on it, had any type of connotation of any danger. If the race was tomorrow, it would still be the same storylines."

Compelling competition, yes, but with a happy ending.

IndyCar now must look at making sweeping changes. And Bernard is prepared, even eager, to do that.

He called a three-hour driver meeting Monday, and Franchitti, a four-time champion, said there was no sense of anger toward Bernard as the drivers all had a chance to speak. Franchitti also said the CEO earned an immeasurable amount of respect by canceling the race after Wheldon's death when grief-stricken drivers were unable to decide if the show — per tradition — should go on.

Bernard, with such limited auto racing experience, wasn't tied to that etiquette. Instead, he went with his gut.

"I felt that I didn't really care about tradition on this," he said, becoming emotional for the only time in the hour-long interview. "I felt like no driver in their right mind could have a clear head knowing that one of their friends had just died, and I felt this is where I needed to make a stand and say 'No.'"

Bernard called instead for a five-lap tribute. Drivers, including Tony Kanaan, Franchitti and Patrick, were seen sobbing as they climbed back into their cockpits.

Bernard took Wheldon's death extremely hard and essentially isolated himself in Las Vegas after the race. "I was numb. I didn't, I was, just numb," he said.

But he went to work immediately. The first step was the driver meeting, followed by a three-hour strategic session with a small focus group to discuss the 2012 car that's supposed to be a tremendous upgrade in safety and technology standards.

"It's been an unfair beating on Randy because nobody singlehandedly makes decisions. I just don't understand the criticism I'm seeing. It's from people unaware of this industry and aiming with the buck-stops-here mentality," said Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage. "But there's no doubt Randy's got his hands full, and it's an ugly situation."

Bernard is hesitant to discuss specifics about Wheldon's death, citing his desire to see what comes from the ongoing investigation. A team of series safety and competition officials is evaluating the data and will use independent experts and consultants for analysis before it's turned over to a third-party group for validation.

"I think everything is premature right now," Bernard said. "I want to see the investigation."

But the questions remain, especially about the $5 million bonus. Without it, Wheldon never would have been in the race.

Originally, the promotion was designed to lure someone from outside the series to the season finale. Bernard had hoped that would be someone such as NASCAR stars Tony Stewart or Juan Pablo Montoya, but in the end only XGames star Travis Pastrana seriously tried to put together a deal. Then Pastrana broke his foot and ankle two days before his scheduled debut in NASCAR's Nationwide Series in Indianapolis, where he was to sign an agreement to run for the $5 million IndyCar bonus.

That left Wheldon. Out of work all season except for his victorious one-off in the Indy 500, Wheldon met the spirit of the promotion because he wasn't a series regular.

He wasn't a slouch, either. Las Vegas was his 134th career start, and he had 16 career victories — 15 on ovals — and on the morning of the race, Wheldon had made a deal with Michael Andretti to replace Patrick full-time next season.

"On the bonus, if you are a professional race car driver, whether you are (ranked) 33rd, 23rd or first, your job is to win," Bernard said. "That's why they race. Every series has bonuses attached to winning, so I am not sure why people say that played a role."

But what if it had been Pastrana? With so many questions swirling about the level of experience in the field, how would Bernard have justified letting Pastrana race at Las Vegas?

"I am not confident Travis Pastrana would have passed the testing required to compete in that race," he said.

According to the contract Pastrana had been presented, a copy of which was obtained by AP, participation in the $5 million challenge required at least three two-day test sessions at Las Vegas and Kentucky Speedways supervised by IndyCar competition director Brian Barnhart and a designated active driver serving as a mentor. If he had passed testing, Pastrana still would have been subjected to a vote of approval from the current IndyCar drivers.

"The drivers themselves had to give him the thumbs up," Bernard said. "If Travis Pastrana didn't pass the test, that doesn't make IndyCar look bad or him look bad, it shows you how difficult it is to be in one of our race cars. Dan Wheldon was experienced in our race cars."

Bernard has a lot of serious issues to address in the six months before the 2012 season opener in St. Petersburg, and he won't speculate on what could be coming until the investigation is complete. There could be changes to the new car, and the 2012 schedule has yet to be fully announced, so he has no idea how many ovals IndyCar could visit next year.

Las Vegas already had been announced as the 2012 season finale, but a return is undecided.

"It's premature to answer anything related to that," Bernard said, "but it's part of IndyCar to race ovals and mile-and-a-halfs."

Franchitti said ovals need to remain on the IndyCar schedule, and the focus should be on making the car more compatible with the tracks. He appreciates Bernard taking a wait-and-see approach. "We need, going forward as a series, we need to improve the safety of the cars vs. the tracks," Franchitti said. "Randy has done a good job for us. I think there's definitely some parts he still doesn't understand, but he's got other people here who understand racing."

Bernard faced criticism this year when some of his ideas — double-file restarts and a random drawing to determine starting position for the second of two dual races at Texas — ran into resistance from the drivers. But he thinks he can move the series forward.

"I look at this is a crisis, and I think we have to put this as our top priority," he said. "We have to focus on first the factual determination and second the remedy. That's how we have to look at this."



Dan Wheldon's last blog for USAToday before the Las Vegas race:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/in ... 50786654/1


Top
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:18 pm 
Offline
The Finnish Paul Page
The Finnish Paul Page
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:07 pm
Posts: 6308
Location: Racing is in my blood
Has thanked: 725 times
Been thanked: 563 times
I don't agree with people saying that 34 cars were too many. The last five or six cars of the pack were not involved in the accident. Does it really matter how many cars were in the race when the accident happened in the mid-pack? Had they have 27 cars, the end might still have been the same.


I too hope that the new car will be a lot faster and I believe that Dallara has done it, just like Swift did for Formula Nippon.

_________________
"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."


Top
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:35 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:08 am
Posts: 6260
Location: Birmingham, UK
Has thanked: 13 times
Been thanked: 434 times
De Cesaris fan wrote:
I also disagree that they shouldn't be racing at Michigan and Fontana. I think both were very good for Champ Cars.
Agree.

I don't get Bruce Ashmore's comments that Michigan always produced boring races & that the hanford device only worked the 1st year.

Michigan always produced some of the best big oval racing in CART & the Hanford device just made the racing a bit more entertaining & did so right upto the last time CART ran there in 2001.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_nAJKvNU0E

The finish of the 2000 race:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoEfaVA5RSo


Last edited by StefMeister on Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 2158 posts ]  Go to page Previous 1 2 3 4 5108 Next

All times are UTC+01:00


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited