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Exactly. I remember the threads for the first races of 2012, when people here were impressed with how strong the DW12 is, and how they could bump into each other and go on without anything breaking.

I'm now curious how the oval package will look like. Hopefully it will not increase the downforce dramatically, I really don't want us to go down that road again...

Suffered a fractured skull.

Problem with this is that the cars are too big and most of tracks too small so contact is almost inevitable. I think if you put these things on a Tilkedrome there'd be way less contact, but the racing would be less exciting. I love how it is now even if we have a few debris cautions.

The worse in this car now is that big fat momma huge wing sidepod. So damn ugly. Besides that, it's weird but cool, as a good way to laugh, or fun because it looks like a transformer car.

I agree that the DW 12 is bad for the looks ever since that I saw that rear tyre protection and the wide sidepod. It killed the racing in Indy 500 for that fake shit, but not on other oval high speed tracks. I love Fontana, Texas and Pocono. Would probably like Kansas, Kentucky or any other.

Debri cautions will probably diminish as they get used to the car dimensions. But IDK, there are some Maldonado wannabes in the field, so we probably will keep them at some number, not to mention the ones caused by the crazy restarts.

Aero push still not a factor on this track, but it will be at a peak next race. Can't wait to see that one, for the effects of the new aero kit, and a new track, and a very fast one.

This year is starting to look like a very good one for me, as far as drivers championship. A battle with Power and Monty, with my contryman Castroneves and Kanaan as small underdogs.

Also, how long until other guys from Ganassi get up to speed. And why the Honda was behind - How much due to engine and how much due to the aero-kit.

my irony meter just straight up fucking exploded

No, fucking shit, I know who will win because he is leading with 3 to go, so he will get passed with 2 to go and repass with 1 to go. Uhhhh, such a drivers track, that separates the man from the boy. FUCK DW12 (at Indy) Yeah, FUCK IT.

That did pretty much happen last year, but I don't think that's an accurate description of the two previous races with the DW12. Still, one race out of three seems to be a good basis on which to form a judgement!

I'll take many more passes and debris over ridiculous airborne crashes any day...

Uhh this...

I'll take the racing the DW12 gives us because at least I can actually watch it without paranoidly half watching through my fingers expecting at any moment a giant, multiple airbourne crash to develop.

Stock cars might be able to survive the unfortunate consequences of pack racing, but open wheel cars have no business trying to emulate that.

The handford device was pushing it, but at least they weren't running around in one big wad unable to separate from each other.
The DW12 is more handford than pack racing and for that I'll be ever thankful.

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaKIE ... 5t9d5PvoHA

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Never want to see that a Wheldon-like crash again

Tbh, I think we'll look back on things like the wheel guards like we now do with raised cockpit sides. People had semi-legitimate complaints about the looks, but I think we can all agree it was a no-brainer.

I hope not, I believe an open wheel formula should be purely open wheeled.

You can argue a case that they should run them in Oval spec and I'd agree with it, but in road and street courses it just pushes them more towards a sports car series. From the back these cars look stupid, not like an open wheel single seater at all.

And if you hit them hard enough they're next to useless anyway, we've seen enough of that by now too.

_________________
RIP Birmingham Wheels: here's some of the crash videos I recorded when it was there:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaKIE ... 5t9d5PvoHA

Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/paulhadsley

Maybe the aesthetics can be worked ok, but I think the concept itself is sound. I certainly wouldn't want them to be more covered.

The thing is, you have to wonder how many of those incidents where the guards get smashed up would have previously resulted in a launched car.

Query. Is it better to not run a wheel guard and have the driver launched into the air inside a car with all its safety features or have the wheel guard fly off in random directions potentially injuring innocent spectators who have paid to come see a race? (since that's what seemed to happen on Sunday...?)

I guess they can eventually work out the kinks to not compromise column a to favour column b, as it were, but...yeahh

Also I've not properly inspected the indy Lights car yet, does that have wheel guards too?

_________________
RIP Birmingham Wheels: here's some of the crash videos I recorded when it was there:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaKIE ... 5t9d5PvoHA

Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/paulhadsley

Well they've got to be flimsy enough to break off in an accident. To be fair we've seen plenty stay on despite being hit. What happened on Sunday was just unfortunate, you can't just take them away just because of that.

Oh, the SS like of the old Indy was bad also. I like the fast car to be able to pull away. Would love to see the DW-12 at \/egas. Or the old Indy car with less grip. They raced at Indy so well, I'm sure it could be done at other tracks with the right tyre-aero combination. No, that pack racing was even worse, that I agree.

Response. Surely much better to compromise and have a wheel guard that stays on! It's the same with wheel tethers though; there will always be certain situations in which they will fail.

They do not. They just have an extension at the bottom of the tub to prevent interlocking wheels from the side.

Maybe they are meant to clean the airflow off the back of the car as well as protect the rear wheels. I think that's why they're so big.

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I can't see how those extensions in front of the rear tyres will stop interlocking wheels. In fact, looking at the clearance behind the front wheels could the wheels easily interlock.

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Yeah, I question how effective it would be as well. Aside from any undertray aerodynamic elements of that, I think the design of that is meant for glancing side-to-side contact while racing on ovals, making it more likely the cars just bounce apart a little instead of hooking together. Just my guess though.