The Air Smells Fresher...The Sun is Brighter...

#51

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:27:50 -0400, Berf <berf1 (AT) live (DOT) ca> wrote:

[snip]

Quote:

Of course the race was called off at the last minute. After a Friday and
Saturday set of runs. But CART suing TMS was stupid because a good series
would have anticipated that by having testing sessions and it apparently,
wasn't done.

When TMS was being built, CART was expecting a modest bankiing and
wanted to race there. When it wound up with high banks, they realized
they could not. They looked at alternatives like running down on the
apron, but eventually realized that wouldn't work.

Their decision to run there anyway was bizarre.

Quote:

Of course, the situation at the 2005 USGP was totally off the wall when
Michelin shod cars were having their issues and the Bridgestone shod cars were
not. That's because the USGP track at Indianapolis is like Montreal, you
just can't easily book a testing session for those circumstances.

Testing on the IMS road course is tough because it takes 6 days to
switch back and forth. Testing on the oval is easy...they do lots of
that. Didn't help NASCAR with their tires last year, though.

After the '05 USGP someone suggested that they should have gotten a
bunch of hoses and lawn sprinklers, and set them up all along the
track. Declare it a wet race, everyone uses rain tires. Too bad the
F1 people didn't think of that.

Quote:

CART could have done that at TMS. Especially when at least somebody who is
an engineer in the game should have taken a look at the banking and would have
red flagged it for further scrutiny.

Their engineers looked and said no.

Ken Plotkin

#52

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:35:57 -0400, Berf <berf1 (AT) live (DOT) ca> wrote:

Quote:

If it was all about ovals, I would fall asleep. Or tape it so I could get to
the last few laps.

For me it's more than just ovals. It's the racing. The last time I
went to a NASCAR race at IMS I fell asleep. But the 500 keeps me on
the edge of my seat.

Quote:

That's one of the reasons why I wasn't all that big on the IRL. Even when
the aeros were so cut that the cars were racing in packs and finishing within
milliseconds of each other.

I never cared much for the pack drafting IRL races. The first one was
great because it was unique. But when it became routine it got kind
of random. I enjoy the kind of racing where the cars are spread out a
bit, but if someone gets hooked up and catches a slower car he can get
by. The kind of races they used to have at Phoenix and (until this
year) at Richmond. The kind of thing you're almost guaranteed to see
with Sprint cars on half mile dirt.

Quote:

If you want strategy, in my opinion. I give you the last two years of the
Penske RS7 Porches in the P2 class versus the Audi R8 and R10 cars.

Sure, it's not open wheel. But Penske's genius and ability to strategize was
so far over the top that they managed to do a magnificent job against the all
powerful Audi squad. And that's road and street racing.

Every minute of some of those races was precious, a thrill to watch and to
anticipate. And, occasionally, there would be a "cut throat finish", where
they would be within seconds of each other at the chequered flag.

But countless passes and pack racing on ovals just doesn't turn my crank,
compared to that stuff.

Countless passes and pack racing doesn't turn mine, either. What does
is a driver with a faster car or more talent being able to get by.

They need to knock down all the high banks.

Ken Plotkin

#53

Ken Plotkin wrote

Quote:

After the '05 USGP someone suggested that they should have gotten a
bunch of hoses and lawn sprinklers, and set them up all along the
track. Declare it a wet race, everyone uses rain tires. Too bad the
F1 people didn't think of that.

The Michelin issue had to do with the strength of the tire walls at the high
curves of Indianapolis. They were afraid that he tires were going to blow.

And, when it comes to rain? There's always Eddie Jordan, who isn't a team
owner any more.

Long story, I'll make it short.

The 1998 Belgian GP was won by Jordan, a 1-2 finish. And they were
backmarkers. Eddie said "we should put sprinklers around the track and set
them off when no one is expecting it" or something like that. The rain
helped them win.

Anyway, back to the IRL.

Robert Doornbos was a 14 year old tennis prodigy at the time from Rotterdam
and his father took him to the 1998 Belgian GP. He met the reigning world
champ Jacques Villeneuve that day and asked him what it took to be a race car
driver.

Jacques said "Skip go-Karts, do like I did. Go straight into Formula 3"

So, he gave up Tennis and became a driver. Just like that!

Then, when Villey was on his way out, a driver for BMW. They were doing a lap
on the back of a pick up truck, waving at the fans. And JV turned to him,
gave him a wink and said "It didn't take you long to get here, did it?"

Doornbos was a Minardi pilot, but in the show.

He started late in the game. Raced in F1 and avoided go-Karts! LOL!

#54

Ken Plotkin wrote

Quote:

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:35:57 -0400, Berf <berf1 (AT) live (DOT) ca> wrote:

If it was all about ovals, I would fall asleep. Or tape it so I could get to
the last few laps.

For me it's more than just ovals. It's the racing. The last time I
went to a NASCAR race at IMS I fell asleep. But the 500 keeps me on
the edge of my seat.

That's one of the reasons why I wasn't all that big on the IRL. Even when
the aeros were so cut that the cars were racing in packs and finishing within
milliseconds of each other.

I never cared much for the pack drafting IRL races. The first one was
great because it was unique. But when it became routine it got kind
of random. I enjoy the kind of racing where the cars are spread out a
bit, but if someone gets hooked up and catches a slower car he can get
by. The kind of races they used to have at Phoenix and (until this
year) at Richmond. The kind of thing you're almost guaranteed to see
with Sprint cars on half mile dirt.

1995 was the last 500 race I saw in the flesh, and I enjoyed the parties. The
people and everything. It was then Penske's track in Michigan. The Irish
Hills are a great place to go.

Villeneuve was still racing, so was Emmo. But the race bored us to tears,
until the last 3 laps, when Scott Pruett and Al Jr. battled it out like you
wouldn't believe! It was right up to the flag man!

It was spectacular. And that's an understatement.

#55

Berf wrote

Quote:

Ken Plotkin wrote
On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:35:57 -0400, Berf <berf1 (AT) live (DOT) ca> wrote:

If it was all about ovals, I would fall asleep. Or tape it so I could get to
the last few laps.

For me it's more than just ovals. It's the racing. The last time I
went to a NASCAR race at IMS I fell asleep. But the 500 keeps me on
the edge of my seat.

That's one of the reasons why I wasn't all that big on the IRL. Even when
the aeros were so cut that the cars were racing in packs and finishing within
milliseconds of each other.

I never cared much for the pack drafting IRL races. The first one was
great because it was unique. But when it became routine it got kind
of random. I enjoy the kind of racing where the cars are spread out a
bit, but if someone gets hooked up and catches a slower car he can get
by. The kind of races they used to have at Phoenix and (until this
year) at Richmond. The kind of thing you're almost guaranteed to see
with Sprint cars on half mile dirt.

1995 was the last 500 race I saw in the flesh, and I enjoyed the parties. The
people and everything. It was then Penske's track in Michigan. The Irish
Hills are a great place to go.

Villeneuve was still racing, so was Emmo. But the race bored us to tears,
until the last 3 laps, when Scott Pruett and Al Jr. battled it out like you
wouldn't believe! It was right up to the flag man!

It was spectacular. And that's an understatement.

And the attendence?

About 90,000

Not shabby.

#56

On Jul 10, 7:24*pm, Ken Plotkin <kplot... (AT) nospam-cox (DOT) net> wrote:

Quote:

On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 13:44:26 -0700 (PDT), "Powell's Colon"

powellsco... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:
Remember the ridiculous
comments of Reininger where he asserted that he couldn't find any CART
drivers who were dizzy.

While I still don't remember Reininger not finding any, I did just
hear from him. *He does not get usenet in his cabin, but they do have
a connection in the nearby village. *The villagers were very excited
to see The Big Guy (as they know him) mentioned in your post. *They
sent a runner up to tell him he's still remembered.

The Big Guy sends his regards to the group.

Maybe he has a remote cabin in the wilderness with no
internet access next to TJMC? *

TJ's situation is a little different. *His cabin is in a different
location. *He does have usenet access, but with Sweeney no longer
posting here he's lost interest.

His big problem, though, is trying to get the security deposit back on
the CART Doomsday Clock. *The telltale in the clock indicates that it
hit zero three times, which they've never seen before and think means
some kind of abuse.

Let me get this right...are you saying that two of Tony's biggest
supporters on this NG have moved to where there is not easy access to
the Internet? Isn't that taking the abject failure of the Tony's
original vision a bit hard? I could understand now wanting to
contribute to the NG anymore, but moving somewhere they could not be
reminded on a daily basis of the debacle that Tony has created is just
ludicrous. I would hate to be the one to tell them of Tony's recent
fall from grace.

So have you heard anything lately from Turbo Al ;-)

#57

On Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:35:35 -0700 (PDT), Lenny
<jameslong001 (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

Let me get this right...are you saying that two of Tony's biggest
supporters on this NG have moved to where there is not easy access to
the Internet?

Usenet, not Internet. But, yeah, I guess I am. And if you choose to
believe that... ;-)

TJ really is someplace where he can't access usenet. Dave just got
bored with it, and has found other ways to goof around in his leisure
time. Which is kind of limited since he's on the road with an Indy
car team most weekends, and still chasing races in between.

Quote:

Isn't that taking the abject failure of the Tony's
original vision a bit hard?

They could be taking CART's demise a bit hard.

[snip]

Quote:

So have you heard anything lately from Turbo Al ;-)

No. But it sure would be a big boost if he returned.

Ken Plotkin

#58

Ken Plotkin wrote:

Quote:

So have you heard anything lately from Turbo Al ;-)

No. But it sure would be a big boost if he returned.

Ken Plotkin

Sorta like a jock strap to support you.

#59

On Jul 4, 11:19*pm, Ken Plotkin <kplot... (AT) nospam-cox (DOT) net> wrote:

Quote:

IRL designed their cars to be able to run the NASCAR ovals. *More
traditional than you'd think - it led to racing comparable to the high
banked board tracks of the 20s. *

Say, someone pointed me to video of the Atlanta 2001 race. Yikes.

#60

Nickname unavailable wrote

Quote:

On Jul 4, 11:19*pm, Ken Plotkin <kplot... (AT) nospam-cox (DOT) net> wrote:

IRL designed their cars to be able to run the NASCAR ovals. *More
traditional than you'd think - it led to racing comparable to the high
banked board tracks of the 20s. *

Say, someone pointed me to video of the Atlanta 2001 race. Yikes.

I say that they bring it back to the old CART standards. Ovals, super ovals,
street courses and road tracks. And dump the Dallaras. Find a better car
that's suitable. Mark J. Frusciante called them "Sumo Wrestlers", because
they were pudgy in design. I agree.

CART always amazed me in the days when it was such a change from race to race.
Wonderful racing times. It took talent to do well in all four variants of
the sport.