IndyCar Road Runner Turbo Indy 300

[DanicaRules]

This weekend, the IndyCar series is at Kansas Speedway for the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300. The race is Sunday, April 27th. Coverage starts at 5pm Eastern on ESPN2.

Thomas Scheckter makes his first appearance this year at this race. He will be racing for Luczo Dragon Racing.

Here are the driver entries..

Car # Driver / Car Name / Team

#2 AJ Foyt IV / Vision Racing / Vision Racing
#3 Helio Castroneves / Team Penske / Team Penske
#4 Vitor Meira / Delphi National Guard / Panther Racing
#5 Oriol Servia / KV Racing Technology / KV Racing Technology
#6 Ryan Briscoe / Team Penske / Team Penske
#7 Danica Patrick / Motorola / Andretti Green Racing
#8 Will Power / Aussie Vineyard-Team Australia / KV Racing Technology
#9 Scott Dixon / Target Chip Ganassi Racing / Target Chip Ganassi Racing
#10 Dan Wheldon / Target Chip Ganassi Racing / Target Chip Ganassi Racing
#11 Tony Kanaan / Team 7-Eleven / Andretti Green Racing
#12 Thomas Scheckter / Symantec Luczo Dragon Racing / Luczo Dragon Racing
#14 Darren Manning / ABC Supply Co.-AJ Foyt Racing / AJ Foyt Enterprises
#15 Buddy Rice / Dreyer & Reinbold Racing / Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
#17 Ryan Hunter-Reay / Rahal Letterman Racing Team Ethanol / Rahal Letterman Racing
#18 Bruno Junqueira / The Z-Line Car / Dale Coyne Racing
#19 Mario Moraes / The SONNY Car / Dale Coyne Racing
#20 Ed Carpenter / Menards-Vision Racing / Vision Racing
#23 Milka Duno / Citgo-Dreyer & Reinbold Racing / Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
#24 Jay Howard / Roth Racing / Roth Racing
#25 Marty Roth / Roth Racing / Roth Racing
#26 Marco Andretti / Forsythe / Andretti Green Racing
#27 Hideki Mutoh / Formula Dream / Andretti Green Racing
#33 EJ Viso / PDVSA HVM Racing / HVM Racing
#34 Franck Perera / Ares-Opes Prime / Conquest Racing
#36 Enrique Bernoldi / Opes Prime-Sangari / Conquest Racing
#02 Justin Wilson / McDonald's Racing Team / Newman Haas Lanigan Racing
#06 Graham Rahal / Hole In The Wall Camps / Newman Haas Lanigan Racing

[DanicaRules]

After the draw, here are the practice groups and qualification order for the race...

Group 1

1. #02 Justin Wilson
2. #34 Jaime Camara (Replaced Franck Perera)
3. #23 Milka Duno
4. #24 Jay Howard
5. #6 Ryan Briscoe
6. #33 EJ Viso
7. #5 Oriol Servia
8. #27 Hideki Mutoh
9. #18 Bruno Junqueira
10. #26 Marco Andretti
11. #17 Ryan Hunter-Reay
12. #15 Buddy Rice
12A. #8 Will Power

Group 2

14. #9 Scott Dixon
15. #06 Graham Rahal
16. #3 Helio Castroneves
17. #4 Vitor Meira
18. #25 Marty Roth
19. #14 Darren Manning
20. #12 Thomas Scheckter
21. #7 Danica Patrick
22. #2 AJ Foyt IV
23. #11 Tony Kanaan
24. #20 Ed Carpenter
25. #36 Enrique Bernoldi
26. #19 Mario Moraes
27. #10 Dan Wheldon

[DanicaRules]

Well, the Target Chip Ganassi Team takes the top spots today in qualifications at Kansas. Scott Dixon wins the pole and Dan Wheldon takes second. Danica qualified 3rd. :thumbsup:

The most impressive results today were how good Tomas Scheckter ran for his first IndyCar race this year. He qualifies 4th. The Vision Racing Team is solid again (AJ Foyt IV & Ed Carpenter). They take row 4. A big surprise is Marty Roth qualifing 7th. Good day for him.

Here is the starting grid for tomorrow's race...

1. #9 Scott Dixon
2. #10 Dan Wheldon
3. #7 Danica Patrick
4. #12 Tomas Scheckter
5. #2 AJ Foyt IV
6. #20 Ed Carpenter
7. #25 Marty Roth
8. #3 Helio Castroneves
9. #6 Ryan Briscoe
10. #4 Vitor Meira
11. #11 Tony Kanaan
12. #17 Ryan Hunter-Reay
13. #27 Hideki Mutoh
14. #26 Marco Andretti
15. #24 Jay Howard
16. #14 Darren Manning
17. #33 EJ Viso
18. #8 Will Power
19. #34 Jaime Camara
20. #06 Graham Rahal
21. #15 Buddy Rice
22. #02 Justin Wilson
23. #5 Oriol Servia
24. #23 Milka Duno
25. #36 Enrique Bernoldi
26. #18 Bruno Junqueira

27. #19 Mario Moraes - Did Not Qualify

[KillerNut]

Schekter proves that it is a farse that Vision let him go!:thumbsup:

[DanicaRules]

Dan Wheldon wins the IndyCar Road Runner Turbo Indy 300.

Full Results Forthcoming.

[DanicaRules]

It was an exciting race today. Unfortunately for Danica, she had some bolt problems with her right rear tire causing her day to come to an end early and she finished 19th.:(

Marty Roth came in high and fast in the pits and struck Tomas Scheckter's crew cheif in the back of his legs with the front wing of his car. He wasnt serioulsy injured but he did give a punch in the helmet to Marty Roth.:eek:

But kudos to Dan Wheldon. The Target Chip Ganassi teams ran fast all weekend. They have been running fast all year.

Here are the final results..

1. #10 Dan Wheldon / Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2. #11 Tony Kanaan / Team 7-Eleven
3. #9 Scott Dixon / Target Chip Ganassi Racing
4. #3 Helio Castroneves / Team Penske
5. #26 Marco Andretti / Forsythe
6. #26 Hideki Mutoh / Formula Dream
7. #6 Ryan Briscoe / Team Penske
8. #2 AJ Foyt IV / Vision Racing
9. #02 Justin Wilson / McDonald's Racing Team
10. #20 Ed Carpenter / Menards-Vision Racing
11. #5 Oriol Servia / KV Racing Technology
12. #06 Graham Rahal / Hole In The Wall Camps
13. #24 Jay Howard / Roth Racing
14. #33 EJ Viso / PDVSA HVM Racing
15. #18 Bruno Junqueira / The Z-Line Car
16. #23 Milka Duno / Citgo- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
17. #19 Mario Moraes / The SONNY Car
18. #17 Ryan Hunter-Reay / Rahal Letterman Racing-Ethanol
19. #7 Danica Patrick / Motorola
20. #15 Buddy Rice / Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
21. #34 Jaime Camara / Sangari
22. #4 Vitor Meira / Delphi National Guard
23. #12 Tomas Scheckter / Symantec Luczo Dragon Racing
24 #14 Darren Manning / ABC Supply Co. - AJ Foyt Racing
25. #36 Enrique Bernoldi / Sangari
26. #25 Marty Roth / Roth Racing
27. #8 Will Power / Aussie Vineyard-Team Australia

[brendonhartleyfan]

Once again Dixon has the fastest car and due to circumstances doesn't win:(

[DanicaRules]

Once again Dixon has the fastest car and due to circumstances doesn't win:(
Yeah, fuel strategy is killing him right now. He definitely has a rocketship of a car this year. If they get that fuel strategy figured out, he will be tough to beat.

[EIR Loe.307]

Can I punch ESPN? Hm, let's watch WOMENS GOLF for the 1st 26 laps!!! Thanks a-holes, that caused me to miss the end. Milka Duno proved yet again that she needs to be banned form even watching the races by spinning in the pits. Another high mark was the car that just ran into the other teams tire guy. THEN he ran ove a guys foot while they were getting him out of the way. That was the 1st thing I got to see of the race just after the crash early on. Too bad for DP. Had a bad day all around and then the wheel studs sheared off. Nothing she could do there. Either way, ESPN's coverage was horrible.

[DanicaRules]

Can I punch ESPN? Hm, let's watch WOMENS GOLF for the 1st 26 laps!!! Thanks a-holes, that caused me to miss the end. Milka Duno proved yet again that she needs to be banned form even watching the races by spinning in the pits. Another high mark was the car that just ran into the other teams tire guy. THEN he ran ove a guys foot while they were getting him out of the way. That was the 1st thing I got to see of the race just after the crash early on. Too bad for DP. Had a bad day all around and then the wheel studs sheared off. Nothing she could do there. Either way, ESPN's coverage was horrible.
Yeah, ESPN Classic took over and got the pre-race show and the start of the race. So I did get to watch it. I later switched to ESPN2 when they finally picked it up. I agree, they should leave the women's golf and go to racing. More race fans than women golf fans Im sure.:D

I wont even comment on Milka, you all know how I feel about her.:mad:

Danica had a decent car. She was fast in qualifications. They made a couple bad adjustments but once they fixed that, she started to move up again but the wheel studs was a big bummer.:(

[Harakimi]

Milka Duno proved yet again that she needs to be banned form even watching the races by spinning in the pits. Another high mark was the car that just ran into the other teams tire guy. THEN he ran ove a guys foot while they were getting him out of the way..

What?? Now thats bad driving...Do they give bans to drivers in IRL? Atleast in F1 that would be a reason to high speculations to even take away her racing licence. :wonder:

[DanicaRules]

Yes EIR, you are talking about what I mentioned in the result post when Marty Roth came into the pits high and struck Tomas Scheckter's crew chief, Simon Morley in the back of the legs while he was changing the tire. Good thing he wasnt hurt.

Then as Marty was backing up, he runs over the foot of another pit crew member of Scheckter's team and that guy punched Marty in the helmet.

Harakimi, Marty was black flagged and given a "stop and hold" penalty and had to sit in the pits for 30 seconds.

[Harakimi]

Then as Marty was backing up, he runs over the foot of another pit crew member of Scheckter's team and that guy punched Marty in the helmet.

Harakimi, Marty was black flagged and given a "stop and hold" penalty and had to sit in the pits for 30 seconds.

Oh, I thought that is was Duno who was causing all of these, my bad.

[DanicaRules]

Oh, I thought that is was Duno who was causing all of these, my bad.
No, she just spun in the pits, missed her pit box. Terrible, Terrible.

[EIR Loe.307]

Ya, can we say Kaz Nakajima?? At least he only messed up once though.

What was great about that crew chief is that you can see him get nailed, then jump up and grab another tire and toss it on the car. Dedication for sure.

Oh and it wasn't a "Black Flag" in the true sense of it. More like a grey flag. In most motorsport a "Black Flag" means your day is over not just a drive through. Unless I'm wrong......:eek:

[DanicaRules]

Ya, can we say Kaz Nakajima?? At least he only messed up once though.

What was great about that crew chief is that you can see him get nailed, then jump up and grab another tire and toss it on the car. Dedication for sure.
That is true. He was focused on the duty at hand.

I did like the look of Tomas Scheckter's car though. Pretty sharp.

Here it is...

[DanicaRules]

Actually, in the IRL, a black flag means the driver is to proceed to the pits on the next lap and wait for the official's instructions on what they are to do and what the penalty will be. However, in this case, Marty was already in the pits so he stayed there.

A black flag with a white cross signals the driver has been disqualified and scoring for them has ceased.

[KillerNut]

Marty Roth = Horrible!:thumbsdown: I mean he could have easily hurt someone badly, and he really screwed up Scheckter's race.

Duno = Horrible!:thumbsdown:

At some point the IRL is going to have to do something about these jokers. I mean they aren't even close to being competitive, and they are a danger to everyone else out on track, and apparently now in the pits too.

Finally Vito Miera getting screwed up because of Buddy Rice's pit crew's disorginzation is disappointing. :thumbsdown:

It really looked like amature hour this week in the pits. I wouldn't have been as surprised if Scheckter's team was the one that did that, but thes other teams have been together all year!!:banghead:

The only good news I can report is that neither of them will be in the Indianapolis 500 mercifully, thank you bumping, thank you unification:thumbsup:

On a completely seperate note, I am curious from DR what you thought of Danica's comments about Viso and Scheckter. I know she didn't have a strong car, but then to drop verbal bombs like she did makes her look like a poor sport. That is why I can't stand her. Sometimes don't go your way, and that it racing. She always wants to point the finger at someone else.

[saltysurprise]

On a completely seperate note, I am curious from DR what you thought of Danica's comments about Viso and Scheckter. I know she didn't have a strong car, but then to drop verbal bombs like she did makes her look like a poor sport. That is why I can't stand her. Sometimes don't go your way, and that it racing. She always wants to point the finger at someone else.

Applause erupts from the audience!!

I didn't hear the comments myself:wonder:. But you were spot on in characterizing the way she tends to deal with difficult situations. Just look how she handled the situation with Wheldon last year:huh:

That said. We have to remember that she is a female. Always has been and always will be. Women will (and do) react and respond to things in everday life differently than men will. She is in a male dominated sport with the majority of fans being male as well.

The sooner she stops trying to - for lack of a better term - act like one of the guys, and the sooner we put halt to certain expectations on her to be one of the guys, the happier we'll all be..

Ramble, ramble, ramble... :lol:

[DanicaRules]

Killernut, here is my take on the interview....

First off, with any racecar driver, no matter male or female, when they get put out of a race early, no matter what the circumstances (mechanical, accident, driver error,etc.) they are always upset and frustrated so you should expect less than the happiest interview.

As for Danica's interview Salty, it basically was this. She was asked about Tomas Scheckter's driving, so she commented, well I expect that from him, referring to him being aggressive. When asked about EJ Viso, I thought it was kind of funny, she said I dont even know who that is.:lol:
She said that he is new and learning and had a fast car but that he is a rookie and that they, referring to the IRL drivers, have been doing this longer than they have so they better basically learn that and give them room.

My stance is that it wasnt a bad interview at all. Salty touched upon it by saying she is a female in a man's sport basically and that men and women do react differently, and my take on it is that no matter what she does, she cant do anything right in many people's opinions. She has to show a somewhat agressive attitude. People put so much pressure on her. She was put out of the race early with a mechanical problem so she was upset. She was starting to move up in the field.

Danica is also very competitive. She is a racecar driver so she should be. Danica is also one of the best drivers in all of motorsports so we should expect a competitive attitude coming from her. Maybe someday people will realize this and give her credit where its due that she is a top-notch driver.

[EIR Loe.307]

1st off, all drivers should know the other drivers. That was a slap in the face to all the CC drivers saying they aren't worth knowing. 2nd, Viso was a GP2 driver and is not just some rookie that's never driven. Lastly, she was going on about etiquette and somehow made it sound like the rookies weren't allowed to compete at an equal level with the more senior IRL drivers. That's a poor attitude to have towards ANY driver and I hope that that was all her venting and not her true attitude. I would feel that way towards any driver that acted that way, not just Danica.

[KillerNut]

EIR Agreed.

That was the bigger part that bothered me. I have no problem with her being aggressive. On the track I have zero problems with her, and how she drives. My issue is that she should be able to handle herself differently outside of the car. I listened to how Schekter spoke afterwords, when he was taken out by another driver, and I have far more respect for that way of handling it.

It's the same reason I never liked Sam Hornish Jr. It is not a female thing.