IRL - Bombardier Learjet 550

[DanicaRules]

Well, another IndyCar race just a few days away! Doesnt get any better than that. They are down in Texas this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. This is a night race which is awesome. They have 28 cars entered in this race. It is nice to see a full grid. This is going to be another great race.

Coverage starts at 10pm Eastern on ESPN2 this Saturday, June 7th.

Be there and watch Danica take Texas!;)

[ScotRacing]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080605/SPORTS0107/806050427/1004/SPORTS

Awesome article about Texas in the CART days. The MPH that these guys reached in '01 is just insane!!

[KillerNut]

This is one of the top races on the schedule. Absolutely awesome.

If MI doesn't get back on the schedule next year, maybe they will go to the heart of NASCAR country, in Atlanta, which is a sistertrack.

None the less this is one of my favorites. It looks like it is windy at the track according to what I have read, which means qualifying is more experimental. This may again play into the transition teams hands, or it may make them even less competitive. Either way, qualifying should be interesting.

[Ryan]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080605/SPORTS0107/806050427/1004/SPORTS

Awesome article about Texas in the CART days. The MPH that these guys reached in '01 is just insane!!

I remember that. The drivers were experiencing blackouts around the high-banking.

[DanicaRules]

Well, in Practice session 1, Scott Dixon is still going strong. He tops the speed chart in this session. The shocker to me is the 3rd fastest....John Andretti..:confused: The speeds are really close and tight in the top positions.

Here are the results of Practice Session 1...

Rank / Car# & Driver / Time / Speed

1. #9 Scott Dixon / 00:24.4953 / 213.837
2. #26 Marco Andretti / 00:24.5380 / 213.465
3. #24 John Andretti / 00:24.5966 / 212.956
4. #10 Dan Wheldon / 00:24.5994 / 212.932
5. #2 AJ Foyt IV / 00:24.6745 / 212.284
6. #20 Ed Carpenter / 00:24.6885 / 212.164
7. #6 Ryan Briscoe / 00:24.6904 / 212.147
8. #7 Danica Patrick / 00:24.6948 / 212.109
9. #8 Will Power / 00:24.7123 / 211.959
10. #27 Hideki Mutoh / 00:24.7132 / 211.952
11. #3 Helio Castroneves / 00:24.7219 / 211.877
12. #12 Tomas Scheckter / 00:24.7229 / 211.868
13. #4 Vitor Meira / 00:24.7301 / 211.807
14. #5 Oriol Servia / 00:24.7499 / 211.637
15. #25 Marty Roth / 00:24.8131 / 211.098
16. #33 EJ Viso / 00:24.8217 / 211.025
17. #15 Buddy Rice / 00:24.8870 / 210.471
18. #11 Tony Kanaan / 00:24.8878 / 210.465
19. #17 Ryan Hunter-Reay / 00:24.9169 / 210.219
20. #06 Graham Rahal / 00:24.9693 / 209.778
21. #02 Justin Wilson / 00:24.9804 / 209.684
22. #34 Jaime Camara / 00:24.9829 / 209.663
23. #18 Bruno Junqueira / 00:25.0256 / 209.306
24. #36 Enrique Bernoldi / 00:25.0302 / 209.267
25. #23 Milka Duno / 00:25.2140 / 207.742
26. #96 Mario Dominguez / 00:25.2445 / 207.491
27. #19 Mario Moraes / 00:25.3479 / 206.644
28. #14 Darren Manning / 00:27.7992 / 188.423

[Driverdb]

I remember that. The drivers were experiencing blackouts around the high-banking.

And I remember Kenny Bräck getting pissed off when the race was canceled (as he was on pole) and said something about if the drivers couldn't handle going fast they should just ease off the accelerator instead of whining. :lol:

[Ryan]

And I remember Kenny Bräck getting pissed off when the race was canceled (as he was on pole) and said something about if the drivers couldn't handle going fast they should just ease off the accelerator instead of whining. :lol:

Oh don't worry, Brack had his own problems with TMS a few years later.

aVpux5JxqEk

[DanicaRules]

Well, sorry I didnt have the starting grid up early but we lost power lastnight and got it back around 7pm here. It was out for almost a whole day. We had bad storms move in.

Scott Dixon is on the pole again. He is so strong right now. Danica did qualify 5th.

I will post the results after the race tonight.

[DanicaRules]

Well, Scott Dixon continues his hot streak. He takes another win again with starting on the pole. Kudos to Scott. He did win with the race under caution. Ryan Hunter-Reay made contact with Marco Andretti late in the race causing the yellow. Both drivers are ok.

I think Ryan Briscoe finished a great race considering the bad luck he had. They had to replace a front nose on his car. He was penalized another time and had to do a drive-thru in pit lane getting a lap down and he managed a 3rd place finish.

Danica finishes 10th. Unfortunately, she was never up in the front but there is the next race.

Here are the final results....

1. #9 Scott Dixon / Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2. #3 Helio Castroneves / Team Penske
3. #6 Ryan Briscoe / Team Penske
4. #10 Dan Wheldon / Target Chip Ganassi Racing
5. #11 Tony Kanaan / Team 7-Eleven
6. #27 Hideki Mutoh / Formula Dream
7. #4 Vitor Meira / Delphi National Guard
8. #15 Buddy Rice / Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
9. #20 Ed Carpenter / Menards-Vision Racing
10. #7 Danica Patrick / Motorola
11. #06 Graham Rahal / Hole In The Wall Camps
12. #2 AJ Foyt IV / Lilly Diabetes-Vision Racing
13. #8 Will Power / Aussie Vineyards-Team Australia
14. #33 EJ Viso / PDVSA -HVM Racing
15. #18 Bruno Junqueira / Z-Line Designs
16. #24 John Andretti / Roth Racing
17. #23 Milka Duno / Citgo-Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
18. #19 Mario Moraes / Sonny's Bar-B-Q
19. #26 Marco Andretti / Blockbuster
20. #17 Ryan Hunter-Reay / Team Ethanol-Rahal Letterman Racing
21. #96 Mario Dominguez / Visit Mexico City-PCM Racing
22. #25 Marty Roth / Roth Racing
23. #36 Enrique Bernoldi / Sangari Conquest Racing
24. #34 Jaime Camara / Sangari
25. #12 Tomas Scheckter / Symantec Luczo Dragon Racing
26. #5 Oriol Servia / KV Racing Technology
27. #02 Justin Wilson / McDonald's Racing Team
28. #14 Darren Manning / ABC Supply-AJ Foyt Racing

[brendonhartleyfan]

Well, Scott Dixon continues his hot streak. He takes another win again with starting on the pole. Kudos to Scott. He did win with the race under caution. Ryan Hunter-Reay made contact with Marco Andretti late in the race causing the yellow. Both drivers are ok.


Yes great work by scott again. it appeared when he wanted to he could turn it up and go where he wanted.

I'm not sure about Hunter-Reay and Andretti. yes Hunter-Reay was the one that wiggled and hit Marco but from the views i saw Marco forced Hunter-Reay so low on the track he was never going to be able to keep control. It was a shame as both were having good races.

[KillerNut]

Agreed with everything written so far.

I am picking Dixon to win the rest of the oval track races for the rest of the year.

Briscoe did run a pretty good race, although he should be embarassed for going in the wrong pit. The wrong pit should result in a seperate drive through penalty, even if he didn't hit someone else's equiptment.

The Andretti/Hunter-Reah incident is really both drivers fault. I guess with Andretti's recent reckless driving style, I would be more likely to say that it was his fault for forcing RHR low, but RHR could have lifted and saved both cars and gained a good finish. Both of them gave up a good finish

Speaking of finishes, I have to say I must agree with what the comentators said this morning, (1:00AM! and I will get to that), there needs to be a way to fix yellow flag finishes.

I thought I heard that there was a belief out there that what they could do is remove all lapped vehicles from the field, then line them up for a 5-10 lap sprint race. This is the best idea I have heard. It allows those who deserve a chance to race for the finish, a chance, and it removes cars that are going to do nothing but get in the way, potentially causing additional yellows.

The only thing I don't like about it, is it seems to punish the driver that ran his race the right way, with the right fuel strategy, etc.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

On a completely different note. I am frustrated by ESPN for putting this race on tape delay. This is one of the races that could really grow the sport if people would watch. Even worse than the tape delay, when I tune in to ESPN at 10:00 to watch the race, they still have minor league NASCRAP on. What's that about? It has 40 some laps still to go? Maybe some people like that racing on this board, but it is boring and stupid IMO. It is especially boring when it is a minor league race. The IndyCar race didn't even start until 10:45, and I had to stay up until 1:00am to watch it. How is one of the specticals of the sport, with three wide racing, really high speeds, and dangerous crashes going to help grow the sport if no one can find it, and no one can say up for it?

This is why IndyCar needs to split their racing package like NASCRAP, (yes as much as I hate the racing, I love their marketing plan). If ESPN is going to put their programing on so late at night that no one can watch it, tape delay it, or do a horrible job promoting it, (Unlike Indy, and Milwaukee I didn't see one promotion for this race on any of the family of networks), then give the race to someone else. I believe that the best case scenario is a series split with half the races on SPEED/FOX, and half of the races on ESPN/ABC. This is probably out of context, but it drives me nuts.

This was by far the best race oval race I have seen this year, and maybe the best overall race, but it is difficult for me to distiguish which is better between road racing and ovals.

[EIR Loe.307]

I would love to get to see a whole race. They keep starting the damn races late and so I miss the end.

It looked to me like Hunter Raye was at fault getting loose and collecting Andretti.

IRL is FAR too quick to toss a yellow and the run under yellow WAY too long. Someone touched the wall and limped into the pit very quickly. No need for a yellow yet they ran like 400 laps behind the SC. Then after the SC in like 2 laps another crash (I'm sure due to cold tires) TOO MUCH YELLOW!!!

[DanicaRules]

The Andretti and Hunter-Reay incident was bad. Both drivers had been running strong all night. It was very unfortunate. I like Marco but Hunter-Reay did have to go low and then went down below the white line and thats where the track levels off and at these speeds is what caused him to go up into Marco. Both drivers were pushing hard for the win late in the race.

I wouldnt mind seeing a green/white/checkered finish like they do in NASCAR. Not only does this give the fans a better race and more exciting finish but it could help drivers gain valuable points for the championship standings by gaining track position.

[davetherocketguy]

Being that this is my first post, I thought I would like to comment on this race. I see this could be interesting with me being a user here since I noticed that the moderator here has a username of "DanicaRules." This has the potential for some fun...

1. ESPN's coverage blew Saturday. They tape-delayed it which doesn't bother me but they PUT THE LIVE AUDIO OVER THE BEGINNING FOOTAGE. Nothing says, "Professional production" quite like that.

2. Marco made an interesting comment post-crash. Something like, "There are some people you can race next to and some you can't." So, are you referring to Ryan Hunter-Reah or yourself Marco? By the way Marco drives I couldn't tell. Ryan had a much more mature response in that he thought they were both at fault which I think is the right response.

Anyways, I think I am going to have fun around here.

-Dave

[DanicaRules]

Davetherocketguy, welcome to the forums. Although Im not sure what you mean by having fun because of my username...:confused:;)

edit:Nevermind, I saw your favorite car in your user profile.:(;) Now play nice...:D

[saltysurprise]

HHAhahahaha!!! I like Dave already:lol::thumbsup: Welcome aboard.

He doesn't rattle easily Dave. Believe me, many have tried:lol: But it's still fun:D

[ScotRacing]

I would love to get to see a whole race. They keep starting the damn races late and so I miss the end.

It looked to me like Hunter Raye was at fault getting loose and collecting Andretti.

IRL is FAR too quick to toss a yellow and the run under yellow WAY too long. Someone touched the wall and limped into the pit very quickly. No need for a yellow yet they ran like 400 laps behind the SC. Then after the SC in like 2 laps another crash (I'm sure due to cold tires) TOO MUCH YELLOW!!!

There is too much yellow because Marco has been making poor decisions for three races straight. He is the reason why the last two races have had the yellow/checkered endings. He has unbelievable talent, but someone needs to change his ways. He left RHR no room and then indirectly exclaimed that "you can't run close with" RHR. He needs to get it together and AGR needs to whip him into shape.

[davetherocketguy]

Marco strikes me as one of those kids that never got enough spankings as a kid. He's cocky and brash just like the his dad and his grandpa. Nothing is ever HIS fault. Hence my new nickname for him:

Marco "Silver Spoon" Andretti

Look, he does have amazing talent but he needs to disappear for a while and not come back until he's done with basic training - with the Marines. That'll solve all these silly discipline issues that seem to keep cropping up with this kid. Just look at the difference between how RHR and Silver Spoon responded to the accident.

-Dave

[EIR Loe.307]

There is too much yellow because Marco has been making poor decisions for three races straight. He is the reason why the last two races have had the yellow/checkered endings. He has unbelievable talent, but someone needs to change his ways. He left RHR no room and then indirectly exclaimed that "you can't run close with" RHR. He needs to get it together and AGR needs to whip him into shape.

Ya, but when a driver 360's and goes straight to the pits and is no longer an threat or danger and there is no debris, then there is no need to run 40 laps under yellow because of it. I saw just that happen. (Not quite 40 laps lol). Driver spins, doesn't hit anything or anyone, goes right into the pits safely. At no point was there a need for a yellow yet 5-10 laps were run behind the SC.