2016 Indy Car

The cars look like SH*T, but I did actually enjoy qualifying.

By contrast, the Indy Lights cars look awesome, if not a bit stubby. All those stupid wings on the Indy Cars are also a hazard, as we learned from Justin Wilson's untimely death. I say that, because on the TV replay, Montoya's car was hit with a bit of bodywork that flew off another car.

GET RID OF THE RIDICULOUS BODY WORK!

 

I give the race a three. No Offys in the field!!!

 

Dear Indy Car:

I understand you are trying to create some sort of brand identity with regard to your
little series there.

Here is a hint, keep the television broadcasts limited to a SINGLE network which actually
lifts a finger to promote said broadcast and a set time each race rather than making
interested parties search all over the place for the current weeks's network broadcast
only to find out the event has happened already on a network which we, you know,
have come to associate with Indy Car Racing already this season.

Wankers.

Your's sincerely.

BHW

 

or you could spend 30 seconds on the Internet and find broadcast information

 

Aaahhh...quit yer cryin'....

Here: TVRacer.com - TV Racing Schedule

Pretty dang accurate. Only lists major races ahead; the rest of related stuff 2 days in advance. 'Been using it for years.

 

Baaaahhh, humbug! Are you one of those dinosaurs that resisted rear engines and pushed out the turbines???

1967 Indy 500 Retrospective

Granatelli Turbines | Lotus

(if you've seen me on other boards, you know I don't care for what's happenin' to all of racin' in general)

 

John! - You were very impressive in driving the wheels off the Scud during that event! What a fantastic track and beautiful scenery.

I was at the race and WOW what a crowd! RA did this right! ....they were efficient getting cars in and out of the facility, lines seemed to move quick, and the new store is amazing. Ive been coming here for 20 year now and I've never seen it this crowded yet it all seemed organized, not chaotic. Seeing Jimmy V again is always a bonus for us!

My only gripe is that the race went by too fast. We were in turn 5 for all but the last 20 laps and then headed to the pits for the closing laps.
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John
Thanks for the pictures - glad you had a good time - is that you and your friend in the last picture? The other two are good south Florida guys - very popular there

You have a great area - wonderful town with great food and hotels, nice people and great track
What more could you want - reminds me of Watkins Glen and the surrounding area - my two favorites

 

Reminds you of the Glen??? Why, did you guys burn a bus?

 

In that pic, I'm on the left, Jimmy Vasser center & my wife.

We'll be back up there in a few weeks for the BRIC vintage weekend

 

Agreed that the race went too quick. I hope they extend it 10 laps or so for next year. We watched the start from inside T12, then walked backwards toward the kink, T8, then up to T6 and the T5 overlook. We just made it to T5 with about 3 laps to go.

Question: In the photo of what looks like James H.'s pit box, there is a hopper of a white powder in the foreground. What is that?

 

Sorry, don't get the connection

 

Here....The Bog: Remembering the infamous Watkins Glen mud bowl and fire pit | FOX Sports


From thoxe of us who lived the dream!!!

 

Aie yi-yi!!!

Never made The Bog, but had some times in the equally infamous Green Park (show your t*ts!!!)...

 

Interesting - I was not into racing back in those days - was just back from Nam trying to survive

 

You've got a mini-history; now here's some photos for you: (left margin, "Bog photos")

THE BOG

 

Seriously: does ANYONE?

They put TWO chicanes in the Mulsanne years' ago... argh...

They 'rule' out great cars in most series.

all nascar cars have to fit the same template.

you run a spec motor at indy and in nascar.

f1 has quirks all to itself that suck.

 

Tisk tisk tisk.....no mention of the totally rampant sexual behavior of the then "younger generation". Sad to think that perfectly formed, mud covered boobies were totally ignored in this retrospective of a once great sport!!!

We haven't even discussed the "Snake Pit" at Indy !!!

Resume normal lives gentlemen!!!

 

Time changes all things.

Party zones such as The Bog, Snake Pit and Sebring's notorious Zoo in Greenpark are
distant memories.

Growing up in Sebring, we witnessed some of the craziest stuff imaginable in Greenpark.
Things rather culminated in 1980 when Hustler magazine dispatched some "models" and
photographers to Sebring which resulted in some nekkid people on top of a U-Haul truck
experiencing carnal knowledge of each other for the gathered crowd around the flag pole.

Hurley Haywood recalls seeing a spectator streaking alongside the track as one of his craziest
Sebring memories.

I wrote about this in my article "Sebring: Evolution of a Tradition" (Anamera 2013) and how
then-promoter Charles Mendez was forced by outraged locals to clean up their act. Otherwise,
it became such a brouhaha that the locals were all but ready to shut The Race down.

These days, the scene out at Greenpark is markedly different. The moment you arrive over
the bridge, there is a huge police presence in the form of a clearly marked command and
control center like "Check Point Charlie" officers on foot and in unmarked patrol cars and
eyes in the sky.

Back in 2010, I met a colleague at Sebring to watch The Race. My friend raced in the
12 Hours a couple of times in the 90's and he wanted to go see "The Zoo". So, over the
bridge we went. Rather than a bunch of crazed partiers and nude women, we saw mostly
middle-aged guys sitting in their RVs sipping cocktails and watching The Race on CCTV.

We came across a group of older guys who had a 15' (at least) long table about to sit down
for a four course lunch including wine and Grey Poupon. My friend asked them where the
"Animals" were and one replied, "You're looking at them!".

These stately gentlemen may well have been in the middle of the action back in the 60s, 70s
and 80s. But, the police presence and convivial "family atmosphere" at Sebring these days
has replaced the wild happenings of the past.

Is it for the better?

BHW

 

^ Don't know if it's for the better, but in my neck of the woods alone, we lost East Windsor, Flemington, Pleasantville, and Trenton race tracks. Granted, none of them were Sebring, but Trenton hosted CART and it was an interesting venue (that I was lucky to have seen before it was shut down).

Englishtown Raceway Park (drag strip) has been under assault FOR YEARS, and to their credit, they've done everything to appease the locals...sometimes, that's what is necessary to keep the track / event viable.

FWIW

 

No. The lose of a carefree lifestyle always takes away from something. We live only a short period of time. As a youth,being carefree is simply life. As an older person, it is a reminder to a life we lived. With it....we remind ourselves that life is a bit more than just racing. Racing reminds us that we are young once and how precious life really is.

 

Horsefeathers!!! Nay, BLASPHEMY!!!

I agree with Mssr Workman's avatar...racing is life. All else is just waiting...

 

Anyway, back on the subject of Indy Cars for a moment...

Looks as though there is some pulse to the rumors of Indy Car returning to Gold Coast
Surfers's Paradise, Australia.

The article on Racer.com is interesting in that Indy Car seems to have done a bit of
an about face with regard to potential future events, rather than jumping the gun and
flat out announcing the event, a-la the Boston debacle, they've taken a different tact stating,
"INDYCAR is in the process of investigating potential venues for the Verizon IndyCar Series
schedule, which includes a number of conversations with international parties interested in
hosting an event.

"INDYCAR has an extended history at Surfers Paradise and many of its teams and drivers fondly
recall the great events and large crowds in Australia. However, at this time, we are not going to
comment on specifics as it pertains to the status of any prospective venue."

Could it be that they've learned a lesson in Indianapolis?

Let's hope it works out for everyone.

Indycar Racing News | Racer.com - INDYCAR: Gold Coast group tries for return

BHW

 

I'd love to see it, but I'd prefer it was the season opener. going to Australia blows a huge hole in the schedule (a week on either side is needed for logistics/travel/customs/etc), and the race is on at midnight in the US, so putting it late in the season breaks the flow of the championship race.

The Surfers race used to be in March, until Bernie complained about it interfering with the Australian GP. maybe now that IndyCar is in no way a threat to F1 o), that date could be regained.

also I agree with Roger that flyaway races don't benefit IndyCar much, but this might be the exception.

 

I think you have mis-quoted oh yea of little faith...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvgpbsr-mCE


You owe Mr McQueen an apology !!!!

You owe me a Scotch !!!