Anybody else catching thr IRL race? | FerrariChat
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Anybody else catching thr IRL race?

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by racerx3317, Sep 25, 2005.

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  1. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

    Oct 17, 2004
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    #1 racerx3317, Sep 25, 2005
    As much as I hate the frickin IRL, they are running at the Glen which promises to be interesting. There is a chance of rain and I hope it does. Castroneves on pole, Danica 16th. Just in case you are curious Danica's teammate Vitor Meira is starting 7th.
     
  2. GameOfDeath

    GameOfDeath Karting

    Apr 10, 2004
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    #2 GameOfDeath, Sep 25, 2005
    This race was really entertaining. IRL is barely a tick above NASCAR for me usually, but seeing the cars on the road course was much more entertaining.
     
  3. WCH

    WCH F1 Veteran
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    #3 WCH, Sep 25, 2005
    My hat's off to the IRL, both for taking championship open wheel racing back to the Glen, and for running the FULL course. Well done.

    On the other hand, it's a little humbling seein gthose cars circulate at an odd 20 secs or so better than the fastest car I've ever lapped the Glen in. 1:33s? Good grief.
     
  4. infraredline

    infraredline Formula 3

    Mar 15, 2004
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    #4 infraredline, Sep 25, 2005
    great race - I don't understand why the US seems to favor circle track!!! For my money that was even better than the couple of F1 races I've seen this year.
     
  5. Mule

    Mule F1 Rookie
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    #5 Mule, Sep 25, 2005
    I agree. Open wheel, slicks, tire changes, passing, full field of cars, no team orders, American drivers mixed in. Great race; F1 could learn some things.
     
  6. cochise

    cochise Karting

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    #6 cochise, Sep 26, 2005
    I'm not familiar with the spec's/performance of IRL cars - but if they were able to stage a race on the full Glen course, could F1 cars safely race there as well ?
     
  7. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

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    #7 racerx3317, Sep 26, 2005
    Yes, great race lots of passing. Finally the IRL gets something right. I still hate them though.
     
  8. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

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    #8 BMW.SauberF1Team, Sep 26, 2005
    I saw a little of the highlights on ESPN, but they showed Danica being pulled by a truck off the track, but then the race results showed her finishing. Did they let her back out or did she retire at a certain number of laps back from the leaders?
     
  9. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

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    #9 racerx3317, Sep 26, 2005
    She had some sort of car problem, not too sure what it was but it was fixed. She finished 16th, two laps down.
     
  10. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

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    #10 BMW.SauberF1Team, Sep 26, 2005
    So what I saw was a broken down car being towed off the track, but it's not an automatic retirement like F1? Or did she make it to the pits, but had a tow truck pull it into the garage? (I saw another car zoom by like it was on the track when she was being towed)
     
  11. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

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    #11 racerx3317, Sep 26, 2005
    It's not like F1. If the car breaks and you can fix it they let you go back out. F1 has some rules about outside help during a race. IRL and Champcar have no such rule. It's actually a "Senna" rule that was put into place after he was push started at Suzuka in 89 after the collision with Prost.
     
  12. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

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    #12 RP, Sep 26, 2005
    There is no comparison between the IRL and F1. About the only similarity is that the cars don't have fenders. Sort of Lear jet verses fighter jet.

    But the IRL serves it purpose, and usually puts on a terrific competitive show, especially on ovals. There is a purpose for all forms of racing, and to think only F1 is supreme is myopic. Just like NASCAR is really entertaining and competitive, so is IRL.

    For side by side racing, its IRL or NASCAR. To watch the masters of engineering and technology, its F1.

    I really wonder if there could be cross-over drivers. Could Michael Schumacher really be good for 500 miles at 195mph at Daytona for 3 hours, and could Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart ever master a F-1 car and be successful.
     
  13. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

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    #13 racerx3317, Sep 27, 2005
    There have been in the recent past, Emerson Fittipaldi comes to mind as one of the guys that took to ovals like a fish to water. AJ Foyt and Mario Andretti were both dirt track oval guys that could drive on a road course with the best of them. It doesn't happen too often these days because you practially have to specialise in one form of racing of the other to make it. At 37 MS would probably be too old to have a succesful NASCAR career just as Jeff Gordon is probably too old. Senna once said he knew he'd have trouble overcoming the urge to try to carry the car on an oval track.
     

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