Is there a bigger idiot driver than Paul Tracy? - SPOILER

Just took out Sebastien B on the last turn, last lap of the Denver Champ Car race. 2 for 2 on bone-head moves!!

KevFla

 

Yeah I was Pretty shocked by that move (Not as shocked as SeaBass). I thought with age came wisdom. But then again remember he is the only driver in CART's history to be sat-out a race for rough driving. Maybe he's due for a refresh.

 

He's already on probation for his incident with Tag at the last race.

Carol

 

In regards to the question, yes I could think of some.

Anyway, that was a totally boneheaded move and him mouthing off in the aftermath was the icing on the cake.

PS: Please use "Spoiler" in a thread like this. Some people tape the race.

 

Take a look at the replay. It looked pretty obvious that he chopped the wheel right just before impact. To me, it looked intentional. Forget sitting out one race, try rest of the season.

 

If you saw the replay before the incar, his car oversteered. The logical reaction is opposite lock until the car stops sliding.

Yes it was a complete boneheaded move. Then again, AJ is not only his teamate now but also his protoge' (PT brought him up through the kart ranks). While I don't think PT meant to take Sebastian out I do think he figured he'd dive bomb him and Sebastian would back off.

Clearly a stupid move. He also took Tag out again this race on the first lap.

He really should be banned from the next race.

 

Paul Tracy was one of those guys that had such a huge potential. I dunno why he's so prone to stupid move like that. A wasted talent in my view. i have to agree he should be banned for a couple of races if not longer.

 

When you drive for Penske, and Penske lets you go, that's saying something, and it's not good.

 

You know, i watched the whole race today. One thing that kept popping into my head was, when F1 drivers tires go, you don't notice it, but when champ cars drivers' tires go, it's like they are on ******* ice skates. Just goes to show the difference in skill and experience.

I'm all for pushing it to the limits but PT is a nut. He should have settled for 3rd gotten the points for his team and a podium for himself, instead he eff'ed up. The team boss/ manager should set him out a few races.

 

Well you do notice it on F1 cars. Especially on Alonso's Renualt race before last and last year at Monaco

 

Don't forget the Champ cars don't run any form of traction control (banned since 03) and many of the street courses they race on have terrible track surface. That's a huge factor to consider when comparing to F1. Also the tire technology on an F1 tire vs. a Champ car tire is like comparing snow tires to summer tires.

 

Schumacher on Fisichella, first turn of Hungaoring last week.

 

I am normally not the suspicious type, but PT braked SOOOOOO late, he had no prospect of making that turn. Even rookies don't blow a turn that bad. Was he trying to help his teamate close the pints gap?

DAve

 

Lol, I was in the grandstands right where Tracy took out Sebastian and from where I was sitting it looked unintentional but stupid. H had clearly been passed and instead of conceding the position he chose to try to late brake at a point where he had no hope of maintaining the spot. This caused the car to understeer going into the turn and he then hit Bourdais.

Did he really take out Tag? It looked to me like he got hit from behind, because he did not gain a spot on Tag so he could not have known he was cutting him off.

 

PT is the reason I watch Champ Car. That guy is Mr. Entertainment.

 

It wasn't as dumb as the San Jose crash, but his car did slip through the turn.

 

I was also in the grandstands at turn 9 today, where the incident occured. It looked very purposeful.

 

Tag assumed responsibility for the first-lap incident. He just made a mistake. It was Tag that tipped PT into a spin.

That said, I'm no PT fanboy. It think he's a thug, and has proved that even more so this year. SeaBass is no pushover, either. All that anger from being overlooked by Renault F1...

PT and A.J. had a falling out sometime ago, but they've made up since then. I guess they've had to! <grin>

It was too bad. An accident that didn't have to happen.

-Peter

 

And Penske was very forgiving of PT. Remember how many cars he trashed in his first year with Penske. One weekend at Road America I think there were three. One clear over the tires into a camper.

He is now out of control and the lack of opportunity is probably the only factor that's kept him trashing more equipment for no good reason.

 

Hey L-Man. Just printed the SVRA entry list for this weekend. I'll stop and say hi Sat.
Mike

 

I don't know what the heck is going on with Paul Tracy lately. He did show some potential at one point in his career, but now he is just embarassing himself over and over again.

He has always been an aggressive driver, but he is now overdoing it in acts of desperation.

 

Two weekends in a row? WTF is going on this season? Give it up, Paul.

 

Another angle on this is that the teams are running very tight on spares for the Lola due to the car change next year. Part of the reason that Tagliani went nuts in San Jose is that he knew it was a scramble for the crew to get a car put together. It's a business and there is a lot of emotion that goes with putting your team in a pinch for no good reason.

The incident with Bourdais was a punt plain and simple. PT knew he didn't have the angle and just didn't care.

 

I used to be a PT fan, until I met him that is. Possibly one of the biggest jags out there (and I didn't interupt him in public, it was a then-CART sanctioned meet and greet at Road America). Jimmy Vasser, Bruno, Tag, everyone was cool except Paul who seemed liked he couldn't be bothered.

First year of a five year contract for him, I'd be surprised if he makes it to next season.

 

The fact that Tracy is still driving in ChampCar is a good indication as to why ChampCar cannot be taken seriously.

Some other reasons are "Power to Pass", Derek Daly and Ralph Sheheen, artificial tire requirements (requiring they run two different compounds) and some of those horrible broadcast production pieces - like wooshing sounds when they flash some on screen data or crawlers that tell you what country the driver is from. Are we so stupid that we need this to keep our attention? Or does ChampCar offer so little that they need these to keep it going? I vote for going back to pure racing and ban idiots like Paul Tracy.