IndyCar thread

[Hovadipo]

The FOX coverage has been amazing in the lead up to the season and for race day it’s blowing me away. I can’t wait to see what they do for the 500. Looks like I’ll have about 2.5 hours of pre-race to record on top of the race itself. 

[Pagoda]

2 hours ago, Hovadipo said:

The FOX coverage has been amazing in the lead up to the season and for race day it’s blowing me away. I can’t wait to see what they do for the 500. Looks like I’ll have about 2.5 hours of pre-race to record on top of the race itself. 

FOX feels like a much needed upgrade after NBC got stale and stopped trying last year when they were lame ducks.  Great ads, commentary seems good, new graphics, new camera angles, and better mixed audio.

I like it.  Hopefully it boosts ratings this year too.

Edit: This IR-18 is getting long in the tooth and after adding the aero screen and hybrid it really doesn’t race too well outside the Indy oval.  To be clear I love the safety of the aeroscreen, just saying it didn’t help with this old chassis.

[LIHoosier]

5 minutes ago, Pagoda said:

FOX feels like a much needed upgrade after NBC got stale and stopped trying last year when they were lame ducks.  Great ads, commentary seems good, new graphics, new camera angles, and better mixed audio.

I like it.  Hopefully it boosts ratings this year too…

It'd be nice if FOX could end their obsession with turning every athlete into a boardwalk caricature

[Old Friend]

On 3/5/2023 at 12:37 PM, Josh said:

5 car crash on lap one including Pagenau and Castroneves. Red flagged until they can clean it up

 

Happens in 80%+ of street circuit races.  I think it really detracts from a good product.

[Josh]

After a fun couple of days qualifying, here is the starting grid for next week:

 

 

[Josh]

Wold day for Team Penske:

https://www.espn.com/auto/story/_/id/45213722/team-penske-crash-failed-inspections-indy-qualifying

INDIANAPOLIS -- Qualifying day for the Indianapolis 500 -- the most important race in the eyes of Roger Penske -- turned into a disaster Sunday when all three of his cars were denied a chance to run for the pole. It came a year after the same three drivers swept the front row at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The day got off to a horrible start when Scott McLaughlin, last year's pole sitter, crashed in morning practice and Team Penske decided it wouldn't even bother sending him out for the fast 12 shootout and just accept the 12th starting spot in the field.

Then, moments before the shootout began, rival team owner Chip Ganassi accused Team Penske of cheating. Minutes later, the cars for two-time defending race winner Josef Newgarden and Will Power returned to the garage. IndyCar announced the two cars had failed inspection and would not be allowed to qualify.

IndyCar technical director Kevin Blanch said Newgarden's and Power's cars had "a body fit violation on the rear attenuator." It is assumed that the modification was an attempt to gain an aerodynamic advantage.

The rear attenuator is a safety device designed to absorb and reduce the force of impacts.

Tim Cindric, president of Penske's IndyCar program, said Power passed inspection but officials flagged Newgarden's car.

"It was a bit of randomness internally there that we need to sort out," Cindric said. He said IndyCar initially was going to allow modifications and Team Penske crew members were seen on pit road making adjustments.

But Cindric acknowledged that modifications are not permitted after inspection "and you have to report to inspection on time, and we didn't do that right." He also said he understood if other teams complained about the process.

Editor's Picks

• 

  McLaughlin destroys car, misses shot at Indy pole

  5h
• 

  Larson endures minor damage in crash at Indy

  2d
• 

  Palou, Penske set pace at Indy 500 qualifying

  1d

The punishment meant that the front row from last year will now start side-by-side-by-side in the fourth row in 10th, 11th and 12th.

Cindric said the modified attenuators on Newgarden's and Power's cars were different from McLaughlin's and that it was team error. A year ago, Team Penske was caught in a push-to-pass scandal in which Newgarden was found to have access to the additional boost of horsepower when he should not have. He was stripped of his season-opening victory and Penske suspended Cindric for two races, which included the Indy 500.

Also suspended was team managing director Ron Ruzewski, Newgarden engineer Luke Mason and senior data engineer Robbie Atkinson.

The fast 12 was also reduced to just nine cars attempting to advance to the final qualifying round, when six drivers compete for the pole for the May 25 race. The six to advance were Felix Rosenqvist, Pato O'Ward, rookie Robert Shwartzman, Scott Dixon, Alex Palou and Takuma Sato.

[Josh]

Newgarden and Power were sent even further back...

https://www.espn.com/racing/indycar/story/_/id/45224491/penske-newgarden-power-dropped-rear-indianapolis-500-grid

[Demo]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/apple-tv-wins-f1s-us-broadcast-rights-with-landmark-five-year-deal/10768253/
 

Ok, not Indycar, but I didn’t feel like starting a new thread. I’ve always liked the Sky Sports announcers, even if they are wicked British driver homers, but their production choices are godawful. 

[LIHoosier]

2 hours ago, Demo said:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/apple-tv-wins-f1s-us-broadcast-rights-with-landmark-five-year-deal/10768253/
 

Ok, not Indycar, but I didn’t feel like starting a new thread. I’ve always liked the Sky Sports announcers, even if they are wicked British driver homers, but their production choices are godawful. 

IIRC, the video feed that all the broadcasters use is a world feed and it's usually the home country of the Grand Prix calling the shots. (It may have changed since Liberty took control, maybe they have their own in house production team). This weekends in Texas but since US loaned their TV deal to Sky, I don't know who runs what we see.

[LamarCheeks]

Not seeing a NASCAR thread, so posting here. 

A plane piloted by former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and with his family aboard crashed this morning in North Carolina. No survivors.  

I guess he piloted several helicopter flights to deliver aid and help for victims of Hurricane Helene a couple years ago. 

Sounds like he was a helluva man.

Very tragic news. 
 

r

[Hovadipo]

2 minutes ago, LamarCheeks said:

Not seeing a NASCAR thread, so posting here. 

A plane piloted by NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and with his family aboard crashed this morning in North Carolina. No survivors.  

I guess he piloted  several helicopter flights to deliver aid and help for victims of Hurricane Helene a couple years ago. 

Very tragic news. 
 

r

That is awful. The work he did out in the mountains with his helicopter was incredible. Was a heck of a driver in his day too.

[Demo]

Am I reading this right? Indy is rolling off at 10am this year? 

[Pagoda]

18 minutes ago, Demo said:

Am I reading this right? Indy is rolling off at 10am this year? 

These are just the TV coverage start times.  Indy green flag time is the same as usual (12:45pm).

[Demo]

RIP to the Great Alex Zanardi. Maybe the most exciting dude who’s ever sat in an Indy car. And, man, the life he lived after the accident. What a bada$$. 

[J34]

6 hours ago, Demo said:

RIP to the Great Alex Zanardi. Maybe the most exciting dude who’s ever sat in an Indy car. And, man, the life he lived after the accident. What a bada$$. 

This one hits a little harder. Our family became close to AZ through my bil working for Chip for many years. Great driver(The Pass at Laguna comes to mind), even Greater human being. RIP 

[LamarCheeks]

Wow. Absolutely stunning -- and tragic -- news. 
 

 

[Old Friend]

3 hours ago, LamarCheeks said:

Wow. Absolutely stunning -- and tragic -- news. 
 

 

Yeah.  Wow.  Details coming soon, so I heard..... Really sad news.

[jermhoosierfan]

13 hours ago, Old Friend said:

Yeah.  Wow.  Details coming soon, so I heard..... Really sad news.

I saw where he was put in the hospital for an illness, and he wasn't going to race this weekend.  I suppose it was a pretty serious illness.  Best wishes to his family.

[str8baller]

1 hour ago, jermhoosierfan said:

I saw where he was put in the hospital for an illness, and he wasn't going to race this weekend.  I suppose it was a pretty serious illness.  Best wishes to his family.

I read he hadn’t been feeling well and maybe has pneumonia or something and that somehow devolved into a stroke or maybe a blood clot. Who knows. I’m around his age. Have kids in his age range. His wife was actually at Purdue the same time as my wife. Very scary and tragic.  
 

I’ve never been a huge NASCAR fan but my uncles and cousins are so I sometimes keep up a little. Characters like him and Tony Stewart always made me laugh and kept me entertained. RIP

[LamarCheeks]

Really cool Kyle Busch interaction. 

Wasn't always warm and fuzzy, but had his share of very human moments.