232 replies to this topic

[Ross Stonefeld]

The biggest party to hit Brew Town since Steely Dan. It's the Milwaukee Indyfest presented by XYQ! No it's not a radio station, it's some augmented technology something.



Hear what Alice Cooper has to say about our blessed city


Where The Milwaukee Mile(all 1.015miles of it) yo, the oldest operating motor speedway in the world. At least in America, but they're basically the same thing. Someone has been clinging to the 9.25 degree banking like a drunk using a blade of grass to not fall off the earth every year since 1903. During the War? Really? Take it up with Wackypedia, or the Nostalgia Forum.

When I'm glad you asked. You didn't actually, but that's why you will have failed. IT'S ON SATURDAY DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS Not only that, but noon local. It's madness.

Friday(all times Eastern Yankee Time)
11am-12pm Practice 1
2:15-3:15 Practice 2
5-6:15 Qualifying

LOCALS! GRANDSTANDS ARE FREE ON FRIDAY. Come for the Indycars, stay for the brats! Like the sausage, not drivers complaining about penalties.

Saturday
1pm Coverage begins on ABC. That's like 6 Engerland time, 7 for the rest of Yurop. You'll need a distraction from Le Mans.
1:27:30 Drivers! Start your engines! Simona, try starting it again.
1:30:30 We are Verde Verde Verde
(why :30? Dunno, but I will be monitoring the time)


How will the cars handle it? *shrug* We had a test at Milwaukee after Indy and a bunch of them are in Iowa this week but this will be the first time we see how they do on ovals with 'full wing'. They'll basically look like they're on a road course. Pole time will probably be in the 175mph range.

Slap me with some archive Behold! http://www.youtube.c...p...ew=0&page=1 Greg Moore's first win. Michael gives one of his crewmen the nickname Speedbump. John Paul Montana takes the first win for Toyota. Or watch the 2011 running If that's not enough, try 1984. When was the last time you saw a pirate flag flying over a race track?


Things to know
-Helio is in the yellow Penske Trucking livery, Dario is in the two tone blue Cottonelle car, but Kanaan is back to Geico colours so they won't be too confusing to spot.
-Legge is still in at Dragon. Bourdais is at Le Mans anyways.
-Oh, and. Dixon and Power both lost engines in Iowa testing this week. Yep, penalties. But putting the drivers first and second in points deep in the midfield is what I like to call 'added value'.
-I will be there. Making the scene. Adding a little stardust. Monaco on Lake Michigan.

I did a lap earlier to officially open the track for this year's festivities. Bit of understeer on entry but that should clear up as more rubber is put down.

Edited by Ross Stonefeld, 13 June 2012 - 10:56.

[HaydenFan]

Monaco on Lake Mich? Okay there. Been hitting the Miller Lite a bit too hard tonight?

Do they still have the lights installed?

[917k]

Someone hack Stonefeld's account?

[PorcupineTroy]

Brilliant OP.

[Marc Sproule]

Some Milwaukee pics from the past....

Mario '85
http://www.flickr.co...157623386525526

Emmo '85
http://www.flickr.co...57623386525526/

Mears '85
http://www.flickr.co...157623386525526

Cogan '84
http://www.flickr.co...157623386525526

There are more waiting to be uploaded to my oval racing and champ car sets....

http://www.flickr.co...57623386525526/

http://www.flickr.co...57623324227456/

[loki]

Looks like Ross has already cracked the keg of Pabst. Good post, very entertaining and good to see the Mile back on the schedule.

[Dmitriy_Guller]

[packapoo]

He's a bit of a rocker even! Go Ross

[Disgrace]

Should a forum post make you look forward to an event so much?

Edited by Disgrace, 13 June 2012 - 07:53.

[Muppetmad]

What a wonderful opening post

[PayasYouRace]

Nice to have Indycar returning to Milly Walker, the good land, again. And this is Super Official so I've got to get a post in.


Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how the new cars handle on here, the bad news is I'll probably miss it as it's on Saturday.

[Risil]

Excellent.

Looking at those tyre marks I'm glad you confirmed that it was a lap and not a quarter-lap you did.

[billm99uk]

I did a lap earlier to officially open the track for this year's festivities. Bit of understeer on entry but that should clear up as more rubber is put down.

At least you didn't hit the marshal...

[Option1]

Ohhhhh, I was hoping to venture outside at some time over the weekend, but now with this added to Le Mans added to Silverstone MotoGP there's no hope. Note to self: Buy More Beer!

Neil

[Bouncing Pink Ball]

OP sold me on watching the Milwaukee Mile on a summer afternoon. That takes skill.




Can I say that for the first time in...well...ever, I'm liking Indycar over F1? Is that safe in this forum?

[Risil]

Hear what Alice Cooper has to say about our blessed city

Jerry Lee Lewis isn't really singing about the Monaco of Lake Michigan here, but if you don't listen to all the words you can pretend he's talking about the racetrack. I recommend trying it at least once.

Without making any poor-taste references to Little Al, which Indycar competitors has Milwaukee made a loser out of? Roger Penske's aerodynamicsists, for a start. The same thing happened to Mario in 1987 too. Let's hope they put the spec wings on properly this time!

Okay, just one Al Unser, Jr reference: losing a big lead over Michael Andretti after Mark Blundell brought out a yellow flag, then losing the lead altogether on the restart. Just part of Al's "Shit Luck 1996", as we like to call it. Al had beaten Michael in 1990, who ran out of fuel on lap 198. Video also worth watching for awesome onboard shots and Michael characteristically deciding The hell with fuel saving I'm going to run some qualifying speeds and see what happens.

Edited by Risil, 13 June 2012 - 13:50.

[Fastcake]

Fantastic work

I've been wanting to give Indycar another chance if I can watch it, and the officialness of the thread has convinced me to tune in.

[katmen]

OP

[Muppetmad]

http://www.indycar.c...China-cancelled

I didn't see that coming - there was very little news surrounding China, I assumed it was going ahead as planned. What will replace it?

[Risil]

I don't want to say that that was predictable news, but...

Isn't it really important for Indycar's contracts that they deliver a 16-race season? Replacements ahoy, although I can't see too many candidates. The short notice presumably rules out temporary circuits, and the ovals that aren't on the schedule aren't on because they're so unprofitable. Phoenix might work. Do Watkins Glen or Road America have holes in their schedule in the right place? Maybe they could just do Barber twice, though probably not in August.

Edited by Risil, 13 June 2012 - 15:34.

[Option1]

I know that there's a renewed push by some folks in Oz to get Surfer's Paradise in Australia back on the agenda, but I don't see it happening for this year, and whether there is the $$$ (from Oz) or desire (from Indycar) for next year is questionable.

Neil

[jonpollak]

I feel like Don Draper..

'Good work Peggy'
Jp

EDIT:Re: 16th race, I like the idea of Pocono but think it's either round 2 @Texas or Laguna Seca.

Edited by jonpollak, 13 June 2012 - 15:39.

[Ross Stonefeld]

No to Texas, Laguna wouldn't work and after Long Beach, Sonoma, and Fontana I think that marked would be exhausted.

But Pocono? Road trip...

[Risil]

I'd love to see Indycars back at Pocono.

Edited by Risil, 13 June 2012 - 15:47.

[Bloggsworth]

They've just cancelled the Chinese race.

[jonpollak]

Diana's been involved in a car crash!!!!
Jp

[Flat Black 84]

http://www.indycar.c...China-cancelled

I didn't see that coming - there was very little news surrounding China, I assumed it was going ahead as planned. What will replace it?

I understand Las Vegas has an opening.

[racinggeek]

1:27:30 Drivers! Start your engines! Simona, try starting it again.

Sad for Simona, but true.

I'll be there Friday and Saturday with my nephew/godson for a second straight year; it's his birthday present. Even sprung for a garage pass for him.

[sblick]

Road America has an ALMS date that IndyCar has been looking at for a while to replace China. Pocono would need a test to figure out downforce levels. Texas is out Randy seems to be burning that bridge. Laguna Seca, Chicagoland and Kentucky have been other low odds venues. There absolute last scenario is the road course at Indy. IndyCar needs to deliver 16 races or IZOD sponsorship goes way down, but look for that contract to die pretty quickly after the season. It was IZOD that pushed the Chinese race.

Edited by sblick, 13 June 2012 - 16:49.

[Option1]

Yeh, the rumour is IZOD will not be back next year.

Neil

[Ross Stonefeld]

I think Izod will be reduce their role with the slack picked up elsewhere.

[Risil]

Presumably one of the main benefits of having engine competition is that the manufacturers can take some of the load off the series in terms of team handouts. So perhaps the Izod sponsorship is less crucial for the series because it can just spend less money keeping itself afloat.

Is there any word on automotive OEMs getting back into team, event or series sponsorship? Or are those days firmly behind us (or them)? Surely there should be more alcohol and energy drink sponsorship in the series than just Kanaan and, er, Ed Carpenter (wth is Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka?), too.

Edited by Risil, 13 June 2012 - 17:20.

[gm914]

Diana's been involved in a car crash!!!!
Jp

Not only that..

[Jim Thurman]

No to Texas, Laguna wouldn't work and after Long Beach, Sonoma, and Fontana I think that marked would be exhausted.

But Pocono? Road trip...

But, Laguna, Long Beach, Sonoma and Fontana aren't the same market.

Epic preview BTW. You and Risil are simply killing it

so, I learned Chinese, and now there's no race?

Edited by Jim Thurman, 13 June 2012 - 17:35.

[Ross Stonefeld]

But, Laguna, Long Beach, Sonoma and Fontana aren't the same market.

Epic preview BTW. You and Risil are simply killing it

so, I learned Chinese, and now there's no race?

California's big and all, but 4 races? Long Beach and Fontana are such totally different races and events, plus they have the LA basin. But Sears is end of August, and they're going to be 2 hours away within 2 months? It's why I don't see Road America really coming off, it's only an hour away from the Milwaukee Mile.

Take us to Pocono, I say.

[red stick]

I'd agree, except that at Road America they could piggyback off of the existing ALMS race. Other places they'd have to start from scratch, and quickly.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Penalty Watch:

-Honda
Sato
Newgarden
Dixon
Wilson
Conway

-Chubby
Power

[Jim Thurman]

California's big and all, but 4 races? Long Beach and Fontana are such totally different races and events, plus they have the LA basin. But Sears is end of August, and they're going to be 2 hours away within 2 months? It's why I don't see Road America really coming off, it's only an hour away from the Milwaukee Mile.

Take us to Pocono, I say.

I'm not lobbying, just pointing out they aren't the same market. A lot of people don't realize that the distance from California's border with Oregon to the Mexican border would take you from New York City into South Carolina. Sonoma and Laguna, yeah...and that's why I don't see it either.

Unlike some folks on here (or at least on here in the past), I won't call for a schedule to be made up entirely of races I can drive to without an overnight stay

[dweller23]

It's bad that this season is so short - last race in mid-September really doesn't give much time for series to find an alternative... How about late September race at Watkins Glen? F1 races there used to be lovely at that time of the year.

As for Milwaukee, I'm afraid I'll have to miss part of it. Gotta watch Poland's game in Euro. And that's just too bad because I really enjoy this track.

Edited by dweller23, 13 June 2012 - 21:37.

[jonpollak]

Who said Texas 2 Step ?
http://espn.go.com/r...-motor-speedway

Jp

[PayasYouRace]

Why does US racing have so many problems with organising a race in the far east (with the exception of Japan)? The cancellation of the China race comes as no surprise.

[Risil]

F1's had some problems in that regard too...

[PayasYouRace]

But this has happened year after year. Champcar tried Seoul, then Ansan and then I think it was Zuhai and all were cancelled during the season. It's not a great record. I'd love to see it work out just once.

[Flat Black 84]

It worked out for Danica. Once.

[jonpollak]

It's not me I promise!!!
But this identity thief DOES make 140 char sense.

Jp®

[Ross Stonefeld]

Was holding court in a bar with some out of towners, in walks Mike Conway and the Foyt crew.

[billm99uk]

Was holding court in a bar with some out of towners, in walks Mike Conway and the Foyt crew.

Is he as white in real life as he looks on TV?

[Bloggsworth]

Why does US racing have so many problems with organising a race in the far east (with the exception of Japan)? The cancellation of the China race comes as no surprise.

I think the Chinese were the problem.

[HaydenFan]

I think the Chinese were the problem.

Every single one, the promoter backed out. It never was Champ Car or IndyCar. All they had to do was show up. But before they could, the promoter would give up. I think they approach the events in the same way they would for F1. Try and get government money to fund everything (and maybe a bit more) and when that falls through (as a mayoral change in Qingdao did), the events go belly up.

[Option1]

I'm certain you're right Bloggsworth. If I read things correctly, it was the promoter who had screwed up and was unilaterally trying to not only change the date, but also the venue. However, Indycar has to take a fair share of the blame for taking such a shonky promoter onboard.

Neil