644 replies to this topic

[MattPete]

Just got to watch Race 1:

 

- Final closing laps, and Rahal is gunning it during the caution laps.  I'm thinking to myself "That idiot is going to ram into the back of Kanaan if he doesn't cool it."  A second or two later, that idiot runs into the back of Kanaan.

 

- Andretti should have been backflagged for being a dick.  I was really rooting against Hinch after Andretti pulled that blocking stunt on Sato.

[Dmitriy_Guller]

What happened to Montoya in the end, and why did he park it after the s/f line?  Was it just the tires, or were his brakes gone as well?  He seemed to really drop like a rock towards the end.

[MattPete]

What happened to Montoya in the end, and why did he park it after the s/f line?  Was it just the tires, or were his brakes gone as well?  He seemed to really drop like a rock towards the end.

 

I was wondering the same thing.  He looked like he might be able to challenge for a top-3 finish, and then he dropped like a rock.

[MattPete]

Andretti fined, placed on probation for rules infraction

 

INDYCAR announced today that it has issued penalties against Verizon IndyCar Series driver Marco Andretti and entrant Andretti Autosport for actions in Race 1 of the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston presented by the Greater Houston Honda Dealers on June 28.

INDYCAR has fined Andretti $2,500 and has placed him on probation for three races, beginning with Race 2 of the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston on June 29, for violating Rule 7.2.5.2 (failure to heed the blue flag) of the Verizon IndyCar Series rulebook.

INDYCAR has fined Andretti Autosport $2,500.

The members may contest the imposition of the penalty pursuant to the procedures and timelines detailed in the review and appeal procedures of the Verizon IndyCar Series rulebook.

[paulb]

I hope that NBC will find a new booth race director and script writer for the announcers.

 

The hard on for the andrettis and rahals should be getting limp.  I also have disdain for covering every pitstop when there is normally better action on the track.  And please train the pit row reporters to ask brief questions that the subjects can understand above the din.  I want to hear what the team member has to say, not lengthy reporter blab.

 

Thanks to Houston though, those were two super entertaining races. 

[RAGE12463]

What happened to Montoya in the end, and why did he park it after the s/f line? Was it just the tires, or were his brakes gone as well? He seemed to really drop like a rock towards the end.

seemed like a tire puncture. Plus his tires might have been done after the battle with hawksworth

[HeadFirst]

Bumpercars at Houston ..... as always entertaining.

[Peat]

Montoya was on reds, so had that burst of pace trying to get past Hawksworth and then they were rooted.

I also suspect a puncture, suspension damage as the car looked wonky when he stopped.

 

 

 

 I also have disdain for covering every pitstop when there is normally better action on the track. 

 

Amen. It seems like some kind of throwback to when the races often got stale. We really don't need to see a guy pitting from 17th (Oooh look, a wheelgun!) when we've got the top 3 bouncing off one another on track.
 

[Vitesse2]

I mean I'm British an all that but to be fair I cringed watching Hawksworth, that was way over the top, he kept driving Montoya off the road, the Colombian luckily had the skills to jump out of the way time after time, ruining his tyres in the end. Also when asked about his battle with Montoya he did not pay any reference to him whatsoever. I detected quite a bit of arrogance. I have a feeling he will upset some people very soon unfortunately for us.

I found his post-race interview remarkably refreshing and bullshit-free. None of the usual "The guys in the [insert multiple sponsor names here] team did an amazing job and gave me an awesome car."

[jonpollak]

Well I'll be at Pocono to these cars & drivers next Sunday!!!!!

I'll send you some links to my visit last year.
Jp

[ensign14]

I mean I'm British an all that but to be fair I cringed watching Hawksworth, that was way over the top, he kept driving Montoya off the road, the Colombian luckily had the skills to jump out of the way time after time, ruining his tyres in the end.

 

I thought it was the best bit of defensive driving in a long time.  Maldonado et al should pay attention.  You can stay ahead by sticking to the line and strategically taking an inside when appropriate, without weaving in the braking zone or punting your rivals off.  Indeed the closest they came to a terminal collision was when JPM tried a banzai that put them both around the chicane.

[teejay]

Monty posted a pic to his fb - front tyre was destroyed - on canvas.

[HistoryFan]

America probably

 

But was there one US state which claimed all three podium spots?

[Ross Stonefeld]

California probably.

[Collombin]

There were some Indy 500s where over half the drivers were California based. Over to Mr Thurman.........

[HaydenFan]

Assume Indiana would be pretty well represented. 

 

http://www.champcars...country/usa.htm

[Collombin]

Could a case be made for the top 8 finishers of the 1956 Indy 500 all being Californian?

[Jim Thurman]

But was there one US state which claimed all three podium spots?

 

Depends on what era. They didn't use to have "podiums", but top three finishers, sure.

 

 

Could a case be made for the top 8 finishers of the 1956 Indy 500 all being Californian?

 

Pretty much, yeah.  Most not natives, but all began their racing careers in California and most of them moved there as children.

[Jim Thurman]

There were some Indy 500s where over half the drivers were California based. Over to Mr Thurman.........

 

Yep. Peaked out with a few years in the 50s with 19.  The 30s had years in the teens as well.

[HeadFirst]

I thought it was the best bit of defensive driving in a long time.  Maldonado et al should pay attention.  You can stay ahead by sticking to the line and strategically taking an inside when appropriate, without weaving in the braking zone or punting your rivals off.  Indeed the closest they came to a terminal collision was when JPM tried a banzai that put them both around the chicane.

I agree. I have no problem at all with his defense of position. Impressive stuff indeed.

[prommer]

Montoya, from http://msn.foxsports...ston-penalties/

 

“The 98 ran me off the road three [explicit] times,” Montoya said of Hawksworth. [....] “If you want us to race like that I’ll race like that and give him the ‘Chrome Horn’ and put him into the tires and stop dealing with amateurs and rookies like that and clueless drivers. They are just clueless. I know they are trying to prove a point but they are absolutely clueless and have no idea how to run a race."

[Ross Stonefeld]

There was a point going into the third turn(I count the chicane as a single turn) that Hawksworth was pretty defensive. I think it was from Kimball's onboard behind Hawksworth and JPM, but it looked pretty close to a block.

[Afterburner]

Race 2 was probably the best race of the year for me. I wish they could streamline the caution rules a little bit but I understand why they are what they are. Maybe get some onboard starters on these cars so we don't have to go yellow every time someone stalls? Seemed to work okay at the Six Hours of the Glen; IMSA barely threw any cautions that race because everyone was mostly able to get going again.

[P123]

Parts of that battle were borderline, especially the squeezing in the braking zone... and I do think Hawksworth would long have been in the barriers had he been racing some others in a similar fashion.

[John B]

But was there one US state which claimed all three podium spots?

 

Detroit 1995 - A US 1-5 sweep (ironically with attention on the imminent IRL) led by Gordon, Vasser, and Pruett from CA (it all comes back to Robby Gordon Ross  )

 

The Andrettis led by Michael swept Milwaukee earlier in the 1990s IIRC.

Edited by John B, 30 June 2014 - 17:02.

[Prost1997T]

Race 2 was probably the best race of the year for me. I wish they could streamline the caution rules a little bit but I understand why they are what they are. Maybe get some onboard starters on these cars so we don't have to go yellow every time someone stalls?

 

A broken car isn't going to move by itself.

[LuckyStrike1]

Two very good races. I enjoyed that. Who needs artificial sparks, double points and standing restarts anyway? 

[Risil]

Who indeed. Interestingly enough the abandonment of double file restarts doesn't seem to have made the racing any less dull. Which is a relief.

[Doughnut King]

Two very entertaining races throughout. Isn't it 8 races in 8 weeks now?

[king_crud]

Are the races available to view online? Apologies if already posted

[Sheepmachine]

Race 1: https://m.youtube.co...h?v=rKPZY6XrgN8
Race 2: https://m.youtube.co...h?v=XGADbHNbuVI

[Dmitriy_Guller]

Monty posted a pic to his fb - front tyre was destroyed - on canvas.

Looked very flat as well, judging by how twisted the red band was.

[Prost1997T]

Aleshin made a late chop in the braking zone, that was the reason for the call. Helio's recent accident (and ovals) is why blocking is treated differently in Indycar. Aleshin's been rather accident-prone (Barber, Indy GP, multiple times through both Houston races), I'm surprised he actually finished on the podium. I'll have to go back and look at Marco's move on Wilson to give you a comment on that.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Yeah Aleshin was for blocking-moving, Marco was for blocking in a blue flag sense.

[whitewaterMkII]

Parts of that battle were borderline, especially the squeezing in the braking zone... and I do think Hawksworth would long have been in the barriers had he been racing some others in a similar fashion.

So, was JPM a gentleman, or a wussy?

From the amount of damage that Bourdais finished with, after two rear enders, I'd say than when they race streets again, to expect some serious nastiness, that damage on an oval or RC would never work.  JPM's ride no doubt took some licks too, young Jack using him for a cushion on the wall was taking it too far, IMO, but other than that, he drove hard and reasonably fair. TBH, he should have let JPM by, he was on blacks and JPM's red shoes were never going to last no matter what. 

But, hey, heat of the moment and all that, it was a helluva show, and ten laps that I'll never regret seeing.

[Dolph]

So Huertas' car was illegal. Hmmm... Too big fuel tank (remember, people were expecting him to pit) and illegal rear wing.

 

The team gets a 10 th USD fine

 

hmmm...

[Ross Stonefeld]

Why does it take half way through the following week to announce something you discovered Saturday night? 

[HaydenFan]

Why does it take half way through the following week to announce something you discovered Saturday night? 

 

Right before teams leave for Pocono. 

 

Ummm... not a clue. Maybe didn't want to add insult to his disastrous race 2. 

[Prost1997T]

According to DCR's PR guy: "The #18 car passed tech for the Houston weekend at its normal time on Thursday with a fuel capacity of 18.45 gallons. The rules state the maximum is 18.50. After the heat of the race, the capacity was 18.6 per the Indycar tech inspection."

[Ross Stonefeld]

And they get what, 3mpg in race conditions? So Carlos got an extra thousand feet or so assuming he ran the car dry on every stint.

[Option1]

So Huertas' car was illegal. Hmmm... Too big fuel tank (remember, people were expecting him to pit) and illegal rear wing.

 

The team gets a 10 th USD fine

 

hmmm...

Ten cents doesn't seem appropriate really.  I doubt it's even a full week's allowance (assuming they did their chores).

 

Ahh but reading Ross and Prost's posts, maybe 10 cents is fair.

 

Neil

[whitewaterMkII]

You probably couldn't light the bitch w/ 1/10 of a gallon...

Edited by whitewaterMkII, 03 July 2014 - 02:17.

[ardbeg]

I agree. I have no problem at all with his defense of position. Impressive stuff indeed.

I agree in parts, but he went to far. If that type of driving is accepted there will never be any passes.

[HeadFirst]

I agree in parts, but he went to far. If that type of driving is accepted there will never be any passes.

I don't agree. Hawksworth was simply taking his line, to which he is entitled. IndyCar is pretty clear on what is considered blocking, and do not hesitate to penalize even big names like Marco and Helio. I'm sure Penske was crying on the phone to the official throughout the duration of the battle, so it's not like they didn't take note. However there was no penalty, not even a warning to my knowledge and it is not like they would give a rookie preference. It was just good driving.

[Ross Stonefeld]

I think Kimball got a warning, but I don't remember him doing anything.