311 replies to this topic

[DanicaFan]

Race 2 of 17

Race - Honda Indy Grand Prix Of Alabama

Location - Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Alabama

Date - Sunday, April 10th

Time & TV Schedule - 3:00PM Eastern -Green Flag -3:45PM Eastern -Versus

Course Type - 2.38 Mile Road Course

Distance - 90 Laps / 214.2 Miles

Practice Sessions -
Friday, April 8th -2:20PM -3:05PM Eastern (Rookies & Outside of Top 10 Entrants ) & 3:05PM-3:35PM Eastern (All Cars) & 5:00PM-6:00PM Eastern
Saturday, April 9th - 9:00AM -9:20AM Eastern
Sunday, April 10th Warm-Up Session -10:00AM -10:30AM Eastern

Qualifications - Saturday, April 9th -10:25AM -11:40AM Eastern

2010 Pole Sitter - Will Power - Lap Time -1:10.1356 / Speed -118.057

2010 Winner - Helio Castroneves

[DanicaFan]

Map of the track layout..

[SR388]

I know that they have a great track down there, but the name "Grand Prix of Alabama" still does not sound right.

[Bloggsworth]

I know that they have a great track down there, but the name "Grand Prix of Alabama" still does not sound right.

After the event they could claim that "Stars fell on Alabama..."

[nosaj100]

I know that they have a great track down there, but the name "Grand Prix of Alabama" still does not sound right.

I love the name. It makes me laugh everytime. Oh if only I had photoshop skills...

[vivafroilan!]

Ah, what Peter Ustinov could've done with that...

[whitewaterMkII]

I just have visions of... My name is Gump, Forrest Gump from Greenbough Alabama!

No doubt though, Barber is a great track.

Edited by whitewaterMkII, 05 April 2011 - 02:56.

[PayasYouRace]

At least they aren't calling it the Birmingham Grand Prix. If it's not a street circuit in the West Midlands, it's not Birmingham.

[GSiebert]

Great track for bikes but not suitable at all for modern open wheelers...

[whitewaterMkII]

Great track for bikes but not suitable at all for modern open wheelers...

How so? I've heard some good reports on that track. Is it too narrow?

[Flat Black 84]

I know that they have a great track down there, but the name "Grand Prix of Alabama" still does not sound right.

After the Grand Prix of Alabama I'm hopping the pond for the Monster Blowout Tractor Pull Championship of Monaco.

[The Ragged Edge]

Maybe a Dancia Patrick win on a road course?

[GSiebert]

How so? I've heard some good reports on that track. Is it too narrow?

Yeah too narrow and missing one real good overtaking spot. But no doubt drivers must enjoy themselves around here.

[domhnall]

Would love to see the alms at this track. Last years race was interesting in terms of strategy but otherwise processional, hope for a bit more action this time round.

[Dispenser89]

Don't think the track could handle ALMS!

Really like this track, just a shame there's not much chance of overtaking. Still looking forward to this race though.

[domhnall]

Don't think the track could handle ALMS!

if limerock can handle it anywhere can

[ktsayshi]

Justin Wilson will drive at Barber with his broken wrist in a carbon-fiber brace. Interview at the SPEED site:

http://auto-racing.s...vere-at-barber/

[jonpollak]

Any news on Bia's situation?
Jp

[MonzaF1]

The Barber track is a real gem. Problem is that Indycar racing has become as uninteresting as it can be.

I tried to watch the Indy 500 last year, but the race really is a shadow of its former self and after 10 laps I couldnt be bothered.

I intend to give it another try for the first time this season on Sunday if only because Simona De Silvestro is really going to start putting Danica Patrick's nose out of joint. But jeez louise, how can an old driver like Franchitti, who failed miserably in Nascar and was so damn slow in an f1 test, win all the time?

[ktsayshi]

Any news on Bia's situation?

Bia had surgery for a broken scaphoid on March 29. I haven't found any news on whether she'll be able to drive in Alabama (nothing at the D&R site or on her Twitter feed), but her injury was more serious than JW's, and it doesn't look likely at the moment.

[Ross Stonefeld]

The Barber track is a real gem. Problem is that Indycar racing has become as uninteresting as it can be.

I tried to watch the Indy 500 last year, but the race really is a shadow of its former self and after 10 laps I couldnt be bothered.

I intend to give it another try for the first time this season on Sunday if only because Simona De Silvestro is really going to start putting Danica Patrick's nose out of joint. But jeez louise, how can an old driver like Franchitti, who failed miserably in Nascar and was so damn slow in an f1 test, win all the time?

Because you are judged on your entire career, not one test or even one season.

[Xpat]

The Barber track is a real gem. Problem is that Indycar racing has become as uninteresting as it can be.

I tried to watch the Indy 500 last year, but the race really is a shadow of its former self and after 10 laps I couldnt be bothered.

I intend to give it another try for the first time this season on Sunday if only because Simona De Silvestro is really going to start putting Danica Patrick's nose out of joint. But jeez louise, how can an old driver like Franchitti, who failed miserably in Nascar and was so damn slow in an f1 test, win all the time?

Don't feed the troll.

[IFRLIceman]

Bia had surgery for a broken scaphoid on March 29. I haven't found any news on whether she'll be able to drive in Alabama (nothing at the D&R site or on her Twitter feed), but her injury was more serious than JW's, and it doesn't look likely at the moment.

Simon Pagenaud has been confirmed to replace Bia at Barber...

[Peat]

Excellent. A world class driver for the series!

[Peat]

Also, for those not aware, James Hinchcliffe has done a deal with Newman-Haas for the rest of the season.

[Willie12]

I predict another good showing for the KV Boys. Sato did well here last year. Well he qualified well. Obviously didn't finish the race.

[Victor_RO]

Simon Pagenaud has been confirmed to replace Bia at Barber...

Excellent substitute. Hope he'll be as fast here as he is in his day job with Peugeot and Highcroft.

[ktsayshi]

Simon Pagenaud has been confirmed to replace Bia at Barber...

Cool - on the top page at the SPEED site today. Here's the release:

http://auto-racing.s...atriz-at-barber

[whitewaterMkII]

Bia had surgery for a broken scaphoid on March 29. I haven't found any news on whether she'll be able to drive in Alabama (nothing at the D&R site or on her Twitter feed), but her injury was more serious than JW's, and it doesn't look likely at the moment.

That doesn't sound like a good thing at all.
Looked up scaphoid on Wiki..

[DanicaFan]

Here is the entry list..

[IFRLIceman]

Here's a spotter guide with all the paint schemes on it:

http://www.indycar.c...spotter_web.pdf

[Ross Stonefeld]

I like that Penske and Ganassi are running so many alternate paintjobs this year. Makes it look like more cars are winning...

[OfficeLinebacker]

Here's a spotter guide with all the paint schemes on it:

http://www.indycar.c...spotter_web.pdf

Man, those are some weird sponsors. I like the look of the Clorox car, though.

[OfficeLinebacker]

Here's a spotter guide with all the paint schemes on it:

http://www.indycar.c...spotter_web.pdf

OH! There's a Twitter account for every car (except Bourdais'...get with the program, Seb!). Very cool.

Someone should make a feed that aggregates all of those.

Also, how do they do car numbers in IRL?

[Rob G]

I was hoping N-H would give Hinchcliffe the number they ran years ago, 11. Zero-anything is a stupid number for an Indy car.

[Victor_RO]

OH! There's a Twitter account for every car (except Bourdais'...get with the program, Seb!). Very cool.

If the Indycar paddock doesn't convince Seb to get with the program and get a Twitter account, pressure needs to be applied from another side (i.e. messrs Ant Davidson and Alex Wurz).

And Taku doesn't have one either, the team's feed is listed there.

[Ross Stonefeld]

The 06 makes even less sense now that the other car is just 2.

And I love the complete absense of livery at Newman/Haas

[OfficeLinebacker]

If the Indycar paddock doesn't convince Seb to get with the program and get a Twitter account, pressure needs to be applied from another side (i.e. messrs Ant Davidson and Alex Wurz).

And Taku doesn't have one either, the team's feed is listed there.

Yeah there are several that are not the driver's but there's one for every car...except Seabass.

I hope he doesn't crash his car in practice this time.

[domhnall]

Glad to see pagenaud geta run, he's made no secret of the fact that indy is where he wants to be

[IFRLIceman]

#1 is reserved for last years champ. Then, numbers are assigned based upon request first come first served, and they get to keep that number until they miss races. The 8 car is for PT's Dragon effort. Newman Haas said that since no single digit numbers were available they stayed with the 06.

[highdownforce]

Any news on Bia's situation?
Jp

Despite not running on Barber, she confirmed that further evaluations will be done but she is almost sure to race at Long Beach and definitely for São Paulo.
She had a pin inserted into her scaphoid bone to speed the recovery.

In her account of the race she declared that she was on the verge of crying every time she hit a bump when racing on the hard tires.

[Flat Black 84]

Vuk, Sr., Cowboy Bryan and Foyt were alwo known for bawling in the cockpit when experiencing pain.

[Option1]

Damn, while I love the colour scheme, I really hate KVR's use of the Lotus branding. The crapwagons are as much a Lotus as I am Princess Sparklepony (except I've possibly got bigger boobs).

Neil

[Ross Stonefeld]

Yeah, the Lotus Dallara-Hondas (and Dallara-Renaults in GP2 and GP3) are a little weird.

[DanicaFan]

Practice Session 1 Results..

[Ross Stonefeld]

2 seconds covers everyone except Will Power. Nice.

[DanicaFan]

Here are the qualifying groups for tomorrow..

Group 1

#2 Oriol Servia
#3 Helio Castroneves
#4 JR Hildebrand
#6 Ryan Briscoe
#10 Dario Franchitti
#12 Will Power
#14 Vitor Meira
#18 James Jakes
#24 Simon Pagenaud
#28 Ryan Hunter-Reay
#38 Graham Rahal
#78 Simona De Silvestro
#83 Charlie Kimball

Group 2

#5 Takuma Sato
#7 Danica Patrick
#9 Scott Dixon
#17 Raphael Matos
#19 Sebastien Bourdais
#22 Justin Wilson
#26 Marco Andretti
#27 Mike Conway
#34 Sebastian Saavedra
#59 EJ Viso
#77 Alex Tagliani
#82 Tony Kanaan
#06 James Hinchcliffe

[Alfisti]

Will really showing why Aussies always rated him higher than Briscoe.

[DanicaFan]

2nd session underway. Track is still wet due to the rain earlier.

[DanicaFan]

Practice Session 2 Results..