1452 replies to this topic

[loki]

Festivities started earlier today with a media event. Right now there is an autograph session for the Indycar drivers at Macy's on the Strip. In less than an hour the Graham Rahal charity karting event will be held at Pole Position Raceway, adjacent to the Palms Hotel and Casino. http://www.poleposit...y.com/las-vegas

Thurs will see the Indycar Fan Zone open on the Strip at Mandalay Bay Resort Casino. It will be there until Sat evening then moves to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the race Sunday. Also Thurs will be an Indycar parade on the Strip starting at the Bellagio. Mario will be giving VIP two seater rides. After the parade, a kick off party with complementary admission at one of the hottest pool lounge (swimming, not billiards) Wet Republic at MGM Grand.

Fri is practice and qualifying with a complete slate of events at the Fan Zone at Mandalay Bay. Full schedule at http://indycarworldc...s.com/Schedule/ .

No track action on Sat, but Camping World Trucks will run at 12:30 pm local time at the speedway.

Race on Sun, 12 noon local time. Championship banquet and party on Monday night.

Edited by loki, 13 October 2011 - 02:02.

[jonpollak]

HOW DARE YOU start what was to be DanicaFan's last hurrah..(or harumph as the case may be. )

Oh well..I guess title deciders lead some to chomp at the bit..
So..


2007…
I was in Adelaide with Steely Dan on their first ever tour of OZ.
The title deciding race at Chicagoland was on ESPN at 3 am.
Walking in to the whatever it was pub across the road from the Hilton with the boys from Chameleon lighting after load out at the Entertainment centre…
I found Rugby was on every TV..
They did however put the race on a tiny TV near the toilets
Dario passed an out of gas Dixon on the last lap of the last corner for title#1..I about **** myself.

2009
Had the pleasure of attending a few races that year and even got me a lil'prezzie..
Title decider I was at the Paramount theatre Seattle…Steely Dan tech day ..
Watched the Homestead race on that cool live internet feed they used to have.. he did it again..
Went to some bar to celebrate to find 250 USA soccer fans yelling the team on to qualification for the 2010 W.C.


2010
After being invited to the Indy 500 and seeing the Big Win
I was rather revved up for a last race decider, AGAIN, and for that I found myself in ...
Las Vegas Nevada, Palm's Pearl theatre..Duke's of September, last day of the tour..(Steely Dan band and various pick up stars).
Had the use of a dressing room suite with full on blazing internet for In-Car and HD blah blah…
Power hit the wall…I poured margarita's for everyone..BEFORE the show!!!!


2011
As of this very moment..I'm in, Wait for it, ThePalm's LAS VEGAS. ( You'll never guess with who..?)
The boys from Bryan Herta Autosport have just checked in ahead of me.
(Had a funny exchange with one guy while waiting for our hotel keys.
I asked who he had in the car this weekend. He said 'Tagliani'.
I said "good luck with that"..He said 'that is indeed the correct response')

Great stuff Jp ..I hear you say.
But alas friends, my life leads cursed and charmed.

We leave here on Friday..
The race is Sunday afternoon when I will be, wait for it, MID AIR..FLYING TO AUSTRALIA?!?!?
FFS !….

I am hoping all the signs of providence will be syncronistic.
Jp

PS..Might get a chance to see the cars rumble down the Strip before the show here tomorrow night.
(Wasn't that Bernie's Idea® originally?)

Edited by jonpollak, 13 October 2011 - 06:44.

[loki]

As I was coming into the theater today I ran into some of the KV boys lost in the parking garage. They seemed surprised I knew who TK and KV were. They've got a show car and a vintage roadster in the lobby. I'm going to catch practice on Fri then on Sun me and Mrs loki will catch the race. She's now a diehard Dario fan.

[teejay]

Go Will.

[loki]

Ed Carpenter hits a 222 at the track in the first session. The track has been rebanked and paved since IRL or Champ Car ran there last. Some are expecting qual speeds of 224. Second group underway right now.

[Risil]

Isn't there a similar million dollar bash event going on in Vegas for the Supercross? That looks a lot more exciting, truth be told.

Still, I'll be following this one (thread/race/story) closely.

[Bloggsworth]

Certainly is a party going on, 15 minutes of 1st practice left and DanicaFan must be going ballistic...

[Muppetmad]

Jesus Christ, Danica's fast... I hope she can keep up this pace for qualifying and the race!

Edit: AA 1-4 at the moment. Hallelujah, they've finally got it right!

Edited by Muppetmad, 13 October 2011 - 20:05.

[Dilla]

So Power is 18 points down, right? How many points per position is it in IndyCar?

[Bloggsworth]

Pippa Mann seems to be getting the hang of driving an Indcar...

[Bloggsworth]

Jesus Christ, Danica's fast... I hope she can keep up this pace for qualifying and the race!

Edit: AA 1-4 at the moment. Hallelujah, they've finally got it right!

They remembered to pack the oval set-up this week.

[jonpollak]

So Power is 18 points down, right? How many points per position is it in IndyCar?

HERE is the scenario
Jp

[Muppetmad]

They remembered to pack the oval set-up this week.

First time this season, isn't it? And it had to come at the final race ;)

I'd like to see Danica on the podium, just so we have something to remember her by for her last race. I won't hold out hope for a victory because I know that that's a big ask.

[Ross Stonefeld]

So we're having practice on a Thursday but racing on Sunday?

[Bloggsworth]

So we're having practice on a Thursday but racing on Sunday?

They think they are Monaco.

[nosaj100]

Patrick is that fast in her last race? I CALL SHENANIGANS!!!


Seriously though, I'm hoping Power can make this title chase very interesting. Some early race drama with Dario fighting to hold on would be great

Edited by nosaj100, 14 October 2011 - 00:07.

[loki]

So we're having practice on a Thursday but racing on Sunday?

They were the only thing on the track today (and I think FIL as well) and I'm not sure it was even open to the public. When I called the business office to ask if the gates would be open Thurs they gave me the standard Fri sched. Sometimes though they do open the main grandstand but not Neon Garage.

Fri is practice and qual for all, Sat is truck race only, Sun Lights and Indycar.

[Andrew Hope]

Spotter Guide is up, some neat liveries for this race.

[jonpollak]

Made it down to the Strip.
The crew let me through the barrier.
Surprised my pal big time.."What the hell are you doing here?"
And then he was gone.

Jp

[PayasYouRace]

For subscribers http://plus.autospor...tching-indycar/

Jeff Olson on why he expects very few Americans to be watching the race. I found it quite helpful as he explains a bit about the US sports scene, which I'd imagine some of us Brits or Europeans may be unfamiliar with.

[Red17]

So is this the final race for the Dallaras? Someone posted earlier in the year that there was a chance of using the old cars up until the 500.

[sblick]

So is this the final race for the Dallaras? Someone posted earlier in the year that there was a chance of using the old cars up until the 500.

There was talk of it but this is definitely the last hurrah for the Dallara's unless something bad shows up in testing.

Go Power!! I would call Shenanigans for Danica but IndyCar has more to gain with her doing bad thna good. Although it could help season ending TV ratings

[jonpollak]

Some random YouTube video from last night's event.









Jp

[Muppetmad]

From all accounts James Jakes had a very large accident earlier in the session, including flames. He's ok though from what I can gather.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Some random YouTube video from last night's event.









Jp

Are they all on the pit limiter and off-throttle? Surprisingly quiet...

[jonpollak]

Power can forget the point for pole..
DF can now finish 3rd to clinch.
Jp

[loki]

From all accounts James Jakes had a very large accident earlier in the session, including flames. He's ok though from what I can gather.

The shunt itself wasn't that bad but a hundred yards or so down the track a broken oil line ignited and the car was totaled in the fire. He got out safe but has some burns to his back. Coyne is trying to get a spare assembled but they don't know if he'll take the green

[Ross Stonefeld]

Indycar featured in the Daily Mail. Worlds colliding. Head exploding.

http://www.dailymail...akes-Strip.html

The Dario picture is *amazing*

[Dolph]

How is Dan so much off the pace and why isn't he running with Bryan Herta auotpsport - the team that did so good for him in Indy 500 and the team that's managed to qualy its driver 4th.

[Option1]

...
2011
As of this very moment..I'm in, Wait for it, ThePalm's LAS VEGAS. ( You'll never guess with who..?)
...

Hmmm, I'm going to prove you right by guessing with Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience.

My other guess is The Guess Who.

Am I even close?

Neil

[IFRLIceman]

How is Dan so much off the pace and why isn't he running with Bryan Herta auotpsport - the team that did so good for him in Indy 500 and the team that's managed to qualy its driver 4th.

Well it works like this...Pit stalls are determined by the finishing order in the qualifying position from the previous race, so Sam Schmidt put Wheldon in the 77 car to replace Tagliani to try and get a good pit stall for Vegas to make his move to the front as easy as possible. Wheldon was DQ'ed from the Kentucky qualifications because of an infraction with the tires. Tagliani got the Herta ride as sort of a gift from Schmidt to help him. Despite Herta owning the team, the car is lended from Schmidt so he ultimately gets' the say. Schmidt also lends the AFS Racing team a car as well.

[Lukin]

So we're having practice on a Thursday but racing on Sunday?

Rubbish hey! When I read qualifying was Friday (Sat morning Oz time) I figured I was in luck and could watch the race online Sunday morning.

So the race is 3pm ET Sunday according to the website. I assume that is 3pm Vegas time? That works out to 9am Monday for Oz (Eastern with daylight savings) I think!

[loki]

It's at 12 noon Vegas time, GMT -7.

[jonpollak]

Holy crackhouse Neil...!!

Jp

Hmmm, I'm going to prove you right by guessing with Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience.

My other guess is The Guess Who.

Am I even close?

Neil

Edited by jonpollak, 15 October 2011 - 19:15.

[Andrew Hope]

Indycar featured in the Daily Mail. Worlds colliding. Head exploding.

http://www.dailymail...akes-Strip.html

The Dario picture is *amazing*

Sweet shot.

[PayasYouRace]

So will all 34 cars start? That's huge. When was the last time a championship race had a larger starting grid than Indy?

[Muppetmad]

Well, the biggest ever grid was 35 at Indy one year - can't remember which - but a 34 car field at a non-Indy circuit is just unheard of.

[Pikachu Racing]

James Jakes crash from start to a minute

[Bloggsworth]

How is Dan so much off the pace and why isn't he running with Bryan Herta auotpsport - the team that did so good for him in Indy 500 and the team that's managed to qualy its driver 4th.

I would guess that he is concentrating on race and overtaking pace.

[Andrew Hope]

Well, the day is finally here. ARE YOU READY!?

[Mario5]

So, the driver in the "$5 million challenge with drivers from other forms of motorsports" turns out to be Dan Wheldon? Lame, very lame.

[Andy865]

at least hes really really fast.

oh, cack.

[Ross Stonefeld]

I'm minorly annoyed Servia is so quick.

Because I did a bit of work earlier this year trying to put together a 5mil driver package for Newman-Haas...

[Andrew Hope]

Race starts in about 2 and a half hours from now, right?

[Ali_G]

It has to be asked what were they thinking putting this up against NFL.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Any race on a Sunday is going to be up against NFL. Saturday night puts them up against NASCAR, Saturday afternoon college football, etc.

Though I think Indycar should race on Saturdays. There's less competition, better TV slots, easier for fans to get home, etc.

[Muppetmad]

So the race starts at 8pm GMT? Aren't Sky Sports cutting it a little fine with the time - their coverage starts at 8pm!

[Option1]

Any race on a Sunday is going to be up against NFL. Saturday night puts them up against NASCAR, Saturday afternoon college football, etc.

Though I think Indycar should race on Saturdays. There's less competition, better TV slots, easier for fans to get home, etc.

Wouldn't the competition from college football be greater from NFL? I ask because I've always had the impression college football overall out-rates NFL, but you'd know the answer better than I.

Neil

[Ross Stonefeld]

No, NFL kills everything. College football does pretty good so it would be a battle, but not as big an opponent as NFL. The real problem is ABC is the one pushing college ball on TV and that's who covers Indycar when it's not Versus.

Unless NBC decides to promote the hell out of it and Versus.

[Ross Stonefeld]