934 replies to this topic

[juicy sushi]

YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY BABY
 
Well, this is it.  After 15 races, 1,750 laps, 3,460.3 miles, and 5,462.52 kilometres it all comes down to this.  85 meandering laps of the downtown of Long Beach, California.  At the end of the day one man will be crowned winner of the race, and one man will be crowned the series champion.  It may be the same guy.  It may be a different guy.  Frankly, we have no idea.
 
The state of play in the championship:
 
There are 3 drivers left with a mathematical chance of winning the championship this year.  Leading the group is Alex Palou with 517 points, followed by Pato O'Ward with 482 points, and Joseph Newgarden with 469 points.  Given the extreme generosity of the Indycar points system to lower-placed finishes, I believe Palou can take this title with a 12^th-place finish, regardless of whatever Pato or Joseph do.  But, this is Indycar, and chaos is the order of the day.  

 

 
The Stage:
 

 

85 Laps for a total distance of 167.28 miles.  While the layout has changed a few times over the years, and this current configuration is perhaps less chaos inducing than some previous versions, the key ingredients remain.  A large passing zone in Turn 1, and a large accident zone in Turn 11.  Other turns may join in as appropriate.  This is now the oldest event on the calendar save for the Indy 500 itself, and I'll spare you all the tales of civic improvement spurred on by this hallowed sporting event.  If you want a sense of the history of the place, here is the first Indycar event held at Long Beach, the 1984 CART Long Beach Grand Prix:

 

For those more interested in more recent history, the last event held here was in 2019:

 

The more aware among you may have noticed I've skipped just about all of the good races held at Long Beach, and you can pelt me with abuse in the replies.  If someone doesn't wax nostalgic about 1998 I'll be annoyed.  If someone doesn't mention the tradition of teammate on teammate violence at Long Beach, like in 1992, I'll be even more annoyed.

 

Like all street races, things have a habit of getting especially Indycar, but we never previously considered the championship implications as this race was always in April, so it was too early to care.  Now however, Indycar is able to drape itself all over this urban chaise lounge and demand we paint it like one of those French ladies.  

 

When will this madness happen?

 

FRIDAY, SEP 24

6:00 PM - 6:45 PM ET

Practice 1

 

SATURDAY, SEP 25

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM ET

Practice 2

 

SATURDAY, SEP 25

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET

Qualifications

 

SUNDAY, SEP 26

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM ET

Warmup

 

SUNDAY, SEP 26

3:00 PM - 6:00 PM ET

Race

 

It's time.

 

[FullOppositeLock]

Oh yes, can’t wait!

[paulb]

Great work sushi!

 

Your OP does beg the question, who are the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly among the championship contenders?

 

I am happy / sad about this one. I am thrilled that we are finally at the one and only LBGP, but bummed that it closes the Indycar 2021 season. I am also jelly of my brother, who will be at the race.

 

Palou should be a shoo in for the title, but with a brew of Indycar and Long Beach, anything is possible. I'm a longtime Pato fan, so I would not mind if he wins.

[whitewaterMkII]

Thanks!

Anyone that will be attending, drop me a DM and to meet up for a beer!

DD

[juicy sushi]

Your OP does beg the question, who are the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly among the championship contenders?

I am many things, but I am not suicidal enough to say who is Tucco among those 3.

[prommer]

Snoop Dogg is going to be involved in this on Sunday, somehow.

 

(and thanks JS for such a prompt OP!!!)

[prommer]

Townsend Bell

@townsendbell

·

Sep 22

 

Saferest Barrier.

 

 

[Anja]

[prommer]

Special guest for this weekend in Long Beach... MOST OF AMERICA'S COMMERCE!      

 

 

(record container ship back up at Port of Long Beach, live look)

[PayasYouRace]

Cheers for the brilliant OP.

 

There’s something very strange about Long Beach closing the season, and I’m so here for it. I was going to say something about this being the first Indycar season to finish at. Street circuit in ages, but then remembered St. Petersburg pulled the same trick of traditional opening round finishing the season last year.

 

Oh well, there’s so much potential for chaos. Difficult to see past Palou as long as he has an incident free race, but that’s a lot to ask at Long Beach.

 

Will Risil finally get his dream of seeing a car in the fountain come true?

[djparky]

For those with Sky F1, they're going all out again with live coverage of practice as well as qualifying and the race

[PayasYouRace]

Has there ever been an Indycar title showdown between two native Spanish speakers before?

 

On a more general note, one thing that's exciting me most about this race is that we're most likely to get a new champion, which is always great.

[jonpollak]

Jp

[red stick]

Fountains?!

 

[red stick]

Tiegs.  Sigh!

[paulb]

Jp

Not that it matters, but I am having difficulty linking this to the LBGP. Did she drive the Pro-Celebrity race one year? 

Edited by paulb, 23 September 2021 - 20:51.

[HeadFirst]

Not that it matters, but I am having difficulty linking this to the LBGP. Did she drive the Pro-Celebrity race one year? 

 

I think she might have won one? Or maybe that was a ski event? Or maybe it was someone else? Anyway ..... it is a bit weird to have the LBGP at the end of the season. Weird, but wonderful!!! Lettuce celebrate a first win for Grosjean.    

[OvDrone]

I am ready to transcend anew.

                                              and welcome Palou into the sacred halls of Motorsport legends

[prommer]

Fountains?!

 

 

Odd you should post that today, as I'm currently in a snit on another website where they made the claim today that that footage was captured by "Evel's wife Linda." (the website brought it up in reference to the story that the Evel Knievel museum is going to be moved to Las Vegas soon).

 

And it's driving me insane that I can't do anything about that wanton misinformation, because in order to comment, I'd have to register an account on the site, and the site is full of such an array of mouth-breathers, I'd rather keep my peace and anonymity and not be doxxed!

 

So please indulge me here on this forum: that footage was shot by Linda Evans, wife of John Derek.

 

So between her and Tiegs, any other 60s-70s supermodels we'd like to reference?  The Hurst Shifter girl, perhaps?

[sblick]

Long Beach is a great one.  Excellent atmosphere and a roll of the dice to if you finish or not.

[red stick]

Odd you should post that today, as I'm currently in a snit on another website where they made the claim today that that footage was captured by "Evel's wife Linda." (the website brought it up in reference to the story that the Evel Knievel museum is going to be moved to Las Vegas soon).

 

And it's driving me insane that I can't do anything about that wanton misinformation, because in order to comment, I'd have to register an account on the site, and the site is full of such an array of mouth-breathers, I'd rather keep my peace and anonymity and not be doxxed!

 

So please indulge me here on this forum: that footage was shot by Linda Evans, wife of John Derek.

 

So between her and Tiegs, any other 60s-70s supermodels we'd like to reference?  The Hurst Shifter girl, perhaps?

OT:  In my area, that's how I feel about Nextdoor--life's too short to educate the uninterested.¹

 

On-topic, but barely:  No, Tiegs will pretty much do it for me.

 

 

1.  My favorite all time Nextdoor post was the lady who, in a discussion about whether to upgrade to "smart" electric meters, declared that she didn't want the government to know how much electricity she used, displaying an incredible naivete about the role of regulated public utilities in modern life.  Wonder if she votes for Public Service Commissioner, since she clearly has no idea what they do.  Oh, and guess how she feels about masks?  And vaccines?

Edited by red stick, 23 September 2021 - 22:36.

[pacificquay]

With the points system being the way it is, is it actually possible for Newgarden to win the title really?

 

He’d need pole, leading the most laps, winning the race and relying on Palou being 25th or lower.

[red stick]

Dear PQ:

 

So, you admit it's possible!  

 

Signed,

Newgarden fan already resigned to waiting for next year.  

[GlenWatkins]

Thanks Sushi!!   

 

LOL, I just glanced at the map and noticed the Mother's Exotic Car Paddock out of the corner of my eye and had to do a double take!  

Edited by GlenWatkins, 23 September 2021 - 21:58.

[prommer]

I need to get off the internet. Since my last post, I've gone down a rabbit hole that has led me to discover that Angelyne, of all people, is a C8 Denier. She doesn't like the idea of having the engine behind her head because she wants her Corvettes to be quiet inside. She's still driving a C7.

 

 

I'm declaring this to be ON topic because a) cars, and b) there is no Los Angeles without Angelyne.

[red stick]

Huh.  I've used that song as a ringtone.

 

 

 

Edited by red stick, 23 September 2021 - 22:34.

[milestone 11]

All sessions, with exception of warm up, on Sky +5hrs on OP times.

[ANF]

Race start will be at 12:45 local time (PDT) according to the IMSA schedule.

(The IMSA Grand Prix will start at 14:05 on Saturday.)

[FLB]

So please indulge me here on this forum: that footage was shot by Linda Evans, wife of John Derek.

 

So between her and Tiegs, any other 60s-70s supermodels we'd like to reference?  The Hurst Shifter girl, perhaps?

Linda Evans was also later the partner of Yanni, whose Reflections of Passion was used by CBS as a musical theme for their race broadcasts, including IndyCar:

 

[FLB]

[jonpollak]

Not that it matters, but I am having difficulty linking this to the LBGP. Did she drive the Pro-Celebrity race one year?

Only connection is the lede in the OP

Jp

[teejay]

Im here for snoop. 

[paulb]

Im here for snoop. 

Team Green sponsorship.  

[red stick]

1.5 hours to practice.

[loki]

Team Green sponsorship.  

That would be kool…

[jonpollak]

Snoop says…..2 minutes to P1.
Jp

[jonpollak]

Live on the COCK.
Jp

[paulb]

Pags fastest.







Only timed lap

[prommer]

WHOA, the sweeping fountain shot, my favorite in all of racing, now has SOUND!!

[milestone 11]

They're still raving about the corkscrew.

[ArchieTech]

Newgarden did well not to hit the barrier there considering how early he lost it.

[Frood]

I’m just happy to see Lengthy Seaside again.

[FLB]

Wasn't there a 1980s game (can't remember if it was F1 or IndyCar) where a track very much like Long Beach was named 'Seaside'?

[jonpollak]

I once worked a gig on the QueenMary.
It’s bound to be a roach infested, super spreader venue these days.
Jp

[jonpollak]

Oh and Ganassi 123 at the mo…
Jp

[FLB]

JJ has spun.

[FLB]

SQ has hit the wall.

Edited by FLB, 24 September 2021 - 22:24.

[loki]

I once worked a gig on the QueenMary.
It’s bound to be a roach infested, super spreader venue these days.
Jp

We had the house gig there and the Goose in the early 80s.  We stayed there when we went to the race a few years back after the city changed the hotel operators.  It was a solid 3 stars.  It was pretty run down for a while.  They haven’t been open since the pandemic and that operator has since gone bankrupt due to the pandemic.

[prommer]

Hey Jimmie, put your visor down. 

[ArchieTech]

Herta sooooo nearly in the wall.