1094 replies to this topic

[Risil]

After a controversial, accident-filled and red-flag strewn Indy 500, the Indycar Series moves on to a new (not new) circuit on the streets of Detroit, for more crashes and probably red flags. And less passing. But don't let any of that put you off! All your favourites will be here in a desperate attempt to prevent Alex Palou's pretty good championship points lead becoming a total rout. If your favourites are not named Marcus Ericsson, Pato O'Ward or Josef Newgarden, they may still be here but with less likelihood of standing in the way of the Spaniard with the strangely young-looking dad from claiming Astor Cup number 2.
 
With respect to the forum's ongoing issues it's going to be ASCII track maps till further notice:
 
-------------------------------------------------------
|-----                                                          /
        |                                   s/f                /
        |                            -------|--------------
        -----                      |------------|
              \                     |     pits
               ------------------
 
Kinda looks like Long Beach? Alternatively imagine a much less twisty version of the F1 track. It's in the same part of Detroit, which is to say next to that evil-looking science fiction building that may still house GM's corporate HQ (I haven't checked).

 

Anyway, when's it on? Practice gets underway Friday with session one at 3pm local / 8pm BST and session two at 9am / 2pm on Saturday morning. Qualifying starts at 1.20pm / 6.20pm. The race will happen at 3pm / 8pm Sunday. It doesn't clash with the F1. Be there!

[Afterburner]

“Name the ASCII Track” sounds like a forum thread circa 2001.

[FLB]

“Name the ASCII Track” sounds like a forum thread circa 2001.

Oh God, I still remember some of the downright unreadable sigs on RASI... 

 

(RASI = The rec.autos.sport.indy newsgroup)

Edited by FLB, 01 June 2023 - 22:53.

[LolaB0860]

There are two Indy Lights races, two Trans-Am (TA2) races, and one IMPC (GT4) race supporting. First Trans-Am race is 60min and the second is 75min. Both IL races are standard max 55min.

 

Also there's

https://detroitgp.co...of-Events/55234

Checkered Flag catholic Mass (Ss. Peter & Paul Jesuit Church, 438 St Antoine St, Detroit)

(Brought to you by Jesus I think)

 

I've been trying to find some kind of semi-realistic simulated onboard footage of the new layout somewhere but been out of luck

Edited by LolaB0860, 01 June 2023 - 18:46.

[jonpollak]

SPLIT PIT LANE !!!

 

 

Jp

[Ben1445]

I miss Belle Isle already but

This works

[markpenske]

What are the odds of a clean lap 1? 

Turn one (3A) has disaster written all over it.

I'm not a fan of these 90 degree turn street courses.

Hope I'm wrong

[ANF]

The track looks a lot more fun in Google Street View than on that ASCII map!

 

With some tyre wear, T6/7 might get interesting.

[ANF]

Oh, so T3 is basically a hairpin, a U-turn on East Jefferson Avenue. And the straight between T2 and T3 goes on and on...

Edited by ANF, 01 June 2023 - 19:46.

[ANF]

Actual track map JPG: https://www.indycar....it_TrackMap.jpg

[AncientLurker]

Thanks for the thread Risil!

 

Somehow your ASCII track has more soul than the real track map. This track looks brutal.

[PayasYouRace]

It’s a shame they moved away from Belle Isle just to be 10 minutes down the road, but my love of new circuits trumps that easily. Unsure of the crazy pitlane, but absolutely willing to give this track a chance. I’m expecting a racing experience similar to the São Paulo track from a few years back.

[AncientLurker]

Not sure if this will show up. I quickly botched together the track map. Will there be yachts moored on the shore of the Detroit River? Is the race viewable from any vantage points in Windsor?

 

Looking again, does the race completely shut down the Detroit/Windsor tunnel? It looks like the entrance/exit crosses Jeffereson.

Edited by AncientLurker, 01 June 2023 - 20:05.

[Risil]

Oh God, I still remember some of the downreight unreadable sigs on RASI...

(RASI = The rec.autos.sport.indy newsgroup)

We had to use ASCII cos the Kaiser stole our code for showing images

[eibyyz]

Oh, so T3 is basically a hairpin, a U-turn on East Jefferson Avenue. And the straight between T2 and T3 goes on and on...

 

They can do LSR runs on that straight.

[PayasYouRace]

SPLIT PIT LANE !!!

 

 

Jp

 

He says it's never been done before but the Indycar Baltimore circuit had it.

[jonpollak]

Yep, sounds like ……Alternative Facts.

We had to use ASCII cos the Kaiser stole our code for showing images

Tell Paul Kaiser to get outta town.

Jp

[PayasYouRace]

Overlay of the new circuit on the old F1 layout.

 

 

My own tracing of Google maps so it's just a rough guide.

[PayasYouRace]

I forgot I made this when the new track was announced in September 2021. A combined layout of the new track and Belle Isle as a single epic circuit.

 

[GlenWatkins]

I really wanted to attend this race,for many years there was a local airport that had daily direct flights into Motorcity. 1-2 hour flight. I used to fly there and back in a day for work on a regular basis. No more post covid.

Anywho,the condition of the roads in Michigan are known to be some of the worst in the country. And having lived In southeast Michigan for many years I can fully attest to that.

This will be a very bumpy race.

[Risil]

I forgot I made this when the new track was announced in September 2021. A combined layout of the new track and Belle Isle as a single epic circuit.

Er, how long is that back straight?

[Afterburner]

Er, how long is that back straight?

If you look closely, there’s a kink in it—if my memory of the area serves me correctly the first lap would have the drivers blowing a Looney Tunes hole in an on-ramp tunnel to complete the straight (or jumping off a ramp if we’re running it clockwise).

[Stephane]

i'm sad, i love Belle Isle

[GlenWatkins]

i'm sad, i love Belle Isle

Belle Isle absolutely sucked for fans. No amenities and hard to get in and out of. Good track & good racing though.

Personally, I hope that the folks who live in the area embrace the race the way they do with the Woodward Dream Cruise.

[loki]

Points for mentioning Woodward.  

 

ETA: points for both ascii art and r.a.s.i. as well.

Edited by loki, 01 June 2023 - 22:46.

[loki]

If you look closely, there’s a kink in it—if my memory of the area serves me correctly the first lap would have the drivers blowing a Looney Tunes hole in an on-ramp tunnel to complete the straight (or jumping off a ramp if we’re running it clockwise).

[maximilian]

FINALLY another IndyCar race!  Can't wait!! 

[Afterburner]

▒▓▓▓▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
███████▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▓████▓▓██▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▓███▓▓▓▓▓██▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒████▓▓▓▓▓██▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒███▓▓▓▓▓▓▓██▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓██▓▓▓▓
▒▓█▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓██▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓█████████
▒▒██▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓████▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓███████████▒
▒▒█▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓████████████████████▓▓▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓████▓▓▓▓████▒▒
▒▒█▓█▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓██████████████████████████▓▓▓█████▓▓▓▓▓▓▓███▓▒▒
▒▒▓██▓▓▓▓▓████████████████████████████████████▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓██▓▒▒▒
▒▒▓██▓▓▓█████▓▓████▓█████████▓███████████████████▓▓▓▓██▓▒▒▒▒
▒▒▒██▓█████▓▓▓██▓██▓██▓█████▓██████████████████████████▒▒▒▒▒
▒▒▒█▓█▓▓▓██▓▓█▓▓▓█▓████▓▓██▓▓█████████████████████████▓▒▒▒▒▒
▒▒▓▓██▓▓▓█▓▓▓█▓▓██████▓▓▓██▓▓████████████████████████▓▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒▓██████▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓███████▓▓█▓▓████████████████████████▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒▓██▓▓█▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▒▓██████▓▓▓███▓█▓▓█████████████████████▓▓▒▒▒▒▒
▒████▓▓███▓▓██▒▓▓█████▓▓███▓▓█▓▓███▓████████████████▓██▓▒▒▒▒
▓██████▓▓▓▓███▓▓█████▓▓█████████▓▓▓█████████████████▓▓▓██▓▒▒
▒▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓███████████████▓▓▓▓▓▓████████████████████▓▓▓▓██▒▒
▒▓▓█▓▓▓▓▓▓▓██████████████▓▓▓▓▓█████████████████████▓▓▓▓▓▓█▓▒
▒▓▓█▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓████████████▓▓▒▒▓▓▓███████████████████▓▓▓▒▒▒▓▓█▓
▒▒▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▒▓████████▓▓▓▓▓▓▒▒▓▓▓█████████████████▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▓▓██
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒████▓▒▒▒▓▓▓▒▒▒▒▓▓▓▓██████████████▓▓▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▓▓██
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓███▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓▓▓▓▓▓██████████▓▓▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓█
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓███▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓▓█
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓▓████▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▒▒▓▓▓▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓▓█
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓█▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▒▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓▓██
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▒▒▒▓▓▓▓▓▓███

[markpenske]

all grandstand tickets are sold out

[loki]

Local coverage and a few pics of the completed track including pit(s) lane.

https://www.detroitn...rs/70278960007/

 

The Freep with “everything you need to know” but doesn’t really say much…

https://www.freep.co...ts/70272803007/

 

 

[PayasYouRace]

Er, how long is that back straight?

2.6 miles.

[GlenWatkins]

This:

 

“Fifty percent of the course now is going to be made available for free and open to the public,” Larson said. “That was not really possible on Belle Isle. The ability to spread the overall economic impact, but also just the interaction with the downtown is better.”

[Ben1445]

Sped-up track walk lap from RLL 

 

https://twitter.com/...0325666817?s=20

 

Track looks pretty narrow in places, especially between T1-T2 and T4-T5

[GlenWatkins]

Not sure if this will show up. I quickly botched together the track map. Will there be yachts moored on the shore of the Detroit River? Is the race viewable from any vantage points in Windsor?

 

Looking again, does the race completely shut down the Detroit/Windsor tunnel? It looks like the entrance/exit crosses Jeffereson.

To answer your questions:

Yes, just like Belle Isle

No, the river is at least 0.5 mile wide there.

Yes, I have friends who live in Windsor & they are expecting long delays at the Ambassador Bridge.

[PayasYouRace]

Belle Isle absolutely sucked for fans. No amenities and hard to get in and out of. Good track & good racing though.

It’s a shame they could never emulate Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in terms of access and amenities.

[paulb]

What are the odds of a clean lap 1? 

Turn one (3A) has disaster written all over it.

I'm not a fan of these 90 degree turn street courses.

Hope I'm wrong

 

The ASCII map looks especially daunting with the disconnects and all.

 

[paulb]

Local coverage and a few pics of the completed track including pit(s) lane.

https://www.detroitn...rs/70278960007/

 

The Freep with “everything you need to know” but doesn’t really say much…

https://www.freep.co...ts/70272803007/

 

Hopefully, this won't be ironic for the race, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan pit lane.
 

[LolaB0860]

It's looking like Baltimore 2.0 and I like that. Belle Isle never did anything to me, even in the ALMS days

Pretty sure at least the Indy Lights races will be total crashfests though, St Pete and Barber already were and those were familiar to bunch of the field

Edited by LolaB0860, 02 June 2023 - 11:45.

[SenorSjon]

SPLIT PIT LANE !!!

 

 

Jp

 

So VK, Palou and Andretti's beware.

[LolaB0860]

I love how TV presenter here asked Armstrong whether he prefers street circuits or ovals - you know Armstrong, who doesn't even race on ovals 

 

 

Doesn't look quite as narrow when you stand in the streets

 

Edited by LolaB0860, 02 June 2023 - 14:48.

[red stick]

Always with the negative waves, Moriarty . . .   

[loki]

[amerikalei]

Nice interview with Armstrong.  He seems quite confident yet still conveys his enthusiasm and a sense of humor.  I've also enjoyed his Side Pod race recaps with Ilott, which tend to be a bit goofier but offer some candid insights.

 

This track seems like it's going to be nuts for these cars.  The Jefferson Ave straight sure looks like it's awfully bumpy for IndyCars at terminal velocity going into the braking zone into 3. 

[GlenWatkins]

It’s a shame they could never emulate Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in terms of access and amenities.

Agreed

[GlenWatkins]

The ASCII map looks especially daunting with the disconnects and all.

 

The disconnects are where ramps launch the cars in the air!

[Jim Thurman]

I love how TV presenter here asked Armstrong whether he prefers street circuits or ovals - you know Armstrong, who doesn't even race on ovals 

 

In the U.S., sportscasters that literally know even the first thing about motorsport are a rare breed indeed. Those that are knowledgeable, let alone follow racing, are even rarer. I'd say unicorns, but they do exist, but in numbers so low as to almost be uncountable.

This is absolutely minor compared to some of the gaffes I've heard from these "stick & ball" guys. They often can't even get the basics right. Folks on this forum often use "cringe", well...it truly applies to many times when a local TV sportscaster has tried to talk motorsport. Or, attempted to, would be more apt 

[ezequiel]

Indy Lights NXT practice is on

[Ross Stonefeld]

Dixon with a much better looking PNC livery this weekend. Unfortunately it looks like a McLaren. 

[Peat]

Alright alright, let's have a look at this track then.

[ANF]

Practice about to begin on indycarlive.com.

Crash now and you're in trouble.