Category: Auto Racing

The New World of Sport

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Be prepared for a brave new world, race fans. Racing is set to resume, albeit under very different circumstances. NASCAR and Indycar will begin the season with no fans in the stands and strict procedures for teams during the events. This may be how we see racing for awhile. Every track presents a different set of circumstances, so the Texas model won’t work everywhere. It seems to be a good way to run oval races.

While I am as anxious as anyone to get to a race track, I want to be able to attend knowing my health is assured. The teams and drivers are assuming risk by participating in theses early races. Might it be better to wait until the country as a whole has a better handle on the situation? What happens when someone involved in one of the early races tests positive for COVID-19?

Indycar has the luxury to see how things go in the May NASCAR races. Future decisions might be based on what happens this month. The NTT Indycar series indicated yesterday that they are committed to completing the last schedule published April 6.

Track Updates

The governor of Oregon has announced that no fans will be at sports events in the state through September. That means no fans at the scheduled Grand Prix of Portland September 13.

The two Indycar races I see as least likely to happen are Toronto and Richmond. Canada has stricter lockdown procedures than the United States. The end date would not allow enough time for the track build. Richmond’s stay at home order expires June 10, two weeks before the race. It is a Porpermanent oval. In talking to people who live in the area, it doesn’t sound as if fans are going to be allowed at that race, if it goes on.

I also spoke with someone last night about Road America. It appears they are planning to have fans at the Indycar race. Whether that number will be limited has not been determined. The first part of the Indycar schedule could be a race with no fans, a race with fans, and another race with no fans.

Mark Miles said on Trackside Tuesday night that the Indianapolis 500 could be run as late as October if necessary. I would be fine with that, especially if it allows all fans wishing to attend to do so.

In these strange times, don’t expect a race to actually occur until you turn on your television and see it. We can ride this through. Stay safe and wash your hands.

Texas is a Go; Shortened Race, No Fans

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News release from Indycar. I will have some thoughts later.

For Immediate Release
NTT INDYCAR SERIES season kicks off June 6 at Texas Motor Speedway

NTT INDYCAR SERIES season kicks off June 6 at Texas Motor Speedway

INDIANAPOLIS (May 7, 2020) – The 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season will begin Saturday, June 6 with the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. INDYCAR’s stars will take the green flag at 8:45 p.m. (ET), with broadcast coverage provided by NBC Sports via NBCSN.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, INDYCAR will run a condensed schedule with practice, qualifying and the race taking place on the same day. The event also will be conducted without fans in attendance. This will be the 24th consecutive year in which INDYCAR has raced at the 1.5-mile oval in Fort Worth, Texas.

“We’re excited and ready to kick off the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season at Texas Motor Speedway,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “We’ve worked closely with Eddie Gossage, the entire TMS team and public health officials on a plan of action that will ensure the safety of our event participants alongside an exciting return to competition for our drivers, teams and viewers tuning in from around the world.”

“America needs live sports and they are not going to believe what they see when the Genesys 300 storms into their living rooms on TV from Texas,” said Eddie Gossage, president and general manager of Texas Motor Speedway. “One of the world’s greatest sporting events, the Indy 500, has been postponed until August by coronavirus, so all of that pent-up energy, anticipation, frustrations and anxiety will be pounding through the drivers’ nervous systems. Typically, the Genesys 300 results in a 220-mph photo finish.”

Other steps to protect the well-being of participants have been identified through close consultation with TMS and public health officials. These include:

• Strict access guidelines limiting the number of personnel on site

• A health screening system administered to all participants

• PPE equipment provided to everyone entering the facility, along with guidelines on usage

• Social distancing protocols in place and carefully maintained

• Revised competition layout to increase distancing

To accommodate the one-day schedule, the length for the race at Texas Motor Speedway has been adjusted to 200 laps rather than the previously announced 248 laps. The full on-track schedule for the Genesys 300:

• NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice: 1:30-3:30 p.m. (ET)

• NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifications: 5 p.m. (ET)

• Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway: 8:45 p.m. (ET)

The remainder of the updated, 15-race INDYCAR calendar for 2020, announced April 6, remains on schedule for competition.

ABOUT INDYCAR:

INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series known as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The series features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including five-time series champion Scott Dixon, reigning series champion Josef Newgarden and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2020 season, which runs from June to October, currently consists of 15 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in August at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.

For Immediate Release
NTT INDYCAR SERIES season kicks off June 6 at Texas Motor Speedway

NTT INDYCAR SERIES season kicks off June 6 at Texas Motor Speedway

INDIANAPOLIS (May 7, 2020) – The 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season will begin Saturday, June 6 with the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. INDYCAR’s stars will take the green flag at 8:45 p.m. (ET), with broadcast coverage provided by NBC Sports via NBCSN.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, INDYCAR will run a condensed schedule with practice, qualifying and the race taking place on the same day. The event also will be conducted without fans in attendance. This will be the 24th consecutive year in which INDYCAR has raced at the 1.5-mile oval in Fort Worth, Texas.

“We’re excited and ready to kick off the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season at Texas Motor Speedway,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “We’ve worked closely with Eddie Gossage, the entire TMS team and public health officials on a plan of action that will ensure the safety of our event participants alongside an exciting return to competition for our drivers, teams and viewers tuning in from around the world.”

“America needs live sports and they are not going to believe what they see when the Genesys 300 storms into their living rooms on TV from Texas,” said Eddie Gossage, president and general manager of Texas Motor Speedway. “One of the world’s greatest sporting events, the Indy 500, has been postponed until August by coronavirus, so all of that pent-up energy, anticipation, frustrations and anxiety will be pounding through the drivers’ nervous systems. Typically, the Genesys 300 results in a 220-mph photo finish.”

Other steps to protect the well-being of participants have been identified through close consultation with TMS and public health officials. These include:

• Strict access guidelines limiting the number of personnel on site

• A health screening system administered to all participants

• PPE equipment provided to everyone entering the facility, along with guidelines on usage

• Social distancing protocols in place and carefully maintained

• Revised competition layout to increase distancing

To accommodate the one-day schedule, the length for the race at Texas Motor Speedway has been adjusted to 200 laps rather than the previously announced 248 laps. The full on-track schedule for the Genesys 300:

• NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice: 1:30-3:30 p.m. (ET)

• NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifications: 5 p.m. (ET)

• Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway: 8:45 p.m. (ET)

The remainder of the updated, 15-race INDYCAR calendar for 2020, announced April 6, remains on schedule for competition.

ABOUT INDYCAR:

INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series known as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The series features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including five-time series champion Scott Dixon, reigning series champion Josef Newgarden and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2020 season, which runs from June to October, currently consists of 15 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in August at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.

Bump Tales: New Qualifying Format Causes Withdrawal Pains in 2010

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Photo; Jay Howard. Photo from the 2010 Indianapolis 500 Program

A change in qualifying procedures shook up the paddock in 2010. It was just the third year of the newly merged  Indy Racing League. In an attempt to revive interest in qualifying, a new format was created. One of the features was a Fast Nine shootout for the pole. The first day of qualify would establish 24 positions.  The cars who didn’t make the top 24 would try again Sunday to fill the last nine slots, and  the slowest of Saturday’s 24 could be bumped from the field. Qualify was just one weekend instead of the two weekends which had been in place most years since 1952.

The drama began early Saturday when Tony Kanaan crashed during practice. The perennial crowd favorite had never started worse than 6th. His car would not be ready until the next day, meaning 25th was the highest he could start the race. Helio Castroneves easily won the pole in the shootout. The defending race and pole winner posted a blistering average on his first attempt in the shootout which no one else could come close to.

The track was not finished with Kanaan. In Sunday morning’s practice, he crashed in nearly the same spot. His crew did not have the luxury of 24 hours to repair the car this time. In the final hour, a chess match developed between Jay Howard, driving for Sarah fisher’s team, and Paul Tracy, driving for KV Racing. Before they began to play the withdraw/requalify dance, Tony Kanaan made the field at 5:23 with a speed that was not completely safe, but time was on his side.

Howard was bumped from the field by Takuma Sato at 5:41. Howard went back to reclaim his spot, but his average was slower than his first attempt. Tracy withdrew his time, putting Howard back in the field. Tracy went out for another attempt but waved it off after two laps that weren’t fast enough. The Fisher team decided to withdraw Howard’s car, fearing that Tracy would find the speed to bump him on his last try. Howard was in line ahead of Tracy and got the day’s final attempt. It was even slower than his second attempt. Howard and Tracy were both out of the race. if they had kept their times, both would have made the field.

Adding to the strangeness of the situation was the case of Sebastian Saavedra. He had qualified, then crashed his car during a practice period. Saavedra was at Methodist Hospital being checked for injuries during the final hour. He had been bumped twice, but the Howard and Tracy withdrawals and failures to go to fast enough put his car back in the race.

An historic field was set. For the first time, four women, Sarah Fisher, Danica Patrick, Simona De Silvestro, and Ana Beatriz would start the Indianapolis 500. The first row would feature two former winners, Castroneves and Dario Franchitti, and a future winner, Will Power. The last row had two future winners, Sato and Kanaan.

Indystar writer Bob Kravitz said of the new qualifying format, “In the end, this gimmicky pole day format worked as well, if not better, than anybody could have expected. we will know for sure in 20 years, when the Indianapolis 500 is still doing it exactly the same way.”

It’s not exactly as it was in 2010 just 10 years later, and i think it still has a ways to go, but the format is evolving. It will never make everyone happy.

Dario Franchitti won the 2010 race, his second win in a span of four years.

Guest Appearance Cars and Other Thoughts

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An article in Motorsport on Monday reported that in addition to Fernando Alonso driving for Arrow McLaren SP in the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500, he would also drive in the GMR Grand Prix at IMS two weeks prior to the race. The article went on to say that former NASCAR champion jimmie Johnson would be in the third car at some point in 2021, and that 2009 F1 champion Jenson Button might have been driving at Road America in 2020.

The hitch in these plans is the Coronavirus pandemic. the lack of testing may not allow Button to race this year. Since the GMR Grand Prix is not coupled with the 500, it remains to be seen if Alonso will also drive on July 4 weekend. Reports today say Alonso is not interested in a full time Indycar ride. I never thought he was. I’m not sure Alonso knows what he wants to do other than flit from series to series.

Arrow McLaren SP’s plans and Team Penske’s plans for Scott McLaughlin to participate in some Indycar races this season present a “special guest star’ look to the grid. I don’t have a problem with this idea. I think it can help in several ways.

First, there will be more cars on the grid. While Indycar seems to be able to consistently have 23-24 cars each race, a couple more doesn’t hurt. Races might be better if the leaders have more traffic to negotiate. More cars means a stronger series, which may lead to even more teams.

I am always in favor of drivers  racing in  different series other than their primary one. In the 50s and 60s, even into the early 70s, I believe, this was commonplace. Today it is a big deal when a driver tries something new. Drivers coming to Indycar from other series has the potential to increase viewership of the races. Jimmie Johnson would definitely bring fans. Alonso has a following who would watch. I’m not sure what Button’s following is.

I like that Arrow McLaren SP can field a third car for these guest drivers who apparently have no plans to join the series full time. This might become a way for smaller or newer teams to gain funding quicker than just running a couple of cars for the entire season.

Starting the Season

States are beginning to allow Indycar race teams to return to work as the June 6 race at Texas Motor Speedway is still scheduled. I assume the race will be run without fans and with limited team personnel. Like you, I am anxious to start watching races again. However, it needs to be done in the safest way possible. I hope if Texas does happen, the NTT Indycar Series does a thorough, critical evaluation so more races can be safely run.

I think Road America is a possibility with fans. I’m not sure about Richmond occurring at all right now. This is such a wait and see time period.

Bump Tales Returns Tomorrow

Beginning tomorrow, Bump Tales returns for another May, which should excite two of you. I plan to have one each Thursday during May just to maintain a semblance of normalcy.

Tomorrow-2010. If there is a year you would like me to write about, please let me know.

 

The iRacing Challenge- Some Thoughts

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The Indycar iRacing Challenge overall was a fun diversion. It kept Indycar in the public eye, allowed sponsors some publicity, and gave fans something to look forward to during the lockdown. I appreciate the time the drivers put in to making this work.

The first five races were fun, but the disappointing ending to Saturday’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway left me with a sour taste. The last lap wrecks, at least one of which was unnecessary, showed that iRacing is, after all, just a computer game.

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The end of Saturday’s race reenacted the movie Turbo.

I did like several aspects of the six week series. I enjoyed the all star fields with drivers from different series joining every week. I thought it was nice to see some names who might not get much notice when the season actually begins have time at the front of the pack. the cars were realistic although I thought some of the tracks were not quite as I remember them.

The time slot probably wasn’t the most ideal for getting a large audience. I doubt if the series created any new fans because of this. In fact i know many diehard Indycar fans who didn’t watch any of the series.

There is not much from the results of these races we can transfer to the real thing. Some drivers who will not contend for the title are better sim racers than some title contenders. Alexander Rossi did not seem to enjoy this at all.  Simon Pagenaud and Will Power performed about the same as in real life, but they were about the only ones that did.

There has been talk of a winter iRacing Series after the season is complete. I don’t know that I would watch it again.  This was pretty much enough for me. I would prefer replays of actual races. The delayed start to the season is the perfect argument to bring back the equivalent of Speed channel.

The Month of May

It’s still may and I plan to continue Bump Tales on Thursdays. I will also look back at some Official Programs of the past on Tuesdays. In addition, i will repost some of my essays from the past. If you have a particular year you would like for me to talk about, let me know. Thanks for continuing to read during these strange times.

 

Quick Thoughts- First Responder 175

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This race turned out to be more video game like than the others in the series. The finish was crazy, but the last 15 laps seemed like the drivers all lost focus at once.

So much for calculated pit strategy. Will Power made the best move pitting again just 12 laps after his first stop. The late yellows hurt him though. They hurt everyone. It was fun with all the different pit strategies going on, but the ending ruined all of it.

Is it possible to be jealous of virtual fans? They got to spend a May afternoon at IMS.

If only passing were that easy in real life at Indianapolis.

The one touch of reality was the length of the next to last yellow.

A 200 mile race may have been better, but I’m not sure it would have produced a cleaner ending.

An all Arrow McLaren SP podium would have been fun to see.

When museums are allowed to open on June 13, will Conor Daly be giving tours of the Daly Technology Center?

Simon Pagenaud is the only Indycar regular to win any of these iRaces. As in real life, Penske drivers won four of the six races.

How much bad feeling between drivers has this iRacing challenge created. Will we see a carryover to actual tracks?

The sim events have been a nice filler, but it’s time to figure how to get back to real racing. We are still 35 days away from the scheduled first Indycar race.

Back tomorrow with more detailed thoughts on the iRacing Challenge as a whole.

 

 

It’s a Different May 1

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Photo above from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Facebook page

I have never been less excited about May 1 than I am today. Until 1974, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened for 500 mile race practice on this day. I was always excited to see who was the first car on track. After the time to prepare for the 500 was shortened, May 1 still meant that the time for the greatest race in the world was approaching. I still hung my flag up this morning, as did many others. It’s still May, dang it.

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I hope that the race can be run in August with fans. As I stated earlier, I’d rather the 500 be postponed until next year if fans can’t attend.

First Responder 175 Entry List Provides Taste of May

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The entry list for Saturday’s First Responder 175 Presented by GMR will be the only action we see from Indianapolis Motor Speedway this May. No events are scheduled at the track until July 4th weekend, and at this point we don’t know if fans will be allowed to attend. So enjoy Saturday’s virtual action.

A 15 minute qualifying session tomorrow will set the field. Yesterday, a qualifying session was held to whittle the field to 33. Stefan Wilson, James Davison, R C Enerson, and Scott Speed advanced to the final entry list. Helio Castroneves earned a spot by virtue of being a former 500 winner.  Scott McLaughlin and Lando Norris earned guaranteed entries by winning races in the iRacing Series.

The entry list:

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