Tag: Pocono Raceway

Pocono Quick Recap; News

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As expected, Pocono was the best race of the year. Minimal yellows, no fuel saving, lots passing, battles for the lead made for great racing. The drivers were the stars of the show.

Highlights:

James Hinchcliffe’s dirt track save was an incredible display of hand and arm work.

Ryan Hunter-Reay’s resiliency in racing after his hard crash Saturday and coming from the back of the grid to lead the race.

The duel for the lead between Tony Kanaan and Graham Rahal mid race.  That was probably the most fun part of the day for me.

Will Power-what can I say? Roaring back from a lap down and changing both front and rear wings to pull away for the win was arguably the best drive of his career. I think he can still win the championship.  His move going into turn 3 to protect the inside line was brilliant.

News

Only 42 points separate the top 5 in the standings. Graham Rahal has a mathematical chance in 6th, but proabably is too far behind to win.

Jack Harvey will drive the number 7 SPM entry at Watkins Glen and Sonoma.

There is a rumor going around that has Kanaan going to Schmidt next year. Not sure how much stock to put in it.

Is this the week we learn Andretti’s engine plans for next year? Inquiring Spaniards may want to know.

Back tomorrow with a Gateway preview.

 

True Racer- McLaren Movie Review

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Just one more lap before lunch. Bruce McLaren, always looking for more from himself and his car, wanted to try a different downforce level.. He left the pits but didn’t return that day in June 1970, ending a meteoric rise from champion driver to successful car builder. A view of the accident scene comes at the end of the documentary, McLaren, a film making sporadic appearances in the United States. I had the good fortune to see it Thursday night.

The film chronicles McLaren’s life in chronological order from his humble beginnings in New Zealand. Bruce knew he wanted to be a race car driver by the time he was 5 years old. When he was nine, he developed Perthes disease, a disease that causes the head of the femur to lose blood flow and die. As a result his left leg was shorter than his right one. McLaren was bedridden for nearly 2 years as doctors tried to strengthen the hip and lengthen his left  leg.  While the hip got stronger, his leg did not get longer. Mclaren walked with a permanent limp.

He went to Europe to drive F2 in 1958 and won his first Formula 1 race the following year, the U.S. GP at Sebring. At the time McLaren was the youngest F1 winner in history, a distinction he held for 44 years. He drove as a teammate to Jack Brabham for Cooper.  Brabham won the World Championship the following year and McLaren finished second.   Both drivers  left Cooper and eventually each built their own Formula 1 cars.

McLaren’s greatest success came in the Can Am series.  In 1969, McLaren-built cars won every race on the Can Am schedule. The three McLaren  cars swept the podium twice that year.  Dennnis Hulme and Mark Donohue were McLaren’s teammates that year.

The movie contains interviews with many racing greats including Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney, and Chris Amon. McLaren’s family also appears, lending a personal view of the man. We also hear from several engineers and mechanics, mainly Robin Heard, who came to work for McLaren after helping design the Concorde supersonic airplane.  Many of the airplane’s aerodynamic principles, and some of the same materials, were applied to the cars.

My favorite segments were the vintage racing footage. The race films contain shots of Graham Hill, James Hunt, Jack Brabham, and many other drivers of that era.  We see Le Mans in 1966, Monaco in 1958, Sebring in 1959, and Spa in 1968.  Several things in the films stood out. Grand prix races used to start 3 wide and both F1 and F2  raced at the same time just as sports cars race today. It was great to see the traditional Le Mans start again, with drivers sprinting across the track to their cars. How would that work today?

Several McLaren home movies brought a personal touch to McLaren’s life. He would send film of his European races home and the family and their friends gathered to watch. I also enjoyed the movies of Bruce with his wife and young daughter.

McLaren is one of the best documentaries I have seen on any subject. It is a new, important contribution to preserving racing history. I’m hoping the movie returns in general release. Had there been a second showing last night, I might have stayed for it.  Look for its return, and go see it.

Pocono Preview: Honda’s Last Stand?

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The last super speedway of the year, Pocono usually produces one of the best races of the Indycar season.  There is no reason to believe this year’s version will be any different. At least one of the six drivers still in contention for the championship could be eliminated from the title race Sunday. The rest will still be tightly bunched heading to Gateway next weekend.

Like Indianapolis, this is a track where Honda should have a huge advantage. Hondas were very strong here last year only to be taken out by mechanical issues and a pit road incident. Will Power in a Chevy for Team Penske won the 2016 event with some brilliant pit work.  A particular track’s supposed advantage for one engine or the other hasn’t followed form at times this year.  The remaining tracks should favor Chevrolet. This is Honda’s last best chance for a race win in 2017.

Scott Dixon and Graham Rahal are the two Honda drivers in the points battle. Both should be very strong this weekend. Dixon has had some annoying bad luck at times this season, but a second  win this season is not out of the question. Rahal has had a consistent run of top 5 finishes. While he may not win, he will likely finish well enough to keep his title hopes alive.

This is the type of track Andretti Autosport lives for.  The team has won abck to back Indianapolis 500’s and Ryan Hunter-Reay won the race here in 2015. Hunter-Reay appeared to have the race in hand last year until an engine hiccup cut the power for a few seconds.

Of the six title contenders, four are the Team Penske drivers. Josef Newgarden is the only driver to have three wins this year and just one of two drivers to have back to back wins.  A good run Sunday could stretch his points lead.  Teammate Helio Castroneves trails by Newgarden by just seven points, but he is only one ahead of Dixon and ten ahead of Simon Pagenaud. Castroneves has to look both ahead and behind  Rahal and Power, on the other hand, just need to finish as high as they can and ahead of as many of the top four as possible.

I think a Honda car will prevail here and it won’t be someone in the title hunt in Victory Circle. Look for Ryan Hunter-Reay to get his first win since this event in 2015. The fun part of his winning would be an even tighter points battle among the leaders.  Then we look for Gateway to sort things out.

My Pocono recap will be out Tuesday as I am hunting the great eclipse Monday going south and west. I will likely not see the race until Monday night. I will also have  a review of the McLaren documentary, which I saw last night. When it comes to your area, run, don’t walk to see it.

 

News and Notes

Sebastian Saavedra will be in the number7 car for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports this weekend and at Gateway. It sounds like these races may be an audition for 2018.  No word on who will drive the car for Watkins Glen or Sonoma. Robert Wickens is thought to be a strong candidate.

Sebastien Bourdais has been cleared to drive by medical personnel. Bourdais tested at mid-Ohio the day after the Indycar race and reached Fast six speeds. He will probably be back for Sonoma. Watkins Glen is a slim possibility as well.

That is all the Seb news I have.

Gabby Chaves returns to Pocono in the 88 Harding Racing car. Look for him to have another strong finish and possibly steal some points from one or two of the top six.  Chaves has top 10s in both his starts this year.

Your favorite driver is likely in a blue and white car this weekend.  There are 8 cars carrying that color scheme and the AJ Foyt cars also have blue and white with red thrown in.  I pity the media announcers.

It looks like another low attendance weekend for Pocono.  Will 2018 be the last race here?

 

 

Racing and Baseball- Finding the Balance

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One sport is fast and furious. The other is leisurely with quick short bursts of action.  I really enjoy weekends when I can combine a baseball game with a race. While the sports are different in presentation, they have some similarities. The strategists have to think ahead to the end and decide what changes to make and when.  Bringing in a certain relief pitcher is akin to deciding whether the next stint will be on black or red tires; or scuffed or sticker tires for an oval. A pinch hitter or runner  is like adjusting downforce.

The best recent example of the similarity of racing and baseball is the 2016 Indianapolis 500. The strategy calls by Bryan Herta were the same thought process a baseball manager would use. A friend told me the day after the race he didn’t like the 500. I replied if you didn’t like that race, you must not like baseball.  He confirmed that he did not.

I seek balance in life, and a baseball/racing weekend is a way to find that equilibrium. I get the same thrill from a well played ball game as I do from a race won with a great strategy call. It’s really the same thing. In baseball the fan has a lot of time to think ahead. At a race, it’s more difficult to do, unless there is a late yellow.  I like the challenge of trying to figure out race strategy as a race goes on. I really like when a road or street race has some rain and the teams have to decide how soon to switch tires. I think watching baseball most of my life has helped me learn strategy which I have applied to racing.

When a race is near a city with a major league team, I always check their schedule to see if there is a home game that weekend. I usually go to a race weekend the day before the track opens, usually a Thursday. I can usually catch the final game of a home stand.

I highly recommend doing this on your next race weekend. It may give you a new perspective on the race you see that weekend. At the very least you should go into the weekend a bit more relaxed and enjoy your track time more.

 

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Parnelli Jones (L) passes Ebb Rose during the 1963 500. (Photo from 1964 500 Mile Race program)

 

 

 

Book Review- Kiss the Bricks by Tammy Kaehler

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Kate Reilly- full time race driver, part time sleuth, hopes for a drama free May as she prepares for her second Indianapolis 500. As usual, drama finds her. She sets fast time on the first day of practice, duplicating the accomplishment of another female driver thirty years ago.  That driver, P.J Rodriguez, died before Pole Day in a mysterious fall from the roof of her downtown hotel. Rodrigueaz’s family asks Kate to help them  find out if her death was  suicide or  murder?

Kiss the Bricks is the fifth book in Tammy Kaehler’s Kate Reilly Racing Mystery series. Usually Reilly drives sports cars, but moves to the Indycar series for this adventure.

The first third of the book alternates between the present day and May of 1987. We learn of the events that lead to P. J.’s death and how Kate gets involved in attempting to find out what happened.  P. J.’s family tells Kate their suspicions and asks for Kate’s help. Her reputation as an amateur sleuth precedes her.

With the help of her grandfather and her PR rep, Kate sets about identifying suspects and motives. They come to the chilling conclusion the culprit may be someone very close to her own race team. The answer becomes clear after the race as activity at the track slowly winds down.

Another complication for Kate is an envelope her grandfather gives her early in the month. He explains it makes clear some family issues that Kate needs to know. He requests she not open it until after the race, so she can focus on the most important event of the year. She resists the temptation to open a few times.

I found this book fun to read. It presents a great look at what a driver’s May is like off the track as well as on it. May seems incredibly busy with media appearances, sponsor meet and greets, and oh yeah, prepping for the 500. I was most impressed by the author’s portrayal of how isolated the drivers are while in the car. Each driver is focused on his/her  car and his/her performance, and only mentions others when they do something that might interfere with the team’s plan.  Drivers rely on their spotters and crew chiefs to know what is happening in the race.

This is only the second Kate Reilly book I’ve read, and I will be reading the others. Kaehler writes great racing stories with a murder mystery thrown in. Her books are available on Amazon.

Mid Ohio Musings- Title Scramble, New Looks, Silliest Season

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There was a dramatic pass for the lead by Josef Newgarden to get by Will Power. There was a good battle for third between Takuma Sato and Graham Rahal in which Rahal prevailed. That was the race. The bad news, it was only lap 16. The field pretty much stayed single file with little change in order the last 74 laps. The only caution for Ed Jones came after the last pit stops, so we lost the opportunity for a position scramble.

Qualifying results landed the top seven in points in the first seven spots, which held promise for a great race. It didn’t materialize for several reasons. The lack of cautions was one. Newgarden had a clearly superior car. Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves, first and second in points coming into the race, had cars that weren’t very strong. Dixon’s problems were compounded by an issue on his last pit stop.

The most dramatic thing about the race was how the championship standings shuffled. Newgarden now leads Castroneves by seven and Dixon by eight. Power and Rahal are closer to first than they were before the race. Simon Pagenaud is still lurking in fourth. he has had a quietly good season. They still have a shot.  Sato, 72 points behind now, may have dropped from contention.

Newgarden is the first driver to win 3 times this year and only the second to win two straight.  Rahal won both races at Belle Isle. We could see a series champion with fewer wins than another driver this year.

Notes

The crowd was the largest I have seen at Mid-Ohio. I understand there was a huge Sunday walk up crowd.

It was great to Sebastien Bourdais walking through the paddock on race morning. It’s amazing that he actually got back in a race car on Monday, just 72 days after his crash during 500 qualifying.

Saturday morning there was a lot of excitement among the fans who go to most events at the track when IMSA announced it was returning next year the first weekend in May.  That event will be well attended. I really enjoyed the sportscar race at Mid-Ohio and wish they were still paired with with Indycar here and at a couple other tracks.

The new road course aerokit received lots of positive attention throughout the weekend. It was great PR for the series to have the cars in garages where fans could watch them being put together for the test today. Here is the completed kit on the Honda powered car:

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I went to the speedway aerokit test at IMS last week, so I  have seen both kits on the cars.  I really like the sleek look.  On the other hand, when the cars hit the track for the first practice Friday, I was astounded by how big and bulky the current package looks.

Was Sunday Mikhail Aleshin’s last ride at Schmidt? He didn’t help his case over the weekend with a crash and starting last. Marotti Racing will be in charge of the car for three of the last four races.  Will they bring their own driver?

I understand Coyne’s intent on keeping Esteban Guttierez behind Newgarden and wanting to get their lap back. I didn’t understand why they kept at it when it was obvious he wasn’t able to get past him. He should have let Power and Rahal by to fight for the lead. His finishing position wasn’t going to change.

I heard many Silly Season rumors swirling this weekend, some very much out there, some that are realistic, and some that would be great to see. Here’s the home version of the Silly Season game. Put team names in a bowl and driver names in another bowl then draw a team name. Decide how many cars the team drawn will have next year. Draw that number of driver names from the driver bowl. Put the team and driver names in a stack. Feel free to add some drivers not in the series right now to the driver bowl. Maybe a couple teams to the team bowl too. You might turn out to be more accurate than you could imagine.

 

Mid-Ohio Preview: It’s the Pits

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One of my favorite weekends of the year is the Indycar race at Mid-Ohio. Mid-Ohio is the first race I went to outside of Indianapolis, so I have a soft spot for it. I really like the track and its surroundings.  After the 500, this is the race I have attended the most.  There is virtually non-stop track action with all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy and Pirelli World Challenge in addition to  Indycar.

The Indy Lights races here are always entertaining and something unexpected always happens. I have seen drivers crash into one another, get out of their cars and throw punches. I saw the leader pit a lap too early and lose the race. Something usually happens to scramble the points standings.

For Indycar, the racing is usually not that exciting. The last two years have had some drama, however. Last year Simon Pagenaud made a wheel banging pass on Will Power for the win that virtually assured his title. In 2015 Graham Rahal beat Justin Wilson to turn 4 on a late restart to win his home race. It was a very popular victory.

Most of the time, the race is decided on pit lane.  Since 2013, pit activity has created the winner. Charlie Kimball used off- sequence strategy to get his only series win. Scott Dixon, starting last, took advantage of a first lap caution to pit and eventually win the race. Josef Newgarden lost what was a sure win because of a botched pit stop. Last year Mikhail Aleshin looked to be on the way to his first career win when he left his pit box and collided with an incoming car. Teams have held their drivers out until the end of the pit window and were caught by an untimely yellow.

What happens in the pits will decide this year’s race as well.. Team Penske was very strong here last year with Pagenaud and Power dominating the race. Rahal will be looking for his second win in three years, which would strengthen his chance for the championship.  Right now he on the edge of falling out of contention. Scott Dixon has been very strong at Mid-Ohio, winning four times,  and I think he will increase his points lead over Helio Castroneves  Sunday.

The winner? This is the time of the season when the contenders take over the races and the qualifying.  My pick is Josef Newgarden, who could jump to second in points depending on where teammates Castroneves and Pagenaud finish.  I wouldn’t be surprised, however,  to see the season’s tenth winner on the top step of the podium Sunday. It all depends what happens when the cars are stopped.

Notes:

Mikhail Aleshin is listed on the entry list for the 7 car. Will this be his last drive for Schmidt-Peterson?

Ruoff Mortgage, Takuma Sato’s sponsor on his winning car for the 500, returns to the 27 car this weekend.

After watching the new look aerokit on track Tuesday, it may be difficult to watch the current cars this weekend. I guess I just have to pretend I know what my Christmas present is and I can’t open it until next March.

The Future is Retro: Indycar’s New Aero Design

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Top photo: Chevy; Bottom photo: Honda

I was at IMS yesterday to see the new look aero kit debut.  The car’s new look is a beautiful combination of retro style and modern technology. My first impression was that it was smaller than the current look. The lack of the rear bumper makes it appear smaller. I got a closer than anticipated look when the Honda had a gearbox issue and came to a stop on the pit exit lane in turn 2.  This design looks more like a proper race car. I never was a fan of the rear bumper. It gave the cars more of a sports car look.

This iteration is going to be fast. Oriol Servia was turning laps around 220 mph in less than ideal conditions. The track still had Goodyear rubber on it from the Brickyard 400, there was no cloud cover, and the car was not completely seamed together.  It looks racy.

I was hoping both cars would be on the track together to test drafting and passing ability, but each engine manufacturer did separate runs. Both drivers, Servia and Juan Pablo Montoya, praised the new design.  I think Indycar has hit on a great looking car that will also race well.

The road course version will get its first test next Tuesday at Mid-Ohio. That test is also open to the public. It is tempting to stay over for the test, but I don’t think I’ll be able to. I hope to catch the road course version in winter testing at Sebring.

One consequence of seeing the new design is going to the remainder of the races this year and watching the current cars. I think it will be harder to appreciate their look knowing what is coming. But, it is still Indycar and I will enjoy the races anyway.

Back tomorrow with my Mid-Ohio preview. We still have a wild championship fight to decide.

 

The Race of Gentlemen: Movie Review. Some Indycar Tidbits

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Just when I think I’ve crossed most items off my bucket list, another thing to add pops up. Friday afternoon at the Indy Film Fest I saw The Race of Gentlemen, a documentary about a race/vintage car and motorcycle festival in Wildwood, New Jersey. It’s not really a race as much as a festival celebrating the hot rods of the 30’s and 40’s. Remember the street racing scene in Rebel Without A Cause?  That’s what this is, kind of.  This race ison a beach.

Created by Mel Stultz after he became head of The Oilers, a club dedicated to preserving pre-World War II cars and motorcycles.  The idea is to keep racing in its purest form. All parts used on the cars must be either pre-war or early post war vintage.

The car must be a 1934 or older model and American made.  Engines from 1948 or earlier are allowed, along with 1949 and 1953 Ford flatheads. No 1949 overhead valve engines are allowed. The newest running gear allowed is from 1953. Cars run only on gasoline. They are stripped down for racing- no fenders.

There is a competition class and a couple exhibition classes. Cars race two at a time along a strip of beach. The starter waves a flag or sometimes just a cloth.  The New Jersey race is in June, and they have added another race in California in October. The event attracts entrants from across the country.

The film mainly interviews the car owners telling their stories of how they got interested in the hobby and how they obtained the car they brought. Some show up with several vehicles and a team of drivers.  The film opens with Mel Stultz telling the story of how the event was created.  There is footage of race action, some from on board cameras.

The event recreates the atmosphere of  a 1940’s carnival with tents and period details. Racers and spectators dress in period attire. It looks like a fun event to attend.  One racer lamented the growth of the weekend, complaining that the increased number of entries has limited the number of times each car can run.

What came through in the interviews was the owners’ love of the cars of the past, their passion to preserve theses machines, and their joy in being able to race them.  I wish I knew enough about mechanics to do this type of thing. I’ll just admire the work of others.

For those of you who love vintage cars, like me, the film  was great.  It was the best of  the three documentaries I saw at the festival.  I had never heard of this group or this race before. For more information about the event, visit the site http://theraceofgentlemen.com. The group’s history is outlined and there is a great photo gallery. If the film comes to your area, check it out.

Indycar News:

Tuesday is the day. We get the first look at next year’s speedway aerokit at IMS. Juan Pablo Montoya and Oriol Servia will test the car for the first time. Viewing is allowed from the turn 2 mounds by the museum.  The first road course test is at Mid-Ohio on August first, two days after the race.

It was great seeing Sebastien Bourdais at Toronto. He is planning to test next month and is hoping to race at Watkins Glen and Sonoma to finish the year.

There is more speculation that Andretti will be a Chevy team next season. That sets all sorts of drivers in motion, particularly Takuma Sato, and likely Alexander Rossi. It may force a Honda team to take Sato instead of a driver they may have had in mind. I certainly hope there are at least two new teams next year, although I’m only optimistic about one.

Marotti racing will again team up Schmidt-Peterson Motorsports for Pocono, Watkins Glen, and Sonoma. They will be supporting the 7 car.  Who will drive for them is unclear, as the Mikhail Aleshin situation is still a bit murky. Aleshin is scheduled to drive at Mid-Ohio next weekend, but after that, we will see what happens. There is no mention of who is driving the car at Gateway.

I’ll be back later this week with a review of Kiss the Bricks and also the mildly anticipated Mid-Ohio preview. I am quickly running out of chances to pick the correct winner.