Miscellaneous motorsports thread

[Takumi]

For various types of motorsports aside from NASCAR and F1: open-wheel, sports cars, grassroots, etc.

IndyCar: Romain Grosjean and Jimmie Johnson are scheduled to run their Indianapolis Motor Speedway rookie test Wednesday.
https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/news/grosjean-johnson-to-take-indy-500-rookie-test-on-wednesday/6681243/

[NWI_Irish96]

I will be attending my 7th Indy 500 Sunday.

My first one was 1989, when Emerson Fittipaldi and Al Unser Jr. got together right in front of me while battling for the lead. Little Al's car was wrecked and Fittipaldi won the race under yellow.

Next was 1992, when Michael Andretti absolutely dominated, building a lead of almost a full lap before his fuel pump failed in the final laps. Al Unser, Jr. held off Scott Goodyear in the closest green flag finish ever.

My wife and I started going together in 2017 and have been to every race (that has had fans) since. My mother-in-law grew up a mile from the track and her mom worked in the ticket office for 40 years.

As someone who lived near Churchhill Downs for 11 years, I love sharing this photo showing how massive IMS is. If you've never been there, or to Daytona or Talladega, its' hard to comprehend.

[Takumi]

When I worked at Firestone, our local Interstate Batteries rep (before the company switched to DieHard) gave us a NASCAR-themed calendar, and one month had a size comparison among the tracks, with several of them fitting inside Talladega.

I'd love to go to Indy one day. The history there is second to none. In the meantime, I'd like to just go to another IndyCar race in general. I went to most of the Richmond races in the 2000s, when the IRL was seriously struggling, and was planning to go again in 2020. It wasn't added to the schedule afterward, and thus the only east coast spot the series goes to is in Florida. In various IndyCar groups I've been outspoken about how the series needs to expand its east coast footprint. Unfortunately a lot of the east coast tracks are owned by NASCAR, who, it currently seems, doesn't want series it doesn't own on tracks it owns.

[7/8]

I've been to Indianapolis twice and both times did the tour of the IMS. Like cabiness42 said, it's very impressive to see how large the speedway is in person!

I watched the Indy 500 on TV for the first time (and my first Indy race for that matter). I have to say it was pretty exciting, especially that ending! Ericsson really earned that victory with his defending on the final two laps. I felt terrible for Dixon getting that stop and go penalty from speeding in the pit lane.

One thing I didn't understand was Palou getting in trouble for entering the pits while they were closed. 1) Why did the pit lane close? Was the exit blocked by the accident? 2) The closure happened right before he was entering. Was he expected to move back onto the track when he already slowed down? That seems very dangerous.

While the race itself was great, watching on TV really sucked with all the ads! I guess I've been spoiled by F1TV, but lord, it felt half of the race had ad breaks, and even in the race there still seemed to be more ads (ex: the timing board and the car names). If I could pay $10-15 a month for an ad-free way to watch Indy, I would definitely consider it, but watching on NBC/Sportsnet was painful. Two of the crashes happened during the side-by-side ads and it sucked waiting for 2-3 minutes to get a confirmation and who's car crashed and what happened.

I'm thinking of getting tickets to the race in Toronto in July. They're a fair bit cheaper than the F1 race in Montreal, and of course it's much closer to home. Two in-person races in one summer would be cool.

[NWI_Irish96]

I've been to Indianapolis twice and both times did the tour of the IMS. Like cabiness42 said, it's very impressive to see how large the speedway is in person!

I watched the Indy 500 on TV for the first time (and my first Indy race for that matter). I have to say it was pretty exciting, especially that ending! Ericsson really earned that victory with his defending on the final two laps. I felt terrible for Dixon getting that stop and go penalty from speeding in the pit lane.

One thing I didn't understand was Palou getting in trouble for entering the pits while they were closed. 1) Why did the pit lane close? Was the exit blocked by the accident? 2) The closure happened right before he was entering. Was he expected to move back onto the track when he already slowed down? That seems very dangerous.

While the race itself was great, watching on TV really sucked with all the ads! I guess I've been spoiled by F1TV, but lord, it felt half of the race had ad breaks, and even in the race there still seemed to be more ads (ex: the timing board and the car names). If I could pay $10-15 a month for an ad-free way to watch Indy, I would definitely consider it, but watching on NBC/Sportsnet was painful. Two of the crashes happened during the side-by-side ads and it sucked waiting for 2-3 minutes to get a confirmation and who's car crashed and what happened.

I'm thinking of getting tickets to the race in Toronto in July. They're a fair bit cheaper than the F1 race in Montreal, and of course it's much closer to home. Two in-person races in one summer would be cool.

Pits closed - the pits close immediately upon a yellow flag being thrown, until the pace car gets the field lined up, in order to avoid cars ducking into the pits and being able to get back out before the pace car gets out on track. It was just very bad luck for Palau to have been almost to the line when the yellow hit. Being too late to get back out on the track, he had to just drive through at pit speed, which cost him a lot of spots, then pit when the pits opened.

Ads - welcome to American TV. No sports without loads of commercials. Perhaps Peacock will consider running an ad-free version of the race next year.

[1995hoo]

We took the speedway tour in 2017 and I highly recommend it. We even got to go up on the podium and to the top of the tower. Really interesting stuff. Our friend from Indianapolis went with us despite not being interested in auto racing and she admitted it was much more interesting than she thought it would be.

[Takumi]

Kyle Kirkwood will be replacing Alexander Rossi at Andretti next year. Kirkwood came up as an Andretti junior, but lost out on a seat there in IndyCar this year because Devlin DeFrancesco brought more money.

Rossi is widely expected to be confirmed as the full-time driver of the third Arrow McLaren SP car that JPM drove at Indy this year.
https://racer.com/2022/06/01/andretti-autosport-confirms-kirkwood-in-rossi-out-for-2023/

[Takumi]

Everybody wants Alex Palou!
https://racer.com/2022/07/12/palou-mclaren-announce-deal-for-2023-hours-after-ganassi-says-it-has-re-signed-him/

[7/8]

I have my tickets purchased for Honda Indy Toronto, turn 3 with paddock passes. I'm excited for my first in-person indycar race!

Did anyone watch the Texas indycar race? The last quarter of the race was especially exciting, probably the best race I've watched this year. I feel choked for Grosjean though, what a tough start to his season.

[NWI_Irish96]

I have my tickets purchased for Honda Indy Toronto, turn 3 with paddock passes. I'm excited for my first in-person indycar race!

Did anyone watch the Texas indycar race? The last quarter of the race was especially exciting, probably the best race I've watched this year. I feel choked for Grosjean though, what a tough start to his season.

Yeah, I watched it. I would like to catch a non-oval Indy race in person someday. For now I'll just have my usual Paddock seats on Memorial Day weekend.

[Takumi]

IndyCar oval races usually provide good product. Pre-COVID, they were planning to return to Richmond in 2020, and I was going to go before it was ultimately cancelled. I'm still upset that they haven't returned, and are neglecting the entire eastern seaboard as it is.

[7/8]

I have my tickets purchased for Honda Indy Toronto, turn 3 with paddock passes. I'm excited for my first in-person indycar race!

Did anyone watch the Texas indycar race? The last quarter of the race was especially exciting, probably the best race I've watched this year. I feel choked for Grosjean though, what a tough start to his season.

Yeah, I watched it. I would like to catch a non-oval Indy race in person someday. For now I'll just have my usual Paddock seats on Memorial Day weekend.

Road America seems like a great choice, not much further than Indianapolis and one of the most popular road courses on the calendar. Meanwhile I'm still hoping to get an oval race in this year.

IndyCar oval races usually provide good product. Pre-COVID, they were planning to return to Richmond in 2020, and I was going to go before it was ultimately cancelled. I'm still upset that they haven't returned, and are neglecting the entire eastern seaboard as it is.

I didn't notice the lack of east coast races until you pointed it out, but that is unusual. They really should have at least one east coast race (Richmond, Pocono, etc.).  I'm impressed that they raced at Richmond, I find it much more difficult than Iowa (playing in iRacing) even though the track length and banking are pretty similar. Iowa just seems to have a nice flow that I find fun to drive. But from what I read, the racing at Richmond was great which is what matters most.

[NWI_Irish96]

Pocono and Watkins Glen were staples of the IndyCar schedule for decades. No idea why they don't race there anymore.

[Takumi]

Pocono had some high-profile accidents in the years leading up to IndyCar leaving it. I can't help but think that has something to do with it.

Watkins Glen is owned by NASCAR. Draw your own conclusions.

[formulanone]

Pocono had some high-profile accidents in the years leading up to IndyCar leaving it. I can't help but think that has something to do with it.

Watkins Glen is owned by NASCAR. Draw your own conclusions.

There's been a few IndyCar/CART/IRL races at the Glen, but it's never been a constant fixture.

I think Pocono was hitting top speeds higher than Indy at some point, and there were a lot of bad wrecks over the years.

I've hoped that the IndyCar return to Barber near Birmingham but it always seems to be just off my radar until the event passes.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Years ago, my dad scored passes for Indy Car Qualifying & support races when they raced at Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport. He handed them off to me and my brothers to go up and watch.

[Billy F 1988]

I don't know if you saw the NHRA 4 Wide event at Las Vegas the other day, but there was a familiar face from the IndyCar and NASCAR ranks and I'll let you just sink this into your malleable imagination: it's the final set of four in the sportsman dragsters, the field gets ready, the "Christmas tree" lights up, the loud V8's spool up, then at the crack of the open throttle, they all go full bore. But guess what? Somebody won in that sportsman dragster class, and he's in rarified air right now. Alright, I'll spill the bean. It's Smoke! Yeah, THAT one! That guy from IndyCar, that guy from NASCAR with the three Cup titles, a Daytona 500 Owner's title (Kurt Busch's 41 car at the 2017 Daytona 500), the 2015 NASCAR Cup Owner's title (the 4 car of Kevin Harvick), and two-time Brickyard 400 winner. Now add an NHRA National event win to that impressive lot. I've seen the YouTube highlight of his win at Las Vegas, and damn, everyone's on their toes. Even the top fuelers themselves are like "Damn, Smoke's got somethin' here!" Well, you don't say?! I do admit that Stewart's car setups were far different and had trouble adjusting to them early on in the beginning of this year's NHRA campaign. Might he go on to Top Fuel and pull a Garlits or Prudohme? Too far fetch to say right now, but, pretty much goes to show that if Tony Stewart could drive a sprint car making that kind of a mad dash to the checkers much like his IndyCar and Cup career, then it's pretty easy to see how he could drive that sportsman dragster. While it's too early to tell where he may be if he really goes full bore with his newfound NHRA start, I'd put him in some fair odds, barring any stupid crap happening that could jinx everything in the run to the NHRA championship event later on this year.

[NWI_Irish96]

Heading off to Indy. Our seats are in the Paddock, right in the middle of the front stretch. Should be nearly perfect weather, upper 70s, partly cloudy, light breeze.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Heading off to Indy. Our seats are in the Paddock, right in the middle of the front stretch. Should be nearly perfect weather, upper 70s, partly cloudy, light breeze.

Collect any tires before coming home?

[NWI_Irish96]

Heading off to Indy. Our seats are in the Paddock, right in the middle of the front stretch. Should be nearly perfect weather, upper 70s, partly cloudy, light breeze.

Collect any tires before coming home?

No, that was on the other side of the track from us, and even if it was near us, we have the penthouse hanging over us so nothing is getting to where we sit.

[formulanone]

Heading off to Indy. Our seats are in the Paddock, right in the middle of the front stretch. Should be nearly perfect weather, upper 70s, partly cloudy, light breeze.

Collect any tires before coming home?

That's going to be an interesting insurance claim.

[7/8]

Went to my first IndyCar race two weekends ago in Toronto. It's a much better deal than F1! Tickets were about half the price and the IndyCar tickets included paddock passes. Unfortunately we didn't see any of the drivers in person, but it was cool to get close to the cars. I got a photo with Ericsson's car on Saturday:


I decided to buy a Will Power "jersey" (is this right word?) on Sunday, he's currently my favourite simply because I've raced him several times in iRacing F3. The only time I've beat him was went he went off track on lap 1, but I'll still tell people I beat Will Power.

It's a shame he had to pit for fuel on the last 1 or 2 laps (in Toronto), ouch!

We went with Turn 3 seats which had some good action. The seats closer to the corner would be great if we go back again, for a chance to see the cars exiting the turn. My only complaint is the speaker volume was much quieter than F1. We could barely hear the commentators, which makes it harder to follow the race.
Video link of Turn 3 in the race

[74/171FAN]

Tony Kanaan and Juan Pablo Montoya will be inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame on May 23, 2024.

[epzik8]

Now F1 wants to copy NASCAR and do a Chicago street race.

[ET21]

Now F1 wants to copy NASCAR and do a Chicago street race.

I think it was more to grab the "Grand Prix" titles and trademark them away from NASCAR in case F1 ever decides they want to try out a street race here. While I would love to have a hometown F1 race, I have serious doubts.