Homestead Race Weekend Thread

Just thought that you all might want to have a place to talk about the on-track action this weekend.

The first practice session starts in about 45 minutes.

For all uk viewers. Sunday morning 12am is when coverage starts.

I must say this is the first time I have been pumped for an IRL race :)

Its amazing watching the cars going through turns 1 and 2 when the pressures are down. Nearly every car sparks and it looks so spectacular.

I can't wait for this race to happen but I've got the feel that this race might be a borefest. I hope it wont be.

There will be a lot of traffic, so that alone should make the race interesting, even if the Ganassi cars walk away from the field every time it goes green.

The IRL on the high banks is usually very entertaining with a lot of passing and side-by-side racing.

Having said that, I hope you don't watch a tape of last year's race...Wheldon dominated it and it was a bit of a snoozer.

I would agree with drdisque that the larger field and traffic should make it interesting...Drivers will have to be quick, but patient to work their way through traffic effectively...If they don't, the cars right behind them that are in contention will sure give you some passing that you want to see.

Howard and Wheldon in the wall in qualifying.

On ya Mr D, nice way to start the season.

Props also to Ed Carpenter, where has he been hiding these last couple of years?? Nice to see he finally got it hooked up, hope the car is strong enough for the race though

STARTING GRID

1. SCOTT DIXON
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/sdixon.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif2. ED CARPENTER
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/ecarpenter.jpg

3. AJ FOYT IV
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/afoytiv.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif4. DANICA PATRICK
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/dpatrick.jpg

5. RYAN BRISCOE
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/rbriscoe.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif6. MARCO ANDRETTI
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/maandretti.jpg

7. HELIO CASTRONEVES
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/hcastroneves.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif8.TONY KANAAN
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/tkanaan.jpg

9. HIDEKI MUTOH
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/hmutoh.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif10. MARTY ROTH
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/mroth.jpg

11.RYAN HUNTER-REAY
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/rhunter-reay.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif12.VITOR MEIRA
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/vmeira.jpg

13.BUDDY RICE
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/brice.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif14.DARREN MANNING
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/dmanning.jpg

15.FRANCK PERERA
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/fperera.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif16.ORIOL SERVIA
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/oservia.jpg

17.JUSTIN WILSON
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/jwilson.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif18.MILKA DUNO
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/mduno.jpg

19.ENRIQUE BERNOLDI
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/ebernoldi.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif20.ERNESTO VISO
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/eviso.jpg

21.WILL POWER
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/wpower.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif22.BRUNO JUNQUEIRA
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/bjunqueira.jpg

23.MARIO MORAES
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/mmoraes.jpg

http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gif24.DAN WHELDON
http://www.btinternet.com/~n.s.hudson/blankstrip.gifhttp://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/dwheldon.jpg

25.JAY HOWARD
http://scoring.indycar.com/images/cars/indycar/jhoward.jpg

Should be good.

I'm sure the CCWS guys will lift the pace when they get more time under their belts. It'd be impossible for them not to.

Ed and AJ at the front?(raising eyebrows)

Larry Curry has talent....and he knows how to hire people...

Keep in mind that carpenter ran a very solid race last year as they were still building and growing under his leadership

Will they join the top three teams? probabaly not...

But tomorrow night is 200 laps...not four...we'll see what happnes then.

Surely you don't think there is a "fix" in on this, do you, mountainstar????

So first Champcar man is 15th, and it's Perera. Wouldn't have been my first guess.

And considering Howard and Wheldon didn't run, and ignoring Duno as she's "so slow, she shouldn't be on the track" (Judd) - all the Champcar guys are last.

Clearly the lateness of this and the acclimatisation allowed thus far has been a little sloppy.

Oh well, it's a long season.

interesting a few unexpected guys up the front, i'm sure Wheldon will be a big mover. i think the Champcar guys will have a better race then qualifying as they dial themselves into the cars and track.

Well, part of the fun Hazard is to see how these teams deal with the adversity. Predictable results = boredom.

I think also that the 4 lap qualifier system might favor some of the folks such as Ed and Foyt in a way - they can use consistency as a virtue where some other folks might be faster over a lap.

I am a bit surprised that some of the CC guys who have oval experience are not further up, but then they may be concentrating on getting in the show and finding a solid race trim.

Not really too suprising to see the Champcar drivers towards the back of the grid, as has been said they have had very little time to acclimatise really. Still as the race gets underway im sure they wont be too far off of the ultimate pace. I havent really watched the IRL much before in the past but im looking forward to tonights race. :)

I am a bit surprised that some of the CC guys who have oval experience are not further up, but then they may be concentrating on getting in the show and finding a solid race trim.

The cars the champcar teams have are junk. Until they get new chassis it's going to be hard to improve.

Surely you don't think there is a "fix" in on this, do you, mountainstar????

No, no, no of course not.:rofl:

Nice to see Ed and AJ up there. Its going to be a hell of a good race tomorow with all of the traffic. Might gets some wrecks tonight.

The Champcar guys will catch up. Their starting point, lest we forget, is several years behind the established teams. This year was never going to be easy.

Still, let's go for the wilder theories instead eh?

Is it just me or are there two car #2's on the grid?

Is it just me or are there two car #2's on the grid?

Just you.

There's an 02.

And a 2.

Fairly ordinary practice in NASCAR so far, and since silly superstitions close off numbers often enough (like '1', which IRL drivers never use, Champcar did but it just got used by the champion teams lead driver).

In the ALMS round at Sebring, there was a #7, #07 and a #007 (Penske, Peugeot & Aston Martin)

Keep in mind that Dixon, Danica, Helio and some others qualified early and Carpenter and Foyt qualified very late in the session...the track was cooler as was the air, which gives more grip and horsepower...

Let's see how everyone runs in the same conditions side-by-side tonight.

BTW...I expect Wheldon to shoot quickly into contention early... he has dominated this race in the past and was the top dog in practices....

As I said in my article this week, drivers will have to be quick, but patient, in ttraffic....Wheldon will have to be so from the drop of the green flag....

Vision's failed post qualifying inspection (details withheld) and so will start at the back with Wheldon.

So if Foyt & Carpenter are that fast, should be fun to seem them work their way up.

So Dixon will lead off Patrick on a revised front row, with Briscoe and Andretti on row two.

If Vision is seriously lacking speed during the race then we'll know why they failed inspection. ;)

Even with extra ballast Danica is fast, could tonight be the night?

If Vision is seriously lacking speed during the race then we'll know why they failed inspection. ;)

Even with extra ballast Danica is fast, could tonight be the night?

Yes and No in that order

Vision's failed post qualifying inspection (details withheld) and so will start at the back with Wheldon.



:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

This is good.:rofl: I guess I nailed that one.

So, that start was appalling. Give me proper bunched double file starts dammit.

I hope we see no more of what we just saw with Tony and Helio. That would be a very good way to get someone seriously hurt, or worse (they just about interlocked wheels).

Servia and Perera just went a lap down, but they've been doing a good job to keep that pace.

Oh, might I add that the Nuclear yellow on Carpenters car looks as awful as ever. When will Mr. Menard change that dreadful colour.

It seems Champcar brought it's 2007 entertainment with it in the merger, although in fairness Homestead is never much fun.

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd, Duno stacks it again.

Duno blames car in front for her spin - was there one?

TK had it without that bad bad luck.

Duno blames car in front for her spin - was there one?

Yeah, about all of them were ;)

There was one slightly ahead may have disrupted her air.

As for the race - not a corker, just IRL with some Champcar guys at the back so far - hopefully St. Petes will be more interesting.

I notice all Champcar drivers are listed as rookies except Junqueira and Servia, even though neither have done full IRL seasons before...are they counting their Champcar experience on ovals to declassify them as rookies?

Kanaan should never have been allowed to take the restart from the lead like that, it was far too dangerous...filter him to the back maybe or black flagged him earlier. Silly move...but then the actual start was poor too.

Well done Mr D, on track for the title

Props to Marco and Wheldon

Well done Mr D, on track for the title

Props to Marco and Wheldon

Dixon was his usual stellar self, big win for him.

Marco may compete for the title this year. I thought he showed great patience and maturity for someone who just turned 21. In the past he might have made some stupid move to try and win.

The champ car teams were way off the pace. They should go to Motegi and the IRL guys should go to Long Beach, (Obviously that won't happen)the former champ car teams need the experience on ovals.

I know St. Pete is on the streets, but I think the usual suspects - Penske, Ganassi and Andretti will be at the front of that race as well. Hopefully someone from champ car will be around the front but I have my doubts.

I watched it, found it a bit dreadfull. But then again I`m a road racing fan.

I like some ovals, Indy, Milwaukee , Phoenix.....but these Nascar vortexes are just not right.

I watched it, found it a bit dreadfull. But then again I`m a road racing fan.

I like some ovals, Indy, Milwaukee , Phoenix.....but these Nascar vortexes are just not right.

Hold on now I thought you were not going to watch any of these IRL events:D

OK, Miami is not my favorite track either, they need to build a bigger attendence or get rid of it in the future.

ESPN is going to have to change announcers, maybe even get some that follow the sport. They kept refering to Duno as a guy. There was a car in her vicinity when she started to spin but the camera just missed the beginning of the spin.

Does anyone know what the first yellow was for? I did hear or see anything on the coverage today regarding, it just came back from an ad break in the yellow.

Does anyone know what the first yellow was for? I did hear or see anything on the coverage today regarding, it just came back from an ad break in the yellow.
One of Buddy Rice's rear-view mirrors broke off from his car and onto the track. Caution for debris.

The champ car teams were way off the pace. They should go to Motegi and the IRL guys should go to Long Beach, (Obviously that won't happen)the former champ car teams need the experience on ovals.

As you would expect Rush. They were always going to be of the pace. As servia said, 5 years experience versus 2 test days.

That said they Perrera and the KV boys ran at the pace of Manning.

The Month of May will be most beneficial for the ChampCar lads.

well done Dixon good race win.

I watched it, found it a bit dreadfull. But then again I`m a road racing fan.

I like some ovals, Indy, Milwaukee , Phoenix.....but these Nascar vortexes are just not right.
even though i prefer road racing I like having a mix of both...

I didnt know wheather to laugh or to cry when Ryan was taken out through no fault of anyones but I gotta be as pleased with his effort as his team boss was

I watched the race and found it mildly interesting. The race started off well and was interesteing, but it did go a bit flat half way through. Still it picked up nicely near the end I think. A bit of a shame there was contact between Power and Wilson as Wilson set some pretty good times throughout the race and could well have finished top rookie if it wasnt for him going a lap down due to the contact with Power.

You know, I was thinking about this today. It isn't really a merger imo. If it was, we'd still have PT. A merger doesn't just bring the teams, it also brings the drivers and personalities. It will never be a true merger imo, if PT isn't there.

Yes, the very fabric of the series hangs on Paul Tracy and Paul Tracy alone.

What's a series without someone in a pro-wrestling suit.....

It's hard to explain. I'll try and use this an an example. If there was to be two Stock Car series like this, and they merged, and say that this was when Dale Sr was alive. If Dale Sr didn't come, you couldn't really say it was a true merge, get what I mean?

EDIT: Also, as big of a NASCAR fan I am, I would want to see the 'new-age' Indycar become more popular than NASCAR once again.

Dixon was his usual stellar self, big win for him.

Marco may compete for the title this year. I thought he showed great patience and maturity for someone who just turned 21. In the past he might have made some stupid move to try and win.

The champ car teams were way off the pace. They should go to Motegi and the IRL guys should go to Long Beach, (Obviously that won't happen)the former champ car teams need the experience on ovals.

I know St. Pete is on the streets, but I think the usual suspects - Penske, Ganassi and Andretti will be at the front of that race as well. Hopefully someone from champ car will be around the front but I have my doubts.
i really doubt having an extra oval CCWS-teams only race would help. the gap is so huge that it can't be cleared that soon. A couple of top10 finishes at the end of the season - that's the best thing that could happen... but i would say - no miracles this year.
as for Marco - i would love that to happen, but i can't be really steady about that. Indy500 should be his main goal(and well it is, i'm sure)

You know, I was thinking about this today. It isn't really a merger imo. If it was, we'd still have PT. A merger doesn't just bring the teams, it also brings the drivers and personalities. It will never be a true merger imo, if PT isn't there.

No it was just an acquisition of a few bits and pieces along with the agreed dissolution of it's main competitor. People keep calling it a "merger", but there was nothing "merged".

You know, I was thinking about this today. It isn't really a merger imo. If it was, we'd still have PT. A merger doesn't just bring the teams, it also brings the drivers and personalities. It will never be a true merger imo, if PT isn't there.


This has never been portrayed as a merger. The IRL purchased certain assets of ChampCar, and ChampCar has terminated their business operations and declared bankruptcy. This is very decidedly NOT a merger.

Further, even if it was a merger, we might still not have PT as he is an employee of Forsythe. If Forsythe chooses to race than he will race in the series Forsythe is a participant in.

I would be delighted to see PT in the IRL. Until such time as he secures his release from his contract with Forsythe we will just have to be patient.

Sorry John but it has been portrayed as a merger.
As you say it isn't a merger and should never have been called a merger, but that was the way it was portrayed...
By the media and by some of the participants (series owners) of both series...

A bit of a lie perhaps.

Well, the term merger has been used by a lot of people, but, I think, many of the people using that term did not necessarily consider things to really be merger as such: it was just a term used as it was easily recognised to what it refered. I've used the term merger, but not exclusively, but have never really considered things to be what I would actually consider to be a merger. It was/is just an easy way to get at what you are speaking about.

Are there that many people who really care whether or not it is a merger? The main point of it all is that we are down to one series, which is what has been needed, be it merger or aqcuistion or unilateral submission, for the longest time. A proper merger would've been nice, but I actually think having one side admit defeat, before the total end of everything, remains something that we should all be positive about.

Alternately, we can tie ourselves in knots about how the situation we have now is awful, and that TG is evil, or whatever else, and allow collective cynicism and bitter pills to eat away at, and eventually destroy, that which we have left to work with. The situation, in my CC-roadcourse-preferenced opinion, is altogether better than it was before the IRL won the day. I am looking to the future with a sense of hope now, which sure as hell beats what was before.

I just think a lot of this (regerettably predictable) negativity could be so better used trying look on the positives that exist for the future.

Anyway, I will stop.

Bring on a street circuit, hey? That should bring the champ car boys into it a bit more...

Sorry John but it has been portrayed as a merger.
As you say it isn't a merger and should never have been called a merger, but that was the way it was portrayed...
By the media and by some of the participants (series owners) of both series...

A bit of a lie perhaps.

It was portrayed as a merger to make everyone warm and fuzzy inside, but the reality is far different. In any case it's done and whatever consequences result is the way it will be for now.

After Indy the CCWS guys should be a little better, they will have had some time running the cars by then and things should get better - see what Fernandez did when he switched over...

But the race was ok...the CCWS guys treated it like a test day as they should have, not sure if Viso had a problem or it was just handelling but otherwise but it was good to see most of the teams get away with a intact car...
The IRL guys did drive a good race - the Vision cars were fast too. Anyone know what happened to the Roth cars? Looking forward to St Pete now :)

well done Dixon good race win.
Yeah couldn't agree more it was good to see Scott get some luck go his way for a change.

Hold on now I thought you were not going to watch any of these IRL events:D

OK, Miami is not my favorite track either, they need to build a bigger attendence or get rid of it in the future.

you know how that goes ;)

But seriously, I found out what I needed to know, it can only get easier to not remember when the next race will be as time goes on. On ovals you need something...I don`t know what, but something to spice it up. Handford? super downforce? 241MPH again?...beats me.
5 cars were on the lead lap, btw. But so much more were more than 5 laps down. It needs fixing. This is not F1, these cars are spec.

What it needs is LESS downforce and less stagger in the tires and MORE RPM and power. Drivers will be forced to lift in the corners, but will be very quick in the straights.
Having drivers driver flat out, lap after lap, nose to tail, all protecting the low line (like CCWS did at the first Vegas oval race), is not racing.

It is boring.

I was at the first Homestead in 1996 race when the track was shaped like a mini Indy. It was pretty good racing but NASCAR hated the track, so they re-did the track.

Indycar probably won't be at the track for very much longer.

great start to the season for scott :beer: - disappointing for the aussie's :banghead: , bring on the street circuits :laugh:

Pretty decent race with a few good overtaking moves. Very unfortunate for Kanaan though. Hopefully a few more ex-ChampCar guys will be out there by Indy, and maybe they can get competitive. From what we've seen so far, only Newman-Haas and maybe PKV will add much to the competition.

Pretty decent race with a few good overtaking moves. Very unfortunate for Kanaan though. Hopefully a few more ex-ChampCar guys will be out there by Indy, and maybe they can get competitive. From what we've seen so far, only Newman-Haas and maybe PKV will add much to the competition.

To be honest, 'KV' (the P has issed off ;)) already look like they're ahead of Newman-Haas-Lanigan.

And Perera in that Conquest car was looking pretty handy too.

Correct, I've been calling them KV for ages (still can't get used to 'Lanigan' though....)

wow, didnt even know the first race had happened! Unlucky for Kannan collecting the other car, didnt see much of the ex-CCWS teams, but they will improve over the year i'm sure. :)

What it needs is LESS downforce and less stagger in the tires and MORE RPM and power. Drivers will be forced to lift in the corners, but will be very quick in the straights.


You'll be getting that in year or two hopefully. It would be need as this racing is awfully boring.

Sadly I've not had Sky for several years. Is there some form of coverage on the other channels?

Sadly I've not had Sky for several years. Is there some form of coverage on the other channels?

Channel five have 1 hour highlights of the IRL. They'll be on sometime next week for the Homestead race.

Cool, I'll keep an eye out. Hopefully they'll be on during daylight hours and not at 3am!

Cool, I'll keep an eye out. Hopefully they'll be on during daylight hours and not at 3am!

Its normally on around 1 am which is not that good.

Ah well, think I'll give it a miss then. Thanks anyway!

Ah well, think I'll give it a miss then. Thanks anyway!

Hi Graig

Try on line live

http://www.indycar.com/

:)

Thanks GAC. ;)

Thanks GAC. ;)

off topic

Whats the G for??

Hi Graig

Try on line live

http://www.indycar.com/

:)
;)

Hi Graig

Try on line live

http://www.indycar.com/

:)
Don't you have to paid for it?

No, but it's not the full coverage - usually only a camera or two. The radio coverage is pretty good though, and it certainly works for me.