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10 Feb 2005, 15:56 (Ref:1222077)
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#1 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 8,125
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Closest Finishes
Snrub's thread about last-lap failures got me to thinking about the 1999 US500, and then I wondered about which races have produced the closest finishes.
I've been very lucky, as I was in the grandstand for the the top-two, and six of the top-20. 1999 Michigan - Kanaan/Montoya - 0.032s 2000 Michigan - Montoya/Andretti - 0.040s 1997 Portland - Blundell/de Ferran - 0.047s 1992 Indianapolis - Unser Jr/Goodyear - 0.052s 1995 Michigan - Pruett/Unser Jr - 0.056s 2004 Las Vegas - Bourdais/Junqueira - 0.066s 1986 Portland - Ma.Andretti/Mi.Andretti - 0.070s 1998 Homestead - Mi.Andretti/Moore - 0.075s 1989 Toronto - Mi.Andretti/E.Fittipaldi - 0.080s 2003 Lausitz - Bourdais/Dominguez - 0.084s 2001 Fontana - da Matta/Papis - 0.123s 1999 Detroit - Franchitti/Tracy - 0.135s 1984 Michigan - Ma.Andretti/Sneva - 0.140s 1996 Milwaukee - Mi.Andretti/Unser Jr - 0.146s 2001 Lausitz - Bräck/Papis - 0.154s 2002 Surfer's - Dominguez/Carpentier - 0.177s 2000 Fontana - C.Fittipaldi/Moreno - 0.194s 1998 Mid-Ohio - Fernández/Pruett - 0.238s 2001 Michigan - Carpentier/Franchitti - 0.243s 1998 Michigan - Moore/Vasser - 0.259s |
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__________________
Don't make a fuss, just get on the bus! |
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10 Feb 2005, 17:02 (Ref:1222127)
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#2 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,744
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I don't really remember some of the finishes that I probably witnessed on TV: 1999 Detroit,1998 Homestead, 1998 Mid-Ohio (I remember parts of the race though), 2000 Fontana. Brain no work good!
I know which of those races Macdaddy witnessed and I know our other moderator witnessed the Portland finish, was anyone else present for any of those races? |
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__________________
No Rotor, No Motor. |
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10 Feb 2005, 17:09 (Ref:1222132)
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#3 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 7,263
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May I just say that the Rockingham '01 race was also very entertaing.
I know that 6 tenths is quite a lot compared to 0.032s, but the last lap was very exciting as Gil de Ferran and Kenny Brack swapped postions on the last lap, right into the final turn. |
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__________________
The thrill from west hill |
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10 Feb 2005, 17:20 (Ref:1222145)
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#4 | |
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Racer
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 394
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i'm not sure, but wasn't the '02 Surfers race finished under caution? And Detroit '98?
Anyway, 14 out of 20 on ovals. I just wish CC would have 2 or 3 more ovals on the schedule. |
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10 Feb 2005, 17:48 (Ref:1222167)
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#5 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,710
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I remember the 1997 Portland race. Blundell (PacWest) had braved the slicks and was catching de Ferran (Walker) at alarming pace. They both shot along the line and suddenly Raul Boesel (Brauma?) was there also on his slicks - any of the three could have been the first across the line - just couldn't tell.
Close finishes are far more interesting and rare on road courses than ovals. |
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10 Feb 2005, 17:59 (Ref:1222181)
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#6 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 865
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probably my most favorite close finish and the one that had me up out of my seat was the 2003 Lausitz race with Bourdais and Dominguez.
They were running close like that for several laps, and it was VERY entertaining as they were also pulling away from the field. Unfortunately, i was not a champ car fan back in 1997, but i would have loved to see the end of that race with the two of them...wasn't Boesel on the Patrick Team then, not Brauma? |
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10 Feb 2005, 18:21 (Ref:1222197)
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#7 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 13,000
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Brahma was Boesel's sponsor for many years, I think he was with Patrick that year but don't quote me. Actually Portland was probably my favourite finish - I especialyl love the fact that Blundell's first words over the radio, in his calm English accent, were a simple "that was quite a race, where did we finish?". He was apparently oblivious to teh fact that he's sneaked the win. I'm not sure many of the other close finishes unvolved a last-lap change of position - 200 Michigan and 2001 Rockingham certainly did, and those two were also extra-special.
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10 Feb 2005, 18:56 (Ref:1222245)
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#8 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 8,125
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2001 Michigan was a lap-lap pass (Tags came out of nowhere and guided Pat), as was 1995. In fact, in 95, I was jumping up-and-down in ecstasy that Unser had won, only to find out (after making a fool of myself) that Pruett had passed him coming out of T4. There may even have been more than one leadchange in that last lap, I don't remember exactly.
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__________________
Don't make a fuss, just get on the bus! |
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10 Feb 2005, 21:31 (Ref:1222409)
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#9 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 5,276
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Portland 1997 is the closest finish - 0.027s.
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__________________
"Many people depend on motor racing for their livelihood, to them it is a business. To me, it is a sport." -Jim Clark |
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10 Feb 2005, 21:36 (Ref:1222416)
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#10 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 5,276
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Also, note that some of the finished were under caution, eg. Fontana 2001, Lausitz 2001, Surfers 2002, Detroit 1999, Fontana 2000.
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__________________
"Many people depend on motor racing for their livelihood, to them it is a business. To me, it is a sport." -Jim Clark |
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11 Feb 2005, 05:08 (Ref:1222680)
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#11 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 8,125
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You're right, Jordi. Portland 1997 should be #1 on that list, at 0.027s.
I found the list that I had provided elsewhere, and never really bothered to research any of it. |
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__________________
Don't make a fuss, just get on the bus! |
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11 Feb 2005, 11:47 (Ref:1222870)
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#12 | ||
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Rookie
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 33
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Quote:
The 1992 Indy 500 was won by Al Unser Jr. by a margin of 0.043 seconds, not 0.052 seconds as cited above. The 1982 Indy 500 was won by Gordon JohnCock over a young Rick Mears by a margin of 0.14 seconds Now that I look down the list a bit, many of the numbers are wrong. time for a new list. |
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11 Feb 2005, 14:46 (Ref:1223001)
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#13 | |
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Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,550
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Michigan 2000 is surely one of the great ChampCar races - there were over 50 official lead changes in the 250 laps, and perhaps as many as 200 lead changes which didn't neccessarily last for the full lap. That final lap was unbelievable. As mentioned, ChampCar has lost out by gradually moving away from ovals in recent years.
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__________________
"Stacy's mom has got it going on, she's all I want, and I've waited so long. Stacy can't you see, you're just not the girl for me, I know it might be wrong but I'm in love with Stacy's mom" |
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11 Feb 2005, 16:26 (Ref:1223071)
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#14 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 970
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Hmmm. I just counted up the ones I attended, and I was at 11 of those races. Still have the event t-shirts from several of them, including Detroit 1999. Gee, now I feel old.
The funny thing is that I don't remember many of these as being particularly close finishes... but I was probably too busy at the time to worry about it! Portland 1997 and Michigan 2000 I do remember, particularly Michigan, where it felt as if we held our breath for most of the race. keke |
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__________________
******************** CART Volunteer Course Observer Program: Commitment, Dedication, Loyalty. RIP 2003 ******************** |
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11 Feb 2005, 18:33 (Ref:1223164)
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#15 | |||
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Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,744
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Quote:
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__________________
No Rotor, No Motor. |
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11 Feb 2005, 18:37 (Ref:1223169)
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#16 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 13,000
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I guess it was both. Danger is exciting, as long as the risk isn't particularly high.
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13 Feb 2005, 03:01 (Ref:1224043)
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#17 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 970
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I can't tell you which it was -- maybe a bit of both. Whenever the cars run in a huge pack like that (think NASCAR restrictor-plate racing) you're always worried about "The Big One". And don't forget where we observers stand at those oval races. There's a good chance that if there *is* a Big One we're in the line of fire. "OK, car hits at T2, which is 1/2 mile from my station at T3 entry... car is going 240 miles/hour trap speed, so debris takes under 8 seconds to arrive at my location.... This doesn't include debris from other cars caught up in the incident. So do I duck now, or wait to see what happens because they might need my report later?"
But the exciting part was not knowing which car would duck out of line and go for the slingshot. Leader changes did not just occur among the top three, but the top ten. We never knew who was going to try for the lead. keke |
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__________________
******************** CART Volunteer Course Observer Program: Commitment, Dedication, Loyalty. RIP 2003 ******************** |
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