Any Surprises Left This Season?

[GP Racer]

It looks like the season is really coming down to AGR, Team Rahal, and Penske.

Does anyone see any teams or drivers stepping up there game, to challenge the top 3 for the remainder of the season? If so, who would they be?:confused:

[jenna]

i only see it being between AGR and Rahal really..

[marcus]

not a chance unless Toyota and Chev do something bigger and better and soon.

but even though its a Honda race its shaping up to be one heck of a race

[GP Racer]

Well, I don't think you can count Penske out yet. Toyota and Penske will do whatever it takes to win this thing, and they've got two great drivers.

But it seems like many of the other teams have gone backwards since the season started. Panther is officially horrible, but maybe something good will come out of Bell. Kelley has gone from bad to worse, Mo Nunn is stuck with a driver thats afraid to drive anymore, Ganassi is a top team thats really out of contention, and doesn't seem to be getting better. Only Fernandez and Red Bull are doing OK, but are to inconsistent to make a good run at it. Access, Foyt, and Patrick are just eeking out a living. Dreyer Rheinbold have improved abit, but are going nowhere.

All in all, its over for everyone but AGR, Rahal, and Penske...

[Down F0rce]

I think Darren Manning might have something in store for us left this season. Sam or Helio might take a win or two.

As far as the championship goes, it's between AGR and Rahal I think.

[N I Tram]

Penske are showing better form at present though, adn I can see both drivers taking at least one win. Dixon, Manning and Bell can't becounted out either - Meira should be a matter of time if he completes the season, and Herta ought to get on.

[Kicking-back]

Penske's improved form may be down to the last couple of races not being power tracks as such.

I expect Honda dominance at Michigan.

[Down F0rce]

I agree. Honda are gonna walk away with this one.

[climb]

Yes, for once I don't agree with GP Racer
If nothing important happens about engines, Penskies have no chance to get the top, let alone some extraordinarily lucky circumstances.
Of course I hope Gp Racer is right, but I fear he's not.

[Snrub]

Here's a question: The engine manufacturers are allowed to make a certain number of changes over the course of the season, correct? I know at the start of the season Honda had made more of their alloted changes than Toyota and Chevy. How does it stand right now?

I tend to think that if Toyota can close the gap a bit (maybe not even all the way), Penske will stand a real chance, just as others have said.

[Kicking-back]

I believe both Toyota and Chevrolet have some new parts coming for their engines.

Time will tell if it's enough to close the gap.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by Down F0rce
I think Darren Manning might have something in store for us left this season. Sam or Helio might take a win or two.

As far as the championship goes, it's between AGR and Rahal I think.

For the non-Honda teams, look at Nazareth and Pike's Peak for the opportunities to pull out wins...especially Penske....

Otherwise, we're looking at high-banked, high-speed tracks for most of the remaining dates....

Those look to play into Honda's hands....unless the upgrades by Toyota and Chevy can help close the horsepower gap...

[jhansen]

I'm looking for a few surprises at Nazereth and Pikes Peak to a lessor extent. The teams that know how to set a car up will do well at both places. But unless the Toyota and Chevy teams step it up, I don't see too many surprises coming from that portion of the field.

One thought I had was that if Bryan Herta can manage a win before the end of the season, then AGR would have at least one victory for all four cars. That would be a heck of an achievment.

[BootsOntheSide]

Penske do look like the best non-Honda team, and have bene unlucky not to win more than once. There are 5 or 6 strong Hodnas throughout,a dn when they're working together it becomes hard to win (even for great engineering and tactics, coupled with the driving genius of Sam and Helio)

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by jhansen
I'm looking for a few surprises at Nazereth and Pikes Peak to a lessor extent. The teams that know how to set a car up will do well at both places. But unless the Toyota and Chevy teams step it up, I don't see too many surprises coming from that portion of the field.

We were all looking for surprises at Richmond and Milwaukee to, but nobody stepped up.

I figured the lower horsepower from the Toyota and Chevy engines, wouldn't make such a significant difference in those places, but apparently, I have no idea what I'm talking about, do I?

I'm very disappointed in teams like Kelley, Dreyer Rheinbold, and Super Aguri Fernandez. I thought they would have been able to put on a better show than they did...

[Kicking-back]

Penske were very close at both those tracks, GPR, but although horsepower doesn't make as much of a difference on them, you can never have too much!

As for the Kelley team, I think the man in the cockpit is the problem - he's simply reached the end of his career.

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Penske were very close at both those tracks, GPR, but although horsepower doesn't make as much of a difference on them, you can never have too much!

As for the Kelley team, I think the man in the cockpit is the problem - he's simply reached the end of his career.

On your first point, true! You can never have enough HP.

On your second point, false! (IMHO of course)Scott is a much better driver than his car is allowing right now. He's had some good runs earlier in the season, but has since gone backwards. Is Toyota supporting this team equally? He has been extremely competitive in the IROC Series, where all cars are equal. I'd love to see him get a shot at a good team, but he's been with Kelley so long, I doubt it'll ever happen.

[Tim Northcutt]

The transition to the 3.0 L engine has had a major impact on the Toyota and Chevy teams....

Prior to Indy, all three engines were competitive....but Honda has a better handle on getting power from the new package than the other two makers do right now......

Add into that equation the aero package changes that took hold starting with Indy....

Some teams and engineers have been able to get a handle on it, and others have not....

Kelley Racing seems to be facing problems in both areas....

[BootsOntheSide]

Kelley don't seem to have adjusted to the current package at all, but there's no real excuse for an experienced team wh've bene through lots of different types of hardware (and a driver who's been through evne mroe) to struggle so much that AJ IV can beat them with similar equipment).

Scott's a very good driver, but I would question his motivation this year, consdiering that he's been around for so long and will know he's unlikely to achieve much no matter how well he drives.

[Kicking-back]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Mr Sharp retire at the end of this season.