Round 7: revised calendar. The 104th running of the Indianapolis 500. Aug 12-23, 2020

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by tux

Pigot was so lucky, something punctured his aero screen in the accident.

https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/...-174036-45.jpg

I rarely visit the Indy forum, but did, saw this post and was very curious as I feel the Indy aero screen is a much better design than what F1 has.

After looking at a few other photos, I don't think it was punctured. The angle of that linked photo and how cleanly the arm broke is misleading. The suspension arm is broken off and the way it is laying looks like it has pushed through the screen. But from other angles you can see that it just is broken off and not even touching the screen.

Here is one example

https://twitter.com/Mattzel89/status...362820/photo/1

Click on the image in the tweet so as to see the larger version and you can see the end of the arm peaking up and not touching the screen.

Richard

[bjohnsonsmith]

I haven't read anything, in any of the post race reports in the various online motorsports publications, about the Aeroscreen on Pigot's car cracking.

[broadrun96]

The only thing I've seen is a couple hints at it possibly breaking and what looks like a puncture, or impact crater, in a single picture. Most likely from bits in the attenuator not the suspension

[Adam43]

Braking in the accident is fine if it takes the energy out of the impact and either drastically reduces or removes contact with the driver. After it has done it’s job it’s thrown away.

A general comment. The questions to ask is if it is better having it than not, followed by how do we make it better. We shouldn’t ask the question is it perfect. Rather can we get closer to perfect.

Not sure we can judge much from that photo. I am sure they will be looking at this to understand everything.

[broadrun96]

Exactly, and if it did break well that's a damn good reason to have it. Especially if it broke but was not penetrated by the object, that's pretty much its entire reason for construction.

[WyldStallion]

Indy 500 was so interesting in the 1990's and you felt like what happened from start to finish mattered in the outcome. My first Indy 500 I watched on TV was 1989. In today's era, the last 10 laps is seriously all you need to see. And that reflects my viewing habits from the 1990's today. Is there a 500 since 2011 where what happened before lap 190 mattered at all in the outcome?

[S griffin]

Indy really took off in the 90s and as you say it’s always seemed to be every lap counted. The last 10 laps are important, but I don’t think it makes the first 190 any less relevant. Although times have changed, the basics are still the same.

We all remember the dramatic last lap in 2011, since then we’ve plenty of other memorable races, like 2013, 2017 and 2019. Indy still means a lot and still delivers a great spectacle too

[broadrun96]

Yeah, I don't understand the nothing happens in the first 190. Without decent strategy and understanding of your car you won't make anything of the lap 10. Just because it's not the false sense of racing because there are passes all day doesn't mean there isn't racing and strategy being developed.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Indy really took off in the 90s and as you say it’s always seemed to be every lap counted. The last 10 laps are important, but I don’t think it makes the first 190 any less relevant. Although times have changed, the basics are still the same.

We all remember the dramatic last lap in 2011, since then we’ve plenty of other memorable races, like 2013, 2017 and 2019. Indy still means a lot and still delivers a great spectacle too

I'm not too sure what you mean by Indy really took off in the 90s? Do you mean greater exposure?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

Indy 500 was so interesting in the 1990's and you felt like what happened from start to finish mattered in the outcome. My first Indy 500 I watched on TV was 1989. In today's era, the last 10 laps is seriously all you need to see. And that reflects my viewing habits from the 1990's today. Is there a 500 since 2011 where what happened before lap 190 mattered at all in the outcome?

I'm not too sure about that. The last 10 laps are the culmination of the previous 190.

[RWill2073]

Yeah, the first 190 you see who is setting up the better fuel strategy, who is avoiding the wrecks, who is best at saving fuel, and who is steadily tweaking their car each stop to improve and working their way up the grid to put themselves into the top 5 or so that have a chance in the last 10. Better known as, every f***ing sunday for scott dixon....

[WyldStallion]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

Yeah, the first 190 you see who is setting up the better fuel strategy, who is avoiding the wrecks, who is best at saving fuel, and who is steadily tweaking their car each stop to improve and working their way up the grid to put themselves into the top 5 or so that have a chance in the last 10. Better known as, every f***ing sunday for scott dixon....

Maybe so, I guess the race cars now are so much more reliable. In the 90's you had to deal with much more fragile machines which I liked a lot actually. A bigger speed disparity from the front to the back of the grid too.
Here is a claim I am going to make: "The 500 was less predictable the 1990s than it is today." Change my mind?

As a whole I enjoyed the race so much more than now. I think the last 500 I watched from start to finish was probably in the late 2000's. Since then its just the last 10 laps.

Another thing that has changed is the length of career of drivers. When I first got into the Indy 500 I was lucky to get to see guys like AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittitapldi, Al Unser Sr, Tom Sneva, and Gordan Johncock race. If they had all retired when they were 42 years old. That would not have happened. Seems to happen less now. Hope that changes. J.P. Montoya, Helio, Kanaan, Jimmie Johnson, and Dixon SHOULD NOT consider retirement until the 2030s!

[S griffin]

Of course reliability plays a factor. Was it really that much different in the 90s though? I guess the influx of talent from other parts of the world helped in the 90s

It’s always been a great race, the late 00s is when I got in. It’s still a great race now and it always will be. You should watch as much as you can, you are missing out if you miss the last 10 laps

Back in the day drivers did used to go on longer, hence why you got to see the likes of Foyt and the tough as nails Andretti. It certainly meant you didn’t miss out on those great names. Happy days no doubt. Nowadays it’s different, drivers see a life outside of racing. Those names you mention might go on a bit longer, but certainly not into the 2030s, especially not JPM, who has finally moved on from Indy. Just enjoy these names while you still can

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

Maybe so, I guess the race cars now are so much more reliable. In the 90's you had to deal with much more fragile machines which I liked a lot actually. A bigger speed disparity from the front to the back of the grid too.
Here is a claim I am going to make: "The 500 was less predictable the 1990s than it is today." Change my mind?

As a whole I enjoyed the race so much more than now. I think the last 500 I watched from start to finish was probably in the late 2000's. Since then its just the last 10 laps.

Another thing that has changed is the length of career of drivers. When I first got into the Indy 500 I was lucky to get to see guys like AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittitapldi, Al Unser Sr, Tom Sneva, and Gordan Johncock race. If they had all retired when they were 42 years old. That would not have happened. Seems to happen less now. Hope that changes. J.P. Montoya, Helio, Kanaan, Jimmie Johnson, and Dixon SHOULD NOT consider retirement until the 2030s!

I'm not sure how young you think those guys are.

Helio is 45
JPM is 45
TK is 45
JJ is 45
Dixon is 40

AJ's last Indy race he was 58 but dropped the car for Robby Gordon. But was not competitive for years before that.
Mario's last race he was 54.
Big Al's last race he was 51, but again almost a decade since winning

Not sure how you worked out another 10 years for anyone but Dixie and he's not retiring yet.

Would you rather have the names running around in non-competitive cars just to be there? Seems pointless to me and the guys are pushed out now cause they're not as fast or can't find a ride. Without tobacco money and the huge cash of the 80s and early 90s they all would have been out as well.

[WyldStallion]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

I'm not sure how young you think those guys are.

Helio is 45
JPM is 45
TK is 45
JJ is 45
Dixon is 40

AJ's last Indy race he was 58 but dropped the car for Robby Gordon. But was not competitive for years before that.
Mario's last race he was 54.
Big Al's last race he was 51, but again almost a decade since winning

Not sure how you worked out another 10 years for anyone but Dixie and he's not retiring yet.

Would you rather have the names running around in non-competitive cars just to be there? Seems pointless to me and the guys are pushed out now cause they're not as fast or can't find a ride. Without tobacco money and the huge cash of the 80s and early 90s they all would have been out as well.

I'll concede you the point in two ways 1) Yes a couple of those guys were older than I thought so thanks for pointing that out 2)Great point about tobacco sponsorship. Forgot about that. This made a huge difference back in the day. Gave lots of drivers and teams the means to race including AJ Foyt and Emerson Fittipaldi.

I still liked indy car racing and the 500 back in the 1990s though regardless. Can extend that feeling to NASCAR Winston Cup which was awesome back then as well. F1 too. The only form of motorsport that I think is BETTER today than the 1990's is sportscars.