Really, This is what it is all about!!

racer69 · 30 May 2005, 11:05 (Ref:1314533)

Putting aside everything about ChampCar vs IRL, whether Indy is still the same etc..... wasn't it fantastic to see a race winner so utterly touched and enthusiastic by winning the Indianapolis 500, you could just tell from the look on his face that to him this was it , what it was all about. It was things like this that show that Indy still means a hell of alot in motorsport and is still as important to the motorsport community as it ever was.

I can't say i've ever been much of a Dan Wheldon fan, but i couldn't fault his drive today, an absolute joy to watch. The way he drove the last 100 laps was by the book, a lesson for the future. The way he took the lead and lost it on the final restart, only to compose himself and get on with the job. As a racing purist it is great to see a race where the best driver on the day actually does win the race (especially in this day and age where 'spicing the racing up' seems more important than who is quick). It was a very entertaining race, and even the more richer that the deserving driver did win.

As an Aussie i must mention Ryan Briscoe. He's copped a fair bit of flak this year (mostly deserved i must say, bar St Petersberg), but in a not so great car, managed a top-10 finish on debut, and showed he wasn't going to get pushed around after losing a lap. Hopefully this can turn his season around.

I still can't get my head around what the hell happened in the last 30 laps though. This is in no way a dig at Danica Patrick, she made rookie mistakes no worse than other top drivers (remember Dixon in 2003 behind the pace car, at least Patrick's was on a restart) and showed great composure leading, but how is it that a driver who causes a 4-car wreck on a restart, pits to replace her nosecone, winds up with an undamaged car and leading inside the last 10 laps. And yet polesitter Tony Kanaan, a front runner all day, winds up struggling in 8th place! Thats Indianapolis i suppose.

And what about Buddy Lazier, what a drive. If anyone doubted his victories in the 1996 500 or the 2000 IRL series, this drive proved that they were won on skill, not because of weaker fields.

In all this praise though, two things i found quite appalling in the race;

- Backmarkers not getting out of the way. There is nothing new at Indy about cars being quite abit off the pace, but this lot at the back seemed hell bent on driving down the middle of the track and making the leaders do their own thing.

- The general attitude of the race seemed like a dodgem car race. What was Castroneves doing to Lazier after the first pace car? Others banged wheels (eg..Patrick and Matsuura?) while some others would rather run drivers onto the grass. I've been a big defendant of IndyCars and them taking to the air, but really some drivers seemed to asking for a flight today with some of their actions.

But as i said earlier, this is what Indy is all about. Roll on 2006!!!

PS....Post your general feelings on the race (Hopefully this thread isn't covering old ground from other threads though

)

infoxicated · 30 May 2005, 11:24 (Ref:1314563)

Absolutely - for those final 20 laps my girlfriend, her father and myself were on the edge of our seats, and neither of them are fans.

The Indy 500 is the greatest spectacle in racing, no doubt about it, and Dan Wheldon drove with maturity and skill to end up a very worth winner.

Fantastic race, great result - the only downside is that Dan is starting to romp away with the championship... but I guess there are still a dozen races to go.

Kicking-back · 30 May 2005, 12:30 (Ref:1314616)

My girlfriend is not a racing fan at all but she watched Indy with me and loved it.

Down F0rce · 30 May 2005, 13:08 (Ref:1314653)

Danica could be the boost US open wheel racing needs...

climb · 30 May 2005, 13:11 (Ref:1314655)

...particularly if Honda keep boosting her engine like they did yesterday..

Kicking-back · 30 May 2005, 13:12 (Ref:1314657)

That's the problem - she'll never be able to do well without people making such accusations - light hearted or otherwise.

GP Racer · 30 May 2005, 13:31 (Ref:1314672)

Great thread Racer 69!

I agree that this is what its all about to. The speed, drama, tension and excitement we saw yesterday is true reality TV. Like most of you, I had friends over the house that are not race fans, and they were glued to the TV. When I watch a race like that, I simply cannot for the life of me understand how American open wheel racing cannot draw a bigger following. The on-track product that the IRL puts on week after week, is the most exciting racing to be found anywhere, including NASCAR, yet it continue's to struggle. The next race in Texas always proves to be a hair raising, edge-of-the-seat affair, yet it will only draw a tiny portion of what Indy does. Why people don't stick around to watch more of this racing is beyond me,

Indy proved once again, that it is still the greatest spectacle in motor racing, and it's still the race that any open wheel driver aspires to win. True drama like we saw yesterday, is becoming a rare thing in todays commercial sports world. Long may it live!

Big Mac · 30 May 2005, 13:45 (Ref:1314683)

I must say it was one of the first 500's that i've watched from start to finish. And I really loved every minute of it. So much action. So much passing all thru the field. Special mention to Dario and his dicing for the lead...brilliant. I dont mean to take this thread down the path that is spoken about until the cows come home around here BUT my mind kept wondering during the race how good 'the show' could be if the old peace pipe was dusted off and the two series reunified.

climb · 30 May 2005, 13:54 (Ref:1314693)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

That's the problem - she'll never be able to do well without people making such accusations - light hearted or otherwise.

This special treatment was known by everybody in the paddock. Honda were trying and exploit the undisputable marketing potential of Danica.

BTW I remember when Sarah Fisher got a pole 3 yrs ago: nobody made such innuendo.

mabs_nsx · 30 May 2005, 14:31 (Ref:1314720)

What a great race!

Kicking-back · 30 May 2005, 15:23 (Ref:1314772)

Quote:

Originally Posted by climb

This special treatment was known by everybody in the paddock. Honda were trying and exploit the undisputable marketing potential of Danica.

BTW I remember when Sarah Fisher got a pole 3 yrs ago: nobody made such innuendo.

Honda's main aim is to win the race - if they'd found more power from the engine it would have been available to other drivers too.

gttouring · 30 May 2005, 15:55 (Ref:1314800)

it was a great race and pperhaps Danica will lure many to openwheel....
but all the press she is getting now-um Dan Wheldon WON in grand style passing on the stripe with 6 laps to go- great race.
cheers to team rahal for making it happen for her, but Herta got 3rd, he did better and what?
come on the press is just ridiculous, i don't remember sarah fisher getting any press for the mentioned pole, or 2nd place she got in kentucky, much better results than dear Patrick. these ladies are racers! not just girls in cars. so treat them as such and applaud Dan for winning.
and i don't recall any one ever mentioning Erin Crocker winning a World of Outlaws sprint race(she beat the King Kinser!) so give credit in proportion to where it is due.
Yay Dan, great job andrettiGreen and what an Indy! good job Danica, but next time you have no excuse not to win.

Canberra>karter · 30 May 2005, 16:31 (Ref:1314821)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gttouring

it was a great race and pperhaps Danica will lure many to openwheel....
but all the press she is getting now-um Dan Wheldon WON in grand style passing on the stripe with 6 laps to go- great race.
cheers to team rahal for making it happen for her, but Herta got 3rd, he did better and what?
come on the press is just ridiculous, i don't remember sarah fisher getting any press for the mentioned pole, or 2nd place she got in kentucky, much better results than dear Patrick. these ladies are racers! not just girls in cars. so treat them as such and applaud Dan for winning.
and i don't recall any one ever mentioning Erin Crocker winning a World of Outlaws sprint race(she beat the King Kinser!) so give credit in proportion to where it is due.
Yay Dan, great job andrettiGreen and what an Indy! good job Danica, but next time you have no excuse not to win.

She is a Rookie, why shouldn't she get praise?

Hazard · 30 May 2005, 17:50 (Ref:1314880)

Just incase anyone missed it, thought I'd say...

Yippee!!! First Brit to win the Indy 500 in 39 years! (Okay, competition wasn't so great as there was one girl in the grid, but hey!).

GP Racer · 30 May 2005, 18:05 (Ref:1314899)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazard

Just incase anyone missed it, thought I'd say...

Yippee!!! First Brit to win the Indy 500 in 39 years! (Okay, competition wasn't so great as there was one girl in the grid, but hey!).

Well, if an American couldn't win it, I'm glad a Brit did!

I've said it often, Dan Wheldon is a real attribute to this series, and never has a bad word to say about it. When he talks up this series, and he does often, you really know he means what he says. He truly knows how important the Indy 500 is, and he has a real sense of it's history as well. A better winner I can't find.

Well done Dan!

BootsOntheSide · 30 May 2005, 21:27 (Ref:1315132)

Fantastic race, and a great spectacle for the Indy 500. Wheldon or Patrick would perhaps have been the ideal winners form a commerical perspective other than maybe Sam, and the huge amount of overtaking mvoes and lead changes all give a great demonstration of how good this kind of racing is.

marcus · 31 May 2005, 08:31 (Ref:1315451)

Simply superb , I was riveted kept spilling my drinks (my keyboard is paying for that now)

I think everybody did a great job and amazingly even the ESPN commentators larry Rice and gary lee were not as annoying as usual

but now its all gone and I have to wait for 2006 , I cant believe it will be 12 months til we see it again

Kicking-back · 31 May 2005, 08:33 (Ref:1315454)

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcus

I think everybody did a great job and amazingly even the ESPN commentators larry Rice and gary lee were not as annoying as usual

That must have been the drink, Marcus!

They were awful.

Very poor at indentifying cars.

"I can't tell who that is - the number on the rear wing's been knocked off in the crash".

Look at the bloody helmet then!!

Hazza · 31 May 2005, 09:24 (Ref:1315496)

And the one:
"Sebastian Bordais and Bruno Junquira have never been in theese cars before..."

Except when Bruno was on pole in 2002? But the quantified the statements by saying that "The cars have changed so much" But still...

The race was fantastique by the way, like they said, You have to wonder why people don't watch more of the other races!

And, I was hoping that Hornish, Kanann and Dario would slug it out for the win, and that Herta could win...

rustyfan · 31 May 2005, 09:29 (Ref:1315504)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazza

And the one:
"Sebastian Bordais and Bruno Junquira have never been in theese cars before..."

Except when Bruno was on pole in 2002? But the quantified the statements by saying that "The cars have changed so much" But still...

Yeah I reacted to that as well, but I have to say that I thought they did a pretty good job nontheless, and from what I have read about the domestic feed, the Int'l one actually picked up a few things that the domestic failed to mention (like why Sharp was penalized, due to blocking, for example).

Then again, I'm just happy to have US commentary, so I might be a bit more forgiving than others...

jock25 · 31 May 2005, 15:12 (Ref:1315881)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Wheldon or Patrick would perhaps have been the ideal winners form a commerical perspective other than maybe Sam

Surely an American driver and former champion in a Penske would have been as valuable if not moreso than Wheldon or Patrick?

rustyfan · 31 May 2005, 16:30 (Ref:1315965)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jock25

Surely an American driver and former champion in a Penske would have been as valuable if not moreso than Wheldon or Patrick?

Danica is also from the US, and personally I think she seems to be more of a 'character' as well (and as such more likeable and more marketable) - at least compared to the limited number of interviews with Hornish that I've seen, anyway.

jock25 · 31 May 2005, 16:40 (Ref:1315972)

I know Danica is American (do I appear that out of touch?!) but I just thought an American driver in those evocative red and white overalls, standing alongside the Captain would have had as much (or more) currency for the US media & promotion of the IRL/Indy than Wheldon or Danica.

luke · 31 May 2005, 16:51 (Ref:1315988)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

That must have been the drink, Marcus!

They were awful.

Very poor at indentifying cars.

"I can't tell who that is - the number on the rear wing's been knocked off in the crash".

Look at the bloody helmet then!!

Don't forget Bourdais or Junquiera don't race in the IRL so Gary and Larry wouldn't be the best at identifying they're helmets.

I looked at the helmet and could see it was Bruno staright a way.

Kicking-back · 31 May 2005, 19:07 (Ref:1316094)

Quote:

Originally Posted by luke

Don't forget Bourdais or Junquiera don't race in the IRL so Gary and Larry wouldn't be the best at identifying they're helmets.

That's no excuse - they are professional commentators and should know the helmets.