Do you think Tracy should be banned for a race (or more) ?

[alonso11]

I think it's gonna be a close call, some (including me) seem to think that the "penalty" he got is a joke, and now it's hard to know what on earth do you have to do in Champcar to get banned, if being on probation (for causing an absolutely aviodable accident and fighting afterwards) and then one week later causing an absolutely aviodable accident and fighting afterwards is not enough, then what is?

At the same time many people think that the verdict was reasonable.I think we seen the arguments of both side, and So Im really interested in seeing how this poll goes.

[Hazard]

I'm no Tracy hater, he adds some very important flavouring to the series...but occassionally he starts overdoing it, and I think if he's given a suspension but still drives the same stupid way in the next race, he should get a penalty for it.

[luke]

I voted yes. He should be banned. He was on probation and took someone out in a avoidable incident and also was involved again in a shove/fight type thing.

[Speedworx]

God no. Tag for starting the pitlane fight should be.

[enemy-ace]

No. Realistically Champ Car cannot afford to lose him for one race.
However he should have received a harsher penalty. I like the idea of moving him to the back of the grid for the following race.
Punish him and create a bit of a spectacle for the fans.

[Go_For_Pole]

Originally Posted by enemy-ace

Realistically Champ Car cannot afford to lose him for one race.

Especially in Canada, right? Still he deserves a big penalty, that move was in my opinion quite unsporting

[tony griffiths]

loose more points and bigger fine ....... he's got lots of years left in his contract to prove he can be a gentleman

[D.R.T.]

It was a poor move by PT, but by no means was it a move that should lead to suspension.

[mp356a]

I voted yes. A driver on probation who takes out another driver, especially one who is in the hunt for the championship, and is unrepentant should be sat down. When he does it again, does he get banned then or should he just be on permanent "probation", which means what again?

[Splatz the Cow]

I voted, yes.

His move down the inside of Bourdais, showed little care; was clumsy to a gross extent; ill disciplined, at the risk of another driver's race.

My own view is that he tried a genuine move down the inside because there was so much space (almost two car widths,) but due to his exceesive entry speed he locked up when hitting the bumps during braking. Realising this, he slid straight across to take out Bourdais.

If "Plan A" didn't work he risked crashing into Bourdais, which I think was an acceptable "Plan B" for Tracy.

He was boasting about his effected revenge on Bourdais, which I thought brought the sport into disrepute.

If he was not able to get down the inside cleanly, then he could have just kept his car control and brought his car home behind Bourdais. I would have still given him the drive of the day.

When Tracy is like this, it gets worse not better, and he is only stopped by a massive penalty.

[macdaddy]

Running into Tags was stupid, PT was penalized. What Tags did was totally unacceptable. Grabbing him repeatedly and screaming in his face, after being warned to "let go", if he did it to me he'd get clocked. And while wearing his helmet? He walked for miles with that helmet on, usually drivers take them off as they exit the car. Premeditated confrontation? Had anybody done similar to me, wearing that kind of head protection, he'd have gotten a nadular readjustment.

Regarding Bourdais, PT made a bonzai move on the last lap. Is this the first time such a thing has been done in racing? Had he succeeded, he'd be a hero. Yet again, Bourdais started shoving PT around while enclosed in a helmet! Knowing full-well that PT was on probation and couldn't respond!

Tags and Bourdais should be more-heavily penalized, IMO.

Yet it makes for great press in ChampCar's eyes, doesn't it!

[Raven]

Tracy has made two very daft, reckless and fundamental errors over the last two races. Both born, IMO, out of a lack of respect for other drivers. The incident in San Jose speaks for itself while the move in Denver was never going to be on in a million years - Bourdais was simply too far ahead for Tracy to attempt a pass.

For that, I do think that he should be banned for 1-2 races.

[Jordi]

No way!

You can argue about the Tagliani incident, that was a more serious misjudgement in my opinion, but he was docked all the points he scored in the race and fined.

Do some people on this board really think he should be banned after the Bourdais incident? Then don't complain about a lack of passing. We had a fight for 2nd place all the way until the last corner, and if you don't try the pass Tracy tried then you are not a racer, in my opinion.

To me it's like when Zanardi in 1998 had been fined $50k, lost the one point for 12th and put on probation after Mid-Ohio. At the next race in Elkhart Lake Gil de Ferran spun Pruett in turn two. The pack checked up, all except Alex, who locked his brakes and went boom into the back of Al Unser Jr. Was it intentional? No. And Wally Dallenbach did not penalise him.

I believe PT's move in Denver was not intended to take Bourdais out. Whether PT respects Bourdais off the track that's another thing; I'm not sure Seb respects PT either. It was ill-judged perhaps, but I would have never penalised Tracy with points.

There have been other ill-judged maneuvres this year but none has been as harshily penalised as this one.

Tracy has lost 7 points in San Jose and 3 in Denver. I think it would have been more right to penalise him 10 points (or 20) at San Jose and none in Denver.

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

I voted no aswell, and 100% agree with how Jordi summed things up.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Jordi

if you don't try the pass Tracy tried then you are not a racer, in my opinion.

There was no possibility for a pass though, that's the thing. PT was too far back.

As a result he just looked reckless and people are questioning his true intention.

[beau1]

Originally Posted by Raven

There was no possibility for a pass though, that's the thing. PT was too far back.

As a result he just looked reckless and people are questioning his true intention.

Hmm, true. But you could say the same about Alex Zanardi's move at the "Corkscrew" on the last lap a few years back. He was seen as a hero because it paid off but he would'nt of had he crashed.

[luke]

The thing is de Simone and Donny Crevels are banned for one race after a pit lane brawl last month in the LMS (GT class).

So Tracy caused a pointless dangerous crash, involved in a fight. Then once on probation takes someone out in a needless crash that again could have been avoided then again involved in a scuffle has little considering what they had.

[trevisio]

Originally Posted by Go_For_Pole

Especially in Canada, right? Still he deserves a big penalty, that move was in my opinion quite unsporting

Tracey knew he'd get away with it for this (commercial not sporting) reason

[Hans.ca]

Take a close look at the tape of the last lap debacle in Denver. Tracy was on the inside still going in a straight line, rear wheels probably locked up when See Bass turned into him and hit him on the front wheels causing the slide. There was enough room in the corner for Tracy to catch his car and make the turn if SB had not hit him. For two points SB risked it all. He needs to get the Darwin award.
Hans.ca

[luke]

For those that wish to make or change their decision here is what I uploaded onto Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNa4f2PC5J0

[trevisio]

Originally Posted by Hans.ca

Take a close look at the tape of the last lap debacle in Denver. Tracy was on the inside still going in a straight line, rear wheels probably locked up when See Bass turned into him and hit him on the front wheels causing the slide. There was enough room in the corner for Tracy to catch his car and make the turn if SB had not hit him. For two points SB risked it all. He needs to get the Darwin award.
Hans.ca

watch the video, PT ran out of talent way before SB turned into the corner, its plain for all to see

[Amar7605]

Well at that time was it a lock for AJ to win the race? I am thinking that Paul took out Seb so that AJ can gain substantally on the points chase.

Perhaps Paul was following team orders. After all, his boss is part owner of Champ Car.

(Yes, I had to throw a conspiracy angle in this discussion!)

[Neil22]

In a perfect world, Paul Tracy would be banned for the rest of the season. I just hope he regains some of his racing skills before he kills somebody with these idiotic shunts.

[Mystery]

He made a poor mistake clearly but the racing line into that corner appears very wide in my view, and Seb left the door wide open. Whilst it certainly isn't his fault I think SB might have had the option of avoiding the locked up PT by moving wide and then cutting back inside him, but I wouldn't go as far as saying that he did the wrong thing, because he kept his line as is entitled.

I actually think the points deduction to be quite harsh, but is perhaps a reflection of the fact the PT does keep getting involved in these kinds of incidents and has done over a number of years. Should he banned? - nope. Should he be publically told to stop it - yep and I think he more or less has been.

(Don't think he will stop though!)

[D.R.T.]

Exactly they are both racers. I think its great that they were both willing to overtake each other, instead of sitting on their points. However in this instance it was PT's fault but it wasnt a stupid move. No banning in necessary.

Lets encourage overtaking not over regulate it.