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Comments
Rocky
Didn't make me think spring was coming. And being a restrictor plate race, it kind of comes down to who makes mistakes and who doesn't, both on the track and in the pits. In that regard, it was sort of like watching the Olympic bobsledding. Very hard to recover any ground you lose.
Any thoughts, predictions?
Kind of interesting that all the cars are now using the same chassis and engine so the 500 is more like the old IROC deal where the cars are basically the same.
Randy
This year its all Honda with the choice between Panoz and Dallara as the only mechanical variable. Boring.
As for predictions, I'll go with Michael Andretti to win it all (hey, it could happen). He has what should be the superior car in a Dallarra and more experience than most others on the track. For a dark horse, I'll go with Buddy Rice. He drives a Panoz which could, although unlikely, prove to be the equipment to have. If so, he might have an edge on the field.
I still wish the IRL and CART would unify, adopt two or three approved cars and then open the engine competition up to the NASCAR crowd. It would be interesting to see who could build a 4.5 liter pushrod V8 that could spin at 11,000 rpm for 500 miles. All of NASCAR's restrictions on exotic metals and such would remain in place. The result? The series would immediately have four engine brands with multiple suppliers for each. Costs would go down, competition would improve and we, the fans, would win.
Reason I'd lean against Michael Andretti is the reason I always tilted that way... he seems to use up his cars shorter than the 500 miles.
Doesn't seem to be much of a Danica Patrick frenzy this year either.
Now, if this were the over-boosted days of the mid 1990s, then I would bet against Andretti with confidence.
I wonder how much the Captain had to pay for those ringer engines? :-)
So.....I take back what I wrote regarding Michael "I-can-barely-crack-220" Andretti and go with Hornish. I'll stick with Rice for my dark horse.
Looks like it was a good decision to have him back off for a few laps ealrier to conserve fuel and avoid that last stop.
Got to watch a bit of Monaco F1 too. Those cars are so sticky and quick to accelrate, they almost look like a video game.
Got to run for three days at the new extension on the Reno-Fernley raceway. Did both the full course, 4.0 miles and one of the expected race configurations, the H config, and they are both very technical. Not exactly friendly to my 3250 lb. Corvette but none the less fun to learn when running with other marques. In one session took me four laps to reel in a Mini Cooper S that started out of pit lane just two cars ahead of me. Picked up ground on the straights and lose part of it in the twisties but it finally came together when I convinced myself to calm down and just relax. He then chased me for the rest of the session only falling a little behind. Don't know his weight but it was lightened, had an after market suspension package, boosted engine over 200hp and DOT-R's. Compared to my street set up it was a good match.
The former Trans-Am Mustang, 700+hp that took off between us didn't end up lapping either of us so we also felt good about that, too. If you haven't been to a track near you to improve your driving skills, you are missing a motorsports gem!
Randy
Who has more fun? The guy in the former Trans-Am Mustang, you in the Corvette, or the guy in the Mini Cooper S? Of the 3, obviously the Mustang is quickest and the Cooper S the slowest. But does than automatically also determine the fun quotient?
I ask because my cousin has both a C5 Corvette and a Mini Cooper S, and he feels that generally speaking the Cooper S is more fun to drive. (Neither has been on a track; he has a '66 Shelby GT350H that he open tracks and vintage races).
As for fun at the track, I can personally attest to having an absolute ball while driving a 1976 Ford LTD in a "bomber class" race at Golden Sands Speedway outside of Wisconsin Rapids. My ventures in the hobby stock class was no more fun or challenging - just faster. The same holds true for go-carts. I've had fun while driving a four stroke 100cc cart with a centrifugal clutch as well a two stroke 250cc shifter cart. The later was more scary than fun.
A lot of factors could have entered into it though. Hornish could have been carrying less fuel and been lighter because of his decision to conserve fuel and avoid a last pit stop after his drive through penalty. Or Andretti could have bee closer on fuel than Hornish and Hornish was able to turn it up to full rish on that last lap for power. Or maybe a 19 year old thought he had it sewn up after turn 4 of lap 200.
Andretti did pretty much run straight to the line, with no blocking moves. Hindsight is 20/20, but I'm thinking he or his pit should have taken a guess (the fact that Hornish tried the inside and had to back out should have been a clue) about which side Hornish would try at the end and make a pre-emptive move in that direction.
More information at
http://www.lemans.org/24heuresdumans/live/pages/accueil_gb.html
Regards,
Jose
One think I can tell due to my own experience is that modern street-car diesels have lost their bad smells, and are not 'reelers' anymore.
Jose
Jose
Randy
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
They had led the P2 class at the 3 hour mark.
Radical SR9 at Le Mans
The Le Mans Series has the same four classes as the American Le Mans Series.
Le Mans Series
Terry Borcheller, Christian Fittipaldi, and Johnny Mowlem were the drivers. Christian had never raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans before this year.
A Saleen S7R had never finished the 24 Hours of Le Mans before (previously raced in 2001, 2002, and 2003).
During the night
Saleen Oreca
Randy
ALMS news
The fact is that street cars are just about too fast on some tracks today, especially for the safety equipment on board. I have only done road courses and never gotten past 135mph yet (usually only up to 105 to 120) but for those that go to road ovals like Las Vegas MS and Fontana there are street C5 Z06's doing in excess of 150mph. There are drivers from 20 years ago that would have given up an arm for that kind of performance in a full race car. Just 3 laps in one of the new Z06's and I know the car is beyond my talent level. Restrictor's or restrictions may just be good sense.
Then again you have to ask how 'production based cars' like the CTS-V and 911 can be made similar. In the case of the Caddy it has the engine and drive train 7" further back than the production car, with the driver basically in the back seat, same I think for the GTO. It seems they are all just tube frames with body panels. Oh well it's better than all left turns ...
Randy
Isn't it a shame when the most interesting racing news for the week is Danica Patrick going to team green?
IRL news
Also, I doubt the CTS-Vs will race in Speed GT thru 2008.
link two
link three
http://blogs.edmunds.com/Straightline/1332
Bob
-mike
-mike
Are you planning on watching the Grand Prix races in Sonoma?
-mike
Have you been to any racing events live...or only watch thru the old tube?
I am actually planning on attending at least one Rolex race this year hopefully.
-mike