Nasty crash at Pocono today
- Thread starter Relayer
- Start date
I remember when open wheel racing was big in the U.S.
Too bad the owners of the Indianapolis Speedway ruined everything.
LdN
Too bad the owners of the Indianapolis Speedway ruined everything.
LdN
That was a horrible crash. Glad to hear he will be ok. Safety has come a long way in the past few years. 20 or so years ago, he would have been dead most likely.
I love open wheel racing. Actually, I love anything that isn't NASCAR. I watch F1 religiously and watch the endurance series when I catch them.
There are many factors for the state of Indy car racing. The overall decline in interest in auto racing is probably the biggest reason. Indy car is a shadow of what it was, but NASCAR and NHRA aren't experiencing golden eras by any means, either. The nasty divorce between USAC and many of the teams was probably the first big blow. It certainly stopped Indy car racing at Pocono for several years. CART's decision to effectively turn it into a minor league version of F1 racing, complete with guys who either couldn't make it in F1 or F1 veterans past their prime like Mansell and Fittipaldi, didn't help. It broke the series' connection its own past and with many drivers coming up through the ranks in the US sending them elsewhere. I won't defend many of the decisions made by Indy ownership or IRL, no one group is responsible for Indy car's current state
That is a good analysis. But overall the sentiment remains. The disconnect let nascar take over and Nascar is terrible.
Also the availability of F1 on tv changed a lot of things too.
Ldn
Mansell was reigning formula one champion when he came over. Fitipaldi was a genuine Indy star for many years and won a title and two 500s. Can’t figure out that statement. The only past prime guy that comes to mind was Rubhino, and he was here for just a year if I recall.
I thought exactly the same... kind of a dopey statement
Okay, Indy 500 Alexander Rossi was once a former Manor F1 reserve driver (Manor = Washington Generals of F1)... I’ll give you that... and, yeah, Danny Sullivan dabbled in F1 in the early eighties and returned to great success stateside in open-wheel cars.... there are a few nits to pick, but by and large I’d classify OaktonDave’s statement as inaccurate
Fernando Alonso was a victim of horrible Honda-power last year at F1 and essentially had his entire season blown up ladt year by their crappy engine... not washed up by any means, don’t blame him for his Indy dalliance, hope to see him again
Emmo was hardly past his prime... simply could not build his own winning team after tremendous success driving for Mclaren and Lotus
Used to be a huge NASCAR fan but haven't been to a race in we 5 years. They have done sooo many things wrong as a brand/series since 2003 it is sickening. I could go on for days why NASCAR is dropping eyeballs, but that is not my point
Recently (last 2 years) have been watching F1 and Indy on TV. To me, F1 is unwatchable because whomever has the pole is going to win because their teamates are setup to block for them. Passing in the front of the grid is almost non-existent. I do like how short the races are (compared to the NASCAR or endurance.)
Starting to really like Indy racing. It is fast and a lot of the outcome is driver based unlike F1. Plus it is short.
Overall, auto racing viewership and interest is declining. I think it just got way too "corporate" for the lay person to identify with. Toyota is taking their existing NASCAR Camry chasis and slapping on a Supra badge on it next year! Doesn't Toyota think I know there is a difference between the two and that a Supra has absolutely no resemblance of their NASCAR set-up?
Recently (last 2 years) have been watching F1 and Indy on TV. To me, F1 is unwatchable because whomever has the pole is going to win because their teamates are setup to block for them. Passing in the front of the grid is almost non-existent. I do like how short the races are (compared to the NASCAR or endurance.)
Starting to really like Indy racing. It is fast and a lot of the outcome is driver based unlike F1. Plus it is short.
Overall, auto racing viewership and interest is declining. I think it just got way too "corporate" for the lay person to identify with. Toyota is taking their existing NASCAR Camry chasis and slapping on a Supra badge on it next year! Doesn't Toyota think I know there is a difference between the two and that a Supra has absolutely no resemblance of their NASCAR set-up?
the Supra decision is yet another Toyota head-slapper, but it’s hardly unprecedented.... the Supra has as much in common with the existing “Camry Chassis” (your words) as the Camry does (except for the Camry headlight and tailight stickers).... nobody was fooled that those were Ford Fusions out there either (well, on second thought...) ...
F1 is pretty much as you call it, alas I will still tune in when I can as it reminds me of watching the glory years as a kid (Niki Lauda, Ronnie Petersen, James Hunt, Gilles Villenueve, Rene Arnoux, Senna)... miss the screaming turbo-era cars... the unappealing moans of the current F1 six cyl engines are like listening to your grandparents screw...
Indy cars feature the best races, except even though they have road courses all those ovals are just toilet bowls... and those spec-cars, while much better looking this season, are still spec-cars...
Rossi raced and impressed in F1 with a terrible Manor team before they went belly up. He should have driven for Haas but they went with Gutierrez which was a mistake but I’m sure $$$ wasinvolved.
F1 can fix their dilemma by significantly reducing the large front wings they use. Too much turbulence when trying to pass.
Indy Car gets it and has a nice and neat aero package. Their road races are very exciting. Mid Ohio was awesome as was Road America.
Alonso will contest the Indy 500 but probably not the entire series. We wants the endurance circuit, too. He is not washed up by any stretch of the imagination.
F1 can fix their dilemma by significantly reducing the large front wings they use. Too much turbulence when trying to pass.
Indy Car gets it and has a nice and neat aero package. Their road races are very exciting. Mid Ohio was awesome as was Road America.
Alonso will contest the Indy 500 but probably not the entire series. We wants the endurance circuit, too. He is not washed up by any stretch of the imagination.
That was my take
One was 38 and one was 40 when they arrived in CART. They weren't rising stars, they were in the twilight of the F1 careers and were not going to be candidates for the major F1 teams much longer, if at all. Was that a good thing for CART? Reasonable people can disagree, but I don't think so.
You do realize there were probably a dozen+ World Driving Champions between the ages 36 and 46
To of the MOST famous announcements at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
1. "Gentlemen start your engines!"
2. Mario Andretti is slowing down!"
1. "Gentlemen start your engines!"
2. Mario Andretti is slowing down!"
Since 1950 there have been 11. The last 40 year old to win was Brabham in '66. Since then there have 2 39 year-olds, 2 38 year-olds, and 1 36 year-old. You have to go back to Fangio in the early to mid-50's to see 40 somethings winning championships. The average age of F1 champions the last 50 years? - 30, and no one over 35 has won the championship since '96.
It’s a young man’s Sport just like most. The best, most elite are in their twenties, very early thirties. The rigors, the travel, the fitness needed to maintain elite status is tough on the old warriors....
Yikes! i’m old... For some reason, guys like Mark Webber (certainly not washed up) keep coming to mind... then I realize he never racked a championship...
