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Post by charleselan on May 9, 2021 12:20:13 GMT
I didn't like to mention Bobby's less than elite road course capabilities, but he was outstanding on ovals and as you mention Carl he was superb on loose surface events like to mile dirt ovals of Sprint Car and of course Pikes Peak. I should of course have mentioned his great drive in the Audi Short Quattro at Pikes Peak.
In some ways strange that he was good on loose surface yet that did not transcend to road course stardom, unlike his younger brother Al Snr.
I believe that Al Jnr was pretty handy in his early years, Michael Andretti and Al were pretty evenly matched for a while but as we have mentioned before "Little Al" seems like a troubled man for much of his life which basically ruined his long time career.
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Post by Carl on May 10, 2021 0:13:48 GMT
I didn't like to mention Bobby's less than elite road course capabilities, but he was outstanding on ovals and as you mention Carl he was superb on loose surface events like to mile dirt ovals of Sprint Car and of course Pikes Peak. I should of course have mentioned his great drive in the Audi Short Quattro at Pikes Peak. In some ways strange that he was good on loose surface yet that did not transcend to road course stardom, unlike his younger brother Al Snr. I believe that Al Jnr was pretty handy in his early years, Michael Andretti and Al were pretty evenly matched for a while but as we have mentioned before "Little Al" seems like a troubled man for much of his life which basically ruined his long time career. John, Kindness was seen as weakness in the Unser family, as ornery and cantankerous a bunch as father and son Anthony Joseph Foyt in Texas, so cheers and jeers are both deserved.  Bobby Unser raced for three decades and in so many race cars, I had forgotten about his final victory at Pikes Peak in the Audi, which amazed him by its speed and handling. I wonder if he had a bad first experience or two and simply decided he didn't like road racing (the Unsers were stubborn) because, as you say, his amazing skill on dirt and gravel, and of course on fast paved ovals, should have enabled success similar to his brother's on road courses. I remember when Al Junior and Michael Andretti were in their teens and spectacular in Formula Super Vee, Formula Atlantic and 5-litre Can-Am, evenly matched for some time. Both had a fall from grace, Michael because of his father's advice against relocating to England, where the young rookie should have been while adjusting to Formula One. While Michael soon regained speed and confidence, Little Al was the author of his own decline and fall over many years. Cheers, Carl |
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Post by René on May 13, 2021 10:41:11 GMT
Grand Prix of Indianapolis - Race 1Four races and four different winners. Who will be fastest at the Indianapolis road course this weekend? No idea! Scott Dixon is the points leader, showing again that consistency is essential to win a championship. But young guns O’Ward and Palou are not far behind followed closely by the more experienced guys Newgarden, Rahal and Pagenaud. Colton Herta has shown to be super fast but he needs to be more consistent for a championship challenge. 
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Post by chrisb on May 13, 2021 19:41:39 GMT
it would be great to see Jack Harvey win
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Post by René on May 15, 2021 10:11:26 GMT
Pole position for Romain Grosjean!!! How wonderful is that! "Like being alive again" Romain said afterwards. After all those years fighting in the midfield at best, this shows he has not forgotten how to drive a race car fast. Romain will start next to Josef Newgarden and on the second row it's Jack Harvey and Alex Palou. Third row Scott McLaughlin and Conor Daly and fourth row Rinus VeeKay and Colton Herta. This is going to be good!  |
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Post by Carl on May 15, 2021 17:10:19 GMT
When younger and in a fast car, Romain Grosjean was amazing and it's great to see that once more, and especially impressive because Dale Coyne Racing is not a powerhouse team. Twenty cars within one second is very close! The infield road course at Indy is well laid out except for the too tight first and second turns, where desperate passing attempts and accidents are guaranteed. The design reflects a fear of too much speed leading onto and exiting the main straight, understandable given the formidable speed attainable on the wide-open slightly banked corners of the oval.
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Post by René on May 15, 2021 17:47:27 GMT
When younger and in a fast car, Romain Grosjean was amazing and it's great to see that once more, and especially impressive because Dale Coyne Racing is not a powerhouse team. Twenty cars within one second is very close! The infield road course at Indy is well laid out except for the too tight first and second turns, where desperate passing attempts and accidents are guaranteed. The design reflects a fear of too much speed leading onto and exiting the main straight, understandable given the formidable speed attainable on the wide-open slightly banked corners of the oval. It was an amazing lap, Carl. I am so happy for Romain because someone with his talent deserves to have victories and maybe a title in a major racing class. If not F1, then Indycar. I hope he wins! Enjoy the race! For those who want to watch it, it's this evening (in Europe) at 21.00h so not tomorrow. |
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Post by René on May 15, 2021 22:42:00 GMT
Wow fantastic, Rinus Van Kalmthout aka Rinus VeeKay has just won his first Indycar race at Indianapolis! I said I wanted Romain to win and I did but this was even better! VeeKay was already very fast in the practice sessions but just missed out on the last six in qualy. But the race went perfect and his pass on Palou was brilliant. There was no stopping him today and it was a well deserved win for the 20 year old. Today five years ago, on May 15 2016, Max Verstappen won his first Formula One Grand Prix in Spain. And now on the same day, May 15 2021, Rinus VeeKay wins his first IndyCar race at Indianapolis. I am not particularly chauvinistic but this was a great day for Dutch motorsport and this date will forever be special for Dutch race fans. Never before did we have such talents in both F1 and Indycar competing at the same time and winning races. And this won't be the last for Rinus. Yep, this was wonderful.  |
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Post by Carl on May 16, 2021 5:29:10 GMT
A great race with the outcome clear only near the end, slipping away from Romain Grosjean and into the hands of Rinus Veekay. Both would have been dramatic and deserving winners, but team strategy and driver execution won the day.
It was a very emotional victory for Rinus and his parents, who had shared sacrifice with their son, were at the race with him and jubilant when he crossed the finish line.
Many in Holland tonight are dreaming pleasantly of a new Dutch motor racing dynasty to topple Mercedes. 
Gefeliciteerd Rinus!
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Post by charleselan on May 16, 2021 13:56:30 GMT
A very good and enjoyable race with a well deserved win for Rinus Veekay, his first and no doubt the beginning of many others. Rather disappointed for Romain Grosjean who looked absolutely superb in the first half of the race with beautifully executed starts but somewhat like with Max Verstappen in the last F1 race it would seem that strategy let him down, as well as being held up when following Rinus by a strangely off form Sebastian Bourdais. The one thing that I have always noted from tightly controlled or one make formulas is the uncharacteristic changes in form that cannot always be attributed to driver ability, more an issue of how the teams work and set up their cars. I did watch the first part of the race through the live feed of MSNBC and how the blazes do you guys in America tolerate these constant advertising interruptions, truly diabolical. Back in the day when the independent broadcaster ITV in the UK used to have exclusive rights to F1 there were adverts mid race and this drew a great deal of complaint which resulted in a revised program format. Interestingly when S*YF1 show the MSNBC stream they do not include the adverts but we have a non commentary interlude which is sublime  (no Leigh Diffey, Carl). |
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Post by chrisb on May 16, 2021 14:23:56 GMT
a wonderful race, that thrilled and was very enjoyable, well done to Rinus, he was marked out as a future talent, and has lived up to expectations, feel for Romain and at least he has made quite a statement so looking forward to his first victory soon, real shame for Jack, who was looking really good, that was a pity although his time will come and he too will step up to the top step and next is Indy, which will be some race
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Post by Carl on May 16, 2021 17:46:13 GMT
I always record and watch races later, which allows me to fast-forward the commercials. Networks are obviously contemptuous of motor racing fans, otherwise the main broadcasters [Leigh Diffey/David Croft] would not be idiots, a contempt also impacting MotoGP with its shrill announcers.
I enjoy and listen carefully to the expert commentary of Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy, as well as Martin Brundle and Karun Chandhok, but the others are a dull sideshow and when the chief idiots bellow or imagine they are humorous or profound, I use the mute button to good effect. I object to excessive commercialism in motorsport, one reason an SCCA Nationals weekend at Riverside was one of my favorite events, with top amateur racers drawn from all SCCA regions for two days of racing that was fast and super-competitive. My favorite sponsor? "Bruce the Gorilla" on the side of an F Production Spitfire. |
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Post by robmarsh on May 24, 2021 8:00:11 GMT
Despite my dislike of the look of the current Indycars I must say I enjoyed watching qualifying for the Indy 500 and have booked the TV for the race this weekend. I enjoyed the broadcast and didn't find Diffey to off-putting but what I really enjoyed was the close up of the cars and the mechanicals. Something F1 needs to embrace more. Underneath the somewhat off-putting body shape there is some lovely engineering and it is pure  . |
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Post by chrisb on May 24, 2021 9:37:39 GMT
me too Rob, I only watched the highlights on Utube and it was exciting, such a contrast and may well watch the race if I can suss out how, there are some really good times looming for Indycars and hopefully this will bring more coverage, some great young drivers coming through - really enjoyable
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Post by René on May 24, 2021 10:04:44 GMT
Yes, and a fantastic front row with Scott Dixon, Colton Herta and Rinus Veekay. The old fox against the young guns!
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(no Leigh Diffey, Carl).
.