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Post by René on Mar 24, 2024 19:56:11 GMT
I watched the Thermal race (and qualifying heats). A weird event on a strange circuit. No race track scenery but only a few dozen multi million dollar houses. Almost no fans, only a few millionaires on the balconies. Weird. Alex Palou won.  |
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Post by Carl on Mar 24, 2024 20:20:44 GMT
I watched the Thermal race (and qualifying heats). A weird event on a strange circuit. No race track scenery but only a few dozen multi million dollar houses. Almost no fans, only a few millionaires on the balconies. Weird. Alex Palou won. I have F1 and Indycar set to record automatically, but I deleted this event ahead of time because I knew what to expect. Leigh Diffey probably needed his tongue disinfected afterward... 
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Post by René on Mar 25, 2024 18:20:29 GMT
I watched the Thermal race (and qualifying heats). A weird event on a strange circuit. No race track scenery but only a few dozen multi million dollar houses. Almost no fans, only a few millionaires on the balconies. Weird. Alex Palou won. I have F1 and Indycar set to record automatically, but I deleted this event ahead of time because I knew what to expect. Leigh Diffey probably needed his tongue disinfected afterward... Wise decision Carl. You missed nada, zero, nothing. Just a few millionaires having an IndyCar race in their backyard, for no reason. Because they can. |
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Post by Carl on Mar 26, 2024 16:48:56 GMT
Wise decision Carl. You missed nada, zero, nothing. Just a few millionaires having an IndyCar race in their backyard, for no reason. Because they can. René, Because they can, but not without a simple and entirely self-centered reason: to attract new club members eager to buy a lot and build a mansion. The founder has plans for a 14,000 square foot cottage and that will be expensive! He somehow became a billionaire as a middleman selling petroleum to gas stations and fried chicken to the public. On Sunday, he was selling luxurious self-indulgence, the proceeds intended to house a homeless billionaire and his wife within 14,000 square feet.  - Carl |
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Post by René on Mar 26, 2024 17:52:06 GMT
Wise decision Carl. You missed nada, zero, nothing. Just a few millionaires having an IndyCar race in their backyard, for no reason. Because they can. René, Because they can, but not without a simple and entirely self-centered reason: to attract new club members eager to buy a lot and build a mansion. The founder has plans for a 14,000 square foot cottage and that will be expensive! He somehow became a billionaire as a middleman selling petroleum to gas stations and fried chicken to the public. On Sunday, he was selling luxurious self-indulgence, the proceeds intended to house a homeless billionaire and his wife within 14,000 square feet. - Carl He's clearly a very good person.  |
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Post by René on Apr 18, 2024 16:52:55 GMT
Grand Prix of Long Beach After the meaningless millionaires' party in Thermal, this weekend a real race, the classic on the Long Beach street circuit.  It is still too early to name a favorite, but the top three of the first race, Newgarden, O'Ward and McLaughlin, are certainly among the contenders. And always of course the reigning champion Álex Palou. In any case, the race at Long Beach is usually spectacular, so it is certainly something to look forward to! 
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Post by Carl on Apr 20, 2024 23:02:34 GMT
Felix Rosenqvist settles down and takes pole position!
Knowing that entrepreneurs and television networks would never succumb to shallow trendiness, I assumed there must be a good reason so many venues are now called "the streets of"...
There isn't
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Post by chrisb on Apr 21, 2024 10:35:04 GMT
another one of my favourite tracks, steeped in majestic history - I think it was 1975? I do miss certain bits of the old circuit yet still consider this one of the better street circuits still.
utub finally showed the qualifying and although the coverage isn't great - the sounds were, the genuine excitement was and cars racing to pole was satisfying.
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Post by René on Apr 22, 2024 13:30:51 GMT
That was very enjoyable.. and Scott Dixon won! F1 is talking up Fernando Alonso but Scott Dixon is a year older, has six titles to his name and an Indy 500 win and is still winning! Okay, it’s not F1, it’s IndyCar, but this man is an amazing driver and athlete.  And it was a good race. Looked like Josef Newgarden could win it but a silly touché from Colton Herta took him out of contention. But always great to watch a race at Long Beach. |
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Post by Carl on Apr 22, 2024 16:31:49 GMT
The focus was on tyres and fuel consumption until lap 60, after which the drivers were finally allowed to haul ass and the race began! It was certain to be an exciting finish until Colton Herta inappopriately touched Josef Newgarden's rearend, sending his gearbox momentarily into neutral. Scott Dixon needed to conserve fuel, but it would still have been a monumental duel of two great drivers. I still miss the downhill at Linden (the original Turn 1) and Pine Avenue's steep climb toward Ocean Boulevard. Despite NBC's silly assertion, there is nothing at all iconic about the fountain, but Long Beach is still an excellent circuit. Scott Dixon chose wisely when he chose Indycar...  |
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Post by Carl on Apr 22, 2024 22:07:19 GMT
another one of my favourite tracks, steeped in majestic history - I think it was 1975? I do miss certain bits of the old circuit yet still consider this one of the better street circuits still. utub finally showed the qualifying and although the coverage isn't great - the sounds were, the genuine excitement was and cars racing to pole was satisfying. Your memory is excellent, Chris! The first race was a Formula 5000 qualifying event in September, 1975 and the first Formula One race the following March. As I mention in another comment today, I miss the original layout with the dramatic Turn 1 plunge onto Linden Avenue and the equally dramatic ascent of Pine Avenue, with the amplified sounds of full throttle echoing off the buildings.
Both were fantastic!
Because businesses along Ocean Boulevard complained about reduced profits, the Chamber of Commerce arranged for a truncated circuit for the first CART sanctioned event in 1983.
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Post by René on Apr 24, 2024 16:56:10 GMT
Remarkable IndyCar news. Josef Newgarden has been stripped of his St. Pete win and teammate McLaughlin was also disqualified. Will Power, the other Penske driver received a 10 points penalty. All for illegally being able to use push-to-pass on restarts! There must already have been a suspicion because long-term research has been conducted with this as a result. Not pretty. Pato O'Ward is now classified as the winner.  |
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Post by Carl on Apr 24, 2024 18:25:52 GMT
That is remarkable, especially because team owner Roger Penske also owns Indycar, but it's not entirely a surprise... In 1974, the great driver and engineer Mark Donohue wrote a book, coauthored by highly respected engineer and journalist Paul Van Valkenburgh, about Donohue's lengthy tenure at Team Penske. The title perfectly described what Roger Penske constantly sought to create, "The Unfair Advantage" The decision indicates division within the series, but rules are rules and must be followed no matter the alluring siren song of unfair advantage.
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Post by Carl on Apr 26, 2024 16:15:45 GMT
Indycar has a bizarre schedule this year, apparently unconcerned to have the next race in the same region.
St. Petersburg, Florida, to Long Beach is approximately 2,700 miles, ignoring the detour into thermal desolation
Long Beach to Birmingham, Alabama is 2000 miles. Why not have Laguna Seca and Portland follow Long Beach? Does series owner Roger Penske require teams to lease transporters from Penske Truck and pay by the mile?
Is push to pass optional?  |
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Post by René on Apr 27, 2024 10:15:23 GMT
Rather painful but good on him that he talked about it in the open and not via X or TikTok...
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