Conference oass::racers

    Interesting tidbits heard the other night on RPM2night...Tony Stewart
    the other day in practice turned a 237.4xx mph lap.
    
    Seen in the Boston Globe today that Luyendike did that plus.  Arie
    turned 3 consecutive laps at 237.5 or better, the last lap being
    237.775 mph.
    
    Qualifying starts this weekend, should prove to be interesting.
    
    Carl
    

It should prove especially interesting given how little track time 
they've had.  It's been raining a lot in Indianapolis.

--PSW

    I can see it now:
    
    Front row 237 236 235 mph
    scnd row  180 179 170 mph
               .
                  .
                     .
    last row 120 119 117 mph
    
    If they could have over 30 MPH differance at a small oval, Indy will
    really show the he slow guys off.
    
    It will be a farce, there are only 3 or 4 good/name drivers, 75 cars
    and 35 drivers. They used to have over 120 cars and drivers entered.
    
    Wait until next year when they are running real IRL cars with no turbo
    and a low bucks chassis. This will show them off as the lower class
    they should be.
    
    I guess that is what makes me the most mad, the IRL come over like they
    are just as good as the CART guys. Far from it.
    
    Fred
                                                   

    Actually, the Speedway has set a minimum speed of 220mph. to qualify. 
    
    

Well, Luyendyk set a new track record in second-day qualifying, and 
Brayton and Stewart are also over Guerrero's old record.

I was shocked to see how few fans were in the stands for Pole Day 
qualifying.

--PSW

    A few of us were talking about that too.  For the last few years, Pole
    day seemed like it had as many in attendance as the actual race.  
    
    While I know there is the "turf war" going on between CART and IRL (and 
    I don't wish to start that here either), you would have thought that the 
    publicity being generated during practice about the speed being 
    generated would have brought out more people.
    
    I wonder what will happen on race day?!
    
    Carl

    The weather didn't exactly cooperate with a 26 degree wind chill.
    
    I think fans are sitting back and waiting to see what happens. I think
    you'll see some empty seats on race day as well. 
    
    I can't make it this year, and I know from talking to people in Indy,
    the ticket agents (scalpers - it's legal there) are hesitant to buy
    additional tickets this year. 
    
    I would not entertain giving up my seats by not re-ordering them. Indy
    is Indy.
    
    
    
    
    

    Just heard on the news that Scott Brayton was killed in a qualifying
    crash this afternoon.  News footage doesn't look that bad, just as if a
    normal Indy collision with the wall.  Scott was rushed to the hospital
    unconcious and was pronounced dead 30 minutes later.
    
    Another sad day in motor racing.....8(
    
    Paul
    

    Yes, he will be missed.  
    
    I watched the ESPN Indy Live report at 6pm on Friday.  They showed him 
    going into the wall.  I guess, while it looked like a "normal" collision, 
    it happened on the left side of the car where, while the car design is 
    the same as the right side, the driver ride protection is not.
    
    The ESPN folks were speculating that the car, set up for left hand
    turns, has extra padding and support for the drivers right side to help
    support them from the G-forces.  Oh well, speculation.
    
    Also, I guess Danny Drinnen (sp) had a similar event on Saturday, left
    side crash, etc.  He was carried away and is alive but suffering from a
    concussion and fractured hip.
    
    I hope this is the end of it!
    
    Carl

    -1
    
    I don't think that was the last of it.  You had to keep switching
    between ESPN2 and ESPN to get all of it, but I believe another
    "rookie" was injured yesterday about 5:30PM, Billy Boat(s).  The
    extent of his injuries was unknown when qualifying went off the
    air.  I don't believe his injuries were life threatening, but it
    generated enough debris on the track that it wasn't clear whether
    or not the last 2 fellows would get a chance to get back out on
    the track.
    
    

    Let's run a pool on how many cars actually FINISH the Indy! 
    
    My prediction is that it will be much like the Monaco GP this weekend. 
    22 cars started..........4 finished!
    
    Pablo
    

    I need to think on my inputs for this.  (The only thing I would caution
    about is that the DNFs come from minor mishaps and engine failures - we
    don't need anymore Brayton/Drinnen endings.)
    
    I know there were a lot of rookies being run through rookie training
    But take a look at the starting grid.  Of the 33 car grid, 16 cars will
    be rookie starters and one car was listed with no driver.  
    
    So, I think the start of the race is will be key as to how many are
    left at the end of the race.
    
    I thought I heard that they may be modify the start procedure for this
    years race.  Anyone heard anything?
    
    Carl

re: Monaco DNFs

A high number of DNFs is common for that race. Besides the fact that
they're racing on narrow streets, which could lead to more than an
average number of "shunts", the course is extremely rough on the equipment.
I remember reading about an _outrageous_ number of gear changes per lap -
something >100 (??).

Steve

    -1  I'm very afraid there definitely could be another Brayton/Drinnen
    situation(s).  Aside from the Billy Boats incident another, just out
    of rookie training smacked the wall (driver escaped uninjured) before
    time ran out for qualifying.
    
    The kid was going into the same corner where Brayton took his fatal
    hit; the scenario seemed like a bad re-play of Brayton's accident.
    The rear end of the car swung toward the wall; the young driver
    initially did was he was supposed to do, i.e. stomp on the brakes,
    locking them up.  According to Jon Beekus, unfortunately the kid
    only got it half right; Beekus said in that situation you keep the
    brakes locked up and steer in the direction you're skidding.  This
    young man (can't remember name) took his foot off the brakes too
    soon and since he had the steering wheel pulled hard to the right,
    he put the front end into the wall :-(  Beekus said if the kid had
    just kept on the brakes a bit longer he would have missed the wall
    (just barely) but missed it just the same.  He summed it up "typical
    rookie mistake".  If each rookie only has ONE such mistake on the big
    day, this could spell disaster for this race.
    
    There was one rookie who made it through school, but had been
    playing "musical cars"; Sunday arrived before someone assured the
    kid a ride for the race.  This young man seems to be the brightest
    banana in the bunch; after talking it over with his father he said
    no....felt there just wasn't enough time left before race day for
    him to get an adequate number of laps in the car he was offered. He
    said he'll wait and try again next year.
    
    Even some of the "name" drivers who will be driving Indy haven't
    driven the entire IRL circuit (what little there is).  Has Lynn St.
    James or Ari Lyundyck driven all the IRL races?  I don't think so.
    Even some of the other drivers considered experienced have been
    far back also-rans when entered in races with Unser, Fittipaldi(s),
    Vasser, Pruett etc.  Methinks some of these gents chose Indy not
    just because of "tradition", but because they KNOW if they entered
    the Michigan 500 they would STILL be also-rans to Unser, Vasser etc.
    
    Carl,
    
    It may have been settled by now, but at the time qualifying ended
    on Sunday no firm decision had been made on where to place Ongais
    in Brayton's car.  I heard speculation that they would do one lap
    with Brayton's car on the pole, then the car would go to the rear
    of the field.  Then last night on ESPN2 there was speculation that
    Brayton's car might be allowed to remain in the pole position.
    Apparently some other team was concerned that if Brayton's car
    moved to the rear of the pack after one lap and that car position
    was left open, it would give an unfair advantage to the car that
    sat directly behind Brayton's car in row 2 (unfair to other cars
    on row 2).
    
    IMO the first scenario should apply; Lyundyck still holds the fastest
    time, but he's starting at the back of the pack because he didn't do it
    in time to make the pole.  The rules for this series are getting
    very confusing, guaranteed cars/teams etc. vs. cars/drivers just
    "qualifying" themselves into a slot.
    

    I, too, heard about that rookie who ultimately chose not to run.  When 
    I saw that interview with him on ESPN, I thought that he seemed to 
    show some level of intelligence.  
    
    As to the potential for serious stuff happening, I think you'd agree
    that if you read between my lines, I feel the same way.  I just hope I
    am wrong.  However you feel about the schism between CART and Tony
    George (oops, I mean IRL), the sport does not need any more black eyes.
    
    You are also right about not all of the experienced driver running the
    previous IRL races.  There were only 2 - Orlando and Phoenix.  Lyn got
    caught in a huge wreck in Phoenix during a practice and didn't make the
    race.  I believe Arie ran in both but luck was just not with him.
    
    Oh well...
    

    Regarding the Indy start, the rules are clear, at least as clear as
    they can be with USAC involved.  If you change the driver after the car
    has qualified, the car goes to the back of the grid.  Period.  Since
    Brayton's car qualified first, Ongais *should* start 33rd; all other
    starters should move up one position.

    It remains to be seen what USAC will actually do.  That's not to say
    that they couldn't start the race with new positions 1-32 in place, put
    Ongais at the head of the field for a honorary parade lap, and them
    move him back to 33rd for the actual start.

    I think fooling with some tawdry display in "honor" of Brayton only
    sullies his memory.  Maybe, just for once, USAC could follow its own
    rules and, then, every competitor at the Speedway would know where
    he/she stands.

    JMHO,
    George

Just for the record:

At WDW Lyn was 8th and Arie went out with Gearbox trouble.

At Phoenix Lyn went out at Lap 11 with electrical problems and Arie won!

I think it may have been the Michigan 500 last year that Lyn was involved
in a wreck ?

But even these 'experienced' drivers may have difficulty trying to avoid
being taken out by the rookies!  But, we may be surprised, the WDW
race was fairly crash-free.  I do wonder though when I read that Ongais is 54
and hasn't raced an Indy car since he crashed in practice at the 500, what, 
8 or 9 years ago? And he'll be in one of the fastest cars....yikes.

Lets hope for a safe race.
martin

    Re Monaco, there was a movie that showed some in-car action from
    back in the sixties; I remember watching Graham Hill or whoever it
    was and his left leg was basically just pumping the clutch up and down
    through the whole segment. Not sure if the cars had to be
    double-clutched at that point, but he sure was getting a workout.
    
    Incidently, that movie and the Le Mans movie (showing the cars darting
    back and forth across the whole width of the track at the end of the
    Mulsanne straight as the braked down from 220+ to 40 mph) are what
    convinced me early on that I wouldn't ever be a race car driver.
    
    Doug.

    What will be the TV time for the race?  Same question for the 
    Michigan (oops, U.S.) 500?
    
    Jeff

    I believe the schedule is something like this:
    
    Sun., 5/26 	11:00am Indy 500 on ABC
    		 2:00pm	US500 on ESPN
    		 5:00pm Coca Cola 600 (NASCAR) on TBS
    
    As the the start of the race, I agree with you George - Ongais *should*
    start from the back of the field.
    
    As to Lyn, I really do believe she got wrecked during practice in 
    Phoenix, but not seriously enough to miss the race itself.  She was the 
    innocent victim here as someone else actually wrecked and took her out 
    as well.
    
    C.

I noticed on the EDS Web page that the grid line-up shows Tony Stewart
on the pole (ie everyone moved up one place) and Ongais at the back.
Whether this is the final decision remains to be seen I guess.

martin

    Same way it was posted in the Globe the other day...Ongais at the back,
    Stewart on pole - Arie moving up to 20 instead of 21st.

    Lyn St. James is her "public" name and not her real name. I can't
    remember the real one....
    
    jim

RE: .16 and following

Ongais will start at the back of the field in Brayton's car.  USAC 
wants to have some sort of tribute to Brayton, and that may involve 
the car driving at the front of the field during the formation lap, 
but USAC made it clear it will be at the back of the field for the 
start.

--PSW

Interesting race, lots of screwups in the pits, but not many accidents, 
considering the number of rookies.  I listen to most of the race on the radio, 
at least I didn't have to listen to Bobby Unser, but they need to take some 
lessons from the NASCAR radio guys.  Those 20 lap updates were terrible and 
they jumped to all sorts of conclusions, before getting all the facts.

Any updates on Lyn St James?  Were any of the drivers involved in the turn 4 
accident injured?  How many cars actually took the checkered flag?

Dave

Six cars actually took the checkered flag.  It would have been 9 
except for that 3-car crash on the last lap.

--PSW

Did Scott Sharp take the IRL title?

Dave

    I thought Scott was tied for first, but could be wrong. I'd also fine
    the crap out of Salizar for his A) hitting Arie coming out of the pits
    - pretty deliberate, B) dangerously blocking a driver on the
    straightaway and C) being involved with the final lap crash - although
    this one may not be his fault.
    
    jim
    

    Re: IRL champ
    
    At the Lime Rock Trans-Am event on Monday, Scott Sharp was referred to
    by Greg Rickes (Lime Rock PR guy) as the co-champ of the IRL.  FWIW.
    
    George

The USAC powers-that-be are huddled together this week to determine 
if/how to break the tie.

--PSW

    .29
    
    Was Scott Sharp racing at Lime Rock on Monday?  I didn't notice.  I did
    hear one driver (Tom Kendall I think) say over the radio during the
    race "I think I just passed the IRL champ."   At the time it sounded
    like a slam on the IRL.
    
    -Steve
                            

    Yup, SS was at Lime Rock.  Drove the other (33) Rain-X Camaro, the
    green one.  Didn't do much, but had to run to stay in the points.
    
    George

    Oh... ok.  I blocked his channel out of the scanner after about 10
    laps.  Every single lap, all I heard was "Go Scottie... great lap...
    you're doing great..."  Got real annoying after a while.
    
    -Steve
    

>>  B) dangerously blocking a driver on the
>>     straightaway

I couldn't believe this one.  I had to replay the tape 3 or 4 times.

I thought he should have been black flaged.

Bill