Indy 500 - very bad news.....

[indycals]

Double file restarts this year. Dumbing us down toward NASCAR.

[Calvin]

I dont think It'll happen. Too many fans will complain about it here in the next few days.

The only thing Indycar needs to worry about is making the Cars interesting and steer it into more of an American Sport.

[illeagle10]

Do we know the reason for this? Do they also give what type of double file restarts? By place or are they going to do the old NASCAR, lapped cars on the inside?

Jim

[2lapsdown]

Are they dumbing down to the talent level? I'm no math wizard but 2 into 33 doesn't go equally. The starts have been so bad lately that with this new idea they'll be lapping the last car in line by lap 3.

John

[dale]

Any thing has to be an improvemrnt over the garbage starts and restarts the paying fans haved gotten over the last 10-15 years. Let them use their talent as drivers to work traffic. I have been to the last 40 Indy 500's and am disappointed that the world's greatest auto race has to give the leader a 1/2 mile start to get to the start/finish line. In my worthless opinion, this is one of the few things NASCAR still grts right.

[Deleted]

I'd rather go to all the USAC races the week leading up to Indy, the Little 500, and head home Sunday.

[Deleted]

What happened to the Indianapolis 500 leading the way? Why follow the morons of NASCAR into the cesspool? Like my grandfather said many times....

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it....."

Best to you!

Russ

[Calvin]

Jan 11, 2011 2:52:55 GMT -5 Calvin said:

I dont think It'll happen. Too many fans will complain about it here in the next few days.

Never mind!
After looking around, a lot of people like it?

[indycals]

The worst part is that it's first implementation will be at the 100th anniversary Indianapolis 500!

[2lapsdown]

I missed the point when I first read it. I thought they were going to do a double file start at Indy. Double file restarts I can see, although it could get dicey.

John

[indycals]

Call me old fashioned but I think positions should be earned - that includes getting past the slower cars. Not to mention that double file restarts effectively gives a free pass attempt to second place.

[dale]

I would prefer to see the old Nascar restart with the lead lap cars in one lane, lapped cars in the other, with the leader choosing the lane foe the lead cars on each restart.

[Art Laski]

Jan 11, 2011 12:49:53 GMT -5 indycals said:

Call me old fashioned but I think positions should be earned - that includes getting past the slower cars. Not to mention that double file restarts effectively gives a free pass attempt to second place.

Not to mention it's far more dangerous than in NASCAR to have them double file, in an era when safety is supposedly a top priority.

[indycals]

On the plus side - lots of exciting things in store for Indy this year:

All 269 living drivers are invited for an autograph session
70 of 74 winning cars to be on display in the museum
and a flyover like we've never seen before

Supposedly they are now saying double file restarts to start 'sometime in 2011'.

[peteyd]

Regardless, those of us that are aflicted will be there or watch on TV.

As an aside; is anyone going to Indy for any of the week before festivities? I'm going to be there from Wednesday on of that week. Maybe we can meet somewhere during the week?

peteyd

[indycals]

I'll get into town Wednesday night and be there until late Monday afternoon... but I'm going to be a very busy bee!!!! I did put in an order for a table at the Memorabilia show at the Speedway on Saturday.

[Calvin]

I think they should bring back the "Pacer Lights" rule. Back when racing at Indy was at its purest

[illeagle10]

Here's a link to an article from my local newspaper on this,

www.mcall.com/sports/motorracing/mc-aa-indycar-state-of-indycar-20110111,0,3123869.story

Some interesting thoughts on this, even NASCAR!

Jim

[indycals]

Good to see the drivers are against the double file restarts beginning at Indy.

[racewrench87]

The double wide fiasco's start after indy along with the change in the starting cone. one more Indy of Brians turn 3 single file race start

[trevor83]

They need to go back to leaving the pacecar on the track until turn 4 and going green when they see the flag. Not at some ridiculous 'go' point.

[2lapsdown]

Trevor, you're talking crazy!! That makes to much sense, this is Brian Barnhart we're talking about.

John

[indycals]

I agree that the start zone rule needs to be enforced at Indy. Back in 08 I sat in turn three and had a very good perspective on the restarts - Scott Dixon's brake checking nearly caused two massive wrecks in turn 4.

[trevor83]

For the record I'm a fan of Barnhardt's. I've sat in many drivers meetings and I think a lot of fans need to also. I think it would change their tune. But I do disagree with not leaving the pacecar on track at any of the races. In particular I'm sick of spotting at Indy when the f#@%#@ing leader is accelerating going INTO turn 3. Its real fun trying to pick out the green light in turn 4 from the crowd, watch the leader AND my car all at the same time. It was a lot easier last year since I had Ed and he ran up front....at least for the first half.

[SWT500]

To elaborate on what Trevor is accurately describing, let's remember that with the exception of the idiot driving the pace car who slowed dramatically in 1995, which cost Scott Goodyear a well deserved win, the system worked well. That was before spotters and before cars drivers could not see out of. I don't want to put myself out of work, but simpler is really better. The acceleration should take place on the front straight and they should not race until taking the green at the line. It should not happen in turn 3 and brake checks in the interest of strategy should be penalized.

[trevor83]

The brake checking in 2009 was the worst I had ever seen. Its amazing how many restart wrecks were avoided that day.

[stuboyle]

Jan 12, 2011 0:38:06 GMT -5 Calvin said:

I think they should bring back the "Pacer Lights" rule. Back when racing at Indy was at its purest

I think that is good idea, however with GPS we could have the pacer lights in the cockpit. Each car would have to maintain their relative position. With today's technology you could detect cheating and penalize the driver.

[stuboyle]

Jan 13, 2011 9:36:05 GMT -5 trevor83 said:

The brake checking in 2009 was the worst I had ever seen. Its amazing how many restart wrecks were avoided that day.

With today's technology, race control should be able to detect that and penalize a driver who does it.

[indycals]

Jan 13, 2011 8:31:15 GMT -5 SWT500 said:

To elaborate on what Trevor is accurately describing, let's remember that with the exception of the idiot driving the pace car who slowed dramatically in 1995, which cost Scott Goodyear a well deserved win, the system worked well. That was before spotters and before cars drivers could not see out of. I don't want to put myself out of work, but simpler is really better. The acceleration should take place on the front straight and they should not race until taking the green at the line. It should not happen in turn 3 and brake checks in the interest of strategy should be penalized.

The 'idiot' driving the pace car never slowed down - he constantly accelerated through turn 4. The problem was Goodyear who laid a patch accelerating on the back stretch and entered turn thee at 160+ mph. It only looked like the pace car slowed down because Goodyear was 105mph faster at the time of the pass... the pace car was still over 100mph. If you watch the ABC broadcast you can clearly see him lay a patch near the end of the back straight on the restart

[Calvin]

Jan 13, 2011 11:18:51 GMT -5 stuboyle said:

Jan 12, 2011 0:38:06 GMT -5 Calvin said:

I think they should bring back the "Pacer Lights" rule. Back when racing at Indy was at its purest

I think that is good idea, however with GPS we could have the pacer lights in the cockpit. Each car would have to maintain their relative position. With today's technology you could detect cheating and penalize the driver.

Well I was just joking. If we ran that rule in today's situation we would never have a lead change. The Pacer Lights rule only works good on an unreliable field of cars.