The 2012 IndyCar Series thread

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 25 Sep 2011, 20:23

jpm wrote:But it's Jean Alesi, so we all know he's gonna go bananas at Indy, find a way to go faster than anyone else, and be unluckier than TK at the same time...

Sorry, I laughed really hard at this statement...

nome66 wrote:mazda should bring in their turbo v6's. they haul ass. or maybe chevy can rebrand their v6 turbos "Buick" for good luck.... lol
let's just hope the american entry sounds as good as they did in 1989.

The Buick engines blew up left right and center at Indy. They were fast as hell but the designers got way too aggressive with them and thus they failed quite often. Only once did one of them actually finish the full 500 miles IIRC and that was Big Al Unser in 1992 driving as a replacement for Nelson Piquet.

Shame the Menard V6 project was canned, if they fixed the reliability on that engine it would have probably been unstoppable.

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 25 Sep 2011, 21:05

i was being sarcastic but whatever. 8-)

what they should do is allow more manufacturers.

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 26 Sep 2011, 01:59

nome66 wrote:i was being sarcastic but whatever.
what they should do is allow more manufacturers.

Oh definitely. I would love to see Mazda enter the fray.

There's already rumors that Dodge/Fiat will be teaming up with Cosworth for 2013, so you may get your wish sooner than you hoped. By the way, Cosworth is still owned by Kevin Kalkhoven (or however you spell his name), and he still co owns KV Racing with Jimmy Vasser...

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 26 Sep 2011, 02:12

the mopar man in me wants this to happen. the purist is slightly disappointed that cosworth is rebranding itself out to so many other manufacturers than ford. lol

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 27 Sep 2011, 18:46

nome66 wrote:the mopar man in me wants this to happen.

Likewise.

Though I wonder if Sato is a Mopar man... or Vasser for that matter.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 27 Sep 2011, 21:01

I know I could just Google it, BUT...

What's a Mopar Man?

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 27 Sep 2011, 22:39

dr-baker wrote:What's a Mopar Man?

A notorious troll on the finalgear.com forums is what I always think of...

ADx_Wales · Post by **ADx_Wales** » 28 Sep 2011, 01:42

Has there not been some miscommunication here, Dodge/Fiat, surely they meant to say AVOID Fiat!

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 28 Sep 2011, 01:55

dr-baker wrote:I know I could just Google it, BUT...

What's a Mopar Man?

wow. it's an american who likes cars and other vehicles manufactured by the Daimler Chrysler organization. their in house tuning company is called Mopar.
the bad blood between faithfuls of the "big three" in america can get pretty competitive. imagine Holden vs. Ford in australia, except Holden is called chevy, and there is a third side.

ADx_Wales · Post by **ADx_Wales** » 28 Sep 2011, 07:22

What is Mopar?

Mercedes - AMG
Toyota - TRD
Nissan - Nismo
Honda - Mugen, Spoon, HPD
Dodge - Mopar

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 28 Sep 2011, 08:47

Thanks. Rings a bell, now that people have pointed it out to me. Just haven't heard of Mopar for several years now prior to this reference...

IdeFan · Post by **IdeFan** » 28 Sep 2011, 09:40

This is the first i've seen of the 2012 Indycar.

And all I can say is, oh dear...

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 28 Sep 2011, 10:12

IdeFan wrote:This is the first i've seen of the 2012 Indycar.

And all I can say is, oh dear...

IRL/INDYCAR cars have looked (and sounded) crap with exception of the 1996 season which should never have happened and was CART machinery anyway. The first-gen IRL cars were pretty okay but after that it just went downhill. Still wish CART/CCWS came out of the war as the victor...

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 28 Sep 2011, 10:31

I admit that it might take time to get used to these new Indycar Dallaras... Lot's of time.

ADx_Wales · Post by **ADx_Wales** » 28 Sep 2011, 15:59

Anyone remember the "Formula Zip" cars from the early 2000s, this looks like a giant version... Whatever they intend to do with these cars in 2012, it better work, or Indycar is officialy dead as the proverbials...

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 28 Sep 2011, 17:32

IdeFan wrote:This is the first i've seen of the 2012 Indycar.

And all I can say is, oh dear...

It sounds a hell of a lot better than the weedeaters that currently run, that's for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_gglJI7x_Y

^ Looks like an in-lap though.

Jeroen Krautmeir wrote:IRL/INDYCAR cars have looked (and sounded) crap with exception of the 1996 season which should never have happened and was CART machinery anyway. The first-gen IRL cars were pretty okay but after that it just went downhill. Still wish CART/CCWS came out of the war as the victor...

If CCWS came out as the victor you'd have the absolute worst oval racing ever except at Milwaukee. Someone probably would have been killed at the Indy 500 as well due to how fragile the DP01 was.

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 29 Sep 2011, 08:52

Well, alright then Cynon. I'll correct my statement:

The IRL should never have happened.

S951 · Post by **S951** » 29 Sep 2011, 09:55

I miss the cart days when montoya was there that was a good 2 years

irl now though don't tend to watch it much bar bits of the 500

jpm · Post by **jpm** » 29 Sep 2011, 20:38

S951 wrote:I miss the cart days when montoya was there that was a good 2 years

irl now though don't tend to watch it much bar bits of the 500

I'm the opposite; if thewre was a clash between Indy and F1, I'd watch Indy (except if it was at sonoma where there is no difference in the level of action.) Although F1 is a lot beter this year, the outcome is the same, simply due to the increased reliability and huge pressure not to crash. I mean, even if Hamilton crashed 2x a race, he can still finish welll inside the points because of the superiority of the main 3 teams. I mean, only Vettel, Webber, Hamilton, Button, Alonso, Heidfeld and Petrov have been on the podium all year; at indy there's far more variation, its a lot more fan firneldy with all its gimmicks (LAs Vegas here we come) and the 2 race thing at Texas. Yiu also can't beat it for variety (ovals, street courses and road courses too) and its covergae is pretty good on the indycar youtube channel (for someone who cant wtahc the races on sky...) Driver calibre wise its also pretty good. It only needs the likes of Tracy, T-Scheck and Bertrand Baguette to get full time rides, as well as find a bit of space for Indy Lights grads (especially Newgarden and Guerrieri both of whom I've met during their days racing in Europe hence the bias :lol:

) to make the step up, and it is ultimate. Yes there is EJ Viso, byt there are no Narain Karthikeyan's in Indycar

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 29 Sep 2011, 22:04

Jeroen Krautmeir wrote:Well, alright then Cynon. I'll correct my statement:

The IRL should never have happened.

Better.

!!!

Also, remember when I said Al Unser, Jr. was still hitting the booze? I was right.

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 29 Sep 2011, 22:30

wow. i actually talked to him at a macy's(department store) a couple weeks ago.
ALSO::
that new indycar looks quite ....uuuummm..... Obese

Mister Fungus · Post by **Mister Fungus** » 30 Sep 2011, 12:00

Guerrieri is in Indy Lights? He was really good in WSR last year and by all rights should have won it in front of Aleshin/Ricciardo.

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 01 Oct 2011, 23:48

there is some funky stuff going on with next year's calender. a sizable chunk is still tentative, and there are now speculations of different international races that reach all the way to Qatar!(and china, lol)
thoughts? rumors?

jpm · Post by **jpm** » 02 Oct 2011, 12:44

Mister Fungus wrote:Guerrieri is in Indy Lights? He was really good in WSR last year and by all rights should have won it in front of Aleshin/Ricciardo.

Too right, he won more than half the races he competed in, having missed several rounds due to a budget shortfall, but was disqualified from 1st, lossing 15 points in the process, when at Silverstone a piece of bodywork was attached by tape (there wasn't enough time to attach it properly after a huge shunyt in practice.) Guess how many points adrift he finished? You got it, 15.

Esteban has been the quickest, if not the most consistent driver in this year's Indy Lights, monopilising pole position, but has thrown away several wins (Baltimore n toronto) from winning positions. Newgarden will take the title this weekend, but Guerrieri's natural talent would serve him well if he could find the funds to step up next year.

Ferrarist · Post by **Ferrarist** » 02 Oct 2011, 17:11

The 2012 IndyCar almost looks like a 2nd generation CanAm car, just with open-wheels. But while most CanAm cars were beautiful, the 2012 IndyCar looks just horrible. I just hope that we'll see some decent aerokits for 2013 by the likes of Penske or Lola (Unlikely, I know. But here's still wishing for a Lola IndyCar).

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 02 Oct 2011, 18:12

Ferrarist wrote:The 2012 IndyCar almost looks like a 2nd generation CanAm car, just with open-wheels. But while most CanAm cars were beautiful, the 2012 IndyCar looks just horrible. I just hope that we'll see some decent aerokits for 2013 by the likes of Penske or Lola (Unlikely, I know. But here's still wishing for a Lola IndyCar).

Aside from how the sidepods suddenly swoop upwards and the wheelguard thingies on the back, I don't understand the hate towards it.

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 02 Oct 2011, 20:44

ed carpenter just won the kentucky indy 300!
sara fischer finally gets a win. i like how it wasn't dario. he would only just rattle off sponsor names anyway.

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 02 Oct 2011, 20:46

Ed bathplugging Carpenter.

That is all.

jpm · Post by **jpm** » 02 Oct 2011, 20:54

In the words of Victor Meldrew, "I DONNN'T BELIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVE IT!"

So happy for Ed right now, but gutted for Will, thats basically handed Ganassi another title...

S951 · Post by **S951** » 02 Oct 2011, 23:38

Sarah Fisher gets win thats all good

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 05 Oct 2011, 17:27

34 entries for the finale at Las Vegas...

...and the IRL decided to let all 34 of them start.

Yes, EJ Viso is racing. Yes, so is Takuma Sato...

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 05 Oct 2011, 20:15

Cynon wrote:34 entries for the finale at Las Vegas...

...and the IRL decided to let all 34 of them start.

Yes, EJ Viso is racing. Yes, so is Takuma Sato...

One more entry at Vegas than at Indy, their premier event? Crazy!

kobayashiftw · Post by **kobayashiftw** » 06 Oct 2011, 22:05

Cynon wrote:34 entries for the finale at Las Vegas...

...and the IRL decided to let all 34 of them start.

Yes, EJ Viso is racing. Yes, so is Takuma Sato...

This will be an epic n00bfest.

Bleu · Post by **Bleu** » 07 Oct 2011, 09:28

Indy had more entries but traditional 33 starters.

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 07 Oct 2011, 09:32

There were 35 starters at the 1997 Indy 500 IIRC. INDYCAR and the majority of people seem to have forgotten that.

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 07 Oct 2011, 20:48

iirc? but yea, 1997 was easily the worst year. worse than 2008 when champcar had its last race.
sooo anyway....
i no longer care how it looks. and neither will you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pklyqCw2ckE
seee?

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 07 Oct 2011, 23:28

IIRC = If I remember correctly

A quick wiki search and it seems that I have.

The sad thing about the new car is that if you look at it from the front, it seems promising, but those horrendous sidepods are just...

..horrendous.

EDIT: And the standing start rumours are actually true? These are only for road courses right? If so, then I'm all in for it. They worked well for CCWS in 2007. Now all we need is malfunctioning power-to-pass

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 07 Oct 2011, 23:48

well yes only road courses. they can't do a standing start @ indy the grid spots are in the wrong spot, pointing the wrong way.
the rolling starts at long beach seem slightly unpure to me because it didn't start out that way and champcar also did it. plus, they are notoriously difficult with the final corner being a hairpin.
one thing i hope they do right is the launch control because the 2007/08 champcars were plagued with stalled motors countless times.

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 08 Oct 2011, 00:56

nome66 wrote:well yes only road courses. they can't do a standing start @ indy the grid spots are in the wrong spot, pointing the wrong way.
the rolling starts at long beach seem slightly unpure to me because it didn't start out that way and champcar also did it. plus, they are notoriously difficult with the final corner being a hairpin.
one thing i hope they do right is the launch control because the 2007/08 champcars were plagued with stalled motors countless times.

They CAN do it at Indy. They can do it anywhere really, it doesn't matter where the grid spots are. You do realize that you can repaint the boxes, right? But the point here is that standing starts on ovals is simply... well, it's breaking tradition damnit! In the end, it's all about the sport. The Old Continent IMO has, is and always should be standing starts. The US should keep their rolling starts, because it is what they are.

You're overstating the 'always stalling'. I've watched all the 2007 CCWS races, and the only time I remember cars stalling is Mont-Tremblant with Gommendy and Power/Pagenaud, and Mexico City with some guy which I can't remember where Pagenaud did a fantastic 180 degree evasive move. Obviously there may be a bit more, but the main issue with CCWS in 2007 was the power to pass reversing and giving false numbers. But that was all good, ye know? More action and all.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 08 Oct 2011, 01:12

Jeroen Krautmeir wrote:
nome66 wrote:well yes only road courses. they can't do a standing start @ indy the grid spots are in the wrong spot, pointing the wrong way.
the rolling starts at long beach seem slightly unpure to me because it didn't start out that way and champcar also did it. plus, they are notoriously difficult with the final corner being a hairpin.
one thing i hope they do right is the launch control because the 2007/08 champcars were plagued with stalled motors countless times.

They CAN do it at Indy. They can do it anywhere really, it doesn't matter where the grid spots are. You do realize that you can repaint the boxes, right? But the point here is that standing starts on ovals is simply... well, it's breaking tradition damnit!

Plus it's the biggest safety issue possible on an oval.