The 2012 IndyCar Series thread

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 14 Aug 2011, 21:45

And INDYCAR has made an EPIC FAIL on restarting the race with the track too wet to be raceable

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 14 Aug 2011, 22:03

Here's how you fix IndyCar;

Get rid of that monkey Brian Barnhart, who was more full of shite than usual, and constantly does stupid things in order to compete with NASCAR.
Get rid of Chip Ganassi's observers around the track that report to Brian Barnhart.
Get rid of that pansy-ass Tony Cotman and that stupid no blocking crap.
Get rid of Al Unser, Jr. as a race steward because all he's done is give all of the above truckloads of booze before the start of the race.

bathplug stupid.

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 15 Aug 2011, 01:21

the only thing that i'm sure we can all be remotely satisfied with is Takuma Sato finally doing what we have all been thinking for a while now.
HE FINALLY TOOK OUT DARIO FRACHITTI

Taku: "i had some debris in my eye and couldn't see him"

suuuurrree.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 15 Aug 2011, 06:12

For those who missed it here is the utter shambles that was the final restart.

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 15 Aug 2011, 09:14

At least Indycar decided to abort that last restart, so the ones who were involved in the crash remained in the same position as they were before it happened.

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 15 Aug 2011, 09:15

Brian Brainfart has been screwing up over and over again. It's about time we replace him with Cynon.

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 15 Aug 2011, 12:02

Jeroen Krautmeir wrote:Brian Brainfart has been screwing up over and over again. It's about time we replace him with Cynon.

My ego is temporarily boosted thanks to Jeroen Krautmeir.

golic_2004 wrote:At least Indycar decided to abort that last restart, so the ones who were involved in the crash remained in the same position as they were before it happened.

It was one of only a few things the IRL has done right. Had the last restart not been an officialdom fail (and had been a Danicafail instead), then I would absolutely say Servia deserved this win. But he didn't, because the race officially ended under yellow, which it should have in the first place.

As for Brian Barnhart, I'd call him Brian Brainfart, but that implies he actually has a brain in the first place.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 15 Aug 2011, 13:29

Wizzie wrote:For those who missed it here is the utter shambles that was the final restart.

What was that I don't even

F1000X · Post by **F1000X** » 15 Aug 2011, 20:20

Indycar is doomed. Did you see the grandstands? I probably could have haggled them $15 down at the gate, they made no money.

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 15 Aug 2011, 20:32

I just realized that the baltimore race may be a hassle with double-file-brainfade starts in the first turn.
and then with turn 3 being a hairpin it may be just as bad as Edmonton.

Post by **Londoner** » 15 Aug 2011, 21:06

F1000X wrote:Indycar is doomed. Did you see the grandstands? I probably could have haggled them $15 down at the gate, they made no money.

About 3/4 empty. I'm not surprised, when the organisers bathplug about with rules, which led to that farce of a restart.

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 15 Aug 2011, 21:26

East Londoner wrote:
F1000X wrote:Indycar is doomed. Did you see the grandstands? I probably could have haggled them $15 down at the gate, they made no money.

About 3/4 empty.

That really REALLY caught my attention. I mean, maybe it's just because I've been watching so many pre-Split races, but still, pre-Split IndyCar in 1995 had MIS packed ffs. Now that we're back together, and we still can't get the crowds back?

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 15 Aug 2011, 21:42

i think it might be because the avid fans were gone with the wind after long beach in 2008. that was a packed crowd.

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 16 Aug 2011, 12:49

F1000X wrote:Indycar is doomed. Did you see the grandstands? I probably could have haggled them $15 down at the gate, they made no money.

NASCAR was in Watkins Glen in the same weekend.

Also, attendance is generally higher at road and street courses than it is on ovals in the past few years. Interestingly, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway NASCAR race had such a horrendous fan turnout that they're bringing the Nationwide Series (*SNORE*) and Grand-Sham (Ugh) to the track in order to help fan turnout.

Yeah, that'll work... :roll:

Say what you will about oval racing, but the flat-out tracks like Chicago, Kentucky, Texas, etc were a huge fan draw because of the typically uber-close finishes. I still clearly remember after the 2009 Chicago race (which I was at), which had the 4th closest finish in IRL history, some guy three rows in front of me saying;

"Yeah, and they want to replace THIS with more road and street courses."

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 16 Aug 2011, 12:53

You know, now that I think of it. Bobby Rahal did a fantastic job when he replaced Andrew Green as CART president. One wonders what would have happened to CART had he not made that disastrous move to Jaguar.

Maybe the solution is to get rid of Randy Bernard and replace him with Rahal. Besides, Bobby's team isn't exactly around anymore.

I still maintain that Cynon is the perfect replacement for Barnhart.

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 17 Aug 2011, 04:14

Looks like another F1 Reject will be rejoining the series!

...to replace another reject!

Please say welcome back to Giorgio Pantano.

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 18 Aug 2011, 20:50

Yes, it is indeed the "Great Pantano" who will drive for Robbie Buhl's Scuderia Dreyer And Reinbold.

And Chinese F1 Idol TM Ho-Pin Tung has been announced by Jay Penske's Dragon Racing as their driver for the race at Sonoma.

Waris · Post by **Waris** » 20 Aug 2011, 00:18

OKAY THIS IS INSANE, and I know no one will probably believe this, but it seems like my fantasy stuff keeps preceding reality. First there was the stuff with GT1 and GT2 being added back together into the FIA GT Championship, and there was something else but I forgot that, and now Pantano is going to drive in IndyCar? In this fantasy universe I've been creating, he drives in this series that's a combined IndyCar/SuperLeague Formula series. I really hate to draw so much attention, but this is an insane coincidence. I better post the whole thing somewhere before more stuff like this happens in reality and you all say "suuuure" when I mention I made that up BEFORE IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

Edit: Here I'll say it right now, so if it actually happens I'll be the first who said it: Robert Doornbos is probably going to drive in IndyCar as well.

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 20 Aug 2011, 00:26

Waris, Pantano drove for CGR at Infineon and Watkins Glen in 2005. Doornbos debuted in 2007 in CCWS with Minardi Team USA/HVM and won Rookie of the Year honours plus 2 races. He also continued into IndyCar in 2008.

Dj_bereta · Post by **Dj_bereta** » 20 Aug 2011, 20:18

Ryan Hunter Reay could lose your victory:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93810

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 20 Aug 2011, 22:05

Dj_bereta wrote:Ryan Hunter Reay could lose your victory:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93810

Go Oriol Servià!

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 22 Aug 2011, 16:10

Jeroen Krautmeir wrote:Looks like another F1 Reject will be rejoining the series!

...to replace another reject!

Please say welcome back to Giorgio Pantano.

I can actually see Giorgio Pantano winning the Indycar in 4 years if, and only if, he lasts these 4 years, every championship winner in the next three years move on to somewhere else and nobody useful comes in during this period.

jpm · Post by **jpm** » 22 Aug 2011, 22:18

DanielPT wrote:I can actually see Giorgio Pantano winning the Indycar in 4 years if, and only if, he lasts these 4 years, every championship winner in the next three years move on to somewhere else and nobody useful comes in during this period.

Standard Pantano tactic! Thank goodness that Wilson looks like he will be back in time for Vegas. Seeing Pantano on an oval would just be painful to watch... The appointment of Pantano got me thinking however. Was Robbie Buhl really that desperate to overlook the reigning Indy Lights champion JK Vernay, who smashed the Mayor of Hinchtown, Charlie Kimball, Martin Plowman and Sebastian Saavedra in last years Lights Championship, who has only raced once all year? I mean, its not even as if Pantano has been winning everything since he won GP2 and didn't get F1; he flopped in Superleague Formula and in Auto GP, where last year he was demolished by Romain Grosjean, and this year in the same category by the man who had been trying to grduate to F1 almost as long as Pantano; Luca Filippi, who recently broke the 100+ races barrier on his return to GP2. And I know Scheckter is booked up this week for Baltimore with SH Racing, but why leave him out for Sonoma? Its not as if he didn't get them noticed at NH?

Just saying, I think old Giorgio is past it.

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 23 Aug 2011, 14:20

jpm wrote:
DanielPT wrote:I can actually see Giorgio Pantano winning the Indycar in 4 years if, and only if, he lasts these 4 years, every championship winner in the next three years move on to somewhere else and nobody useful comes in during this period.

Standard Pantano tactic! Thank goodness that Wilson looks like he will be back in time for Vegas. Seeing Pantano on an oval would just be painful to watch... The appointment of Pantano got me thinking however. Was Robbie Buhl really that desperate to overlook the reigning Indy Lights champion JK Vernay, who smashed the Mayor of Hinchtown, Charlie Kimball, Martin Plowman and Sebastian Saavedra in last years Lights Championship, who has only raced once all year? I mean, its not even as if Pantano has been winning everything since he won GP2 and didn't get F1; he flopped in Superleague Formula and in Auto GP, where last year he was demolished by Romain Grosjean, and this year in the same category by the man who had been trying to grduate to F1 almost as long as Pantano; Luca Filippi, who recently broke the 100+ races barrier on his return to GP2. And I know Scheckter is booked up this week for Baltimore with SH Racing, but why leave him out for Sonoma? Its not as if he didn't get them noticed at NH?

Just saying, I think old Giorgio is past it.

Vernay was AWESOME in Indy Lights and it's a shame he's not in the field and went back to do some stuff for Peugeot. I seem to remember Pantano being a bit useless in his lone IndyCar outing, but we'll have to see come race day how well he does. It will certainly be interesting. Some drivers (Zanardi comes to mind) do very very well in IndyCar but suck in F1 or other European formulae, and others are the reverse (Lehto).

Dj_bereta wrote:Ryan Hunter Reay could lose your victory:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93810

RAGE!

jpm · Post by **jpm** » 23 Aug 2011, 14:25

This protest can only be bad news for Indycar. On a week when it was announced that the multiple bodykits will be postoned another year, and the total sham that was the restart, Randy Bernard should be a stronger presense in all this. Whilst I would love it if Servia was given the victory, what would that mean for Will Power? Well I'll tell you; his chances of the title will be utterly demolished, and Dario will get away with it again.

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that it was Dario who came down on Sato, and not the other way around? Considering the amount of space Dario had to his outside, he had plent of room to make the corner, and didn't have to cut off Sato's path. It's a credit to Taku for taking the blame, but he doesn't adjust his line, wheras Dario does. MAN UP DARIO!!

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 23 Aug 2011, 17:21

i'm tellin you man! they got Ganassi minions on the inside

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 23 Aug 2011, 21:48

jpm wrote:Is it just me, or does anyone else think that it was Dario who came down on Sato, and not the other way around? Considering the amount of space Dario had to his outside, he had plent of room to make the corner, and didn't have to cut off Sato's path. It's a credit to Taku for taking the blame, but he doesn't adjust his line, wheras Dario does. MAN UP DARIO!!

So it wasn't just me then. It almost seemed to me that Dario came down across the racetrack unnecessarily.

jpm · Post by **jpm** » 24 Aug 2011, 16:49

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93910

RHR keeps his win. A good decision for once made by Brian Barnardt.

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 25 Aug 2011, 03:05

the plot thickens...
http://www.indycar.com/news/show/55-izo ... baltimore/

btw i'm not even gonna try and pay attention to sonoma because of last year's travesty of a double-file race start and also the risk of further brainfade.
luckily there won't be rain to worry about.
the only races i care about at this point are the 500, Baltimore(and maybe even the ALMS and junior races more than the indycars), and the one where Taku got pole

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 25 Aug 2011, 07:01

Oh dear.

Willy T back behind the wheel sounds a lot like Mansell @ Le Mans!

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 25 Aug 2011, 10:07

So he is entering an Indy LIGHTS race, not a main IndyCar series race. But could it be a precursor to entering the final IndyCar race of the year, and an attempt at winning the $5,000,000?

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 25 Aug 2011, 16:55

dr-baker wrote:So he is entering an Indy LIGHTS race, not a main IndyCar series race. But could it be a precursor to entering the final IndyCar race of the year, and an attempt at winning the $5,000,000?

Willy T. is definitely crazy enough to do that...

ADx_Wales · Post by **ADx_Wales** » 25 Aug 2011, 18:23

You dont put Willy where Willy wont go.

jpm · Post by **jpm** » 26 Aug 2011, 08:12

Bye Danica; so there's a plumb ride available at Andretti Autosport... Any takers?

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 26 Aug 2011, 08:50

jpm wrote:Bye Danica; so there's a plumb ride available at Andretti Autosport... Any takers?

At this moment I really wanna see someone from Europe take the plunge. Obviously there's Carroll, but does he have any cash? Giedo van der Garde (McGregor) or one of the three Frenchmen at the present moment, ie Grosjean, Pic and Bianchi (French Government?). And if all hell breaks loose, Bruno Senna to fulfill one of his uncle's intentions, only in a now severely deformed series of it's former self. Of course we would love to see Simona, but I don't think she has much money either.

I wanna see Jean-Karl Vernay get a seat. It's a shame that the dominant Indy Lights champ doesn't get his break while the people who finished below him do.

Oh, Sebastien Bourdais. Seriously. I wanna see what he can do with a pretty good team in a unified series. He's doing a good job at Dale Coyne as it is, so it would be fascinating to see what he could do with a better outfit.

jpm · Post by **jpm** » 26 Aug 2011, 10:15

Jeroen Krautmeir wrote:
jpm wrote:Bye Danica; so there's a plumb ride available at Andretti Autosport... Any takers?

Of course we would love to see Simona, but I don't think she has much money either.

I wanna see Jean-Karl Vernay get a seat. It's a shame that the dominant Indy Lights champ doesn't get his break while the people who finished below him do.

Simona has a solid conttract with Nuclear Energy and HVM for another 2 years yet. :lol:

Right on Jeroen about Adam Carroll and J-K Vernay, and Adam is rummoured to be in with a shot at an Andretti Autosport ride at Motegi. I wouldn't be surprised to see Michael promote Stefan Wilson, who is his #1 in Indy Lights (and won Toronto), or maybe the two dominant performers from Schmidt; Josef Newgarden and Esteban Guerrieri. And does any one know if Conway has a ride for next year? He's running without a sponsor atm, and his ride could be threatened too sadly, especially after DNQing at Indy.

Looking on the bright side, this weekend sees the return of Ho PinTung for Dragon Racing, not to mention Giorgio Pants-ano. Who will fail most?

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 26 Aug 2011, 10:39

The question here is whether HVM will survive. I mean, I hope they do, but you just gotta look at the chances.

If Michael looks at Indy Lights, I personally think that going for either Josef or Esteban would be the better option. Esteban is the faster driver, but he's making too many mistakes right now, and that's hurting his chances for the championship. I would go for Newgarden, considering the team isn't really in a spot to whack the car week after week.

We just gotta see how Adam does at Motegi, that is, if he gets a seat. I certainly hope he does. He did an okay job back in 2010, and it'd be nice to see him finally get a shot at the top of the ladder. I certainly believe he's wasted a good few years, even if it's not his fault, but a good performance which could lead to a ride could very well turn it all around. A Conway withdrawal could lead to the seat for Carroll, or whoever else. We'll see.

Pantano did a very good job back in 2005, be it with one of the best teams in the business, but also with a Toyota engine some steps behind from Honda. I'm confident he can do just as well now.

I'm tellin' you, we better be Ho-Pin that nothing explodes or something.

Post by **tommykl** » 26 Aug 2011, 15:09

Will it surprise anyone if I say Baguette should replace Danica?

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 26 Aug 2011, 15:24

tommykl wrote:Will it surprise anyone if I say Baguette should replace Danica?

Well, it is insulting. I mean I won't go around saying toast should replace Danica.

What?

I like unfunny jokes...

Well, I'm outta here.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 26 Aug 2011, 15:55

jpm wrote:Bye Danica; so there's a plumb ride available at Andretti Autosport... Any takers?

PIPPA MANN !!!!!!!!!!

What? She showed promise in the Indy 500, and was on Radio 2's Simon Mayo Drivetime show yesterday for a 5-minute interview. And you would have a poster girl again.