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« IndyCar’s Encouraging Trend Toward More Umbrage | Main | NASCAR, INDYCAR … Attendance, Schmattendance »

July 21, 2014

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Swordedge

Indy car also needs to respond to team rule questions in a more timely matter. SFHR ask for clarification on working on Newgardens car during red flag for race one. Officials did not respond. Dale Coyne did and that was via TV. The rule said that if they worked on car during red, they would receive a penalty that included waiting 20 seconds. SFHR did that so they could remain on the lead lap.

The commentators all thought Sarah made the right decision.

Apparently, Dale Coyne knows the rule book as well as anybody in the league. I wonder how thick that rule book is.

OSCA

Pressdog: Not only RYYGWC is now in play, so is every decision the "Three Stooges" make. We can't race in the rain....err, maybe we can if there is no spray (Quote from Mario), or if the rain starts after we start we can race....."HUH"!!

And how about what is a "RED" flag? Well, it is a firm "maybe" if the race has started, but before we have a green flag....it is legal if your name is Penske, and not-legal if you are anyone else.

Then if you do work on you car..it is go to the back....well, another firm "maybe", unless you are Penske and the race is postponed....not cancelled....postponed.

See what you get when team owners and drivers run the series?

The sanctioning body should be separate and constructed to represent the fans.

One last thing.....spin off the IRL Dba as IndyCar to the team owners....and run the Indy 500 as a stand alone race.

Too expensive?? That is pure horse shit....put in place a formula that has true cost controls, engines based upon stock blocks, and horsepower limits....say 900 HP, and we'll see some interesting cars, and a lot more of them.

And oh, by the way, watch CART Jr (IRL) collapse and a new series appear!!

But till then we'll see a rule book that should be titled...A LIST OF MAYBES....translated by Larry, Moe and Curly!!

Dennis

I was prepared to agree that consistency was the correct course. Being primarily a NASCAR fan and seeing the inconsistency there, it's frustrating. However, after seeing your proposed rule (a quick try, I understand) it's convinced me that a hard and fast rule would create its own problems. It would put IndyCar in a box where if the circumstances didn't fit the rule well, they might be backed into making a bad decision.

I applaud the decision to red flag the race and hope, going forward, that IndyCar makes every attempt to end races under green.

E.M.H.

Call me crazy, but I simply thought there wasn't enough room to get everyone through the wreck scene, especially with the safety trucks out there. That inside line was a squeeze as it was, and that was before the Holmatro guys rolled.

That said, I really wish Race Control would've just come out and said why they did it. If it was indeed because the course was too blocked up, some may disagree but at least we'd have a reason. And ditto, some might have trouble with the R-W-C improvision, but again, we would've at least been told the reason.

pressdog

A very fair comment, EMH. I'd also be happy to know the justification for the red (whatever it is) or have some Real Media report on why the read, but as of now I haven't seen anything. Doesn't mean the story is out there, so if someone finds it please share the link. Or, it could be NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.

TheAmericanMutt

Somebody must have put ACs in hell...Pdog and I totally agree on something.

Alan K - Raleigh, NC

I wonder if the decision to not race on Saturday had something to do with needing to have some cars and drivers available for Sunday. I know Penske/Ganassi/Andretti have spares, but what about smaller teams?

On the other hand, maybe the decision to cancel was easier knowing that everyone was going to be there Sunday anyway?

I certainly don't envy the officials and their efforts to try keeping everyone happy.

pressdog

SATAN SHOPS FOR A SPACE HEATER, Mutt.

Chiefswon

I don't think it matters what you or I or anyone else thinks. There some key owners who drive this show. They make the rules. I agree with your idea in principal. Who would enforce it...knowing they will just get ousted by next year.

Brett Smithson

The issue with both races being pushed back to Sunday was that many FANS paid REAL MONEY to attend the Saturday race. The move, albeit forced to some extent by mother nature, screwed some of them, cost others additional money, or both. The first race Sunday was dry and still look at the resulting (1st lap!)carnage - it's the nature of Toronto and of concrete canyons elsewhere. Not a fan of red flags, P-dog? Then why are you such a fan of the (street) twisties? They're a package deal, IMO.

DZ

The only constant is inconsistency. Drama, intrigue, umbrage, all brought into play on a race-by-race basis... "comedie dramatique".

When I think about it, Indycar ceased to be a real sport a loooooooong time ago (c. late 1970s) and to this day has yet to figure out whether it is entertainment or sport.

Rarely do the two co-mingle as entertainment ultimately becomes a function of economy/profit, and pure sport exists for the accomplishment 'at all costs'.

When viewed through the lens of 'entertainment' and not 'sport', Indycar is fine and chock-a-block full of drama and intrigue... including race control. I suggest viewing Indycar (or any other 'sport' for that matter) as such. Your blood pressure and heart will thank you.

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