Comments on: OP-Ed – Rebuilding the 500 – Part 4 of 5 – Speed http://openpaddock.net/2009/11/10/op-ed-%e2%80%93-rebuilding-the-500-%e2%80%93-part-3-of-5-%e2%80%93-speed/ Open Paddock is an online community of motorsport enthusiasts. We cover Rally, IndyCar, Formula 1, ALMS & Le Mans with our own mix of opinion and news commentary. Come join the conversation in the forum or leave a comment. Sat, 31 Jul 2010 03:24:42 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Savage Henry http://openpaddock.net/2009/11/10/op-ed-%e2%80%93-rebuilding-the-500-%e2%80%93-part-3-of-5-%e2%80%93-speed/comment-page-1/#comment-1270 Savage Henry Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:50:33 +0000 http://openpaddock.net/?p=2395#comment-1270 I agree that speeds have to come up. Safety has improved to the point that they could run 235 at Indy. If they feel they need to slow the cars down on the 1.5 mile stock car tracks then they should do it. Or maybe find an alternative to running on the stock car tracks. Its hard to convince fans or potential fans that you are running the best cars in the world when they are running 10-15 mph slower than the cars of 15 years ago. They need to be running near the edge. I think that bringing more diversity and speed also can make the race more interesting. I remember in the 70's and 80's, a driver would be tweaking his car throughout the race and finally get the setup right in the last stint or 2 and make a move for the front. That doesn't seem to happen now. The last 3 of 4 winners have won from the pole. You just know that the Penskes and Ganassis are going to start at the front and stay there, barring issues in the pits. I'd like to know that a driver could sit back in 8th place for most of the race and still have a chance at the end when he got his car dialed in. That's not going to happen with the current cars. I agree that speeds have to come up. Safety has improved to the point that they could run 235 at Indy. If they feel they need to slow the cars down on the 1.5 mile stock car tracks then they should do it. Or maybe find an alternative to running on the stock car tracks.

Its hard to convince fans or potential fans that you are running the best cars in the world when they are running 10-15 mph slower than the cars of 15 years ago. They need to be running near the edge.

I think that bringing more diversity and speed also can make the race more interesting. I remember in the 70’s and 80’s, a driver would be tweaking his car throughout the race and finally get the setup right in the last stint or 2 and make a move for the front. That doesn’t seem to happen now. The last 3 of 4 winners have won from the pole. You just know that the Penskes and Ganassis are going to start at the front and stay there, barring issues in the pits. I’d like to know that a driver could sit back in 8th place for most of the race and still have a chance at the end when he got his car dialed in. That’s not going to happen with the current cars.

]]> By: ATB73 http://openpaddock.net/2009/11/10/op-ed-%e2%80%93-rebuilding-the-500-%e2%80%93-part-3-of-5-%e2%80%93-speed/comment-page-1/#comment-1267 ATB73 Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:21:59 +0000 http://openpaddock.net/?p=2395#comment-1267 Ithink the addition of speed should be down the straights. 220 on exit 237 at the end of the straight., make them lift again entering the corner. Nowadays the car is underpowered and has soo much downforce my 'grandmother could drive one. JPM" The corner speed does not differ much from the top end speed at the end of the straight. When it was exciting to watch, the second the car got off the corner and set straight, you would see a huge jump in speed. What I see is static mum, round and round. wind 'er up and pray you don't ever have to crack the throttle. glorified go-karts. I also think that hanz and safr have made autoracing as safe as is practical. To think a race driver will never again be injured is naieve sp?. If people can't handle it, then motorracing, OWR in particular, is probably not the best sport to get involved with. When the drivers complain about the lunacy of running in a pack formation at 220+, then what the hell are we doing? The fans aren't there watching and they aren't watching on TV either, and that is not a new phenomena that afflicted us since directtv dumped versus. The harsh reality is that the drivers hate the 1 1/2 milers. But if they want a decent shot at the 500, they HAVE to run the full season to be compettive in their class. Which is second to P & G. The fact we run these assinine tracks is merely a lasting effect of George's Vision turned Nightmare and hopefully te new regime will correct this. I put my faith in them continuing to flog this dead horse for another 10 yrs, if that. Ithink the addition of speed should be down the straights. 220 on exit 237 at the end of the straight., make them lift again entering the corner. Nowadays the car is underpowered and has soo much downforce my ‘grandmother could drive one. JPM” The corner speed does not differ much from the top end speed at the end of the straight. When it was exciting to watch, the second the car got off the corner and set straight, you would see a huge jump in speed. What I see is static mum, round and round. wind ‘er up and pray you don’t ever have to crack the throttle. glorified go-karts. I also think that hanz and safr have made autoracing as safe as is practical. To think a race driver will never again be injured is naieve sp?. If people can’t handle it, then motorracing, OWR in particular, is probably not the best sport to get involved with. When the drivers complain about the lunacy of running in a pack formation at 220+, then what the hell are we doing? The fans aren’t there watching and they aren’t watching on TV either, and that is not a new phenomena that afflicted us since directtv dumped versus. The harsh reality is that the drivers hate the 1 1/2 milers. But if they want a decent shot at the 500, they HAVE to run the full season to be compettive in their class. Which is second to P & G. The fact we run these assinine tracks is merely a lasting effect of George’s Vision turned Nightmare and hopefully te new regime will correct this. I put my faith in them continuing to flog this dead horse for another 10 yrs, if that.

]]> By: Doug Patterson http://openpaddock.net/2009/11/10/op-ed-%e2%80%93-rebuilding-the-500-%e2%80%93-part-3-of-5-%e2%80%93-speed/comment-page-1/#comment-1265 Doug Patterson Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:40:00 +0000 http://openpaddock.net/?p=2395#comment-1265 I understand the concern you and others have regarding safety, but we're not talking about jumping from 185 to 250 mph. We're talking about a 5% increase in speed. 12 mph. That amount of dv wouldn't have significantly changed the outcome of TK's incident on the backstretch, nor Vitor's incident in Turn1. Also, we don't necessarily need to see speed records every year. In fact it would be preferable NOT to have speed records every year, but rather have the speeds close but with records happening only rarely. When those records are broken, they shouldn't be by much. Through the 70s, 80s and early 90s, speeds were greatly outpacing the facility's and equipment's abilities to handle those speeds. Those concerns are no longer valid. The facility has improved, the cars have improved, its now time for the speeds to improve. I understand the concern you and others have regarding safety, but we’re not talking about jumping from 185 to 250 mph. We’re talking about a 5% increase in speed. 12 mph. That amount of dv wouldn’t have significantly changed the outcome of TK’s incident on the backstretch, nor Vitor’s incident in Turn1. Also, we don’t necessarily need to see speed records every year. In fact it would be preferable NOT to have speed records every year, but rather have the speeds close but with records happening only rarely. When those records are broken, they shouldn’t be by much. Through the 70s, 80s and early 90s, speeds were greatly outpacing the facility’s and equipment’s abilities to handle those speeds. Those concerns are no longer valid. The facility has improved, the cars have improved, its now time for the speeds to improve.

]]> By: mike http://openpaddock.net/2009/11/10/op-ed-%e2%80%93-rebuilding-the-500-%e2%80%93-part-3-of-5-%e2%80%93-speed/comment-page-1/#comment-1264 mike Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:09:29 +0000 http://openpaddock.net/?p=2395#comment-1264 I love the idea of standardizing the safety cell on the car but leaving the rest up to the team... I love the idea of standardizing a max power output and letting anyone show up with an engine.... I would love to see the speeds get over 237 again, but I think this part of your argument is the least likely to happen. Since Arie put in those laps, the track has been slightly narrowed by the addition of the SAFER barrier, giving the drivers even less margin to work with on their low downforce qualifying runs. Maybe if they opened up the apron again..... I love the idea of standardizing the safety cell on the car but leaving the rest up to the team…

I love the idea of standardizing a max power output and letting anyone show up with an engine….

I would love to see the speeds get over 237 again, but I think this part of your argument is the least likely to happen. Since Arie put in those laps, the track has been slightly narrowed by the addition of the SAFER barrier, giving the drivers even less margin to work with on their low downforce qualifying runs. Maybe if they opened up the apron again…..

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