The Indy 500

[TheRob]

It's that time again. The Memorial Day classic. CART vs. the IRL. Last year CART drivers took the first six places, and many people called it a shot in the arm for the IRL. They said there is no room for two open wheel circuits in the states. Do you agree? Will you be watching the Indy?

Discuss it here if you like.

Why do I get the feeling I'll be talking to myself?

[knvb]

I hate car racing. Why do they insist on calling it a sport. What's the appeal of watching cars do left hand turns for 500 laps. I just don't get it. It's almost.... dare I say....moot.

Indy's not much better. Just faster left turns. The questions should be why are sooooo many hot birds hanging around these events?

[TheRob]

It is only for 200 laps, and I to have often wondered about the many hot chicks that attend races. Perhaps keeper can post some hot paddock chicks?

[The Apprentice]

I'd have to agree with my PCSL teamate on this one...Car Racing especially the indy 500 is washed up. Even that stupid formula 1 racing is brutal...it is not fair to everyone else that ferrari has a team. The other teams cant win

Therob, only you would make a poll regarding yourself..dumbass


TAaddingalittlemotivationtothehugeco-edbattle

[TheRob]

More for the Formula 1 thread, but what do the Italians think of Minardi?

[The Apprentice]

If he wins he is great but if he doesnt win we dont like him....

typicalwops

[knvb]

I think just knowing who is, is bad enough.

[TheRob]

THE FOLLOWING IS THE PROVISIONAL STARTING GRID FOR THE 86TH
INDY RACING LEAGUE INDIANAPOLIS 500 AT THE INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR
SPEEDWAY. THE 33-CAR FIELD WILL BE DETERMINED ON MAY 12 AND
MAY 19 (BUMP DAY):

ROW 1
-----

1. BRUNO JUNQUEIRA (33), G/C/F, 231.342 MILES PER HOUR
2. ROBBIE BUHL (24), G/I/F, 231.033 MPH
3. RAUL BOESEL (2), D/C/F, 230.613 MPH

ROW 2
-----

4. FELIPE GIAFFONE (21), G/C/F, 230.326 MPH
5. (R) TONY KANAAN (17), G/C/F, 230.253 MPH
6. EDDIE CHEEVER JR. (51), D/I/F, 229.786 MPH

ROW 3
-----

7. SAM HORNISH JR. (4), D/C/F, 229.585 MPH
8. SCOTT SHARP (8), D/C/F, 229.486 MPH
9. SARAH FISHER (23), G/I/F, 229.439 MPH

ROW 4
-----

10. (R) TOMAS SCHECKTER (52), D/I/F, 229.210 MPH
11. ROBBY GORDON (31), D/C/F, 229.127 MPH
12. AL UNSER JR. (7), D/C/F, 229.058 MPH

ROW 5
-----

13. HELIO CASTRONEVES (3), D/C/F, 229.052 MPH
14. GIL DE FERRAN (6), D/C/F, 228.671 MPH
15. JEFF WARD (9), G/C/F, 228.557 MPH

ROW 6
-----

16. (R) LAURENT REDON (34), D/I/F, 228.106 MPH
17. (R) RICK TREADWAY (5), G/C/F, 228.039 MPH
18. (R) MAX PAPIS (52), D/I/F, 227.941 MPH

ROW 7
-----

19. JIMMY VASSER (19), D/C/F, 227.743 MPH
20. BUDDY LAZIER (91), D/C/F, 227.495 MPH
21. KENNY BRACK (22), G/C/F, 227.240 MPH

ROW 8
-----

22. RICHIE HEARN (20), D/C/F, 227.233 MPH
23. MICHAEL ANDRETTI (39), D/C/F, 226.780 MPH
24. BILLY BOAT (98), D/C/F, 226.589 MPH


CHASSIS: D=DALLARA: G=G FORCE
ENGINE: C=CHEVROLET: I=INFINITY
TIRE: F=FIRESTONE

(R)-ROOKIE

First off Minardi is a team, not a guy. They are the "other" wop team.

Love seeing Micheal Andretti struggle. The guy is a pompous wank. I hate him

Note no Paul Tracey or Dario Franchitti yet. They have two days left to get in.

[TheRob]

INDIANAPOLIS--With cooler weather forecast and only two more practice days remaining before the final day of qualifying for the 86th Indianapolis 500, Thursday's practice was very important for drivers who have yet to qualify for the race.
For CART star Paul Tracy, Thursday represented a gain of sorts. Although Tracy's top lap of 224.870 miler per hour in the Team Green 7-Eleven is far below his lap of 228.092 mph set last Friday, he ended the day 11th overall and fourth fastest among the non-qualified drivers.

"I think we had a better practice today," Tracy said. "We didn't show a lot of speed, but we were running with a lot of downforce on the Team Green 7-Eleven car. At the end of the day, we were the fastest car on the track. Now I don't know if that means anything in terms of qualifying, but it is a positive.

"The wind is really blowing hard so we're being fairly conservative on our setup and trying not to make any mistakes. We'll trim the car out for qualifying and hopefully find more speed."

Tracy's teammate, Dario Franchitti, who is also yet to qualify, did not practice on Thursday but team owner Barry Green said it was a planned break as Franchitti had tested for the team earlier in the week at Mid-Ohio.

Oriol Servia, the only other CART driver who has not qualified for the race, logged only 28 laps with a top speed average of 221.692 mph in the Walker Racing Dallara/Chevy.

Of the CART contingent in the field, polesitter Bruno Junqueira had the second fastest speed of the day at 226.598 mph in the Target G Force/Chevy.

Junqueira also had a "moment" as he spun at the entrance of the pits. Junqueira's slid across the track and slightly tapped the outside wall. He was unhurt and the car was not seriously damaged.

"I was coming into the pits a little too fast and the brakes locked up on me," Junqueira said. "I was going too fast, so I tried to get back out on the track and the car just came around. The car is not bad at all.

"We did some race simulation laps this morning and the car is pretty good in race trim. I can't wait to get back in the car."

"We're in good shape," added Mike Hull, managing director of Target Chip Ganassi Racing. "The ...tub itself looks like it's fine and most of the suspension is fine, so we're going to get ready for the race."

Also getting ready for the race among the qualified CART drivers were Tony Kanaan, Kenny Brack, Jimmy Vasser and Max Papis.

Practice continues Friday and Saturday with final qualifying set for Sunday. Weather could be a factor as temperatures are forecast in the 50s, significantly cooler than the days when top speeds exceeded the 230 mph range.

[TheRob]

The Indy ended in controversy yesterday. Helio Castro Neves was passed by Paul Tracy moments before the yellow flag comes out. IRL says he didn't, and awards Helio the win. Could this be the IRL fudging the results so that a CART guy doesn't win again? The IRL is bush, it's always been bush, and it always will be bush.

CART proved again yesterday that they have the better drivers.

Anybody watch?Any comments?

Yeah. That's what I thought.

[Keeper]

Just saw the highlights -- the Sportsnet coverage shows Tracy beside, but slightly ahead while the yellow is showing. The report made it unclear as to what was showing when he started his pass.