I do like all racing, even watch celebrity race this weekend , lawnmower racing, Australian V8, DTM BTC.

It is just hard to get into NASCAR and Indy for me. So much going, so much circus that I really just do not have the time to get into it like with F1. Maybe cause F1 has less players?
I don't understand why, maybe it's the oval that just does not interest me, I tried for a while, maybe I just never learned all the rules and point systems and who drives for who stuff.

 

F1 isn't a circus?

 

Haha yes it is, but still easier to follow for me.

 

I was driving to my brother's 40th b-day party yesterday and listening to the race. I commented to my wife how sad it is that this race is no longer an "event" or even that relevant for most Americans.

I can remember me and my brother watching the entire race when we were probably 8 and 6 respectively. This was around 74' or 75' and we thought AJ Foyt was a god. I can also remember around 76'-78', scribbling Pancho Carter's name and qualifying speed down on the cover of a 1976 or so Guiness Book of World Records (nearest thing and I probably still have it) when he was temporarily fastest qualifier so that I could inform my father of the stat. Now I bet not 1 in a 100 kids could even name a driver..except ....well maybe Danica

 

The thing that has killed the IRL and Nascar for me is all the restrictions they put on car development. Hardly any passing. Even F1 is moving in this direction but at least with road racing there is a little more excitement. If one team dominates, the rule committees try to kneecap them for being the best. That doesn't seem right to me. F1 used to stand for the ultimate technology and cutting edge development. Now they are taking away those very developments like traction control, etc.
I'll bet almost everyone on this forum can out drive me but that doesn't mean I can't comment on Pantie-ca. After 4 years in Indy cars she has 1 win and that was because the leading car ran out of gas. I don't think that just because she has a vagina she deserves 3/4 of the media coverage. Let her earn the accolades for being the best, not for being an also ran with t*ts. I'd be willing to bet if some Indy car team gave me a seat and let me practice and race for 4 years, that I could also hang in the middle of the pack.

 

That is one of the coolest things I've seen in the kart paddock this year.
And I was excited when I got a fan for the trailer!

 

 

In a cost saving maneuver, I've started sleeping at the track when I go to my races. So I thought some modest luxuries were in order for the home away from home...

 

Got AC?

 

Larry, You cannot be serious about ripping Danica. As far as you running midpack in IRL? If you can't run within 10 secs of the leaders after a weekend, then 4 years won't get you to midpack. I would be surprised if you keep on the same lap for more than 3 laps at Indy. If you ask the front runners that post on Rennlist the same question, most would consider it a long shot to just get a ride in a car and not embarrass themselves. I wish someone could give you a good example of how physical and difficult running IRL/F1 cars really is.

 

+10 try telling it to the finn

 

The parts shortage from Dallara and Xtrac doesn't help.

Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing is hardly a backmarker team with a debut win at St. Pete.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rorZl4SckIA

Robin Miller on 92nd Indy 500

"The crowd was the best since the split – no gaps of empty seats and traffic seemed like the good old days. Maddening. "

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...ervations//P2/

Yes, the IRL put too many restriction on design and development as GARRA does today with the slow and ugly DPs. The spilt eventually gave IRL spec cars.

What about Matt Crafton taking 178 attempts to win a NASCAR craftsman truck series race?

How many races have been won on fuel? Mario beat Michael Andretti on fathers day in 1986 as Michael's indy car was running out of gas on the last lap at Portland International Raceway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Crafton

So which is it?

 

4 years equals 1460 days. In that amount of time, if I could take laps every day, train for my body, get instruction and tips from other pro drivers just like the other drivers do, I could hang in the middle of the pack. If you don't believe in yourself as much as that, well so be it, but I believe I could do it.

 

Ok.... so no vacation, you don't get sick, no days off for travel time, no days off for marketing duties. And this is not only for yourself, but for your entire crew. Oh, and other pro drivers are going to teach you their secrets so that you can beat them...

If this was basketball, baseball, or football, and you thought that you'd be able to spend four years training and then compete at the pro level, you would get laughed out of town. Do you think motorsports is mainly about the car and the difference between a pro and an amateur is something that can be easily taught - i.e., there is very little actual innate talent involved?

Finally, a quick look at Wikipedia about Danica Patrick reveals that she has won several national championships in karting, and then went to England at age 16. There she finished in second place in the extremely competitive Formula Ford Festival, which was the highest ever finish by either a woman or by an American. Perhaps she has earned the right to have four years of training...

 

Milka Duno has done pretty much what you are talking about and is at best a back of the pack driver.

Not saying that you are better, the same, or worse. Just that others have done what you are saying and are smelling exhaust all race long.