Lexmark Indy 300

[stmookeyj]

Now for those that are not aware, the V8's are running with Round 18 of (deep breath) Bridgestone presents the Champcar World Series Powered by Ford (exhale). Here are the 19 contenders for the Champcar race this Sunday:

1. Bruno Junquiera (BRA) Drives the Pacificare/Secure Horizons Newman Hass car. Expected to win the title this year but has been disappointing. Got the #1 car as a gift from Christiano Da Matta, who is now in F1. Has won this season at Elkhart Lake and on the streets of Denver.

2. Sebastian Bourdais (FRA) Rookie of the Year certainty after stellar debut year. Has driven in F3000 so is not a total dud in the Newman Hass car sponsored by Lily. In his first race at St.Petersburg he was on pole (and crashed) but since then has recorded wins at Brands Hatch, Germany and at the Cleveland Airport.

3. Paul Tracy (CAN) Points leader looking likely to claim his first Champcar/CART title. Always outspoken, he can be likened a bit to Greg Murphy with a hint of Garry Rogers thrown in. A real veteran, he has won this race in 1995 and in the Players Forsythe racing entry he has won at St.Petersburg, Long Beach, Monterray, Toronto, Vancouver, Mid Ohio and Mexico City.

4. Roberto Moreno (BRA) Returns to th series thanks to Herdez competition racing. Has driven in F1, where he is best remembered for getting the flick in favour of a bloke called Schumacher in 1991 at Benneton. Has tasted success in the past with Patrick racing, but this season things have not gone his way with a best finish of 2nd in Miami.

5. Rodolfo Lavin (MEX) Rookie driver in the Walker Racing entry sponsored by Corona (a beer). Has found life in champcars a struggle after some success in Toyota Atlantics. Best finish this year of 9th in Germany.

7. Tiago Monteiro (POR) Drives for Fittapaldi-Dingman Racing, part owned by Brazilian Legend Emerson Fittapaldi. Comes from a GT racing background, but has only managed a best finish of 6th at Mexico after a front row start.

9. Michel Jourdain Jr (MEX) Was a mathematical chance of the title a couple of rounds ago, but will probably finish 3rd in the series. Team Rahal and Gigante have supported a driver who has been around for a little while. 2 wins at Montreal and the Milwaukee Mile this year.

11. Geoff Boss (USA) Rookie in the Dale Coyne Racing Lacoste entry. You'll find him at the rear of the field, but he is a number. Best finish is 10th at Miami.

12. Jimmy Vasser (USA) Has been around for yonks with many teams inclding Rahal and Ganassi. A winner of this race in 1996 en route to the championship that season. Is coming up to his 183rd consecutive start, this time for American Spirit Team Johansson, with 4th at Miami his best effort to date.

15. Darren Manning (GBR) A Yorkshireman who made a stunning debut last year at Rockingham UK with a 9th place. This year has a permanent drive in the RAC sponsored Walker Racing entry, and is a clear 2nd in the Rookie of the year standings. Did have some test runs with BAR F1. Best finish of 4th at Milwaukee Mile, but has only finished outside the points (top 12) twice.

 

[stmookeyj]

19. Gualter Salles (BRA) A real journeyman who managed to buy a seat at Dale Coyne Racing, and mixes this with Brazilian Stock Car Racing. Has sponsorship from Alphina and Golden Cross (don't ask me what they are), and has finished 12th at Montreal as his best for the year.

20. Oriol Servia (ESP, Catalonia to be precise) Spaniard who has been with many teams, taking over the Patrick Racing Visteon entry from the middle of last year. Has finished 2nd twice this year, at Milwaukee Mile and Montreal.

27. Mika Salo (FIN) Former F1 driver with Sauber, Ferrari and most recently Toyota (there were others as well) who is the 3rd driver this year for PK racing. Has been in the seat for 3 races, where he crashed at Denver, finished 3rd at Miami and 5th at Mexico.

31. Ryan Hunter-Reay (USA) American Spirit Team Johansson took a punt with an untried rookie straight from Toyota Atlantics and Barber Dodges. Struggled at times this year, but at least has someone with experience to show him the ropes. His best weekend was at Mid-Ohio, with a 3rd placing coming from a front row start.

32. Patrick Carpentier (CAN) Experienced French-Canadian who is at Players Forsythe Racing. 2nd in last years "RACE" and has been unlucky countless times when luck has desrerted him at crucial moments. Took the win from Pole at Laguna Seca this year.

33. Alex Tagliani (CAN) Pushed out of Forsythe by Tracy, but found a new home at Team Rocketsports with Johnson Controls sponsorship. Solid driver but again, tends to be unlucky at critical stages. A pair of 3rd placings at Monterray and Elkhart Lake are his best finishes for the year.

34. Mario Haberfeld (BRA) Rookie driver for Mi-Jack Conquest Racing, which is Fittapaldi-Dingman in all but name. Former F3000 driver alongside Australian Rob Nguyen at Astromega. Finished 4th at St Petersburg, but has not reached the lofty heights since.

51. Adrian Fernandez (MEX) The only owner driver in the series, and is a national hero in Mexico with Tecate and Telmex amongst his many backers. A winner of this race in 2000, and has won at most of the overseas rounds that CART had been to (Japan, Mexico, Canada, Brazil). You may remember his was involved in the startline shunt in last year's race and he left hospital in a neck brace. His first American victory came this year at Portland.

55. Mario Dominguez (MEX) The "WINNER" of the "RACE" last year as well as the rookie of the year (there were 2, one got sacked mid-season). The main man at Herdez competition racing, he doubled his win tally at Miami only about a month ago.

 

[stmookeyj]

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS AFTER 17 Rounds

Paul Tracy 226
Bruno Junquiera 197
Michel Jourdain Jr 183
Sebastian Bourdais 158
Patrick Carpentier 136
Mario Dominguez 115
Oriol Servia 108
Adrian Fernandez 104
Alex Tagliani 91
Darren Manning 87
Mario Haberfeld 71
Roberto Moreno 67
Jimmy Vasser 58
Ryan Hunter-Reay 44
Tiago Montiero 29
Max Papis 25
Mika Salo 24
Rodolfo Lavin 12
Patrick Lemarrie 8
Joel Camathias 6
Alex Yoong 4
Geoff Boss 4
Roberto Gonzalez 3
Gualter Salles 3
Bryan Herta 2
Alex Sperafico 0
Luis Diaz 0

BOLD=Rookies, ITALICS=Not in series at Present

NATION'S CUP
CANADA 288
MEXICO 250
BRAZIL 219
FRANCE 160
SPAIN 106
ENGLAND 87
USA 87
PORTUGAL 28
ITALY 25
FINLAND 24
SWITZERLAND 6
MALAYSIA 4

 

[mongrelpunt]

It should be a cracking weekend.

Paul Tracy has the championship all but wrapped up already but has tended to struggle on the Coast in the past few years. Junquiera hasn't had a lot of luck this season but should go all right over the weekend.

The CART season has been pretty close, given they are virtually using the same Ford (booooooooooooo) engines, but even with experience drivers like Tracy, Vasser & Fernandez in there, the rookies are doing pretty good. And I guess Bourdais has the backing of Newman-Haas to make him look good.

In the V8's, I'm assuming that there won't be too much aggressive driving (except from Tossell) given the cars need to be on a ship on their way to NZ by the middle of next week.

My predictions:

CART:
1) Junquiera
2) Jordain Jr
3) Fernandez (always does well in Australia)

V8's (overall round winner)
1) Tander
2) Skaife
3) Murphy.

I couldn't put a Ford driver in there.

I was planning on attending this weekend, but I wish my sister could arrange her birthday for a different weekend!!

BTW great driver briefs stmookeyj.

 

[maccas_no1]

You are dreaming Tander that dud hasnt done anything all year except smash into anything and everything and you think he will win it my god you live under a rock

 

[mongrelpunt]

Originally posted by maccas_no1
You are dreaming Tander that dud hasnt done anything all year except smash into anything and everything and you think he will win it my god you live under a rock

The Garry Rogers Motorsport cars always do well at the Gold Coast - remember that moron Bargwanna won there last year, and Tander won the 2001 Round when it was an exhibition race before the CART races.

We'll see what happens.

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Ah yes.
Good old Indy weekend. An absolute blast it is when you are a Gold Coaster.

On sunday I will be on an apartment balcony overlooking the track as I have done the last 5 years. Gets better every year. Drink p*ss from 10am, have a BBQ on the balcony, soak up the sun (most of the time), and perve on hot chicks with the binos on other balconies who flash their **** after one too many drinks. Great bloody weekend.

Not to metion the off track fun. Surfers goes off on Friday/Saturday nite during indy. A real vibe about the place.

My mates and I vow that one year we will get an apartment during Indy overlooking the track so we can do it for four straight days! Will be like Schoolies week all over again but with actual entertainment in the day time!

 

[stmookeyj]

CART 1st Qualifying

1. 1. Junquiera (Newman Haas) 1:32.708
2. 33. Tagliani (Rocketsports) +0.557 from leader
3. 2. Bourdais (Newman Haas) +0.613
4. 51. Fernandez (Fernandez) +0.960
5. 3. Tracy (PFR-Players Forsythe) +1.453
6. 12. Vasser (American Spirit Johannsson) +1.558
7. 4. Moreno (Herdez) +1.605
8. 20. Servia (Patrick) +1.609
9. 9. Jourdain Jr (Rahal) +1.739
10. 32. Carpentier (PFR-Players Forsythe) +2.100
11. 55. Dominguez (Herdez) +2.309
12. 7. Monteiro (Fittapaldi/Dingman) +2.671
13. 15. Manning (Walker) +2.717
14. 27. Salo (PK) +2.798
15. 34. Haberfeld (Mi-Jack Conquest) +3.113
16. 31. Hunter-Reay (American Spirit Johannsson) +3.690
17. 19. Salles (Dale Coyne) +3.787

NO TIME:
5. Lavin (Walker)
11. Boss (Dale Coyne)

V8 SUPERCARS QUALIFYING (Top 10 Shootout tomorrow)
1.1. Skaife (HRT VY) 1:50.894
2. 18. Wilson (DJR BA) +0.4618
3. 50. Bright (Team Brock VX) +0.4962
4. 51. Murphy (K-Mart VY) +0.5794
5. 9. Ingall (SBR BA) +0.6637
6. 45. Jason Richards (Dynamik VY) +0.6966
7. 11. S.Richards (CPR VY) +0.8027
8. 31. Ellery (Super Cheap BA) +0.8159
9. 15. R.Kelly (K-Mart VX) +0.8411
10. 2. T.Kelly (HRT VY) +1.0355
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. 66. Canto (888 BA) +1.0746
12. 17. Johnson (DJR BA) +1.1284
13. 44. Wills (Dynamik VY) +1.1537
14. 5. Seton (FPR BA) +1.2369
15. 4. Ambrose (SBR BA) +1.2721
16. 65. Radisich (888 BA) +1.3031
17. 19. Besnard (FPR BA) +1.3422
18. 888. Bowe (Ozemail BA) 1.4583
19. 6. Lowndes (FPR BA) +1.6479
20. 3. McConville (Lansvale VX) +1.6902
21. 021. Baird (Team Kiwi VX) +1.7269
22. 10. Larkham (Orrcon AU) +1.8056
23. 21. B.Jones (Ozemail BA) +1.8108
24. 34. Tander (GRM VY) +1.8385
25. 16. Weel (Team Brock VX) +1.9066
26. 8. Dumbrell (CPR VX) +2.0360
27. 23. Noske (INXS AU) +2.0549
28. 20. Bargwanna (Orrcon BA) +2.4335
29. 33. Whincup (GRM VX) +2.5089
30. 29. Morris (Sirromet VY) +2.6917
31. 75. Tratt (Toll BA) +3.4171
32. 99. Thexton (TMR AU) +8.7940

 

[stmookeyj]

Scrap Tagliani's time, his car was found to be underwieght. Junquiera gets a championship point and a guaranteed front row start for his hot lap.

 

[JUBJUB]

Originally posted by stmookeyj

32. 99. Thexton (TMR AU) +8.7940

So has the Thexton mobile-chicane missed the cut off for qualification ?

 

[stmookeyj]

With the 105% rule in operation he would have missed by about 3 seconds.

 

[Dasher39]

First race of the V8's is over, and Ingall come out on top. NOW...for all those Ford fans who asid at Bathurst that the Skaife penalty was fair because "they are the rules", well what do you say about your boy breaking the rules in Pit Lane. Murph clearly explained the rules, and Ingall clearly broke them...will anything happen? Of course not, its FORD.

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Originally posted by Dasher39
First race of the V8's is over, and Ingall come out on top. NOW...for all those Ford fans who asid at Bathurst that the Skaife penalty was fair because "they are the rules", well what do you say about your boy breaking the rules in Pit Lane. Murph clearly explained the rules, and Ingall clearly broke them...will anything happen? Of course not, its FORD.

Agreed. Bloody Ford.

Come on Murphy and Skaive tommorow!

 

[stmookeyj]

As for the Champcars, here is the final grid for tomorrows race:

ROW 1
1. 2. Sebastian Bourdais 1:31.718
2. 1. Bruno Junqueira

ROW 2
3. 3. Paul Tracy
4. 33. Alex Tagliani

ROW 3
5. 51. Adrian Fernadez
6. 20. Oriol Servia

ROW 4
7. 4. Roberto Moreno
8. 55. Mario Dominguez

ROW 5
9. 9. Michel Jourdain Jr
10. 27. Mika Salo

ROW 6
11. 32. Patrick Carpentier
12. 31. Ryan Hunter-Reay

ROW 7
13. 7. Tiago Montiero
14. 15. Darren Manning

ROW 8
15. 34. Mario Haberfeld
16. 19. Gualter Salles

ROW 9
17. 12. Jimmy Vasser
18. 5. Rodolfo Lavin

ROW 10
19. 11. Geoff Boss

 

[Dasher39]

Although I still take an interest in the CHAMP Cars, it just isnt the same anymore. Now that bloody IRL has come in and stole the majority of the big name drivers and teams, the series although still very good just isnt the same. I was a big Team KOOL Green fan, and loved Dario Franchitti. Now they have jumped ship to IRL along with Chip Gannassi and Penske, and it isnt the same for me anymore.

Tomorrow I will be going for Paul Tracy, for the fact he was a former Team KOOL Green driver.

C'MON TRACEY!!!

 

[stmookeyj]

My opinion is that Champ cars are better on track than IRL. IRL can get very boring watching cars go round in circles about 200 times and then see a race stopped by a crash that nearly kills someone.

 

[JUBJUB]

Originally posted by Dasher39
First race of the V8's is over, and Ingall come out on top. NOW...for all those Ford fans who asid at Bathurst that the Skaife penalty was fair because "they are the rules", well what do you say about your boy breaking the rules in Pit Lane. Murph clearly explained the rules, and Ingall clearly broke them...will anything happen? Of course not, its FORD.

Murph didn't "explain the rules" .He had his usual whinge when he loses.

BTW,Ambrose was pinged for an incident in the QLD 500 when he collided with Ellery in the pits,so don't crap on about Ford escaping penalties.

There was nothing in todays incident.The Enforcer got out just in front of the whinging Kiwi.

 

[Dasher39]

Originally posted by JUBJUB
Murph didn't "explain the rules" .He had his usual whinge when he loses.

BTW,Ambrose was pinged for an incident in the QLD 500 when he collided with Ellery in the pits,so don't crap on about Ford escaping penalties.

There was nothing in todays incident.The Enforcer got out just in front of the whinging Kiwi.

No, JUBJUB, he did explain the rules, as he said the rules state if you are released into the path and collect or impede that driver then that is a penalty, and well it was clear that he hit Murph, hence there should be a penalty.

Also, did Ambrose come to a COMPLETE stop, from looking at it I thought he was still rolling, I may be wrong and probably am, but if he was still rolling then surely there is another penalty.

Face the facts, the Car Controller should have used common sense and waited, sure it was a touch and go situation but he clearly hit Murph and forced him to brake and IMO should be penalised, like Murph said if it was him he would have been penalised, much the same an MR Super Cheap Auto said at Bathurst.

 

[JUBJUB]

Originally posted by Dasher39


Also, did Ambrose come to a COMPLETE stop, from looking at it I thought he was still rolling, I may be wrong and probably am, but if he was still rolling then surely there is another penalty.

OMG,you're going to bitch about that.He stopped and let 2 cars go by.

Nice to see HRT stuff up Toddler's pitstop [again].It seems a common occurence that if Skaife's team mate out shines him,then HRT always stuff up that guys pitstop.
HRT made a major,major blunder bringing in Toddler right behind the pace car.


BTW,Stone Brothers Racing has been given the all clear over the Ingall-Whinging Kiwi pits incident.

 

[JUBJUB]

A great weekend for Ingall.He won both races.

This Indy race is turning into a bigger debacle than last year.
They stopped the race after 13 laps,due to pouring rain.

After at least a one hour delay they've restarted,only to have 2 further incidents and another 2 restarts.

 

[Dasher39]

I know, it seems the drivers dont know how to drive to the conditions. Its wet and they are driving like it is perfect sunshine and 30 degrees, a bit of common sense is needed.

 

[mongrelpunt]

I always thought that team rules weren't in vogue in American racing categories, but that Bourdais/Junqueira effort on the 2nd lap was soooo blatant, and that moron Neil Crompton took 10 laps to realise what they had done.

Bourdais was always going to let Junqueira though and block Tracy's run at him on the first lap. He just did the next best thing to blocking him - punting him off the track. Tracy didn't make a big deal about the incident because he was in the wrong - making a pass around the outside of the 1st chicane, then cutting straight into Bourdais while in the process.

I agree with Jimmy Vasser's comments - its the 2nd year in a row where the race was affected by a storm. Start the race up here at 1:30, and you will get a clean race. Just because it ruins American TV times shouldn't be a deciding factor in it.

And I'm going on record by saying that David Besnard is the stupidest driver in the history of motor racing. Its just that his stupidity isn't noticed by alot of people because of his team-mate. That passing attempt on Todd in the 2nd race was the worst since Bargwanna's effort at Bathurst. Todd had no where to go except into Max Wilson.

BTW my predictions weren't far off - Skaife & Murphy finished 2nd & 3rd overall, and my CART effort was looking good until Junqueria wrote off his car. I had the trifecta for around 10 laps.

 

[stmookeyj]

FINAL PLACINGS

CHAMPCARS

1. 31. Hunter-Reay 1:49:02.803
2. 15. Manning +1.546 behind
3. 12. Vasser +3.792
4. 9. Jourdain Jr +5.315
5. 32. Carpentier +5.837
6. 19. Salles +8.180
7. 33. Tagliani +8.633
8. 5. Lavin +10.131
9. 11. Boss +11.673
10. 55. Dominguez +50.728
11. 27. Salo +1 lap
12. 51. Fernandez +1 lap
13. 3. Tracy +2 laps
14. 34. Haberfeld +4 laps

DID NOT FINISH
1. Junqueira (Contact, hit 1st chicane wall after possible touch from Carpentier)
4. Moreno (Contact, Involved in accident at turn 4 with Tracy, Tagliani and Manning)
2. Bourdais (Contact, Massive lose after 1st chicane)
7. Monteiro (Mechanical, Gearbox)
20. Servia (Contact, Pushed into wall at 1st chicane by Fernandez)

 

[stmookeyj]

V8's Race 2 Final Order

1. 9. Ingall
2. 51. Murphy
3. 1. Skaife
4. 9. Ambrose (With only 7 cylinders in the engine)
5. 5. Seton
6. 65. Radisich
7. 15. R.Kelly
8. 17. S.Johnson
9. 6. Lowndes
10. 888. Bowe
11. 44. Wills (with a blown gearbox)
12. 33. Whincup
13. 20. Bargwanna
14. 021. Baird
15. 3. McConville
16. 16. Weel (After a spin on the last lap)
17. 10. Larkham
18. 21. B.Jones
19. 29. Morris
20. 75. Tratt
21. 8. Dumbrell
22. 11. S.Richards (Tagged by Jason Richards in turn 4 melee)
23. 18. Wilson (Innocent victim in turn 4 carnage)
24. 66. Canto (Met concrete on final restart)
25. 23. Noske (1 lap down)

DID NOT FINISH
2. T.Kelly (Taken out by Besnard)
7. Besnard (After stupidity)
45. Jason Richards (Hit Steven Richards)
31. Ellery (Turn 9 Wall, then hammed it up for crowd)
50. Bright (?)
34. Tander (?)

 

[JUBJUB]

Originally posted by mongrelpunt


I agree with Jimmy Vasser's comments - its the 2nd year in a row where the race was affected by a storm. Start the race up here at 1:30, and you will get a clean race. Just because it ruins American TV times shouldn't be a deciding factor in it.

And I'm going on record by saying that David Besnard is the stupidest driver in the history of motor racing. Its just that his stupidity isn't noticed by alot of people because of his team-mate. That passing attempt on Todd in the 2nd race was the worst since Bargwanna's effort at Bathurst. Todd had no where to go except into Max Wilson.

Vasser's comment's were spot on.It rains late afternoon in QLD,so why not put the race on earlier and put support races on later [i.e Carerra Cup,Brutes].
Wouldn't it be better for US Tv if the race was earlier ? I think it's in the early hours in the US [about 1am] when the race is on,but if it was run an hour or 90 minutes earlier,it would be a better timeslot.

Yes Besnard's move was dumb,but it had nothing to do with Toddler hitting Wilson.Toddler had already hit Wilson,then Besnard came flying in.

Toddler was just as much to blame as Besnard.Wilson was the innocent victim [for a change].