"Please Come Back - I'm Ready" by Bill Patterson depicts the new Dallara with first season Red Bull Aeroscreen
Genesys 300 At Texas Motor Speedway Opens INDYCAR Season Without Fans In The Stands
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES got off to a late season start in a most grand and professional way. For the first-time ever, the season started the evening of June 6th, 2020 at a first-time venue for a season opener titled the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway - a high-banked mile and a half oval known for 214+mph speeds and close finishes. This event also featured a first-time where no one was allowed to pay money at a turn-style and sit in a seat to witness the competition on the track - in America? No concession's confectionery was allowed to be purchased because there were no fans.
Graham Rahal during the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway Saturday, June 6, 2020. Graham tracks along pitlane in his Aeroscreen modified Dallara racecar in oval trim as the field goes to restart without fans in the stands a Texas Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Chris Jones - NCIS (2020)
From the beginning, everyone knew this was going to be a high-stress affair ever since the nation went on a commercial lock-down, due to fears and concerns in readiness over the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning in March after the first major event cancellation was ordered by Austin Texas Mayor shut down the rites of late winter South By Southwest (SXSW) music and culture festival. Soon thereafter, the traditional season-opener through the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida followed suit setting off a chain of chaotic ripples throughout the potentials of a 2020 racing series season originally set a 17 races ending in September.
Adding insult to injury to this set-up of a natural disaster aided by Human decision-making and control, this was to be the very first season the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) was under the new leadership of Roger Penske, who had purchased the INDYCAR sanctioning body and the track from the Hulman & Co. who had been in control of both the unified series and the track since February, 2008. The IMS track and the INDY 500 event had never been under any other leadership than Hulman & Co. since the facility was purchased by Tony Hulman, November 14, 1945, re-setting the modern history of American motorsport.
Given the chaos created in this era of the hysteria and fear created by the illness and potential ending of life in a newly identified (first isolated and identified on January 7, 2020) virus infection from Wuhan, China, it is probably amazing that this first race of a recently confirmed 16 race 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season (down from 17 races), ending in October at St. Petersburg, Florida, was actually held - fans or no fans.
With all of this as a backdrop, oops - adding that there was a 6 race 2-D gaming race series held in order to keep 3-D driver skills up and fan interest somewhat focused, but this effort, while better than nothing, left most fans with a very large void that real life, with real teamwork and the technology of cars on a dynamic physical forces track (masks, or no masks) could ever be matched in the cyber world.
Again, with all of this as a backdrop, oops - with a week's worth of Black Lives Matter violent protests (riots with property damage, deaths, and fires to 100s of buildings} - masks, or no masks by gatherings of people in very close shoulder to shoulder physical proximity without a Governmental concern of enforcement to their edicts on Social Distancing. As well as the fact that the Governor moved to a stage one open-up crowd strategy of 25% commercial capacity allowed for open air event environments for music and sporting events - whereas, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Texas Motor Speedway decided not to take advantage of for this first-time set of circumstances.
Lastly, again, with all of this as a back drop, the INDYCAR teams put on the event under a 30 some-odd page booklet of COVID-19 protocols including masks, pit crew behavior, number of people in a pit crew, TV interview set-ups and protocols, and etc.. One could sense the tension that was requisite above and beyond just racing in the first race of the season - what comes to mind was watching team owner of the winner of the race - Scott Dixon - Chip Ganassi, struggling to keep a mask properly displayed upon his face throughout the event.
Firestone Firehawk tires used during the race came from an interesting sets of background and understanding. First off, this Dallara had never turned laps while in race trim at full anger. This being the first race of the season with a new platform, created some guesswork by the professionals at Firestone. What they ended up with is that the Rightside/Outside tires were the testing tires used to match up with the new aerodynamic stresses and down-force presented with adding the Areoscreen to the body. The Leftside/Inside set of tires chosen were last year's INDY 500 tires figuring that they would be able to handle the Texas track heat (nearly 150F degrees at race time) and speeds of around 214 during Qualifications for the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway Saturday, June 6, 2020. Image Credit: Chris Owens - NICS (2020)
The whole of the teams, owners, drivers, emergency support staff, and the TV production crew at NBC put on a real professional event performed at the highest levels of standard and to anyone with a trained eye, not one foot was placed wrong throughout the event.
Were mistakes made? - YES, this is reality with real world consequences. No quick digital pitlane resets here.
Was any of this a distraction to the professionalism of staging a race with a whole new platform of race car with the added safety feature of an Aeroscreen which changed up potentials in tiree wear on a banked oval track with average speed of over 214mph between 23 of the 24 cars scheduled to take to the track for just under 300 miles of tire to tire, side-by-side racing? - NO, in fact this first race of a Penske owned professional racing series at the highest levels of professional challenge in motorsport anywhere in the world was beyond a phenomenal success.
As far as holding a race without fans in the stands, NBC for its part decided to broadcast the race on Saturday evening through its over-the-air general non-cable portal with a tremendous response.
Scott Dixon celebrates with his socially distanced/virtue-signalling team after winning the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway Saturday, June 6, 2020. Image Credit: Chris Owens NICS (2020)
This excerpted and edited from IndyStar -
Saturday's 2020 series Genesys 300 that served as the season-opener shown on NBC, IndyCar's first network broadcast in primetime in seven years, averaged 1.285 million viewers across the show, which aired from 8-10 p.m. Unsurprisingly, Indianapolis led all markets with a 4.36 household rating — meaning 4.36% of homes with TVs on during the broadcast were tuned into the race. On a national scale (and excluding Indy 500s), it was the most-watched NBC-broadcast IndyCar race ever, surpassing last year's race at Road America (1.110 million viewers), and it became the series' most-watched race since the 2016 Dual at Detroit Race 2 (1.397 million on ABC).
[Reference Here]
Bravo to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES for a near perfect race under extremely un-perfect circumstances breaking a near 80 day lock-down of society as a whole.
Next up? NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is the GMR Grand Prix on Saturday, July 4 on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
One can only hope that this race is attended with people on the grounds at IMS under these understandings: If one is sick and has a fever - report to a hospital or stay home. If one is in an identified vulnerable demographic and fearful - stay home. Outside of this, enter living life at one's own risk, with the exact-profitable-densities the retail establishments had, as if it were New Year's Day 2020!
Lookin' for FANS, not NO FANS come race day at IMS - home at Indiana, Wuhan Red Death be damned.
TAGS: NTT INDYCAR SERIES, COVID-19, Wuhan Virus, GMR Grand Prix, Genesys 300, Texas Motor Speedway, NO FANS, Masks, Social Distancing, Professionalism, Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Penske Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, The EDJE
Beginning of the last race of the 2017 season with Josef Newgarden in command as the field gets ready - 2 by 2 - entering Turn 11 at Sonoma Raceway for race start. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2017)
NTT IndyCar Series Championship Predictions Four Races Out
Predictions are a tricky business since this is always about placing odds on human outcomes. Variables are all over the map from driver talent and mistake performance involvement, equipment preparation and in-race support performance, track layout combined with prevailing weather, to the old adage of past performance is the best predictor of future performance and outcomes.
That being stated, there is a great portal for information about future chances that allow predictions to hit their mark much better than not. This portal is titled The Single Seater and the reason they are so good at what they do, they eliminate emotion as much as they can through mathematics ... statistics ... all that include the adage stated above.
Winner's Circle celebration as caught by NBCSN at 2:01:05 - from left to right is GoPro Grand Prix Of Sonoma race winner Simon Pagenaud being congratulated by 2017 NTT IndyCar Series Championship winner Josef Newgarden, Motorsports Journal Managing Editor Edmund Jenks, and NBCSN's Broadcaster Jon Beekhuis. Image Credit: NBCSN telecast via screengrab (2017)
This excerpted and edited from Single Seater -
State of the Championship: Assessing Newgarden’s Weak Spot By: Drew Bennison - Aug. 8th, 2019 There are four races left in the IndyCar season. The finale at Laguna Seca has double points on offer, meaning there are at most 266 points available to any one driver. The Single Seater model currently has Newgarden in control of the championship with a 66.4% chance of winning the series title. Rossi has around a 30.9% chance of winning as he sits 16 points behind Newgarden, and Dixon and Pagenaud both hold a 1.3% chance of pulling off a late-season upset.
The helmet, gloves, and HANS device of Josef Newgarden just a minute before J-New puts them on for the final practice at the 2019 Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach. The Team Penske driver finished this fourth race of the season P2 at about 20 seconds behind Alexander Rossi, his chief rival going into these final four races. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2019)
Newgarden holds the lead Newgarden has led the points standings for most of the year thanks in no small part to his qualifying efforts. He has the second-best average starting position this year (5.8) just behind Rossi (5.5) and was the fifth most consistent qualifier as judged by average starting deviation. Newgarden qualifies for races incredibly well, but he doesn’t start races well at all. On average he loses -0.9 places in the first two laps of the race and has only retained his starting position on 54% of race starts. Ryan Hunter-Reay is the only driver in the top-10 of the points who retains his starting position at a worse rate. This could pose a threat in the final quarter of the season as two of the last four races are on road/street courses where passing is tougher. Giving up a good qualifying effort in the opening laps puts Newgarden at greater risk of getting involved in a crash or simply being unable to pass a championship rival back. Even on the ovals where it’s traditionally easier to overtake, giving up free track position obviously isn’t an ideal way to close out a tight championship battle.
Andretti Autosport celebrates its 200th win as a racing organization in the Long Beach Grand Prix Victory Circle. This mark was secured by Alexander Rossi as he won his second consecutive Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach (2018 & 2019). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2019)
Rossi’s advantage Rossi has been an even better qualifier than Newgarden with two pole positions and retains his starting position at a much higher rate than Newgarden — doing so 85% of the time. Attacking Newgarden’s weakness on the start is going to be a solid approach for Rossi to claw back the 16 point deficit. Newgarden is not a driver that makes a ton of mistakes in the race — his overly optimistic dive to Hunter-Reay’s inside on the last lap at Mid Ohio is not a move you’ll see him go for again — so being in front of him early is so important. All drivers are aggressive at the start of the race, but Rossi can be more tactfully aggressive since he knows Newgarden struggles in the first two laps. And what might be an even bigger advantage for Rossi is if Newgarden knows he struggles on starts, leading to out-of-character driving in an effort to retain his position that could cause him to make a mistake. Winning a championship is as much a mental game of keeping your concentration high as it is a physical battle on track. So what could Newgarden do to improve this weakness in his profile? I’m not a driver coach, but I would think that taking some time in practice to simulate the start and running on cold tires could only serve to benefit him. His teammates both retain their starting position more than 75% of the time, so maybe they have some advice for their fellow driver too. With only four races left, it would do more harm than good to try to do much more and risk psyching himself out at race starts. It’ll be a problem to deal with in the off-season.
Chip Ganassi Racing's 5-time IndyCar Racing Series Champion takes the pre-race fan greet ride just as every other driver. Here Scott rides around with sunglasses and his PNC Bank hat on backwards as her tracks around infamous Turn 9 at the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach circuit. Vantage thanks to Doug Mockett, from his special trackside suite sponsored by Doug Mockett & Company - Fine Architectural Hardware. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2019)
Pagenaud, Dixon round out the top-four Pagenaud and Dixon are both longshots to win the title as they sit 47 and 62 points out of the championship lead. Their success in the title hunt is going to come down more to what mistakes Newgarden and Rossi make more than anything they can do.
INDY 500 winner for 2019 had a hot hand at IMS winning everything the track had to offer - IndyCar Grand Prix and the INDY 500. Image Credit: Shawn Gritzmacher - NTT IndyCar Series (2019)
Pagenaud has actually been the luckiest driver this season already according to Expected Points. He is outperforming his xPoints through Mid Ohio by +72. That means he’s scored 72 more points than we would have expected him to as judged by his average track position in races. For example, in the Indy GP Pagenaud had an ATP of 6.6, led only five laps, and was in the top-five for just 41% of the race. We would have expected him to score 28.5 points that race (about a sixth-place finish) but instead he scored 51. We see drivers who overperform compared to their expected points for a stretch of time eventually regress back to the mean. This could be over the next couple of races or next season, we don’t know exactly. But if Pagenaud is really riding a somewhat lucky sequence of races, it could mean Dixon has a good shot of at least overtaking him in the points in these last four races if Pagenaud’s results start to line up with how he has been driving. Right now, our model has Pagenaud with an expected championship finishing position of 3.3 compared to Dixon’s 3.4. Pocono is up next In the 50,000 simulations we did of the last races of the IndyCar season, no other driver won the championship besides these four. Newgarden and Rossi head into Pocono with a combined 97% chance of winning the title. There have been just three oval races so far this year, but Newgarden has the edge over Rossi in average starting (6) and finishing (2) position on these types of tracks. He also scores better in ATP (4.2) and ATP25 (1.9). A good weekend at Pocono could give him some breathing room in the points, but it won’t be easy. Rossi has had a good start to his career at Pocono with two podiums including a win in three races there. Newgarden has two podiums and no wins in six attempts. These aren’t huge sample sizes, and I’d say these guys are about even. Newgarden with the advantage at ovals this season and Rossi with the advantage at Pocono the past few years. A DNF from either Rossi or Newgarden would probably flip the championship odds from “lean Newgarden” to “likely Newgarden” or to “lean Rossi” depending on who DNFs, so Rossi has more to lose than Newgarden does when it comes to a strategy gamble or risky overtake opportunities. I expect both of these guys to play it relatively safe (no high-risk-low-reward moves like we saw with Newgarden at Mid Ohio) at Pocono with three races still to go after. Pagenaud and Dixon might try to shake up the race a bit with alternative strategies given their longshot status too. The Current Championship Odds
“Expected Championship Position” The Expected Championship Position for each driver is the average championship finishing position we would “expect” from a driver if the end of the season were repeated infinite times. It is useful to get a point estimate forecast for each driver.
Statistical Information & Image Credit: TheSingleSeater.com (2019)
Sitting on the sidelines is only fun when one is engaged and informed.
So, with four races remaining in the 2019 season - ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway - Long Pond Pennsylvania, Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway - Madison Illinois, Grand Prix Of Portland at Portland International Raceway - Portland Oregon, Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca - Monterey California it's GREEN, GREEN, GREEN and may the best of outcomes prevail for all, even if the odds strongly favor Team Penske's 2017 NTT Series Champion to chalk-up a number two for his career in the double-points race at Monterey.
Team Penske's Simon Pagenaud looks skyward, with an empty milk bottle in each hand, as he completes a sweep of the NTT IndyCar Series (NICS) activity at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the "Month-Of-May." After having a lackluster year without wins in all of 2018, and having a dismal start through the first four races in 2019, Simon re-establishes his rightful place in the list of top accomplished drivers in the NICS. He did this by qualifying with a NTT P1 Pole Award followed by a victory in the IMS road course event the INDYCAR Grand Prix, then capturing the NTT P1 Pole Award followed by a victory in the IMS oval race known as "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" - 103rd Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. He started May at P11 in the driver championship points standings, and ended May by leading in the 2019 championship points race by one point over teammate Josef Newgarden. Image Credit: Tristan Vautier (2019)
Not So 'Simple Simon' Throws A 'Simon Says' Curve Into The Finale Of The 103rd INDY500
This edition of the 103rd Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge did not succumb to the dire predictions (as high as an 80% chance) of a rain influenced contest. The INDY500 did not come down to a precisely managed fuel consumption strategy session, thanks to accident miscues on the track late in the race, much to the chagrin of Spencer Pigot and Scott Dixon, as well as the joy who were beginning to reel in the leaders if this test continued its long Green Flag stints.
No, this sixth race of a seventeen race NTT IndyCar Series season came down to an ample number of laps at the end to provide a real racers shootout which ended up in a ratings increase win with an online survey result at IndyCar.com insta-poll in the very high 9's on a 10 point scale.
Simply stated, Simon Pagenaud was able to cap off a Month-Of-May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that only one other competitor dreamed of and completed - the 2018 season of Team Penske teammate Will Power.
Front straightaway opening ceremonies included a very patriotic display with all of the trappings - Troops standing at attention, a couple of flyovers, the National Anthem sung by Kelly Clarkson, and the President of the Hulman & Company, Tony George announcing the call to start engines. Image Credit: Jason Porter via NICS (2019)
The following race notation was performed in real time using audio to text from cellphone into an email message. Images folded in are from the ample staff at IndyCar.com with a potential contribution from Social Media timelines.
Matt Damon and Christian Bale (L to R). Image Credit: Walter Khun via NICS (2019)
GREEN, GREEN, GREEN from Matt - GREEN, GREEN, GREEN from Christian ...
Matt Damon and Christian Bale as honorary flag starters of the 103rd Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge get this party started as the 10 rows of 33 cars come to the yard of bricks Start/Finish line. This marks the first time NBC has ever broadcast the INDY500 in it's 103 years of running "The Greatest Spectacle Of Racing."
Right at the drop of the Green Flags from Damon and Bale, the Honda and Chevrolet powered Dallara IndyCars begin to track at 220mph average laps for 500 miles in "The Greatest Spectacle Of Racing." Image Credit: Jason Porter via NICS (2019)
First lap is in the books without incident and Ed Carpenter is pushing Simon Pagenaud - Will Power gets a tremendous start and ends up at P3 - up from his second row outside P6 position. The racing between Will Power, Spencer Pigot and Josef Newgarden in these opening laps is superb - just excellent.
Lap 5 Colton Herta is coming into the pits and he's coming in slowly. It looks like an electronic problem.
Colton Herta did not make it all the way back into the pits so FCY - Full Course Yellow to tow the car into the pits on Lap 6.
Top 10 on restart will be Pagenaud, Carpenter, Power, Pigot, Newgarden, Jones, Bourdais, Rossi, Daly, and Castroneves.
GREEN, GREEN, GREEN - Lap 11
Marco Andretti Sage Karam and Felix Rosenqvist are first to pit.
Colton Herta out - DNF
Lap 20 of 200 - Top 10 are Pagenaud, Power, Carpenter, Pigot, Newgarden, Rossi, Bourdais , Jones, Davidson, & Daly.
29 laps in and already 100 passes for position on track. No passes for lead, however.
Pagenaud and other leaders begin pit stops at lap 34. Will Power assumes lead for two laps. The rest of the field will soon follow.
Marco Andretti, U.S. Concrete and Andretti Autosport showed of the No. 98 U.S. Concrete / Curb machine that the third-generation driver piloted during the 103rd Running of the Indianapolis 500. The day-glow red car closely resembles the 1969 race-winning livery of Mario Andretti, celebrating the 50th anniversary of his memorable Indianapolis 500 victory. Sadly, Marco finished the race as the last car running at the end - P26 - five laps behind the leader. Image Credit: Mike Harding via NICS (2019)
Marco Andretti comes in for second Pitstop - already.
Davidson comes into pits and enters pit sideways. Castroneves messes up on his Pit Stop by rear-ending Davidson and damages front wing.
Sato doing back-to-back pit stops because of a messed up tire installation.
Castroneves is penalized a drive-through penalty for tapping the back end of Davidson's car.
50 laps in the books - 125 miles of 500. Top 10 are Pagenaud, Power, Carpenter, Newgarden, Rossi, Bourdais, Pigot, Jones, Daly, & Erickson.
Lap 56 Ben Hanley comes in coasting. Tire change and mechanical issue discovered. Drive shaft disconnected.
Dale Coyne Racing's American Santino Ferrucci gained INDY500 Rookie Of The Year by being the hard charger through starting at P23 and finishing in the Top 10 at P7. In the post race press conference, Ferrucci said, "I got to battle it out almost the entire race with Hunter-Reay, who's a champion here, and I can't thank him enough because the experience that you get racing someone like that and the enjoyment and excitement of racing around other competitors like him, it was just a blast." Image Credit: Joe Skibinski via NICS (2019)
Lap 60 Rookie Santino Ferrucci started at P23 and is now up to P14.
Lap 65 and race leader Pagenaud is coming in for his second Pit Stop. Other leader pit stops to follow.
Power squirrely coming into pit box - taps Fueler with left rear of car.
The Chevy-powered Indy cars may be fast but they are pitting a little earlier than the Honda-powered cars.
Alexander Rossi squirrely coming to the blend line into pit stop - coming in a little fast.
Scott Dixon is last of top drivers to pit. He went 37 Laps on his first Pit Stop stent it is now Lap 73 and he comes in.
Lap 74 - Full Course Yellow brought on by Kyle Kaiser of Juncos Racing.
Big impact on pit lane because a car comes in sideways hitting tires by Jordan King.
Before FCY, Will Power did not do well in Pitstop exchanges coming in from P2 and entering to the field P6. Power is penalized for hitting crew member in pit box with slide, penalized to the back of the field.
GREEN, GREEN, GREEN - Lap 79. Top 10 our Pagenaud, Carpenter, Newgarden, Rossi, Bourdais, Piggott, Dixon, Erickson, Daly, & Rahal.
Will Power, after penalty, now settles in at P21. Speaks on radio, to the pits, saying that his day may be over.
Lap 90 has Ed Carpenter at P2 taking advantage of Simon Pagenaud cutting a hole in the air.
Halfway point Lap100 - Simon Pagenaud pits from the lead leaving Ed Carpenter, Josef Newgarden, Alexander Rossi, Sebastian Bourdais, Conor Daly, Simon Pigot, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Graham Rahal, & Santino Ferrucci behind.
Those pitting at the end of sequence are Alexander Rossi and Scott Dixon. Lap 112 Dixon comes into pits.
Things are getting racy as Felix Rosenqvist pits. Alexander Rossi is now at P2 challenging Simon Pagenaud for the lead.
Lap 125 of 200 - Simon Pagenaud, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter, Josef Newgarden, Sebastien Bourdais, Conor Daly, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Santino Ferrucci, & Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Lap 131 - Simon Pagenaud comes in to pits.
Marcus Ericsson spins in Pit Road and there's a problem with Alexander Rossi with the Buckeye fueling nozzle - it's not going in cleanly - super delay on pit stop for a Rossi of 23 seconds.
Full Course Yellow Lap 139? - Marcus Ericsson spins as he comes into the pits and hits the wall. This Yellow may mess up Scott Dixon's race, he has not pitted yet.
Dixon, Rosenqvist, and Ferrucci come into the pits after achieving good pit strategy with fuel mileage.
19 cars on the lead lap and Alexander Rossi gets clobbered with a terrible Pit Stop placing him at P6.
GREEN, GREEN, GREEN - Lap 149 - top 10 are Simon Pagenaud, Ed Carpenter, Josef Newgarden, Sebastien Bourdais, Alexander Rossi (up to five), Conor Daly, Ryan Hunter Reay, Charlie Kimball, Graham Rahal, and Scott Dixon.
Incredible action all around Alexander Rossi he was passed by many cars & he passed many cars back - one of them in the mix is lap down Oriol Servia.
2019 Championship points leader Josef Newgarden passes Simon Pagenaud for the lead on lap 151. First time Simon Pagenaud has been passed on-the-track for the lead all race.
For those who identify themselves as charter members of the "Short Attention Span Theater" ... the rave environment of the Snake Pit may be the best place to pass the time of a 500 mile race once the first GREEN Flag flies until the last laps before the CHECKERED Flag and the milk shower in Victory Lane takes place. Image Credit: Stephen King via NICS (2019)
Conor Daly Lap 156 moves up to P4 as the action behind him with Rossi and Oriol Servia gets crazy.
Racing becomes a little more stable but they are all tracking within a half a second of each other in the top five or six places.
Rossi is driving like a man possessed - he just now passed Conor Daly for P4.
With Josef Newgarden leading, Simon Pagenaud is able to save fuel for the first time in this race.
Simon Pagenaud comes into the pits at lap 169.
Lap 173 Pagenaud reassumes the lead in Pit Stop sequences.
The top Racers who have pitted are now nose-to-tail on Lap 177 with Pagenaud, Rossi, Carpenter, Newgarden, Bourdais, & Rahal all running together.
Big crash on Lap 178 YELLOW Flag - Crash caused when Sebastian Bourdais came down on Graham Rahal as he was attempting a pass going into Turn 3 - Rahal's right-front wheel touched Bourdais' left-rear wheel - Rahal had a bent right suspension arm, Bourdais was sent spinning - collected cars as they drove into crash.
Zach Veach and Felix Rosenqvist are also taken out. Santino Ferrucci slides pass the accidents by cutting left through the grass onto the inner circular pit-in/pit-out lane (designed by Rick Mears), misses all of the collected traffic, and gains positions.
Image Credit: Walter Khun via NICS (2019)
Race is under RED Flag stop - all cars to pit lane (no work allowed) in order to clean up the track.
Felix Rosenqvist, Graham Rahal, Sebastien Bourdais, Charlie Kimball, & Zach Veach all out. Scott Dixon gets through but has front wing damage and continues further back in the grid after service.
GREEN, GREEN, GREEN - Lap 189 of 200 -
This excerpted and edited from IndyCar.com -
Engines have re-fired and the Indianapolis 500 has resumed after a RED FLAG delay of 18 minutes.
Lap 181: Leader 21-Pigot enters closed pit for fuel only. LEAD CHANGE (26): New leader is 27-Rossi.
Lap 182: Pits are open. 21-Pigot, 9-Dixon and 5-Hinchcliffe on pit road for four tires and fuel. 9-Dixon also made repairs for damage sustained in the Lap 178 incident.
Race Control: These cars need to drive through pit lane, as they are lapped cars: 24, 60, 77, 48, 3, 7, 42, 23, 98.
GREEN, GREEN, GREEN - Lap 187 of 200 - 27-Rossi leads the field out of Turn 4 to start-finish. 22-Pagenaud makes pass for the lead on the frontstretch
Lap 188; 27-Rossi makes pass for the lead in Turn 1.
Lap 189: 22-Pagenaud takes the lead with a pass on the frontstretch.
Lap 190: 22_Pagenaud leads 27-Rossi by 0.1617 of a second.
Lap 195: 22-Pagenaud leads 27-Rossi by 0.1264 of a second. As Pagenaud enters each of the long straightaways of this unique rectangle style oval track, he shows that he is leading by diving to the inside track wall doing his best to throw a curve to Rossi in his attempts to catch by owning Pagenaud's draft (the hole the leading car creates which allows the car behind to gain speed through the reduced friction of no-air).
Lap 196: 22-Pagenaud leads 27-Rossi by 0.1177 of a second.
Lap 197: 22-Pagenaud leads 27-Rossi by 0.0077 of a second. Further, Simon plays a driving game of Simon Says, by diving to the inside wall, as soon Alexander follows suit to maintain the draft, Simon pops toward the outside wall, then as Rossi begins to make his adjustment, pops back to the inside - the very opposite of blocking ... cutting the draft.
Lap 198: 27-Rossi makes pass for lead around outside of Turn 1 - Simon Says to Alexander, go on by, see you in half a lap.
Lap 199: 22-Pagenaud passes 27-Rossi for the lead in Turn 3. WHITE Flag: Pagenaud leads 27-Rossi at the line by .3439 of a second.
Lap 200: CHECKERED Flag: Simon Pagenaud wins the 103rd Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge by 0.2086 of a second over Alexander Rossi.
The 2016 NTT IndyCar Series champion, Team Penske driver, & due to his performance in The-Month-Of-May - 2019 Championship points leader - Simon Says - I Win!
Image Credit: Walter Khun via NICS (2019)
INDIANAPOLIS 500 POST-RACE QUICK NOTES:
Simon Pagenaud is fifth French-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500. The last French-born driver to win was Gil de Ferran in 2003. De Ferran is Brazilian citizen but was born in Paris. Pagenaud is the first Frenchman to win since Gaston Chevrolet in 1920.
Today’s win is Simon Pagenaud’s second win of 2019 and his 13th career Indy car victory.
Pagenaud became the second consecutive driver to win both the INDYCAR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and Indianapolis 500 in the same season. Will Power accomplished the feat
It is the 18th Indianapolis 500 win for Team Penske, which is the most among all entrants. The team’s last Indianapolis 500 win was 2018 when Will Power won the race.
Alexander Rossi finished second, his third top-five finish in four Indianapolis 500 starts. Rossi has not finished outside the top 10 at Indianapolis
Takuma Sato finished third, his second podium finish at the Indianapolis 500. His only other podium was when he won in 2017.
103rd INDIANAPOLIS 500 presented by Gainbridge TOP THREE QUICK QUOTES:
Simple! Simon covers himself in White Gold, better, White Privilege ... the traditional bottle of milk bath of an INDY500 win in Victory Lane. Image Credit: Shawn Gritzmacher via NICS (2019)
SIMON PAGENAUD (No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet, winner): “It’s hard to believe right now, to be honest with you. It’s been such an intense race. I believe we led most of the race. The car was just on rails. The yellows came out perfectly. The stars are aligned. Man, wow, I’m seeing myself on TV with this. It’s pretty amazing. It’s a dream come true, a lifetime of trying to achieve this. So I’m just speechless. It’s just incredible. I never expected to be in this position, but I certainly was trying to make it as hard as I could. I want to thank the fans. The fans are amazing. It was awesome to share that with you guys on the Yard of Bricks. You’re the best, Indianapolis.” (Did questions about your job security motivate you?): “It didn’t. I’m just focused on the job, man. When you have a car like this, a team like this, you just work your way. It’s all about achieving and executing at the end, and we did execute perfectly today. No mistakes. Here we are, Victory Lane, man. We did it!”
Post race Alex taking a moment - It is always hard when one does everything that can to overtake, maintain a margin, and win when your competitor happens to have just one more tool in his box. Image Credit: Shawn Gritzmacher via NICS (2019)
ALEXANDER ROSSI (No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda, second): (What was the difference at the end?): “Horsepower. That’s unfortunately the way it is. They did a great job. Obviously, he was on pole and led the most laps, but I think we had the superior car. We just didn’t have enough there at the end. Huge hat’s off to the entire No. 27 NAPA Andretti Autosport team. They’ve been fantastic all month, and I’m happy to get them a result. But unfortunately, nothing else matters here but winning. This one will be hard to get over, but at the end of the day, it was a great showing for the team and good for the points overall. But today will suck for a while.”
Rahal Letterman Lanigan driver and 2017 INDY500 Champion Takuma Sato. Sato finished in P3 Podium position only 0.3413 seconds behind winner Pagenaud. Image Credit: Richard Dowdy via NICS (2019)
TAKUMA SATO (No. 30 Mi-Jack/Panasonic Honda, third): “We had some issue on the second pace lap, and we got down. It was lucky that we got back. And the last 15 laps were great excitement. Huge congratulations to Simon (Pagenaud). A big win. We tried to get Alex (Rossi), but we were not quite there yet.” (Did you think you could run this well?): “It’s always challenging. It’s always difficult. We just kept our heads down, did our job and made the most of it.”
In the end, 35 year-old Simon Pagenaud had to fight a not so simple drive from beginning to end by leading the field in a "follow me" - "catch me if you can" - "Simon Says" snake-like lead curving drive at the end, to win against all comers by 0.2080 seconds, so as to soak in the ultimate white privilege of a bottle (or two) of milk splash tradition in Victory Lane.
He enters next weekend's two-race Detroit Grand Prix closed street course challenge leading by one point in the season championship - here's to keeping the charge alive, The EDJE says.
... notes from The EDJE
TAGS:103rd Indianapolis 500, IMS, Pagenaud, Simon says, Rossi, Sato, Team Penske, Andretti Autosport, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, Santino Ferrucci, Dale Coyne Racing, Snake Pit, The EDJE
The podium of the 2012 Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle, MI. L to R - P2 Franchitti, P1 Scott Dixon, & P3 Simon Pagenaud. Image Credit: IICS
Detroit GP Tweet-By-Tweet: The Tale Of Two INDY500's
The truly dedicated can find joy in an event they follow,
even if it devolves into a disaster. The American open wheel race in
Belle Isle was just one of those races.
As the title of this posting suggests, the Detroit Grand Prix held on
an island park named Belle Isle (beautiful island) was a race that
lasted about as long (about four hours) as the race held just the week
before in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Detroit Grand Prix was just like
the INDY500 but without all of those other pesky cars (33 as opposed to just
25), laps, miles, pitstops, non-stop action, lead changes,
passing, and competitiveness … at least until the last 15 laps when the
race was restarted with a threat of rain in the sky.
As the race was to play out, it basically became a three act event
with the first 38 laps being a spirited, YELLOW Flag free, uncontested
romp led by pole-sitter, Scott Dixon. This act featured the comic relief
of EJ Viso piloting his P4 holding circus-colored CITGO liveried KV
Racing Technology Chevy-powered DW12 just slightly slower than anyone
behind him wanted to drive but just fast enough to not be passed.
The second act a RED Flag session for about two hours long where ABC
Sports tried to make the best of an impending broadcast disaster … a
race without a conclusion. This act had all of the suspense of wondering
if the cement road patch material used to fix the track would set-up and
dry enough to finish the race. Leaf blowers and pavement torches became
implements of wonder and interest.
The third act being the last 15 laps of very hotly contested action
with YELLOW Flags, passing, and cat and mouse strategy through to a
shortened 60 lap conclusion to a scheduled 90 lap event.
The race was carried on national network, general broadcast
television by ABC Sports. This was welcomed by most who follow the sport
of automobile racing due to the fact, that more often than not, races
are broadcast on the special sports channels that have become part of
the exclusive inclusion of a premium cable/satellite delivery package.
Not everyone has access, or choose to afford the additional luxury of
more than 80 channels provided with a standard package.
Sadly, as this race played out, a broadcast on a special channel
would have been the only uninterrupted live delivery of the event
besides streaming on the internet. The race never had its proper
broadcast conclusion because depending upon one’s timezone, ABC was
forced to cut away and pass off to the ESPN News channel … not carried
by most standard cable packages.
The Detroit GP track at Belle Isle. Image Credit: #DetroitGP
The following entries come from “Tweet Deck” tweet-by-tweet with added comments from the author:
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
Do not forget to use the official IZOD
#IndyCar Series HASHTAG for today’s race #DetroitGP #DetroitGP
#DetroitGP – #iics #indycar2012 #dw12
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @kiki85: They seriously don’t have a camera onboard the last winner here? @justin_wilson #IndyCar #detroitgp
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @aRacingfan: IndyCar should have standing starts. #IndyCar #detroitgp @detroitgp
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @CrazyDog984: GREEN GREEN GREEN!! #Indycar #Detroitgp #skyport2
Cars begin race in a Doublefile and jostle for position.Image Credit: IIC
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
TAGS is out of the race #indycar #detroitgp
Peter Leung @BaronVonClutch
.@scottdixon9 builds a lead over @12WillPower. @justin_wilson says it’s a right rear puncture. Damaged upper wishbone. #IndyCar
Steve @dannycatsteve
That was the first bad start this year #IndyCar
Tony DiZinno @tonydizinno
Wow, fugly start. #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Eva Chan @echan50
Justin Wilson out with damaged wish bone. There goes my 1st fantasy pick :( #detroitgp #Indycar
Andy @Gabbahey122475
Awful look start. Not one of @BeauxBarfield best. We know u can do better. #IndyCar
Emma Bracegirdle @EmTheEmu
Dario Franchitti on David Letterman? I NEED to watch that! #IndyCar
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
Pagenaud up to P3 #indycar #detroitgp
Mandy Valentine @Indy_Mode
I wonder if Justin Wilson is the first causality of the bumpy circuit? #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Tyler Johnson @tylerjohnsonosu
@LouisSuddaby23 Glad to here there are people watching across the pond! #IndyCar
TJ @Tjamily
Dixon running away from Power very impressive. #indycar
Ron Frankl @ronfrankl
Watching the #IndyCar race from Belle Isle near Detroit. Would love to see #NASCAR racing on this beautiful lakeside track.
Eric Hamme @NegativeVORP
Goodyear started talking about fuel on
lap 1, and on lap 6 Marty mentioned lockstop. This is going to be a
looooong day. #indycar #detroitgp
Rodrigo Vicente @_RoVicente
P1 Dixon P2 Power P3 Pagenaud P4 Viso P5 Hunter-Reay #indycar
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @tonydizinno: Only lap 7 and the #snark
is out in full force on Twitter this race. Might be more entertaining I
fear. #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Peter Leung @BaronVonClutch
Wilson: ‘with all the melee I got
really sideways. I tapped the wall but really light hit… bent the
suspension.’ #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Heather B. @nonnalita
I love summer! Watching the #IndyCar #DetroitGP. Go @scottdixon9!
Chris Munn @Funntastic
I had no idea Jamie Little was pregnant! She looks pretty funny in a fire suit #IndyCar
Colin Z. @WxTurtle
Ryan Hunter Reay just threw a huge block party. #indycar #gpdetroit
Don Mitchell @DonMedia
Whoa there EJ, these ain’t dirt cars. #IndyCar #DetroitGP
EJ Viso scrapes wall in order to keep his P4 position on the track. Image Credit: Mattzel89 @Mattzel89 via Twitter
Matt Porter @ontheeastmke26
road courses are stupid… – #indycar live on livestream.com/indycar
Filip Cleeren @FilipCleeren
Wish they would revert to the old
layout next time. Straight after S/F has overtaking potential.
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm… #detroitgp #indycar
E.M.H @elmondohummus
RHR was blocking so hard that Suh bull-rushed him to sack the QB. #indycar #detroitgp
Jenna @jmcc09
@martinpinnau I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near Viso. The guy is such a liability. #IndyCar
Lisa @lmkenny
“Play the fuel game” and no passing?Sounds like a nap coming on soon. #IndyCar
Filip Cleeren @FilipCleeren
Hunter-Reay officially warned for his block party on Briscoe. #detroitgp #indycar
Ross Nunamaker @RossNunamaker
Dixon in front, fuel strategy race, going to be tough to beat. @detroitgp #indycar
Eric Hamme @NegativeVORP
We’ve seen the DW12 race well at tracks
like Barber and Long Beach, but Belle Isle is just a different animal.
#indycar #detroitgp
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @Mattzel89: Rubens having engine problems? I thought his F1 career was over… #IndyCar #detroitgp
AJFoytRacing @AJFoytRacing
@Mikeconwayindy radioes in ‘I’m he’s starting to lose a lil rear grip’ @detroitgp #indycar2012 #indycar
Chris Burk @burk992
Race Control: “Oi Ryan quit dropping it like it’s hot on the track. We told you to leave that in the garage” #IndyCar
DZ @HalfShaftBlues
“SQUIRRELY” That counts as a squirrel encounter: drink. #IndyCar
brant james @brantjames
No truth to the rumor that Ndamukong Suh cheap-shotted the #indycar safety truck under yellow. @detroitgp
IndyCar Insider @IndyCarInsider
F.Y.I. Even this race is more exciting than ANY OVAL RACE #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Dannie Lyz Asphall @DannieAsphall
Rahal is p14. #Indycar #DetroitGP
Dave Furst @DaveFurst
I’m not saying there’s a lot of cars backed
up behind Viso, but pretty sure he’s in the left lane w his blinker on.
#detroitgp #IndyCar
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @f1fanaticlive: James Jakes is in the run-off at turn eight on lap 16. #IndyCar
Peter Leung @BaronVonClutch .@JamesJakes in the run-off area at Turn 8. #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Curt Cavin @curtcavin
Most of the field is stuck behind Viso in fourth. #indycar #detroitgp
AJFoytRacing @AJFoytRacing
Alternate fuel strategies starting w
Andretti & Kansan pitting early. @Mikeconwayindy saving fuel
#indycar2012 #detroitgp #indycar
James Jakes @JamesJakes
JJ off the runoff in turn 8. By radio communication he told us he has braking issues. Headed to pits now. PR. #IndyCar
Domingo Riego @filipinosince75
.@Ryan_Briscoe and @RyanHunterReay
mixing it up again… Is RHR always trying a collect a bounty on Briscoe?
@RB_Mrs #INDYCAR #DetroitGP
Kev @NonElusiveKev
Watching the Viso train makes me think Indycar should put horns on the cars. #detroitgp #indycar
Taylor Peyton @imtaylorpeyton
Jakes lost his brakes. Hey! That rhymes! #Indycar
Heather Rule @hlrule
Scott Goodyear, I love ya, but you gotta stop with “EXcape” and “EXspecially.” Thanks. #indycar
Marius Berghuijs @srcompetition
Standings top 6 after 20 laps. 1-Dixon,2-Power,3-Pagenaud,4-Viso,5-Hunter-Ray,6-Castroneves! #Izod #indycar #Izodindycar
Eric Hamme @NegativeVORP
Helio and Bourdais get by Briscoe…during a commercial of course. #indycar #detroitgp
Jason Larson @larsoni27
Update, the plain white t-shirts are
holding off the socks during the spin cycle much like Viso and just
about everyone behind him #indycar
TJ @Tjamily
I LOVE street course but this one needs some more passing zones, Viso is ruining the race for all but the top 3. #indycar
Martin Pinnau @martinpinnau
If Belle Isle is on the #indycar schedule next year, they really need to look at reconfiguring the track. Sucky race so far.
Kris Kleinbub @Bub1515
“@Fieldof33: It’s a good thing Michigan
Speedway is sitting empty 40 miles away from this barn-burner at Belle
Isle today.” #indycar
JuanPablo Muñoz @juanpa_mv
Que le paso a Rubinho Barrichello? #IndyCar
Heather Rule @hlrule
Folks complaining about lack of passing at #detroitgp. You know where there *is* passing? @roadamerica. #bringbackRA #indycar
Emma Bracegirdle @EmTheEmu
Awwww, Rubinho’s out :( #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
LAP22 TAKU pulls out of line for a pitstop #indycar #detroitgp
Randy Bernard @RBINDYCAR
@IndyCar #INDYCAR it’s official Belle isle grand prix sold out today. Congrats Roger Penske and Bud Denker
Sal Granillo @DustballerSal
@EJVISO your pullin a Danica! Holding up traffic! #muevete #IndyCar
Brian Karczewski @LVI56
Dario gets wing damage trying to make a pass #Indycar
Dannie Lyz Asphall @DannieAsphall
That was an excellent move from Bourdais and then Briscoe let him have it. #Indycar #DetroitGP
Mandy Valentine @Indy_Mode
Viso needs to GTFO of the way #IndyCar #DetroitGP
AJ @ajslideways
No doubt Dario will blame that on Bourdais, Chevy, the track, the Pope, and everyone and everything other than himself. #IndyCar
Ross Lancaster @rosslancaster
Ironic that a Dragon Racing car has an engine problem after the switch to Chevy. #IndyCar
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @chickenpilot: ahh the fun of listening to #IndyCar on the internet and watching the tweets but missing #pippamann comments
Peter Leung @BaronVonClutch
Good news. @justin_wilson’s car is mended. He’s back out on track. #IndyCar #DetroitGP
The field from P4 on trailing EJ Viso as he is just slow enough to hold the field up but just fast enough to keep the field behind him. Image Credit: Mattzel89 @Mattzel89 via Twitter
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
With VISO holding up so many cars … where’s Push-To-Pass when we need it? #indycar #detroitgp
And its not like Viso is going slow, he's pushing hard! #IndyCar. Image Credit: Mattzel89
Heather Rule @hlrule
I can’t see that citgo car without thinking milka duno is behind the wheel. Anyone else? #indycar #baddrivers
Shane Rogers @shagers
Sato has committed to the three stop
strategy, but he doesn’t have to be 3 seconds a faster a lap for long to
come out in front. #indycar
F1 Fanatic Live @f1fanaticlive
Viso pits and uncorks the bottle. #IndyCar
James Jakes @JamesJakes
1.89 sec currently stand between P1 @scottdixon9 and P2 @12WillPower PR. #IndyCar
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
LAP 30 of 90 – Dixon, Power, Helio, Kanaan, RHR, Pagenaud, Marco, TAGS, and Briscoe #indycar #detroitgp
E.M.H @elmondohummus
Squirrels reported trying to “Occupy” Bourdais’s pit stall, but scattered when they saw him coming. ;) #indycar #detroitgp
Andretti Autosport @FollowAndretti .@RyanHunterReay comes in for a pit stop at @detroitgp! 58 laps to go. #detroitgp #indycar2012 pic.twitter.com/gJcvb3BO
F1 Fanatic Live @f1fanaticlive
LAP33 Leader Dixon pits, Power takes over first. #IndyCar
Dannie Lyz Asphall @DannieAsphall
I don’t think people realise how amazing Graham Rahal is. He is a good driver, I must admit. #Indycar #DetroitGP
Dave Furst @DaveFurst
Hearing the #detroitgp will go back to 2.3 mile layout (ran in late 90′s) next year…incl more passing zones. #good #IndyCar
Jason Larson @larsoni27
Everyone has completed one pit stop, I’ve completed a load of laundry, right on schedule #indycar
Ronald Lanjouw @rlanjouw
@RobertDoornboss #indycar is great and would like @RTLGP to trade their F1 license with Indycar and MotoGP :-)
Filip Cleeren @FilipCleeren
Power not matching Dixon so far. The Kiwi makes it look easy. #indycar #detroitgp
Colin Warnock @justin_wilsonPR
@justin_wilson no longer a
contender @detroitgp but just set fastest lap – on primary tyres – after
@DaleCoyneRacing make repairs #indycar
Ian Lewis Moore @IanLewisMoore
Looks like everybody & their mama is going to need a new front wing at some point today. #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Peter Leung @BaronVonClutch
Bourdais cannot catch a break. His day is done. #Desolee #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
No YELLOW Flag laps so far – LAP 37 of 90 #indycar #detroitgp
Jon Easter @johnnystir
E.J. Viso=Moving chicane #detroitgp #IndyCar
Brian Lewis @LewisUnderscore
Who are these idiots who don’t likd the #Dallara DW12? I think it makes for an absolutely stunning machine. #indycar
Curt Cavin @curtcavin
This race needs some squirrels or some rain. #indycar #detroitgp
F1 Fanatic Live @f1fanaticlive
Wilson has rejoined the track in
his repaired car but his day just gets worse – he gets a penalty for
speeding in the pits. #IndyCar
Rodrigo Vicente @_RoVicente
Kanaan chegando no Power, mas foi pro box… #IndyCar
Peter Leung @BaronVonClutch .@Hinchtown into the Tire Wall at Turn 6. #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Gina Navarra @fastlifeofgina
And nooooooo Taku :( #DetroitGP #IndyCar
Lewis Franck @LewisFranck
Sato wasn’t trying to pass Dario when he went off. #IndyCAR they are both okay.
A Racing Fan @aRacingfan
Big hit for Hinch, in the tyres at turn 6, and Sat in the wall elsewhere on track. #IndyCar
Maraschino Events @MaraschinoEvent
Sad for two #IndyCar faves @Hinchtown & @TakumaSatoRacer who are now out of the #DetriotGP after both hitting the wall.
YELLOW Flag
Thomas Kruytzer @ThomasKruytzer
Full course yellow door die spleetoog en goDaddy #rtlgp #indycar
Chris Daly @TheChrisD
Wow, Belle Isle is seriously coming apart :O #indycar
A Racing Fan @aRacingfan
A huge chunk of the track came up and that’s what took out Hinch! #IndyCar
Safety crew pulls poorly patched road material out of large cracks in
the road surface after James Hinchcliffe get derailed and crashes into
the tires lining the track. Image Credit: IICS
Joe Ortiz @LeoJTravis10
Looks like Detroit is having a Daytona moment there. #Indycar #detroitgp
Jason Larson @larsoni27
Song of the race… youtu.be/Maz6jFdvn2Q #indycar – Dog’s Eye View – Everything Falls Apart
Jacob Black @JacobBlackSPEED
Wow, @Hinchtown going all “@MarcoAndretti” on the radio, and rightly so. Track is busted up. #IndyCar
Safety crew pulls poorly patched road material out of large cracks in
the road surface probably originally prepared by public union road crew labor at great expense. Image Credit: IICS
E.M.H @elmondohummus
Holy crap… and I thought *my* city’s roads were bad. #indycar #detroitgp
Riemberg Barros @riemberg
Kanaan P4 #IndyCar
Mac Morrison @Mac_Morrison
The #DetroitGP track surface is coming up in some places and flying into chalets. Caught this piece! #IndyCar yfrog.com/h4n8txdj
_chrisUK @_chrisUK
Watching #indycar on @SkyIndyCar – cars crashing and bits of the track falling apart! @Hinchtown isn’t going to be happy!
Lindsey Chavers @LAChavers
signs of the economic times: Not even racing sports can afford to keep equipment up! #indycar #daytonahole
Crash Gladys @CrashGladys
@SpeedFreaks I think a red flag is necessary considering how deep those divets are now. #Ouch #indycar #detroitgp
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
We need to stick a 2×4 in it! RT
@CrashGladys: Red flag is necessary considering how deep those divets
are now. #Ouch #indycar #detroitgp
Safety crew pulls poorly patched road material out of large cracks in
the road surface after James Hinchcliffe get derailed and crashes into
the tires lining the track. Image Credit: IICS
Mattzel89 @Mattzel89
This is going to be a problem #IndyCar twitpic.com/9siy2l
John Wertz @jwertz77
This is extremely embarrassing for the @detroitgp promoters/RP. Not good. #IndyCar
Curt Cavin @curtcavin
Red flag apparently coming. #indycar #detroitgp
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
Political Question: Public Union workers responsible for road patches at Belle Isle? Jus’ askin’ #indycar #detroitgp
Safety crew pulls poorly patched road material out of large cracks in
the road surface after James Hinchcliffe get derailed and crashes into
the tires lining the track. Image Credit: IICS
Remi Bernard @RemiBernard
They’re gonna run under yellow til
halfway, then call it a race and go home. Next year, go to Milwaukee.
This is embarrassing. #Indycar
Fake Charlie Whiting @charlie_whiting
Maybe they should just put @TheOrangeCone on the massive canyon in the track. #IndyCar
RED Flag
Chris Daly @TheChrisD
@Mattzel89 Thought it was 50% + 1 lap? They’ve stopped after only 45 laps, they need 46 laps? #indycar
Mattzel89 @Mattzel89
From another turn #Indycar twitpic.com/9siz95
Matt White @MattW1986
Daytona pothole anyone #IndyCar
Jenna Fryer @JennaFryer
RT @AP: #IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard: `I felt like dead man walking’: apne.ws/K6l3rm @RBINDYCAR
Sini Salminen @SiniF1
I guess the race won’t be restarted? #IndyCar
SPEED Channel, Inc. @SPEED
And in @IndyCar land, the track is literally coming apart. Race currently red flagged. #IndyCar
Curt Cavin @curtcavin
Red flag. #indycar
Alex Coates @AlexCoatesy
Bob the builder, can he fix it? #IndyCar @SkyIndyCar
Ash (アシュー) @racingAsh
Tough situation. Can’t repatch it. IndyCar
ground effect would just pull it up. Like Goodyear said, it’s like a
vacuum. #DetroitGP #IndyCar
Steve Dreiseszun @SteveDreiseszun
Photo: Wow. #DetroitGP track at Belle Isle is causing unexpected problems. #IndyCar pic.twitter.com/jiLOuD5p
LAP45 of 90 – RED Flag in play
Beaux Barfield hopeful to restart the race – going to inspect on-site #indycar #detroitgp
Curt Cavin @curtcavin
Says @Hinchtown “(The track) is a mess.” giant pieces of track sealant coming up. #indycar #detroitgp
Mattzel89 @Mattzel89
Video of the #IndyCar incidents caused by the track breaking up youtube.com/watch?v=Z0x9WK…
Ross Bynum @therossbynum
Isn’t Detroit a wonderful place! Just as lovely as I always heard. No infrastructure issues at all! #IndyCar
Fake Charlie Whiting @charlie_whiting
I feel for @BeauxBarfield. Perhaps running twice in Toronto makes sense. #HintHint #IndyCar
Dustin Long @dustinlong
#IndyCar fans suffering through issues
with track coming apart & stopping event _ #NASCAR fans can relate
to that from a couple of years ago
chris adkisson @CAcoach53
im going to school because i want to do this for a living! #IndyCar @FollowAndretti @MarcoAndretti pic.twitter.com/cy8qw0z4
Autoweek Racing @AutoweekRacing
Just in: Officials at @detroitgp say the #IndyCar race will be ready to start again in 30 minutes.
Dan Brunell @Dan_Brunell
The potholes and crumbling asphault for
the #Indycar #DetriotGP was planned to give the drivers an authentic
Detroit driving experience.
nascarcasm @nascarcasm
All #IndyCar has to do is put some blacktop in the grooves and have Ndamukong Suh stomp it firmly into place. #DetroitGP
Dannie Lyz Asphall @DannieAsphall
If we didn’t have this red flag, would we have seen all these mini documentaries? #Indycar #DetroitGP
Curt Cavin @curtcavin
People reporting chunks of sealant landing in (and flying over) the chalets along the track. #detroitgp #indycar #dangerous
Ann-Marie Smihal, 43, of Grosse Pointe displays the piece of the track
that launched over the fence and smacked her in the thigh on Sunday. She
wasn't hurt. "It was just shocking, and I'm just glad it didn't hit my
children," she said. Image Credit: Eric Seals - Detroit Free Press
Allen Wedge @AllenWedge
even during a stoppage ABC can’t be
bothered to interview/show non-top drivers/teams or give us any kind of
relevant information #IndyCar
Jenna Fryer @JennaFryer
Actually, surprised no #IndyCar drivers are pulling a @keselowski right now. They could totally be tweeting their thumbs off.
E.M.H @elmondohummus
This last 30 minutes is the only time all year Lotus has kept pace, right? ;) #redflagjokes #indycar #detroitgp
matkeeling @keelingover
Come on they’re concreting the race track and then expecting to run again? Ridiculous, cowboy builders! #Indycar @SkyIndyCar
TB @Brewtdb
“@paultracy3: There isn’t a road in the whole state without a pothole … Lol” #INDYCAR #DetrioitGP
Dave Ellis @daveellis0808
Some guys with a wheel barrow are going to fix an entire race track. #indycar
Leaf blowers and butane gas flame throwers used to dry the patch compound before the race could be restarted. Image Credit: IICS
wendy kroon @blokkypirate
Er wordt op zn Amerikaans geasfalteerd. Awesome!! Bell Isle #indycar #Detroit pic.twitter.com/IXk7dCCM
Gord Smith @elgordo99
What’s gonna happen with TV? #IndyCar #DetroitGP RT @hinchontrack Race to resume @ 6:30
Concrete Patching Continues
A Racing Fan @aRacingfan
BADMAN #IndyCar pic.twitter.com/WJECjcex
Raindrops detected … not raining yet but this is now causing additional concern
nascarcasm @nascarcasm
Now would be ideal time for Kid Rock to
grab his guitar and entertain the crowd with a rendition of
“Beauxwitdaba.” @BeauxBarfield #IndyCar
Dave Furst @DaveFurst
Roger Penske update from #detroitgp: Repairs
are going well…looks like we’ll re-start. Going full distance is a
question tho… #IndyCar
JMV1070 @JMV1070
Anybody else believe there is no way this stuff will stay sealed? #indycar
Autoweek Racing @AutoweekRacing
Well, so much for 30 minutes. They’re shooting now for 6:30p ET. Rainclouds threaten. #IndyCar #DetroitGP yfrog.com/kfd69xaj
Filip Cleeren @FilipCleeren
Track officials not ready to commit to a restart time yet. We are watching paint (quick fix) dry. #indycar #detroitgp
Torches and leaf blowers are used to "speed up" repairs - HERE
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @brian_wiggins: To ESPNEWS we go! #IndyCar
Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE
RT @rosslancaster: Figured they’d move the race to ESPNEWS. ESPN2 has NHRA and ESPN has SportsCenter and NBA pre-game. #IndyCar
Dustin Long @dustinlong
#IndyCar … ABC announces that those
watching on East Coast will have to switch to ESPN News at 6 pm EASTERN
for continued coverage of event
Time: 6:48 local time – Cars are getting ready to take to the track and must do so with the color code tires they came in on.
The idea is to restart the race and have it run for 15 more laps to LAP 60
Shaun Pechin @Shaunpaddock
now everyone was trying to cheat…guess if your not trying to cheat…your not trying. #IndyCar
Ken and Lydda @AbuelosDeTrece
“@indycaradvocate: Cross your
fingers, all. Let’s see if we can keep this sucker together by sheer
will for 15 laps. #INDYCAR” You said Will
1hr. 59min. into the RED Flag condition – Engines fire and warm-up
Ash (アシュー) @racingAsh
Great to hear motors running. Oh boy. Please
hold patch work, hold. Kudos to the fans in Detroit! Godspeed drivers.
#DetroitGP #IndyCar
TheMiniChad @TheMiniChad
Watching #IndyCar – thinking we might see a return of Will Power’s famous fingers if these patches don’t hold up.
Graham Rahal will not move – he believes the clutch has failed – Electronics
SpeedFreaks @SpeedFreaks
WHAT?? Now rain is an issue before the
green restart?? Holy crap… come in for rain tires and it’s anyone’s
race! #DetroitGP #IndyCar
Restart – GREEN GREEN GREEN
Brian Karczewski @LVI56
Wait, they are gonna go green and it;s RAINING??? #Indycar
Mr. Wise Guy @DoctorGooFee
#indycar kudos for ABC for keeping this on TV…
Power gets jumped by Dixon and this allowed Pagenaud to pass Power placing him at P3
Michael Henson @ChasingBristol
New favorite #Indycar chat quote: “Bad, meet Worse.”
TV coverage jumps to ESPN NEWS …
F1 Fanatic Live @f1fanaticlive
Castroneves spins into the wall, Carpenter also spins at turn seven. #IndyCar
YELLOW Flag – Debris quickly cleaned up
Restart – GREEN GREEN GREEN
Peter Leung @BaronVonClutch .@dariofranchitti jumps 2 P’s @simonpagenaud and moves up to 2nd, Power 3rd @scottdixon9 still leads. #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Peter Leung @BaronVonClutch .@EJVISO stals and spins at Turn 5. #IndyCar #DetroitGP
LAP53 YELLOW Flag
Franchitti is able from P4 pass Power, then Pagenaud to have TCGR in
place for a repeat one two finish as was the case the week before at the
INDY500.
Funny thing – the red-colored DW12 of Dixon’s was riding on Black
code tires and was pulling away from the black-colored DW12 of
Franchitti’s that was riding on Red code, softer compound tires
Target Chip Ganassi now sitting P1 and P2 with only six laps to go
Restart – GREEN GREEN GREEN
Zachary Houghton @indycaradvocate
Founded in 1867, the DetroitGP is the longest-running continuous single race in history… #INDYCAR
F1 Fanatic Live @f1fanaticlive
No change in the top four at the latest restart, Servia now up to fifth, six laps to go. #IndyCar
Dixon has almost a full second led on teammate Franchitti
Peter Leung @BaronVonClutch
Dixon,Franchitti, Pagenaud, Power, Servia. #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Mr. Wise Guy @DoctorGooFee
#indycar I think the black tires are made out of the same stuff they patched the track with before the race.
F1 Fanatic Live @f1fanaticlive
Tagliani takes Andretti who has front wing damage, Newgarden follows him a few corners later. #IndyCar
Peter Leung @BaronVonClutch
Lap 57 Now. Dixon still leads with Franchitti following. Pagenaud P3, Power P4. Servia P5. #IndyCar #DetroitGP
Mandy Valentine @Indy_Mode
We’ve actually got some good racing going on here! With 2 laps left. #Indycar #DetroitGP
Rodrigo Vicente @_RoVicente
2 LAPS TO GO! #IndyCar
Final Lap … everyone is behaving themselves!
CHECKERED Flag
Scott Dixon wins. Franchitti 2nd, Pagenaud 3rd, Power 4th, Servia
5th, Kanaan 6th, Hunter-Reay 7th, Kimball 8th, Conway 9th, and Tagliani
at 10th #IndyCar – Full field finish HERE
Larry Lage @LarryLage
#IndyCar didn’t keep the feel-good buzz from
the Indy 500 in part because the track in Detroit was awful. Check out
pix goo.gl/aH6F7 ENDS
This final event opinion excerpted and edited from More Front Wing –
It’s hard to imagine a much bigger letdown after a thrilling
Indianapolis 500 than the show witnessed today. If INDYCAR must return
to Belle Isle — and I don’t think anyone would really be sad if they
didn’t except Roger Penske and Scott Dixon — then please don’t make it
happen immediately after Indianapolis. Perhaps this would be a good race
to put in the fall when competing against opening weekend of the NFL
season but not immediately following the event with more eyeballs than
the rest of the season combined.
