Indianapolis 500

[old fan]

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...3AF0&FORM=VIRE STINKER RACE

[mudslinger47]

They've already cut it back to one weekend from two. I think they (the Hulman-George family) realized the diminishing need for 2 weekend of qualifying, even 2 days of qualifying. They wanted to make it necessary for 2 days of qualifying regardless of the number of cars, thus the complete round 2 on Sunday.

Kid, they're not doing knockout qualifying. They just do an official qualifying run on Saturday and that determines the order they qualify on Sunday. The fastest 9 from Saturday are the only cars eligible to win the pole on Sunday. So, if a car is 6th fast on Saturday that car could conceivably win the pole on Sunday. The same goes for all cars in the fastest 9 of Saturday's qualifying runs. Fast time on Saturday obviously can't improve it's starting position but they can drop in the order but only as low as 9th. Positions 10 through 33 can improve their starting positions, but whether the car is 10th quickest or 33rd quickest on Saturday those cars can only improve themselves as high as 10th. So the fast time and the 10th fastest time from Saturday cannot improve their starting positions, they only have the possibility to drop in the starting line up. I hope I'm being clear on this and if not I'm sorry.

I'd be nauseous if they went to group knockout qualifying like NASCAR.

The way you explain it sounds pretty much like knock out qualifying .... Dang near fell asleep reading your explanation.... that's how boring Indy cars are....

[CIRF]

Good read, CIRF.

Got the qualifying on the tube here and, like many older fans, I can recall no matter what, we always had the last qualifying day on the radio if we weren't at the TV. The drama and excitement of Bubble Day was nearly as powerful as the race itself. Naming 25 Indy drivers was pretty easy to do in the 60s thru 80s, now, without the aide of the internet, 5 would be a challenge for me.

I always tune in for Indy. It's just part of my upbringing - long before Monaco and Charlotte bookended it for a classic day of racing TV entertainment. I must admit I have little love for the car designs today and while 230.whatever MPHs is impressive, I feel like it's taken some of the racing on-track away from the show.

I was glad to read your statistical input on Indy is selling massive tickets. Having been to Indy once, I can better understand why. Really, Indy should be experienced live at least once.

I don't have much in the way of suggestions to what could make this qualifying more interesting but I do feel there should be some type of preservation runs for the top 10 of yesterday to uphold their positions for the big show. Bubble Day just isn't the same without the bubble

Good read PennDirt.

A lot of things aren't the same at Indy in May but we keep going back and the last 3 500's have been exemplary races no matter what anyone says. We're hoping this year keeps up the recent tradition.

[CIRF]

Qualifying for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 is complete! James Hinchcliffe is on the pole, Josef Newgarden is in the middle of the front row and Ryan Hunter-Reay is on the outside of the front row!!

2 Americans and a Canadian on the front row of the 100th running or the Indy 500. Not bad!

Bryan Clauson qualified 28th making us dirt track fans very proud.

This looks like it could be another GREAT race.

[old fan]

Which bags the question why not more americans

[ClampedUp]

Which bags the question why not more americans

Just a guess on my part but it seems since the moves of Gordon, Stewart, and Newman all the good open wheel drivers are going to NASCAR instead of Indy car to try and ride their coattails to major paydays and exposure.
Also just an other guess on my part unless a family is willing to sacrifice their life to move their child to the Valhalla of open wheel racing in Europe to hone their skills through the many open wheel divisions the American drivers are behind the eight ball from the get go.
Back in the day when USAC/Indy was mostly oval tracks the American drivers had the major advantage now when a majority of the Indy races are road races those non-Americans have a great advantage as they grew up road racing.
Also many of those non-American drivers bring massive amounts of cash and sponsors with them to "buy" rides.

[mudslinger47]

Just a guess on my part but it seems since the moves of Gordon, Stewart, and Newman all the good open wheel drivers are going to NASCAR instead of Indy car to try and ride their coattails to major paydays and exposure.
.

Well that and they actually wanted to make good living for a long time....

[CIRF]

The way you explain it sounds pretty much like knock out qualifying .... Dang near fell asleep reading your explanation.... that's how boring Indy cars are....

Dam muddy, you really do have a rare talent for not knowing what your talking about! LOL!

And, it plain to see that you still have got your hypocrite going on seein's how you continue to intently read and comment (albeit you don't know what you're talking about) on a subject you claim to have no interest in. It's lookin' more and more as if you're telling just an itsy bitsy little fib about that.

Nope, Indy 500 qualifying is nothing like the silly group bull$hit gimmick qualifying NASCAR does. NASCAR can keep that over there in gimmickland, where it belongs. It has no place at the hallowed grounds of a 100+ year old race that is considered the biggest race in the world.

[CIRF]

Just a guess on my part but it seems since the moves of Gordon, Stewart, and Newman all the good open wheel drivers are going to NASCAR instead of Indy car to try and ride their coattails to major paydays and exposure.
Also just an other guess on my part unless a family is willing to sacrifice their life to move their child to the Valhalla of open wheel racing in Europe to hone their skills through the many open wheel divisions the American drivers are behind the eight ball from the get go.
Back in the day when USAC/Indy was mostly oval tracks the American drivers had the major advantage now when a majority of the Indy races are road races those non-Americans have a great advantage as they grew up road racing.
Also many of those non-American drivers bring massive amounts of cash and sponsors with them to "buy" rides.

The owners such as Penske, Ganassi, Andretti and even A.J. Foyt are partially responsible for foreign drivers overwhelming the great sport of Indy Car racing. They favored the foreigners because of the money they brought to the deal and they were better on the road courses that were the majority of the races, especially after CART was formed.

But, the first mistake was made way back in the early 1970's when USAC caved in to Penske, Pat Patrick and some other powerful car owners to separate the dirt miles from the asphalt ovals and road courses of The Championship Trail. Those owners wanted to be able to concentrate strictly on the rear engine F1 style cars on the asphalt tracks. USAC capitulated and made the dirt mile tracks and cars a stand alone division AKA the Silver Crown division. That's where the downfall began.

20 years ago the IRL was formed by Tony George and it was a great idea. Bring in the American drivers from the short tracks that people like myself could identify with and cheer for. It was a very good concept but it alienated a portion of the fandom that lost interest and have never regained it. I personally loved the IRL premise. It allowed me to see guys like Jack Hewitt, Donnie Beechler, Steve Kinser and Tony Stewart get a chance to run at Indy. A chance that would have never been given without the IRL. But the downside is that it fractured the fan base and as I said, many lost interest and never regained it.

The true IRL doctrine became completely lost when they merged with CART and the foreign drivers were once again back in the series and still in the best financed teams. The oval track and American driver premise is once again lost to the big money owners and the foreign drivers and the money they bring to the teams.

It saddens me because I've watched the fall from the pinnacle of open wheel racing and now it's happening to NASCAR. The circumstances are different but the outcome will be the same. But being a race fan we'll stay interested in the genre that best exemplifies quality competition and a minimum of hype an gimmickry. Simple as that.

[mudslinger47]

Dam muddy, you really do have a rare talent for not knowing what your talking about! LOL!

And, it plain to see that you still have got your hypocrite going on seein's how you continue to intently read and comment (albeit you don't know what you're talking about) on a subject you claim to have no interest in. It's lookin' more and more as if you're telling just an itsy bitsy little fib about that.

Nope, Indy 500 qualifying is nothing like the silly group bull$hit gimmick qualifying NASCAR does. NASCAR can keep that over there in gimmickland, where it belongs. It has no place at the hallowed grounds of a 100+ year old race that is considered the biggest race in the world.

Hey dillrod.... all qualifying is knock out qualifying... otherwise there would be no reason to do it....eye roll

[CIRF]

Hey dillrod.... all qualifying is knock out qualifying... otherwise there would be no reason to do it....eye roll

Well, again we see that our buddy muddy exercises his talent and ability to refrain from knowing what he's talking about!

I've told you before to be careful with that whole eye roll thing. Those peepers of yours sometime will stick like that and then what will you do?! It's not worth taking the chance because your eye rolls aren't effective in the least. Bbbbwwwwaaaahahahahaha!!

[formercrewguy]

I'm glad to see Hinchcliff get the pole after last yrs. bad crash.

[mudslinger47]

I'm glad to see Hinchcliff get the pole after last yrs. bad crash.

Is that the guy ole Red Skelton always talked about?

[a25rjr]

Is that the guy ole Red Skelton always talked about?

I know I'm showin my age, but that made me laugh!

[CIRF]

Is that the guy ole Red Skelton always talked about?

I know I'm showin my age, but that made me laugh!

Who is Red Skelton and what pertinence does the guy/gal have to James Hinchcliffe?