[saltysenior]

the race at pocono was like watching an irl race 15 years ago.......the irl race at michigan was like watching a nascar race 15 years ago......i believe they are puting a better racing show than nascar.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by salysenior

the race at pocono was like watching an irl race 15 years ago.......the irl race at michigan was like watching a nascar race 15 years ago......i believe they are puting a better racing show than nascar.

Pocono has a history of long periods of nothing exciting happening. It'd be a much more exciting race if they'd cut the distance.

The IRL has put on some great shows, their biggest problem is that they have gone back to their "Gee, we'd sure like to be just like F1!" ways. This isn't meant to be Xenophobic, just stated as a fact; Americans will NEVER fully support a sport which plays on our shores but is dominated by participants from other countries (Hockey is, of course, the exception).

Personally, I thought the race at Michigan yesterday kind of sucked. I shuddered at the little aerobatic exercise Franchini performed yesterday. I'd glad he's still above room temperature. The last quarter of the race having half the starting field was a total waste of time. Kannan made it kind of thrilling but basically it was a lost cause.

My very personal idea of how IRL could return open wheel competition to America's forefront would be to:
(1) Do COMPLETELY away with the rear-engined "weedwhackers-on-steroids." The rest of the world likes rear engines, Americans want to see engines where they belong, IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER!
(2) Make the IRL (Indy 500 included) a series for USAC Silver Crown cars. Doing so would provide a less technological car but rather a more durable and competitive car. It would open up tracks all over the country where the cars would put on a great show. Plus, with some good purses you'd see an influx of big name World of Outlaw drivers making the transition.

Think about it. Can you see Steve and Mark Kinser, Dannny "The Dude" Ososki, Joey Saldana or Jack Haudenschild running the Indy 500?

Believe me, merging the IRL and USAC Silver Crown would put open wheels back in the race fan's mind.

[bears9]

I like IRL not more than NASCAR

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by bears9

I like IRL not more than NASCAR

It's a shame you don't remember the days when AAA, USAC and CRA were the big names in American auto sports. It was a great time to be a race fan. Fans went to the tracks to see good racing, not prima donna drivers.

[simple simon]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Americans will NEVER fully support a sport which plays on our shores but is dominated by participants from other countries (Hockey is, of course, the exception).

hockey is barely watched in America ...... it's not even regularly on a big time TV channel

as for NASCAR vs IRL ...... i like both ........ but for different reasons, as i actually see them as almost two different sports ......... i like NASCAR for the pushing and shoving gritty style ......... i like IRL for the finesse

i think some may find this interesting

qualifying for this years Indy 500 pole was 225.817 mph
Honda IRL Racing - Press Release - 05/20/2007 - Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Report


the qualifying record for the Brickyard 400 is 186.293 mph
Allstate 400 at the Brickyard

almost 40mph difference which i think is huge

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by simple simon

hockey is barely watched in America ...... it's not even regularly on a big time TV channel

as for NASCAR vs IRL ...... i like both ........ but for different reasons, as i actually see them as almost two different sports ......... i like NASCAR for the pushing and shoving gritty style ......... i like IRL for the finesse

i think some may find this interesting

qualifying for this years Indy 500 pole was 225.817 mph
Honda IRL Racing - Press Release - 05/20/2007 - Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Report


the qualifying record for the Brickyard 400 is 186.293 mph
Allstate 400 at the Brickyard

almost 40mph difference which i think is huge

Obviously the difference is huge but they are two totally diferent types of cars. Sort of like comparing hardball & softball. Same sort of game in nature but significant differences.

[simple simon]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Obviously the difference is huge but they are two totally diferent types of cars. Sort of like comparing hardball & softball. Same sort of game in nature but significant differences.

i was just pointing out a factoid i found interesting and thought others may as well ....... ya big bully

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by simple simon

i was just pointing out a factoid i found interesting and thought others may as well ....... ya big bully

... and I was merely embellishing upon your factoid, and I ain't no bully !!!

[harvick29]

Originally Posted by simple simon

hockey is barely watched in America ...... it's not even regularly on a big time TV channel

as for NASCAR vs IRL ...... i like both ........ but for different reasons, as i actually see them as almost two different sports ......... i like NASCAR for the pushing and shoving gritty style ......... i like IRL for the finesse

i think some may find this interesting

qualifying for this years Indy 500 pole was 225.817 mph
Honda IRL Racing - Press Release - 05/20/2007 - Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Report


the qualifying record for the Brickyard 400 is 186.293 mph
Allstate 400 at the Brickyard

almost 40mph difference which i think is huge

where im from hockey is a pretty big deal most of the nascar fans in michigan are hockey fans.what do you mean by i like the IRL for the finesse?

[simple simon]

Originally Posted by harvick29

what do you mean by i like the IRL for the finesse?

good question im glad you asked ........ to me NASCAR has a lot to do with bumping ......... give him a tap to let him know youre there, they say ....... rubbing is racing, they say

well, in IRL, rubbing can mean death ....... a serious wreck to say the least ........ i believe driving an open wheel car takes much more skill, more finesse

now i dont want to hear it from you die-hard NASCAR fans (im a fan too you know) ....... it's just open wheel is a totally different style ..... in NASCAR of course you can tap someone to let them know you are there as i said .... in open wheel if you do that you will at least damage your nose and likely your wing, and your day will be over

[harvick29]

Originally Posted by simple simon

good question im glad you asked ........ to me NASCAR has a lot to do with bumping ......... give him a tap to let him know youre there, they say ....... rubbing is racing, they say

well, in IRL, rubbing can mean death ....... a serious wreck to say the least ........ i believe driving an open wheel car takes much more skill, more finesse

now i dont want to hear it from you die-hard NASCAR fans (im a fan too you know) ....... it's just open wheel is a totally different style ..... in NASCAR of course you can tap someone to let them know you are there as i said .... in open wheel if you do that you will at least damage your nose and likely your wing, and your day will be over

IN ANY FORM OF RACING RUBBIN CAN MEAN DEATH.

i was kind of hoping that wasnt what you meant by finesse.cause it takes a hell of alot more finnesse to drive a 3500lb car than it does a high power go kart.stock cars handle very poorly.as for the need to stay out of trouble and drive clean ya more can happen to a kart when contact is made.

[simple simon]

Originally Posted by harvick29

i was kind of hoping that wasnt what you meant by finesse.cause it takes a hell of alot more finnesse to drive a 3500lb car than it does a high power go kart

your kidding right ?

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by harvick29

IN ANY FORM OF RACING RUBBIN CAN MEAN DEATH.

i was kind of hoping that wasnt what you meant by finesse.cause it takes a hell of alot more finnesse to drive a 3500lb car than it does a high power go kart.stock cars handle very poorly.as for the need to stay out of trouble and drive clean ya more can happen to a kart when contact is made.

Yep rubbin' can result in death but ..... open wheel racing is a completely different monster. I won't call the open wheel drivers any better athletes or the NASCAR drivers any less but ..... it takes more "skill" to keep the open wheel car on the track at over 200 MPH's than it does for the 150 MPH stock car. More finesse required.

[simple simon]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

I won't call the open wheel drivers any better athletes or the NASCAR drivers any less but ....

i totally agree there .... i would say Mark Martin is probably in better shape now then Michael Andretti or Little Al have ever been

[SpaceCadet]

Originally Posted by simple simon

well, in IRL, rubbing can mean death ....... a serious wreck to say the least ........ i believe driving an open wheel car takes much more skill, more finesse

Simon, I totally agree with you here. It is very difficult to save a car when you're bumping rubber as opposed to fenders. In talking with driver's who have experience in both type of cars, every one of them agrees that just the slightest tap in open wheel will most likely end in a crash, but at least with fenders you've got a real fighting chance of battling back and keeping it on the track. As one driver put it, it's technology and finesse or it's beatin' and bangin'. You can do both, you can love both, but the driving experience is totally different. Many of the driver's I've had the pleasure of speaking with firmly believe that open wheel racing takes more strongly honed skills and that a mistake is more apt to prove disasterous. Someday I'm going to get ambitious and look up the morbid stats on driver fatality numbers in both types of racing. Let's face it, there's just no such thing as "safe" racing, not even in a school bus.