New Champ Car Destroys F1 Lap Time at Laguna Seca

[darth dino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlfaTango1 There is no race more exciting than the Cleveland race where they can go four wide on the airport track.

[Hit an Apex]

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Originally Posted by alfisti164 Okay here are the race best lap times: Sebastian Bourdais - 1.22.325 2006 Champ Reubens Barrichello - 1.13.622 2004 F1

[lowmileage]

Shouldn't matter Hans Stuck AKA The Rainmeister.

[JoeIowa]

Wow! The incredible -- and some said unachievable -- 66 second barrier has finally been eclipsed. Wow! Someday I perhaps can break the almost equally impressive, 70 post barrier.

Now I know how people felt when Roger Bannister did that thing he did.

Seriously, I would love to care about open wheel racing in the USA. I hope IRL, Indy League, or whatever it is we're supposed to call them and CART get their acts together (literally) sooner than later. I watched part of a Busch race this past weekend. That's how sad its become.

Meanwhile, I can't wait for Aston Martin to join F1 next season.

[dretceterini]

The only thing Aston Martin on the F1 effort they are considering will be the name on the car.

[Hit an Apex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dretceterini The only thing Aston Martin on the F1 effort they are considering will be the name on the car.

[DanW]

I just watched a show outlining a bit of Enzo Ferrari's biography. What came out of it was less about the glory of Ferrari racing per se but, rather, how Alfa Romeo was instrumental to making the legend of Enzo and his racing Ferraris. When Ferrari finally won its first GP (at Silverstone, beating the second place Alfa driven by Fangio by over a minute) Enzo reportedly exclaimed, "I killed my mother!" I think the rumor of Alfa's death may have been premature even then, although I think Alfa did pull out of GP racing after that season.

WRT Aston, who exacly will pay for its foray into F1? Oh, right, the Kuwaitis. Fine by me. More on the grid, more racing and more attention to the backmarkers, which isn't so bad given that Scott Speed needs more coverage.

-Dan

[JoeIowa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanW I just watched a show outlining a bit of Enzo Ferrari's biography. What came out of it was less about the glory of Ferrari racing per se but, rather, how Alfa Romeo was instrumental to making the legend of Enzo and his racing Ferraris. When Ferrari finally won its first GP (at Silverstone, beating the second place Alfa driven by Fangio by over a minute) Enzo reportedly exclaimed, "I killed my mother!" -Dan

[DanW]

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Originally Posted by JoeIowa Thanks Dan. I've been looking for a quote like that to try to explain to people why I call Ferrari an Alfa tuner!

[alfisti164]

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Originally Posted by Hit an Apex That was in the rain.

[StephanAlfa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowmileage Shouldn't matter Hans Stuck AKA The Rainmeister.

[peglegtom]

Anyone in their right mind will have to agree that a F1 car on any given track will beat a Champ Car due to the differences in the specifications. There is no way that a "spec car" series can beat "cubic money" on any track. That said, is there better "racing" in F1, Champ Car, IRL, or Nascar? F1, despite its technilogical advantage, is basically boring, much like the
Can Am. No passing on the track and only pit strategy to rely on to have any kind of race. Champ Car is becoming more like IRL every year and vice versa, so hopefully, they can eventually merge into one decent series like in the past. NASCAR may be low tech, boring running on the same types of tracks every weekend, and tweaking the rules to keep all of the manufacturers (and their $$$) happy or at least equally unhappy, but they know what the majority of American race "fans" want, so they provide it to them. I watch all of them for different reasons. I don't watch a F1 race for exciting wheel to wheel action, but for the technological forte that it is. Champ car offers racing on a variety of circuit types, but nobody cares about the drivers because they don't know who they are, and the cars are all "spec" racers like FF. IRL offers close racing at a sacrifice in the engineering experience and has taken a NASCAR approach to technology and the timing of "debris" yellows. NASCAR has found that by promoting drivers and manufacturers, it can overcome basically boring racing. They know that their fans want a close finish and wrecks, so they provide it. (after all, what's racing if you have the gas pedal flat to the floor for 500 miles).

I would love to see a combination of all of these, with the technology of F1, the track variations of Champ Car (although this is changing to the worst every year), and the marketing of NASCAR and it's poor relative IRL. That would be true racing, but I'll not live to see it happen, the money is just to great.

[Hit an Apex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfisti164 Okay. 1 S. Bourdais 1 Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone 40 1:21.667 This was 2005

[DanW]

Indeed. What irks me most about NASCAR is how willing they are to penalize drivers who work so hard to gain a lead. A lead is much easier to keep when out in front in a winged car than when being chased down by the cars drafting in a long line. Hey, why not make the it even tougher for the leader to get away? NASCAR is a bit like professional wrestling: manipulated results to entertain the masses and keep the sponsor logos visible to the TV cameras. Aside from watching the super speedway events that are invitations to catastrophe, I used to watch NASCAR to only to see Tony Steward get into fist fights and cause huge frustration at the Home Depot marketing department. Now I get to watch Montoya show them what's up on a road course. For anyone who watched that awesome display of driving, I have to hand it to JPM for being willing to punt Scott Pruett. Whether intended, avoidable or otherwise, JPM showed exactly why he won 5 Grands Prix. He is willing to loose in order to win. Compared to Boris Said, the traditional gun for hire, JPM seems to have what it takes to win regularly. I think JPM qualified first for last weekend's race around the rotary, which is saying something.

I can't believe it, but I have adjusted my schedule to watch the Toyota/Save Mart 350 (huh?) and the Cup at the Glen. Which leads perfectly into my next rant: What NASCAR really needs is a big increase in road courses, and maybe even a street course or two. Think about 45 40-ton hunks of pig iron bashing into jersey barriers through midtown Manhattan (ignore the logical reference to dump trucks and Crown Vic cabs that do this regularly!)

Somebody in NASCAR said that Schumi would be suprised by how much technology is involved and that he would find it somewhat comparable to F1. I think he wouldn't be suprised at all, but I find last statement a bit much. Schumi was capable of sensing the difference in oil formulations without being told of any switch. He was known for insisting upon a change in sponsor logo placement and material because of their effect on the aero.

Not taking away anything from any of the drivers who race in the Nextel Cup, but JPM beat Schumi or nearly did on a fairly frequent basis. It will be a pleasure to watch the rout commence.
-Dan

[AlfaTango1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hit an Apex You'd be very surprised on the "performance limitations" contract Champ Car signed with Montreal/Bernie.