All-purpose open-wheel (F1, IRL) racing thread

Missed the race, but I just watched the replay of the wreck and gesture. IndyCar officials have been making nearly as many mistakes as Castroneves this year. Very busch league. Even worse than AP writers doing features on Danica as their lead story heading into each race weekend.

 

At least Barnhart admitted he made a mistake, and reset the standings to before the restart. But he's got to go. How hard is it to look out the window and tell the track is wet? Track observers my foot. He should have been listening to the drivers.

 

Barnhart owned up to a mistake, which was the right thing to do, but that was ridiculous. I could tell on TV the track was way too wet to start a race. Should've just run the last 5 or so laps under yellow and tossed the checkers.

BB makes some curious calls sometimes, but the unfortunate thing is, the officials might have righted the wrong by resetting the running order, but that still doesn't fix the thousands of dollars in trashed racecars that will have to be fixed. Michael Andretti was noticeably upset about that as much as anything, and his guy won the race. That was one of the stranger races I've seen.

OTOH, this has been one of the more enjoyable seasons in recent years in terms of the number of different winners from different teams. But there have been a lot of strange races in the process, today's being the latest in that. It reminded me a lot of the 1992 Indy 500 meets the attempt to run Dover a decade and change ago. Too cold, too moist and cars were spinning all over the place, so a ton of yellow-flag laps.

 

I was out with my family all day, so bear with me.

OK ... they restarted an IndyCar in the rain on a wet fucking oval?

Why is Brian Barnhart still employed? That might be the stupidest thing I've ever heard of in racing ... and I was at the '05 U.S. Grand Prix.

It's long past time to clean house in IndyCar racing. Get rid of all of the long-time hangers-on that used to have fealty to the Hulman family. A significant amount of them are a joke.

Lets go, rodeo boy, make this happen.

 

It takes a special kind of stupidity to make me side with Michael Andretti on anything. Congrats Brian Barnhart!

 

His phone signal is showing two bars.

 

Barnhart needs to be fired yesterday. Dumbass. This is more embarrassing than having USAC screwing up the scoring.

This guy makes Brian France look like the head of MENSA.

 

Anyone who let Milka Dunno near the track as long as Barnhart did deserved to be fired last year, if not earlier. Not to mention his lack of consistency with application of rules, such as blocking and avoidable contact.
For example, at Toronto drivers were being punted left and right with no penalties. Next race, drivers were being penalized for the same actions.
But Sunday was the topper. TV cameras clearly showed moisture, while team managers/owner and drivers alike were begging for no green flag. Series officials were extremely lucky no one got hurt.
I'm not sure who should take over Barnhart's job but it's clear new blood is needed. I was torn about Al Jr. until reading Cavin's mention this morning of Jr. not wanting the job at all. Not that it would or should happen, but it would be hilarious if AJ Foyt got the position. I could see him screaming his head off at a rookie. That's why he wouldn't be good in the role, but he would be entertaining.

 

How old is AJ right now? 167?

 

What's Barry Green up to nowadays? I would think someone like him, a former team owner, would garner across-the-board respect.

 

Pretty sure he's part of the new ownership group at Mid-Ohio. Race promoting, I believe....

Edit: Nope...that would be Kim Green