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

Wow. Makes me worried about how many of the smaller teams will drop out. The new cars are necessary, but they are a big expense upfront.

 

I hate to hear Newman-Hass is out. It takes away from the joy I had when I heard Barnhart is out.

 

I read somewhere the other day drivers have been pleased with the new car on road courses (not too surprising, since the previous car was an oval-only car adapted for road courses) but was about 15 mph slower than expected on ovals.

 

Thank God, Bernie got paid.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/12/formula-one-grand-prix-coming-to-texas-after-all.html

 

Will the new car allow them to be able to pass at Barbers in Birmingham? Sucks watching a race when the finish is just like the start.

 

Two months later, we can tell you Dan Wheldon died as a result of a "perfect storm." Just in case you hadn't been able to figure that out by now.
http://sports.yahoo.com/irl/news?slug=ap-indycar-wheldoninvestigation

 

Of course, the "perfect storm" suggests things that were out of IndyCar's control, which alas, was not the case.

"Rampant dipshittery" might be closer, but IndyCar seems to be avoiding that suggestion.

 

"A perfect storm of rampant dipshittery."

 

IndyCar came off bad in the AP story. Not shockingly, it was Brian Barnhart who came off looking like the king of the stupids.

 

So IndyCar is trying to convince us that it was "just one of them racin' deals?" Penn State's administration thinks that IndyCar might be sweeping things under the rug.