Love the New Direction in Indycar series for 2011 and beyond

**CYcoFan** · 02-23-2011, 02:15 AM

Indy car announced today that the series will return to Las Vegas this year for the season finale. Also if a non regular Indy Car driver wins the race the driver will get 5 Million dollars!! This event will take place during NASCAR's CHASE so Tony and Juan may not do it, but it should still be fun. The $5 Million Vegas Jackpot: Ten Drivers Who Could Win It - Pop Off Valve

2nd I Love that there will be Double-File restarts on Ovals in 2011. This should help to bring the Indy 500 back and Texas will be insane!

Last IndyCar is changing its 107 percent rule. This is the rule that was more or less prompted by Milka Duno (thankfully she isn't in the series this year), who was often considerably slower than the rest of the field. The 107 percent rule said that a driver's speed had to be within 107 percent of the leader during qualifying to make the race. That has now been reduced to 105 percent. (So, if the leader makes a lap at a road course in 60 seconds, everyone else has to be no slower than 63 seconds to qualify). This will likely only have an affect on RC's and street circuits, not Ovals.

Hopefully this can lead to a comeback by big time Open Wheel racing. Now we just need stupid Mediacom to pick up Versus HD so I can watch in HD. Not to mention Versus HD for NHL.

**ISUCyclone06** · 02-23-2011, 07:10 AM

INDY is heading in the right direction. Although losing Danica soon will hurt a bit. Assuming she takes the full step to NASCAR after this year.

**CycloneBob** · 02-23-2011, 07:26 AM

Thanks for the update. We are solid Indy 500 supporters, with this being about our 8-9th straight year. Going to the race in person vs. TV makes all the difference.

**RustyClone** · 02-23-2011, 08:07 AM

I hope all of this helps but it is going to be hard to overcome the the 25 year impersonation of the Three Stooges the guys in charge of open wheel racing have done.

**Bobber** · 02-23-2011, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by ISUCyclone06

INDY is heading in the right direction. Although losing Danica soon will hurt a bit. Assuming she takes the full step to NASCAR after this year.

Has she ever won a race?

**hawkclone11** · 02-23-2011, 08:39 AM

Good post. Double files should help create excitement much like NASCAR does, but I hope they make lapped cars move to the back. I'm also very excited to see how the new chassis manufacturers will be able to put together the new cars in 2012. I think they've needed to have a more competitive system for a while rather than relying on Dallara to make the only chassis they can use.

IndyCar 2012 - IndyCar.com

Glad to see we have some IndyCar/CF fans here though! Should be an exciting season and as always can't wait to get out to Newton this summer for some racing!

**Knownothing** · 02-23-2011, 08:45 AM

I have been to Nascar races and I have been to the Indy 500. There is no question live which event was better. Indy 500 is the best race I have ever seen live. It's truely unbeleivable how fast those cars are going around the track. Nascar live is great also. It's just that the indy cars are so fast.

**ianoconnor** · 02-23-2011, 08:49 AM

I'll admit, I don't follow the series much throughout the year, but my entire extended family is from Indianapolis, and we've had tickets since before I was born. It is an absolute blast and I'd reccommend everyone go at least once.

**Bobber** · 02-23-2011, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by Knownothing

I have been to Nascar races and I have been to the Indy 500. There is no question live which event was better. Indy 500 is the best race I have ever seen live. It's truely unbeleivable how fast those cars are going around the track. Nascar live is great also. It's just that the indy cars are so fast.

And loud....That's what surprised me most when I saw an Indy race.

**ISUCyclone06** · 02-23-2011, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by Bobber

Has she ever won a race?

She has won 1 INDY car race. However she means more to that sport than any other driver. The media attention she brings is priceless. She was the light at the end of the tunnel when INDY was headed to extinction. Fan or not a fan she means a lot to INDY.

I will also say I'm a huge NASCAR fan but INDY car races live are amazing. I have been to Kansas a few times and all the Iowa Speedway races they have had and I'm impressed. They need to get more competitive cars, typical shows have 20 or less.

**Tre4ISU** · 02-23-2011, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by Bobber

Has she ever won a race?

Yes. She has has been competitive. She probably hasn't done what she or anyone else expected her to but she hasn't been a huge failure.

**Wesley** · 02-23-2011, 09:54 AM

Maybe if they lowered the cost of the experience.....

**wesley_w** · 02-23-2011, 11:18 AM

I attained a personal milestone last year when I reached the point of having been in attendance of exactly half of the Indianapolis 500's. I have now seen 47 of the 94 and (God Willing) I will go over halfway this year.
My first was 1964 and have not missed one since. The second lap that year Dave McDonald and Eddie Sachs were killed in a fiery crash that we witnessed just down the track. That single event has left the most indelible memory of any sporting moment I have ever seen and really not much has come close.
I am redoing my web site and have lots of current and historical Indycar stuff but at this moment this is all I have online.

Wesley Winterink Photography | IndyCar Racing

This summer when I have time I am going to build a site devoted soley to Indy cars.

**Tre4ISU** · 02-23-2011, 11:24 AM

Outside of Top Fuel, I think Indy Cars are the most impressive race vehicle out there. The speed and precision of handling is just amazing when all things are considered. I understand the NASCAR thing and it's a totally different way of racing with I think a little more strategy and maybe a little less driver capability, but as far as handling a machine and being perfect in driving, open wheel is much more demanding IMO. There is just such little room for error. There is no saving an Indy Car, you either crash or you don't. Losing Danica would be huge, but I think the merging of series will still be a net gain even if she leaves. That was huge move both series needed to keep going.

**CYcoFan** · 02-23-2011, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by hawkclone11

Good post. Double files should help create excitement much like NASCAR does, but I hope they make lapped cars move to the back. I'm also very excited to see how the new chassis manufacturers will be able to put together the new cars in 2012. I think they've needed to have a more competitive system for a while rather than relying on Dallara to make the only chassis they can use.

IndyCar 2012 - IndyCar.com

Glad to see we have some IndyCar/CF fans here though! Should be an exciting season and as always can't wait to get out to Newton this summer for some racing!

I just love all forms of Racing. Indy cars, NASCAR, F1, Sports Cars, Sprint Cars, Off-Road, Late Models and Modifieds, even a little Rally. Love a lot of forms of Dirt racing, but can't really get into IMCA Stock Cars on dirt, but ARCA at Duquoin (sp?) and Springfield on dirt is quite a show tho. Don't like Drag Racing. There isn't much else I don't follow.

I absolutely hate it when I ask someone if they like racing and they immediately reply yeah I like NASCAR. As if there aren't other forms out there.