rec.autos.simulators

 > Perhaps you shouldn't have 'zapped by' but instead *watched* the

Try watching an F1 car pit.

But in F1 a pass actually means you've done something impressive and which
requires skill.

You're describing a pass in F1. Passing in NASCAR or Indy is far easier than
in F1. Get in the draft and then shoot by. Those series are artificially set
up for a lot of passing.

--
David G Fisher

Didn't hear a word about the race this past month......until it was over.
:-)

Indy and CART are done, and have been done for a long time now.

--
David G Fisher

You're correct Mitch, the entire month of May could not possibly be enough
time for anyone to prepare.  Now STFU until you have a clue what you are
talking about.  When you have tried INDY as a rookie, you can criticize all
you want.

Why dont you go *** yourself you asswipe!

Plonk...

Mike - yes I am a NASCAR fan, but I enjoy other branches of the racing
family having been raised in the Nazareth PA area.

-jde

the organisers risked to stage a race when there were more than 20
*tornadoes* registered around Indy? How's that for safety then, anyway?

If there's tornado warning for the day, you cancel the day, and try the
day after.

If there's rain, why not race - unless there's little streams forming
down the track. Apart from that, you drive slower. Just slow enough so
you can make it. If the rain gets worse, you drive slower still. Until
the point where you just can't see where you're going and things are
really getting unsafe beyond normality.

It's been done like this for, well, always here in Europe, I can't see
why it can't be done in the States, really. It's just a bit of water and
the track is just a bit more slippery, that's all. Can't drive as fast
then, you say? Well drive slower then, that's what you do!

Regards, Rudy
--------------------
GPLRank: -22

Eeeh, yeah, *and*? That's motor racing, been like that for about 100
years. It's not like that couldn't happen in 1911.

Risk is part of racing. If you can't handle it, don't race - it's that
simple.

Then put on rain tyres for pete's sake.. That's what they're for. Like I
said, you can race in rain, you just have to drive slower! If you can
only race in perfect weather, why bother... No, I don't expect the
drivers to go flat-out on a damp track, but who cares, really -
finishing first is the point of a race, not trying to put a new lap
record on when the track's still wet.

Agreed. Nevertheless, the yellows dominated the race, not the racing!

Regards, Rudy
--------------------
GPLRank: -22

OTOH, hopefully NASCAR will learn from it's greed and reunite w/ ABC /
ESPN *AND* readjust it's goals and methods.  One of the secrets of
it's growth was that it didn't just look after itself for the day but
gave some thought as to what the future held.  After it survived it's
initial growth period that is.  That took a long time though.  20
years to get to the point where it was strong enough to survive as is
and have a view towards expanding it's fan base.  

Where it will go next?  I'm not sure.  It seems to be willing to turn
it's back on the 'old timers', and that just might be the death of it.
Loyalty must be returned if it is to be maintained.  The fiasco of the
death of North Wilkesboro was one strike, the current death of the
Labor Day Southern 500 & elimination of Rockingham is another strike.
Of course, they've retired other tracks.  Hickory, Bowman Grey,
Nashville; all have fallen off the premier schedule.  

Only thing to do is stay tuned.

Mike

On Mon, 31 May 2004 13:51:21 -0500, Dave Henrie

Asphalt Oval racing is not done in the rain anywhere in the world last I
checked.  None of the tire companies make wet weather tires for asphalt oval
racing.  Nascar has rain tires for Watkins Glen and Sears Point, but they
choose not to implement it as this time.  Since those are the only 2 races
they could actually run in the rain, the drivers/car/and the teams really
arent setup for it.

Mike

The problems that they're experiencing in filling the fields isn't due
to either a lack of qualified racers or teams, it's a lack of
sponsorship of race teams.  It's more or less a coment on the ability
or willingness of businesses to put their names on the sides of
racecars brought on by the state of the economy as a whole (and the
fact that companies that can foot the bill want a proven winner - most
of those are already taken).  

If the IRL didn't have the Indy 500, 1) they wouldn't exist in the
first place, 2) they'd be in just as precarious a position that champ
cars is in 3) they wouldn't have a broadcast TV deal either.  

Traditionally there are always a few cars that go home from Indy
before the race starts due to not qualifying.  NASCAR's big event -
the Daytona 500 hasn't had that problem so far.  Some of the other
events have had problems filling the field, but not the 500 - it's
always sent a few home early.  

Really, it gets down to the TV ratings.  Over what the 500 drew 10
years ago and yesterday, that's the measurment of the health of the
series.  Perhaps it's not the best measure of the health of a series,
but for the execs, that's what they use.

Here's to better times...

Mike

Try passing at over 200 mph.  That does take skill as well.  One wrong
move and at least 2 cars are done for.  

Really, I'd like to see Shumi at Indy in the 500.  No more super-team
to back him up with a super-car.  200 laps in a realatively equal car
with just the difference in how well prepared the team is for the race
and how well Shumi can call for adjustments.  I think he'd do well,
but I think he'd find it a lot more difficult that he'd imagine.  It
would be wonderful to see.

For *me* the problem in F1 is that equipment is far more important
that raw driving skill.  If you're not driving a Ferrarri (currently)
the odds of you winning go down dramatically.  The disparity in
equipment tends to make a F1 race a parade after a few corners with
only preplanned pit strategy to bring an upset.  Not a lot of fun for
me.

Artificially set up?  How so?  I described passing in general, not
limiting myself to any form of racing.  It holds true in karts, stock
cars, sprints, touring cars, open wheels, anything short of rally
(where you don't have 2 cars in the same stretch of road - at least
not by design).  

I like my ovals and I like them on asphalt.  That's my choice.
Occasionally I like to see a road course being used by cars designed
to run on them (ie. not stock cars) where a single manufacture isn't
allowed to dominate (ie. F1) through sheer engineering/ $.  That's my
preference.  Others might (do) like what I don't, and that's their
choice.  Good for them.  But to knock NASCAR/Indycar for their style
is childish at best - particularly if it's just because you don't like
them.

Mike

I was thinking more of the 3 big driving strategies that seemed to
dominate the race:

1. last minute dive bomb passes - i.e. "well we're entering the corner
and I'm not next to you yet, but I'm going to squeeze in there anyway"

2. last minute chop blocks - i.e. "wait you're trying to pass me?
I'll force you down to the inside wall" - bonus points for the
multiple times I saw someone do this when they were the high car in a
3-wide situation

3. simply driving straight into the wall - i.e. "welp, my car won't
turn, so I guess instead of riding it out and adding some front wing
on my next stop I'll just plow straight into the wall"

Jason