Club Arnage

THE most unbelieveable end to a race that I think I've ever seen....

Bad luck to JR Hildebrand - a fantastic rookie effort.

But....today, the "nearly" man finally became THE man.  Congratulations DAN WHELDON!!

A former Indycar champ and former 500 winner - some nearly man!

Unbelieveable end to the race but as a massive Dan Wheldon fan, I am over the moon at the result. But did have to feel really sorry for J R Hildebrand, the lad must have been gutted. About to win the biggest race in the sport and then crashing into the wall on the last bend. Thats like winning the London marathon and tripping over your shoe laces about 10 yards from the finish line and getting beat by the second place runner.

The Mrs & I were over there today, and Wheldon's win was greeted, shall we say, less than enthusiastically.  I have several friends within the Indycar community, and the dislike of Wheldon may rival that toward Danica Patrick.  He was a very likeable lad until he won Indy of few years ago, at which point he decided he was the second coming of Jimmy Clark, and became quite an obnoxious person.  Hence the reason, among others, that he has been sacked by both Andretti, and Ganassi Racing.  Now he can buy some more gold chains and hair product.
Fax

Have not seen the race, don't give a rats ass for Indycrap. But that last remark by Fax at least put a smile on my face, good way to start the workweek, lol.

It was the same in Formula Ford when he ran for Van Diemen, he was very obnoxious and very few had any time for him.  I guess that's how he and Danica (she had the same bad rep, but actually was just a very focused individual) have got to where they are today...  I would have preferred to see one of the other Brits win (Justin Wilson), but it was a crazy/great end to a great race.

Crazy end to the race !  Such a shame for Hildebrand, leading it as a rookie untill the last turn.  Shows again that a race lasts 'till the final yard or second.

Good to see Baguette get a good result, finishing 7th after leading several laps before his last stop right before the end of the race.  Don't think a Belgian ever had such a good result in Indy500 (unless Didier Theys did better in the early 90's but I doubt that).

Indy500 is sitting pretty high in my "to-do" list, might plan to go there in 2013 or so.

Astonishing end to it - and it doesn't take long for someone to tell the story of it set to the Hitler clip...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsAu9NG-V_4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsAu9NG-V_4)

MG Mark

I'm with Knetter on this.  Never been a huge fan of the indy thing but it makes the news here because Scott Dixon is involved.

The report I saw in a local newspaper was focused on the fact that Scott Dixon ran out of petrol and finished fifth.  Only one sentence actually talked about the way the race ended. 

Partisan reporting?  Surely not...  ::)

Dx

Popping over for a Pastis this year your ladyship? I have another bottle to finish:-)

>Martini...LB

IIRC you always have a bottle of Pastis to finish  ;)

Dx

Ooooh I love Pastis......





Oh...no...sorry, I read that as Pasties.....

Dottore, I would highly recommend a trip to the 500 at least once, there are signs of brighter days for Indycar racing on the horizon, and even if one doesn't a rat's ass about Indycar, or oval track racing for that matter, the 500 is a spectacle unrivaled in sports.  It remains the worlds largest single day sporting event, and the pagentry and tradition are unmatched, even by Le Mans.  I've been to both many times, and the last hour of pre-race ceremonies, and the start of the 500 are simply the most evocative moments in all of motor sports.  One cannot help but be moved by the invocation, rifle salute, and playing of taps (it is Memorial Day weekend over here) followed back Back Home Again In Indiana, and the command to start engines.  I've a program for you from the race this year, its absolutely ridiculous, thicker than a copy of Autocouse, brilliantly written & illustrated.
Fax

Fax, 2016, I'll be there pal, decided to make an effort and make sure I am there for the 100th running of the race.

Hey Chris, it'll be great to see you there.  I know your a big enthusiast of the race, and the 100th running will be a very special occasion.
Next year marks a signficant milestone for me personally, it will be my 40th 500.  The 1982 Indy 500 remains the single greatest, most exciting motor race, of any kind, that I've ever witnessed.
Fax

whilst it's roundy roundy, I've always fancied both Indy and Daytona - there's something about the technicalities involved in making a highly tuned engine run flat out for hours on end, and I love the excitement of the finishes (seriously, you'd think they'd learn to make sure they come in for fuel at the right time, so that they didn't run out on the last lap!).

One day, I will do a complete year in the States, do Sebring, Petit, Indy, Daytona, and an NHRA drag meet - american racing might struggle with proper corners, but they do know how to put on a shock and awe event of this kind of scale!

I did go to Daytona several times, for the 500 and the 24h, the races I saw never let me down and were great to watch.

24h race, and the first 4 cars head into the pits together about 45 minutes before the checkered flag, never seen anything like that over here in Europe.  The drafting in Nascar is also pretty awesome to look at, flat out and only inches between the cars, or even pushing the guy in front.  Completely different compared to the racing we're used to, but sometimes great fun to watch.

i have been to Talladega once, for the Nascar 500
great event, totally different, but nice

the slipstreaming on 3 different lines on an oval is exceptional to watch