International Indy Race

[Pidgeon]

The inaugural Indy race here in Miami was won by an Englishman (Wheldon) beating out all of the South American driverss ...... Racing for a team managed by an Italian (Andretti ) . running a Japanese engine ( Honda) in a race held in the US.
It's somewhat like LM. Everybody is from someplace else.

[Chris24]

Sorry Pidge, Andretti was born in the USA. However Barry Green is Australian !

Nice 8 car pile up as well.

Go DAN WHELDON go !

[Pidgeon]

Sorry Pidge, Andretti was born in the USA.

I knew that ........... and his father sold Pizza.

[Fax]

They always say if you can't anything nice, don't say anything at all but what the hell do you guys see in the IRL?  Over-hyped, rev-limited, spec-car racing. Montoya said they reminded him of overweight, slow F3000 cars.  When Tony George founded the IRL in 1995 (completely f**k*ng up indycar racing) he said is was going to be a series for American drivers all on ovals in American built cars.  What does he have now?  Mostly Euro's and wealthy South American Brats with a pocket full of daddy's Marlboro money, driving on ovals and road courses in cars built in Europe.  So what the f**k was the point of the IRL in the first place? Actually I've been told, and know what really happened from someone involved and it re-defined to me what a total dumb-f**k Tony George really is.
Fax

[Chris24]

They always say if you can't anything nice, don't say anything at all but what the hell do you guys see in the IRL?  Fax

Err, they have four wheels, an engine, lots of horse power and go fast. Do i need any more reason !

Better than watching regular shite tv programs on a Sunday night !

[Fax]

Lots of horsepower is questionable.  Been to the 500 and the IRL race at the Kentucky Speedway the past few years.
Hate to say it but the racing sucks.  The races are as exciting as watching grass grow and the cars are utterly devoid of any charisma.  They sound like a bunch of lawn tractors on steroids droning around.  They're so desperate to put butts in seats at IRL races that if you buy a carton of Marlboro's they'll send you tickets to the local IRL race.
Fax

[Chris24]

Well they have more horse power than my car, go faster than my car etc !

Each to our own I guess, but I really enjoyed my trip to the Texas race at the end of 2003. Can't beat wheel to wheel racing, particularly when one of them is Sam Hornish !

[SpriteII]

As I recall, Andretti was born in Italy and moved to the US when he was a nipper.

[Chris24]

As I recall, Andretti was born in Italy and moved to the US when he was a nipper.

Sprite,

That is true, of Mario, but the IRL team is co owned and run by his son Michael who was born in the USA. Mario is a nationalised American now anyway.

[Pidgeon]

Aw c'mon guys .............. it was tongue in cheek about the Andrettis'.  
But Fax I gotta dissagree with you.  A seven car wreck tells me it's gotta be pretty hairy out there when those cars are open wheel to open wheel. There's no quarter after a  mistake, bad move, slide, collision or whatever. On a road course you go fast until you slow down for a turn,. In the Nextel crap a guy can push, bump, tow, slam ........... lots of things . but he's in a cocoon and he's going slow.(compared to the Indy and Champ cars on an oval.)  Frankly I found it to be real exciting.   SO THERE !

[Fax]

We'll agree to disagree.  My problem with the IRL is the same I have with NASCAR on the restrictor plate tracks, yes the racing is close but its because no one can gain an advantage, the close racing is fake or articificial.  These guys are running throttle flat to the floor all the way around a track, with the IRL cars its because of the spec wings and rev limiter, with NASCAR the dreaded plate.   Overtaking should be a case of going deeper into a corner before lifting, out braking the other guy or out dragging a guy to the apex, in the IRL and NASCAR plate races its just about having more momentum than the next guy.  The reason you get those enormous shunts like they have at Daytona or Talledaga or in the IRL like the one that alomost killed Kenny Brack a few years ago in Texas, is because everyone is stuck together and no-one can lift and lose momentum.  As I said, its artificially close racing.  sh*t, it doesn't require a hell of alot of ability to hold your foot to the floor.
If you want to see real, honest, top quality oval track racing, go check out a USAC Midget, Sprint or Dirt car meeting at Winchester, Salem or on the high banked dirt at Eldora sometime.  These are the places where guys like AJ Foyt, Johnny Rutherford, Mario Andretti, and in more recent times Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart cut the teeth and made their reputations.  The driver really has to RACE.  The cars are as powerful as a NASCAR stocker (un-restricted) or a Champ Car, they're front engined, have no downforce and a short wheelbase and weigh about 1100 lbs.  This is real, hardcore oval racing, not that over pimped, over promoted BS called IRL or NASCAR.  The USAC Sprinters hit Eldora on April 4th, I'll be there (goggles in hand to keep the dirt kicked up out of the eyes).
Fax

[Chris24]

I enjoy Nascar, IRL, Cart etc, but USAC Sprints, Midgets  and WoO , now your talkin !

Whilst at that Texas race that Kenny Brack nearly died at, we did two nights at the dirt track watching the WoO
Awesume !