Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix

[DanicaFan]

The 6 moving on from Group 2 are..

#12 Will Power
#27 Mike Conway
#59 EJ Viso
#82 Tony Kanaan
#3 Helio Castroneves
#78 Simona De Silvestro

[DanicaFan]

The Firestone Fast 6 are..

#12 Will Power
#38 Graham Rahal
#19 Sebastien Bourdais
#6 Ryan Briscoe
#10 Dario Franchitti
#28 Ryan Hunter-Reay

[DanicaFan]

Congratulations to Will Power for his 7th pole position.

[DanicaFan]

[Jonerz]

The grid has sparked some interest for me. I'm quite happy to see Graham start on the outside pole. Expected more from Oriol, I wonder if he will be a crowd favorite in Baltimore... anyways, hopefully the race will be interesting, the last couple rounds have been rubbish.

Chris

[Purist]

Yannick, those ideas just aren't options. That's a dedicated, grassed-in median there. The chicane is at an intersection. You'd ruin any overtaking possibility into Turn 5 if you move it closer to Turn 4. Also, if it was moved closer to 4, then you'd have concerns about the higher speeds going into Turns 6 and 7. An "ideal" solution simply doesn't exist at that point.

As for Sao Paolo, that whole area was paved long before there was even the thought of a race there. This is distinctly NOT the case between the two sets of lanes on Conway Street in Baltimore.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Sounds like this "event" is a massive debacle with horrible road surfaces, huge safety issues, traffic issues, people blocked from getting to work or to hotels and lack of control over pedestrians and cars and total chaos on ticketing, along with only 10000 seats. What a disaster. Hopefully everyone will stay safe.

I'm watching the ALMS race and it looks like good track with a decent attendance; be interesting to see what happens tomorrow.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I'm watching the ALMS race and it looks like good track with a decent attendance; be interesting to see what happens tomorrow.

It's a shame ALMS partnered with the irl, as I would have probably gone. Looks like I'll miss all ALMS races this year, just too busy otherwise.

[kurski]

Go Bourdais Go.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

It's a shame ALMS partnered with the irl, as I would have probably gone. Looks like I'll miss all ALMS races this year, just too busy otherwise.

I think it's quite a smart move on their part. They get to race first which gives them the potential to attract those IndyCar fans who are there.

[Jonerz]

The race (as with most IRL - ALMS bills) is truely a double bill. I reckon the IRL benefits as much from the ALMS being there as the ALMS does from IRL, perhaps the IRL benefits more.

Chris

[gttouring]

A good track a great start. This may be a keeper.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by gttouring

A good track a great start. This may be a keeper.

I thouroughly enjoyed yesterday's ALMS race and this is turning out to be good so far.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Looks like instead of a repeat of Toronto like everybody expected, we are getting a repeat of Sonoma. Even Power struggled to pass the cars 1 lap down.

[el_cat]

Can't say I agree with that "penalty" for Power. He gained little if any time at all by missing the chicane, but to slow by 3s on one lap is way too harsh a call. He's lost almost all his lead to Rahal

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Safety Car

[bjohnsonsmith]

That's one massive traffic jam.

[Purist]

Did Tony use Helio as a brake, again?

[el_cat]

Dixon got a double puncture just from lighting up the rears, oops!

Great vision from TK to take the inside lane

[bjohnsonsmith]

Well done Will Power, another great drive.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

If they get rid of that stupid chicane as well as straighten out that sector from turn five to seven, you have one of the best street circuits in the country. Good race, still not as good as 3/4 of the F1 races this year but one of the better road/street Indycar races.

I personally thought it was was the best street circuit of the year. Long Beach is a great event but a BORING circuit, its always been that way in its most recent layout. This circuit not only had good crowds but a decent circuit as well. Certainly a keeper.

[Purist]

I would think that the chicane on Pratt Street will be gone for next year. As for Turns 5-7, I don't think it's going to be considered acceptable for the cars to come barreling right up to where the pits are at full tilt from Turn 4. So, i wouldn't really expect that section to change. And really, if they just get rid of that chicane on Pratt, that would make it about as good as it could be. I'm not that bothered by the other stuff.

BTW, in your opinion, what was the last "interesting" layout at Long Beach?

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Purist

I would think that the chicane on Pratt Street will be gone for next year. As for Turns 5-7, I don't think it's going to be considered acceptable for the cars to come barreling right up to where the pits are at full tilt from Turn 4. So, i wouldn't really expect that section to change. And really, if they just get rid of that chicane on Pratt, that would make it about as good as it could be. I'm not that bothered by the other stuff.

BTW, in your opinion, what was the last "interesting" layout at Long Beach?

Not really since F1 when they were on Ocean Boulevard, but I enjoyed the layout as seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLo0yYRXUfE

To me though, it doesnt really matter because IMO Long Beach has never been about the circuit and more about the event itself. Baltimore on the other hand I felt was about both circuit and event, and the circuit was tough. I dont feel like debating all night about which Long Beach layout was the best, this is just my opinion.

Im probably the toughest street circuit critic out there, and Baltimore passed in my opinion.

[Razzzor]

I think Dixons flats were more from the tard that rammed him from behind coming into the big traffic jam - you saw him lose is front wing, whoever it was. Then Dixon got 2 more bumps as they slowed up.

Briscoe - bonehead move. Briscoe's comment "penalties are handed out more for cars that aren't running for the championship". True haha. But it was all his fault.

However what the flying **** was that call letting some guys go back to their original position before the jam, while others couldn't if they had contact as well?! That would have put Dixon back up to 8th in a race winning position, because he was faster than Servia. Instead, he was 16th. Hunter-Reay last?? And why wasn't Helio given his lost lap back? What a ridiculous decision that was.

Overall the race was slightly interesting as Power had to pull a gap, but there was zero passing and it's just another follow the leader street course. That chicane in the middle of a straight is absurd.

[Purist]

They couldn't get the rail lines sorted to where they were comfortable letting the guys go over tham at full speed. That should be solved for next year.

It's really NOT that "follow the leader", especially for the sportscars. That narrowest parts of the track are still 3 lanes wide. The front straight is 4 lanes wide. And from the exit of Turn 1 around to the entry of Turn 4 is 5 lanes wide. So room isn't a problem, and Turns 1 and 3 are quite good braking zones.

From the T&S, it sure looked like there was passing going on, and this does NOT include the shuffling due to the pile-up. And even up front, Rahal at least certainly was NOT letting Power get away.

It's a good street circuit, and i'm glad that it's not billiard-table-smooth.

FCP, I wasn't looking for a debsate about Long Beach. I was just wondering which iteration(s) you prefer.