Richmond Race Weekend Thread

[Tim Northcutt]

They've already held the first practice session today and Vitor Meira crashed his primary car when the same left-front suspension part that broke last week at Iowa did it again as he was braking to enter the pits.

Only the left rear corner of the car did not sustain damage, so they are putting an engine in the "T" car.

If these are Panther-made parts, they should go back to the Dallara parts....

But I haven't read any confirmation that Panther is building these pieces.

Either way, they will have to address this to ensure that it does not keep occurring.

[Chewie-1990]

Yer I just watched the video of that accident, I'd be pretty worried if the same part broke twice within a week, it's almost like the Penske wing incidents. I hope they made the parts themselves otherwise Dallara have something against them!

[marcus]

I havent seen this weeks crash but last weeks breakage was really bizzare , someone's quality control checks dont seem to be in place if it has happened again.

Hopefully they can get it sorted.

as for the race I take it qualifying was rained out or something as no one set any times ??

[Tim Northcutt]

Yes...It rained just before quals were to begin...

Season points have set the field, which hurt Marco...he was quick today and wouldn't be starting in the back third of the pack if the session would've been happened...

[OpenWheel4ever]

Originally Posted by Tim Northcutt

Yes...It rained just before quals were to begin...

Season points have set the field, which hurt Marco...he was quick today and wouldn't be starting in the back third of the pack if the session would've been happened...

That's sad for Marco cause he had a good start this weekend. I don't like the way they are based on the standings. I remember in 2005, when I attended the Nashville race, the qualifications were cancelled due to rain and the poleman was the one who has the best practice times, in this case Tomas Scheckter who earned the pole...That was fair.

Go Marco!!

[Hazard]

Gives a slightly different grid for a change though - as championship standings aren't representative of the normal qualifying performance we see.

[Dutton]

Less fair, though.

[Chewie-1990]

They should have gone for a reverse championship order grid, now that would have made both race and championship interesting! as it is, Franchitti pulls further ahead (not that thats a particularly bad thing)

[Tim Northcutt]

This is the first time I've ever remembered them using the season points to set the field...

Last year, they would use the top speed from the combined practice sessions (if held, which they were at Richmond before the rain hit) to set the field.

I prefer the old way of doing it...that method sets it by how they ran on the track where they will race and not how they have done in the previous events.

[deejay]

Interesting how the championship standings seemed to reflect the pace in the race though. Not many changes up front - and certainly Dario looking to be a deserved points leader.