TGBB is BACK as Race Director

[Danathar]

http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/11...-race-director

Yes...can you feel your blood pressure go up? Doesn't feel GOOOD!

[Paradise City]

Looking forward to those damp oval races.

[Deleted]

Will these jokers ever learn.

[Nikki Katz]

Seriously??? Couldn't one of us do it instead? There's a chance that we might look at the race instead of flipping a coin for the outcome of the incident.

[Yannick]

That's what I was afraid of when Beaux Barfield quit. And guess what? It happened. Is there anything we can do to keep TGBB from reintroducing pack racing?

[Yannick]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Will these jokers ever learn.

Offtopic:
Chiana, that crash test looks like it's a car to avoid buying. What model is it?

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Yannick

Offtopic:
Chiana, that crash test looks like it's a car to avoid buying. What model is it?

Ford Focus but it was going at 120mph so :P

Describes the upcoming reign of terror probably pretty good though...

[bjohnsonsmith]

Derrick Walker, president of competition and operations for IndyCar is in favour of the appointment.

[Deleted]

Of course he is...

[codename_47]

He's been told to be.

If there was any more indication needed that indycar is run by a cartel to service their own interests only, it's this.

Just when they had a modicum of momentum building up, they throw it away.

Fool me once...

[FormulaFox]

Copy/paste of my comment on Marshall Pruett's piece on this matter:


This is a mistake, plain and simple. But even Mr. Pruett's commentary on the matter makes it seem simpler than it is.

The only reason there is any hope for even the slightest bit of a positive outcome from this is because of the changes to race control as a whole that have been made while Barnhart was in a secondary role.

Even then, it's not a hope worth believing in. The problem isn't even simply his horrendous calls in race control in the past - it goes beyond that, and it's primary reason why I am, as Pruett says we should be, directing my ire for this choice at the series rather than Barnhart(for now).

The series has found not one, but TWO positions in which Barnahrt excels in; As a supporting role in race control, and as a TV director. As Pruett noted, Barnahrt's gotten a lot of thumbs up from his time as one of the support structures behind Baeux Barfield - and rightly so given how race control has been restructured.

The problem is that evidence does not support the notion that he could do well under the current system while operating at the top of it. History shows he does not have the proper mindset for it, and there is to date no evidence that the revamp to race control will make his mindset a suitable one for the top position.

On top of that, at one point during 2012, Randy Bernard forced ABC to let Barnhart direct the race broadcast and the result was the best coverage ABC had given us in almost ten years. Subsequently ABC finally started straightening out their problems after the resulting positive feedback.

So we have TWO positions that Brian Barnhart has CLEARLY shown a knack for. Places he could be put in where he is a genuine asset to IndyCar. And the series has put him in the ONE position where he's known to do far more harm than good.

Excellent job, IndyCar. You finally give us awesome things to cheer for with the aero kits, then shoot yourselves in the foot with poor personnel placement.

[Yannick]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

On top of that, at one point during 2012, Randy Bernard forced ABC to let Barnhart direct the race broadcast and the result was the best coverage ABC had given us in almost ten years. Subsequently ABC finally started straightening out their problems after the resulting positive feedback.

I had not known that. Which race was it that he directed the TV coverage? Thanks for letting me know. I'd like to re-watch it to see for myself.

I shall give TGBB the benefit of doubt for his new (reprised) role at the top of race control because he already had a comeback of sorts in that role at the Toronto double-header in one of the past 2 years and wasn't noticed - so he must have done an OK job.

However, the new aero kits are introduced this season, and some kind of parity between them is the goal for the series. And that requires some smart officiating. Does that ball now lie in Barnhart's corner or rather in Walker's? It's of utmost importance to the safety of this sport that pack racing shall not return, so the aero specifications for ovals must be developed individually for each track. And officiating those was one of the strengths of Beaux Barfield. That's now the watermark for his successor.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Yannick

I had not known that. Which race was it that he directed the TV coverage? Thanks for letting me know. I'd like to re-watch it to see for myself.

I shall give TGBB the benefit of doubt for his new (reprised) role at the top of race control because he already had a comeback of sorts in that role at the Toronto double-header in one of the past 2 years and wasn't noticed - so he must have done an OK job.

However, the new aero kits are introduced this season, and some kind of parity between them is the goal for the series. And that requires some smart officiating. Does that ball now lie in Barnhart's corner or rather in Walker's? It's of utmost importance to the safety of this sport that pack racing shall not return, so the aero specifications for ovals must be developed individually for each track. And officiating those was one of the strengths of Beaux Barfield. That's now the watermark for his successor.

Regarding the aero-kits, I would have thought this would come under Derrick Walker's auspices, as he is the president of competition and operations for IndyCar.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by Yannick

I had not known that. Which race was it that he directed the TV coverage? Thanks for letting me know. I'd like to re-watch it to see for myself.

I BELIEVE it was Mid-Ohio, but I'm not 100% certain. I only learned of this about well after the fact in one of Robin Miller's mailbags - I don't think it was even mentioned until the offseason.

[Yannick]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

I BELIEVE it was Mid-Ohio, but I'm not 100% certain. I only learned of this about well after the fact in one of Robin Miller's mailbags - I don't think it was even mentioned until the offseason.

Thank you. I did a quick websearch and found an apparently dead link to a Marshall Pruett article that said it was the race at Barber Motorsports Park in 2012.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by Yannick

Thank you. I did a quick websearch and found an apparently dead link to a Marshall Pruett article that said it was the race at Barber Motorsports Park in 2012.

The 2012 Barber race was on NBCSN - they weren't in need of any boosts to their coverage quality. One thing I recall clearly is that it was for the ABC broadcast.

[racer69]

Three questions i'm interested in knowing now TGBB is 'back' (although its good in reading that he'll be part of the team making decisions, rather than the only one)

- Does the Indy pole sitter "earn the right to lead the first lap" again as he was quoted as saying in his previous reign, or can we race at the start of the Indy 500 still?

- Will the last thing the drivers hear before entering the track for Indy qualifying be "Give me 4 good ones" again?

- Is defending your line into a corner illegal again?

[The Happy Track Fan]

Ah yes.. Helio getting screwed in Edmonton. Wet weather mayhem re-starts in New Hampshire. Complete lack of consistency in making correct calls during races. Wonderful!! It's all like a wonderfully nightmarish dream!! About as appealing as watching Augustus Gloop get sucked up the chocolate vacuum in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory!!

The only difference is that the brown stuff will be coming out instead of getting sucked up, and it ain't gonna smell like no Wonka bar!!

WHAT THE FROCK IS GOING ON WITH THE POWERS THAT BE THAT RUN THIS SHIP!!! QUICK...FIRST MATE...ARRANGE THE DECK CHAIRS ON THE TITANIC, AND.. YOUNG MAN...GET ME SOME OF THE ICE FROM THAT ICEBERG WE JUST HIT TO PUT IN MY CHAMPAGNE!!

My head hurts...time to go to bed!!

[GTRMagic]

Why cant Mr Penske just buy the IMS & the series, and do whatever he pleases with it??

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Why cant Mr Penske just buy the IMS & the series, and do whatever he pleases with it??

He tried in the past on several occasions but the hulman georges wanted an outrageous price for the track. One sum years ago was $1 Billion. He's playing the long game letting the track fall in value and waiting for the family trust to gather enough votes to sell out and cash in.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

Copy/paste of my comment on Marshall Pruett's piece on this matter:

Pruett's piece on brian brainfart was essentially to the last two dozen fans out there, drink the kool aid and shut up, this guy is totally reformed and will lead us to a new era.

[Salamus]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

He tried in the past on several occasions but the hulman georges wanted an outrageous price for the track. One sum years ago was $1 Billion. He's playing the long game letting the track fall in value and waiting for the family trust to gather enough votes to sell out and cash in.

I don't think he can play the long game for much longer unfortunately. This actually brings up a completely off topic thought...a lot of famous team owners are getting up there in age.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Salamus

I don't think he can play the long game for much longer unfortunately. This actually brings up a completely off topic thought...a lot of famous team owners are getting up there in age.

Well he still seems pretty with it and he's got family to pass the business onto. I could see him living another 25 years easy. If anything he is speeding up rather than slowing down.

As I have said for years the answer lays with the hulman george trust and when old mari dies it will hit the fan. Apparently some people want cashed out and the speedway is the last big sizable asset they have.