Indycar News & Rumors.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by joeb

https://racer.com/2020/11/02/veekay-...-seater-miles/

Testing at Barber today and the focus was on the rookies, Jimmy and daCosta.

Felix was slightly faster....

Rinus Veekay, 65.615s
Colton Herta, 65.738s
Pato O’Ward, 65.907s
Alexander Rossi, 66.018s
Jack Harvey, 66.099s
Conor Daly, 66.134s
Ryan Hunter-Reay, 66.190s
Marcus Ericsson, 66.257s
Scott Dixon, 66.258s
Sebastien Bourdais, 66.358s
Alex Palou, 66.365s
Antonio Felix da Costa, 66.375s
Josef Newgarden, 66.410s
James Hinchcliffe, 66.441s
Felix Rosenqvist, 66.501s
Will Power, 66.620s
Simon Pagenaud, 66.635s
Dalton Kellett, 66.647s
Scott McLaughlin, 66.941s
Marco Andretti, 67.089
Jimmie Johnson, 68.398s

Rinus VeeKay's 1:05.6148 beats Bourdais' lap record of 1:06.6001, which he set back in April 2016. VeeKay was also 2 seconds faster than Sato's 2019 pole, of 1:08.5934. A number of drivers also set faster laps than Bourdais' record. IndyCar were testing different aero configurations at IMS last week on the 28th, so I'm presuming this reduction in lap times is the result of that.

[chunterer]

Who was AFDC with?

Man if he gets even a half decent full time ride he would be an automatic contender.

Self EDIT!

Rahal Lannigan.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Who was AFDC with?

Man if he gets even a half decent full time ride he would be an automatic contender.

Self EDIT!

Rahal Lannigan.

He was impressive indeed. Sadly i don't know how he gets a seat anywhere unless he has a significant budget.

[Nick Woodbury]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Rinus VeeKay's 1:05.6148 beats Bourdais' lap record of 1:06.6001, which he set back in April 2016. VeeKay was also 2 seconds faster than Sato's 2019 pole, of 1:08.5934. A number of drivers also set faster laps than Bourdais' record. IndyCar were testing different aero configurations at IMS last week on the 28th, so I'm presuming this reduction in lap times is the result of that.

It was announced after the 2019 Barber GP that the circuit was set to be entirely repaved, so that is why the lap times are significantly faster.

https://www.sportbiketracktime.com/i...ivk9_49OlKLmcc

https://www.forconstructionpros.com/...paving-success

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Nick Woodbury

It was announced after the 2019 Barber GP that the circuit was set to be entirely repaved, so that is why the lap times are significantly faster.

https://www.sportbiketracktime.com/i...ivk9_49OlKLmcc

https://www.forconstructionpros.com/...paving-success

I heard Barber had been repaved but would that alone account for an decrease in lap times, from Sato's 2019 pole of 1:08.5934 to VeeKay's lap of 1:05.6148?

[Overboost]

RHR to be confirmed back at AA with DHL as expected.

[S griffin]

That's good news. RHR has always been a top driver in the series

[chunterer]

Captain America rides again!

[fieldodreams79]

RHR has been demoted Corporal; Josef is Captian America now.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

RHR has been demoted Corporal; Josef is Captian America now.

What rank does rossi have? Or do you have to have a championship to get a title?

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I heard Barber had been repaved but would that alone account for an decrease in lap times, from Sato's 2019 pole of 1:08.5934 to VeeKay's lap of 1:05.6148?

Quite possibly, yes.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Quite possibly, yes.

It will be interesting to see if there is a significant change in lap times, when IndyCar goes testing at Laguna Seca next week.

[S griffin]

For me, lap records aren’t necessarily there to be broken. The lap times should be similar though. However we will see how quick they go at Laguna. I would be surprised if they go anywhere near the one minute mark, but they should be around the 1’10 mark

[bjohnsonsmith]

I'd say records are there to be broken, otherwise why bother to set them in the first place?

The outright lap record for Laguna Seca is 1:05.786, set by Marc Gené on May 19, 2012, in a Ferrari F2003-GA F1 car, at the 2012 Ferrari Racing Days, which was an exhibition event.

The official lap record is 1:07.722 set by Hélio Castroneves, on September 9, 2000 in a Reynard 2KI-Honda HR-0 during qualifying for the Honda Grand Prix of Monterey.

With the return of IndyCar to Laguna Seca last year, Colton Herta took pole with a lap time of 1:10.140.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Ah well, not the end of the world. Wonder what Meyer Shank will do with it. I think Dragonspeed will do better in their sportscar program

Put some oar lugs on the monocoque and row it down the Hudson River?

[broadrun96]

Or put Helio in it for a 6 race program, Barber, Long Beach, Indy 500, Indy road course, Portland and Laguna Seca.

https://racer.com/2020/11/09/castron...h-msr-in-2021/

[S griffin]

Best of luck to Helio, one of the best Indycar drivers of all time. Indy 500 should be fun for him, although it's likely to be one of the most competitive fields there. But he should be able to show his magic on any circuit and I can't wait to see it

[codename_47]

Not sure the number of titles he racked up agree with you there

He hasn't won a season long title, surely the harder achievement of an Indycar driver despite the prestige given to indy
And of his TWO Indy Victories, he had the luxury of womping over a fairly thin field for his first too.

No, on the same day when you see up and coming talents like Askew saying their short indycar career is already over, the announcement of a 45 year old Jump Starting has-been is perhaps the most underwhelming of the season

If he had any grace he'd become a team manager and give the car up to a young gun.
Kanaan too. Their best years are behind them.

[bjohnsonsmith]

When it comes to the Indy 500, Hélio is definitely up there. He won it three times, with back to back wins in 2001 and '02. His third win was in 2009, starting from pole and he has taken pole 4 times. However, he has never won the Driver's Championship but was runner up 4 times, in 2002, 2008, 2013 and '14.

[codename_47]

TWO times

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by codename_47

TWO times

Thrice; 2001, '02 and '09.

[rwintle]

So this is what I have so far... corrections welcome, please and thank you.


ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT
27 Alexander Rossi
98 Marco Andretti
26 James Hinchcliffe???
28 Ryan Hunter-Reay
88 Colton Herta

ARROW MCLAREN SP
5 Pato O’Ward
6 [reserved for Robert Wickens]
7 Felix Rosenqvist

CARLIN?
59 Max Chilton?

ED CARPENTER RACING
20 Ed Carpenter? (oval) / Conor Daly? (street/road)
21 Rinus VeeKay

DALE COYNE RACING
18 Santino Ferrucci?

CHIP GANASSI RACING
8 Marcus Ericsson
9 Scott Dixon
10 Alex Palou
48 Jimmie Johnson (street/road) / Oliver Askew?/Tony Kanaan? (oval)

A.J. FOYT ENTERPRISES
4 Tony Kanaan? / Pietro Fittipaldi?
14 Sebastien Bourdais

MEYER SHANK RACING
06 Helio Castroneves (6 races: Barber, Long Beach, Indy 500, Indy GP, Portland, Laguna Seca)
60 Jack Harvey

RAHAL LETTERMAN LANIGAN
15 Graham Rahal
30 Takuma Sato
45 Antonio Felix da Costa?

TEAM PENSKE
2 Josef Newgarden
3 Scott McLaughlin
12 Will Power
22 Simon Pagenaud


Others who may get full- or part-time rides:
Dalton Kellett
Charlie Kimball

[codename_47]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Thrice; 2001, '02 and '09.

Hook, line, sinker, rod and copy of angling times sir lol

Still, the 02 result being given to Helio has about as much legitamacy as a Trump decleration of victory.

Tracy won that race and we all know it

[S griffin]

I think we’re allowed to debate. Whatever you may think of the 02 event, it doesn’t diminish Helio’s achievement. He probably deserved it more than Trump deserved his presidency. Anyway, there are still question marks over whether Tracy did legitimately take the lead when the yellows came out

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by codename_47

Hook, line, sinker, rod and copy of angling times sir lol

Still, the 02 result being given to Helio has about as much legitamacy as a Trump decleration of victory.

Tracy won that race and we all know it

I was always a CART fan. The only 500 I watched during the IRL era was in 2007, when Franchitti won after the race was stopped due to a big crash with Dan Wheldon and Marco Andretti. Prior to that the race had initially been stopped because of rain.