2011 Indy 500 thread

[Nick6]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

What's Dan Wheldon supposed to do, slow down and follow Hildebrand as his car slides to the finish line? He gained no advantage.

maybe it was for passing the lapped driver under yellow?

[ptclaus98]

Wheldon won it, and it was deserved for his dogged perseverance at the end. But it was a bad result for the series unless Wheldon is at some more races.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Nick6

maybe it was for passing the lapped driver under yellow?

There was no way he could have suddenly slowed down, that would have been really dangerous.

[Razzzor]

Wow, what a screw up from JR. How do you ever forgive yourself for doing that? I was waiting for it as well, not a total surprise from a rookie. Why on earth was Kimball running SOOOOO slowly and forcing the leader to run the high lane on the last ******* corner.
That's even more pathetic than they way Marco lost it to Hornish a few years back.

Imagine 2 unheard of rookies winning Indy 500 and Daytona 500 in the same year.

Anyway, I'm really gutted Dixon didn't win. He was easily ahead of Wheldon with a few laps to go and should have caught JR. Thanks Ganassi for screwing him over on the fuel. At least Franchitti didn't get another fuel mileage victory.

[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by baclightning

Right. But the post 91 above clearly shows that Wheldon passed J.R.'s crippled car while the green light was still on. The yellow came out between the time Wheldon passed him, and when he crossed the finish line.

absolutely, and hence wheldon fairly won the race no question, I was merely correcting something, as if a count back rule would have applied (like I have seen speculated in various places) then technically JR would have won assumedly. Luckily that wasn't the case, and all's fair

[Andy Roberts]

What a fantastic race that was! Haven't watched it yet as cant find a download for it, but listened to the IMS Radio Broadcast earlier, man that was gripping, back to what Indy races remided me of!

Feel so sorry for JR, but man that boy has nothing to be ashamed about. Everyone makes mistakes, that why pencils have erasers. He was a rookie and came within half a mile of winning the biggest race on earth, not too bad that.

[RichardRenes]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

What's up with Wheldon's teeth?

I think he borrowed them from Richard Petty

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by Bonanza

absolutely, and hence wheldon fairly won the race no question, I was merely correcting something, as if a count back rule would have applied (like I have seen speculated in various places) then technically JR would have won assumedly. Luckily that wasn't the case, and all's fair

The count back rule doesn't apply if you are the cause of the stoppage as far as I know. Dan won fair and square imho.

[racer69]

The scene for us watching at Turn 4 was unbelievable.... for starters everyone was still trying to work out those last ten laps, everyone stood up to clap home the winner when you heard the engine note drop and the dust come up...you could see he was heading towards the wall, stunned silence from the whole crowd

I think he was right (in the heat of the moment) to try and round up Kimball, Kimball was travelling a fair bit slower than JR

My first 500 in person, and all i can say is i'll be back

[icemachine]

Wow what a finish - Baguette's fuel troubles were known with about a dozen laps to go, so it was clear he wouldn't take the checkers but once JR had the lead I thought it was the race. Wheldon is apparently only the 2nd driver to win the 500 without leading a full lap.

[mac]

Originally Posted by racer69

The scene for us watching at Turn 4 was unbelievable.... for starters everyone was still trying to work out those last ten laps, everyone stood up to clap home the winner when you heard the engine note drop and the dust come up...you could see he was heading towards the wall, stunned silence from the whole crowd

I think he was right (in the heat of the moment) to try and round up Kimball, Kimball was travelling a fair bit slower than JR

My first 500 in person, and all i can say is i'll be back

What's a punter from Penrith doing all the way in Indianapolis!?!? Talk about your fish out of water...

Good to hear you had a blast, racer!

[marcostraz]

But if Hildebrand crossed the finish line first what they do? They went to Victory Lane with the wrecked car?

[gomick]

Would have been interesting...

JR Hildebrand must rate upthere with one of the biggest chokes in motorsport history - poor fella must still be feeling very sick! Wonder if he has any hair left...

[Andy Roberts]

Think he was dammed if he did, damned if he didn't there.

If he had lifted of and waited to get round Kimball then Wheldon certainly would have caught him and then he would have regretted not going high.

Looking at the reply and how slow Kimball was going even once he exited turn 4, his team really should have told him to go to the apron to not impede the leaders, but hey ho, thats racing I suppose.

Super impressed by JR though, even with the mistake, that was an awesome drive by him.

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by marcostraz

But if Hildebrand crossed the finish line first what they do? They went to Victory Lane with the wrecked car?

Well if he'd crossed the finish line first and I was Herta I would protest him under the minimum weight rule.

Although since this is America and it was a National Guard car I would probably have rethought that......

[mac]

Originally Posted by Andy Roberts

Super impressed by JR though, even with the mistake, that was an awesome drive by him.

Impressed by the way he handled the post-race too... It would have been really easy to not carry oneself in the classy manner he has.

[racerkeke]

Originally Posted by Bonanza

whilst changing the result would be downright ridiculous, the yellow light was clearly on before Wheldon crossed the finish line.

Yes. On ovals, a "yellow yellow yellow" for an incident turns the yellow light on and simultaneously stands up the safety team. While cars are to slow and maintain position by the NEXT yellow light or flag, Wheldon was past the light in 4 when it went on.
keke
-Man, I miss working the ovals-

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Dunno why Hildebrand just didn't back off? Inexperience, I guess.

He was tight on fuel and Wheldon was making up ground.

He wanted to keep his momentum in case he did run out of ethanol. Just got a little too high in the groove and pick up marbles on the outside (right side) tires.

Tough break.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by racer69

The scene for us watching at Turn 4 was unbelievable.... for starters everyone was still trying to work out those last ten laps, everyone stood up to clap home the winner when you heard the engine note drop and the dust come up...you could see he was heading towards the wall, stunned silence from the whole crowd

I think he was right (in the heat of the moment) to try and round up Kimball, Kimball was travelling a fair bit slower than JR

My first 500 in person, and all i can say is i'll be back

Amazing Place and Amazing Race, isn't it?

Sunday was my 40th Indy 500...It is "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing"

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Tim Northcutt

Amazing Place and Amazing Race, isn't it?

Sunday was my 40th Indy 500...It is "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing"

It was a tough break.

Your 40th; that's impressive. Is that consecutively?

So far "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" for me has been Le Mans but I intend to go to Indy next year.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

It was a tough break.

Your 40th; that's impressive. Is that consecutively?

So far "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" for me has been Le Mans but I intend to go to Indy next year.

No

I've missed only five. Went to the 1967 race as an 8-year-old for my first Indy 500.

Missed 1984-88 when I lived away from Indy, but was at the original date set for the 1986 race, but the Sunday and Monday were rained out and they moved it to the following weekend for the start. The only time in history that they have done that.

Without that weatehr snafu, it would have been only four races.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by Andy Roberts

Think he was dammed if he did, damned if he didn't there.

If he had lifted of and waited to get round Kimball then Wheldon certainly would have caught him and then he would have regretted not going high.

Looking at the reply and how slow Kimball was going even once he exited turn 4, his team really should have told him to go to the apron to not impede the leaders, but hey ho, thats racing I suppose.

Super impressed by JR though, even with the mistake, that was an awesome drive by him.

JR said that he had the choice of slowing down and risking getting passed by Dan or going for the win with a risky second lane pass. He said he didn't want to be known as the guy who lost the race by pussy-footing it on the last lap.

That's an indirect quote from him...Apparently, his spotters were telling him that Wheldon was gaining ground and thus he had to keep his foot in it in case he ran out of fuel...

Slowing down would have killed his momentum.

He had to pick his poison and the one he picked did kill his chances, but odds are that slowing down when Kimball was creeping along would have probably ended up with the same result.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

An excellent crowd, great competition, beautiful weather, an upset winner and Finally Penske/Ganassi lost. Other than the ABC coverage, what a bloody brilliant day for Indycar racing. Love this time of year, Le Mans in two weeks right after Indianapolis and Monaco followed by the Nurburgring. Congrats to Bryan Herta as well, class act.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Andy Roberts

Think he was dammed if he did, damned if he didn't there.

If he had lifted of and waited to get round Kimball then Wheldon certainly would have caught him and then he would have regretted not going high.

Looking at the reply and how slow Kimball was going even once he exited turn 4, his team really should have told him to go to the apron to not impede the leaders, but hey ho, thats racing I suppose.

Super impressed by JR though, even with the mistake, that was an awesome drive by him.

I agree with your assessment. While I'm not sure if Wheldon would have caught JR if he slowed, there is no way for him to know that. I'm not sure what Kimball was doing... damaged car, trying to let the leaders by? He was in the exact wrong spot at the wrong time. There just was no second groove (less than usual anyway) and one tire out of it and you are gone. I'm gutted for JR. I would have loved to see a young American win. I hope he gets this victory back soon.

[Andy Roberts]

Originally Posted by Tim Northcutt

JR said that he had the choice of slowing down and risking getting passed by Dan or going for the win with a risky second lane pass. He said he didn't want to be known as the guy who lost the race by pussy-footing it on the last lap.

Yeah exactly, he can go out with his head held high with that anyway.

Indy is as much about the stories it generates as it is for the winners, and at the end of the day, JR's story will be up there with the best of them for a long long time to come. People will remember the 100th 500 more so because of JR and turn 799 than Wheldon taking the win i bet.