Chicagoland. The 2007 IRL Championship Decider - Page 3

NAC · 11 Sep 2007, 12:41 (Ref:2009315)

Quotes from Scott on Dario

Quote:

"To be honest, if anybody could win the championship out there, I'd like to see him win it, as he's done. I think he's obviously done a superb job to win a championship."

http://www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=9919

Quotes from Dario on Scott

Quote:

"I think again it's cool that it came down to just Scott and I. There was something about that. We said all year, even with a 65‑point lead, I kept saying it's going to be close. It's going to be close. Comes down to Scott and I last corner, last lap. That pretty much sums up the year."

http://www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=9906

Leighton Irwin · 11 Sep 2007, 14:32 (Ref:2009374)

For the last several races there has been all sorts of posts about and complaining about AGR drivers aiding one another and team orders. There are even insinuations that Danica was ordered to spin, although no one heard any thing on the team radio.
So it is bad when AGR have team orders and aid one another and it is fine for Ganassi to do it?

I do not like AGR but let us be fair here.

climb · 11 Sep 2007, 15:01 (Ref:2009390)

Overall, an exciting race ending up an exciting season; with the only flaw of disappointing Penske's performances.

A positive season for IRL, given the difficult circumstances, boosted by IPS unexpected boom.

Knowlesy · 11 Sep 2007, 17:12 (Ref:2009494)

Yes. IRL has made me feel better about AOWR this season. It is a reasonably strong series now I feel and it has a really nice mix of tracks to boot. Shame that Michigan is gone for 2008 though.

Dutton · 11 Sep 2007, 19:14 (Ref:2009611)

Reasonably strong? A bit less weak perhaps, but I am not sure the word strong can quite be used yet.

The potential is clearly there, though.

Knowlesy · 11 Sep 2007, 19:16 (Ref:2009616)

Potential is a position of small (perhaps miniscule) strength.

But it doesn't feel like a 110% desperate series at the moment which is a nice change, no?

Dutton · 11 Sep 2007, 19:20 (Ref:2009620)

I would agree with that entirely.

I think what the IRL has in its favour is that there is strength in-depth at the head of the field.

In order to be truly viable the series requires a generally stronger situation through the rest of the field, but to have such a decent situation up-front is significant.

climb · 12 Sep 2007, 06:49 (Ref:2009902)

A weak rest of the field is typical of every series in the world; I would not blame IRL for Roth racing as long as everybody accept Spyker in F1.

NAC · 12 Sep 2007, 06:53 (Ref:2009903)

Yep the colour of their money is just as good as anybodys but the drivers have still had a qualification process to get there

Dutton · 12 Sep 2007, 07:03 (Ref:2009907)

All series have progressively weaker teams performance wise, yes: that is inherent.

The difference between a strong series and a weaker one is the stability and potential of the rest of the field.

NAC · 12 Sep 2007, 07:07 (Ref:2009912)

Woops forgot which thread I was in. Thought it was the Milka Donunts thread

NAC · 12 Sep 2007, 07:08 (Ref:2009914)

Very true Dutton

deejay · 13 Sep 2007, 02:58 (Ref:2010738)

*CONSPIRACY THEORY*

How exactly did Dario get such better fuel mileage than anybody else?

Dixon's fuel mileage was better than everyone else's, but was still several laps off what Dario was doing. The Penske's were nowhere near.

Did Dario have a bigger fuel tank?

It basically decided the championship.

NAC · 13 Sep 2007, 04:55 (Ref:2010761)

Nice deejay, I just love a good conspiracy theory.

I have no idea. But I'm sure we could toss it around and talk about it for quite some time. Do you think they will get stripped of the points if found guilty (this sounds like Formula 1)

Has anyone got data on what laps the boys pitted and for how long they were in the pits?

luke · 13 Sep 2007, 17:29 (Ref:2011473)

Perhaps he was just saving fuel? He got pole, he was just clinging onto the top 5 all day.

He also always took on full fuel as usually Ganassi cars stop the fuel flowing threw when the tires are on.

paul-collins · 17 Sep 2007, 15:56 (Ref:2015853)

For that last stretch, Dixon had the lead for a fair bit - knocking the hole in the air - whereas Dario was in the train, with Danica right behind keeping the hole open so he'd not have too much drag.

deejay · 18 Sep 2007, 00:42 (Ref:2016351)

Yup, that's the most likely explanation. I think Dario could have raced a lot faster all day, but banked on it coming down to fuel. And it paid off.

Despite my earlier praise of him, I've since heard some criticism of Wheldon from TCGR corners. Apparently they asked him to lead for Dixon, but he delayed for 4 laps for some reason. That could have cost TCGR the championship. Wonder if he'll be there next year...

NAC · 23 Sep 2007, 21:53 (Ref:2021309)

The cost of losing.

Because Dario won the Championship (or more to the point Scott lost) I had to endure 2 weeks of having Danica Patrick as my Avatar and a statement "Danica Rocks". I'm not sure who it hurt more Scotty or me.

Part of the conditions was I could not discuss why I had her up. Anyway I hope that answered some questions.

JohnSSC · 24 Sep 2007, 09:44 (Ref:2021560)

Never bet on the Home Team!

NAC · 24 Sep 2007, 10:31 (Ref:2021586)

Thanks for the words of advice there John.

That was really hard to endure but I have to say I would do it again tomorrow in the same situation. You just got to back your boy.

luke · 26 Sep 2007, 21:50 (Ref:2023911)

I did wonder why, however now put up a Dario avatar!

NAC · 26 Sep 2007, 21:57 (Ref:2023914)

No no the deal was Danica, I would have been happy with a Dario avatar but it had to hurt

No pain no gain as they say

luke · 27 Sep 2007, 13:02 (Ref:2024382)

Or better still miss Judd

Kieran20 · 27 Sep 2007, 16:07 (Ref:2024490)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterJediDan

A great class act by Danica, at the most. That spin at the end to get the yellow flag was so pathetically fake.

makes no odds, as dario woulds still have won the championship as its clear dixon was gonna run out before dario, so dario would have still beat him for the championship. it nearly actually gave dixon the championship!, as he almost made it to the flag, however it would have been very close on the line if he had made the distance.

deejay · 28 Sep 2007, 02:24 (Ref:2024809)

If they'd both run out it might have been a different story though. I think the Dixon camp probably would have pitted for a splash if not for that last yellow. They knew they were well short. Then, either Dario would have had to pit or run out himself. Either way, Scott probably wins.

Not that I'm suggesting Danica spun out on purpose. I think she has far too much pride for that.

Not to mention that it would have been very hard for AGR to have calculated the length of the yellow to get Dario to the line and not Scott.

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