Indy Japan - The Final

[DanicaFan]

Race 16 of 18

Race - Indy Japan- The Final

Location - Twin Ring Motegi (Road Course) - Motegi, Tochigi, Japan

Date - Sunday, September 18th - 12:00 AM

Time & TV Schedule - Pre-Race Show-Saturday, September 17th - 11:00PM , Green Flag - 12:00AM (Sunday, Sept.18th) - Versus

Course Type - 2.98 Mile Road Course

Distance - 63 Laps / 187.74 Miles

Practice Sessions -
Thursday, September 15th - 2:00PM -3:15PM Eastern
Friday, September 16th - 8:00AM-9:00AM & 11:00AM-12:00PM Eastern
Saturday, September 17th -Warm Up Session - 8:00AM - 8:30AM Eastern

Qualifications - Friday, September 16th - 2:00PM -3:20PM Eastern

2010 Pole Sitter - #3 Helio Castroneves 54.1803(Time) / 201.992 mph (On Oval Course)

2010 Winner - #3 Helio Castroneves

**Note - All times listed in Eastern Time, Motegi, Japan is 13 hours ahead.

[DanicaFan]

[Jonerz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgw_yprN_-w

For Motegi, or should this be aimed at the IRL?

Chris

[Yannick]

It'll be interesting how the drivers and teams will cope with another new track in a row. Unfortunately, they cannot use the oval which has proved to be quite exciting over the years, but that was one of the worst earthquakes since the development of the seismometer.

Here's hoping the local heros Sato and Mutoh will do well!

[Carsandmotorracing]

It's so sad top see Motegi go. Been a great track. And it's awesome were racing on the road course this year. Should be a good race. Go Dixie!!

[Mekola]

It's a high time to see how IndyCars could be faster than F. Nippon cars in an equal circuit.

[NaBUru38]

Do you know whether the first three straights are passing zones? The backstraight definitely is.

I've driven the track at GT4 quite a few times, but never with formula cars.

[Purist]

They can be. Although the main series I've seen there is Japanese SuperGT, so I'm not as certain what IndyCars can manage around there.

[DanicaFan]

Pit Lane Assignments..

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Carsandmotorracing

It's so sad top see Motegi go. Been a great track. And it's awesome were racing on the road course this year. Should be a good race. Go Dixie!!

I'm confused by the title of the race and the post above. Can someone fill me in?

[Carsandmotorracing]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

I'm confused by the title of the race and the post above. Can someone fill me in?

Well this will be the last race in Motegi, so the name of the race is "The Final" instead of the usual Indy Japan 300. We are also racing on the road course this year due to the oval sustaining damage in the earthquake.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Carsandmotorracing

Well this will be the last race in Motegi, so the name of the race is "The Final" instead of the usual Indy Japan 300. We are also racing on the road course this year due to the oval sustaining damage in the earthquake.

Yes sir, thank you. I did know it was at the road course, but why the last race at Motegi... just for the series or is the track closing, etc. ? I've been very much out of the loop this year.

[Carsandmotorracing]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Yes sir, thank you. I did know it was at the road course, but why the last race at Motegi... just for the series or is the track closing, etc. ? I've been very much out of the loop this year.

Just for IndyCar.

[kurski]

Hopefully, Motegi Grand Prix Japanese drivers are strong (Sato, Mutoh).

[DanicaFan]

Entry List..

[NaBUru38]

Honda didn't want to keep the race either.

Originally Posted by Carsandmotorracing

Well this will be the last race in Motegi, so the name of the race is "The Final" instead of the usual Indy Japan 300. We are also racing on the road course this year due to the oval sustaining damage in the earthquake.

187.74 miles = 302.07 km, so the race could have kept the Indy Japan 300 name. The change is to stress that it's the last time (in a while) to see IndyCar in Japan.

[Yannick]

There is an unexpected surprise on the entry list: Joao Paulo de Oliveira instead of Sebastian Saavedra in the Conquest car. Never heard of him. What is his background? And why no Saavedra? $?

Looking at the Baltimore race last week, "Pork Chop" will probably like the circuit. ;-)

[Purist]

J.P. (de) Oliveira is a regular in Japanese SuperGT and Formula Nippon. According to the piece on the IndyCar site, he's the 2010 Formula Nippon champion. And he pedals that Nissan GT-R GT500 pretty damn well also.

Seeing as both those domestic series run the Motegi road course, having a driver who's familiar with the place should certainly help.

Regarding Sebastian, yes, it seems to be money, as far as what he is able to bring to Conquest.

[Yannick]

Thanks for the information.

[Purist]

Here's a highlights video from last year of Formula Nippon at Motegi:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKhowaYOpxQ

The virtual lap video from IndyCar is up on YouTube now, though I think this real footage is more useful. Also, the narrator on the virtual lap was completely BS'ing about the top speeds on the two longest straights.

[DanicaFan]

1st Practice Session..

[Peat]

Those time's wouldn't have even gotten them on the Formula Nippon grid. Thank Christ this is the last road course for that Dallara-boat.

[jondownunder]

Wow, that underlines just how pathetic this turd is on road courses.

[Purist]

What is the Formula Nippon qualifying record at Motegi?

I have a couple of nice database sites for sportscar archival records bookmarked. However, I haven't yet found something quite like that for formula cars. And Wikipedia lists the record set by a Zytek 04S in the JLMC as the road course record at Motegi.

[Flavio Galtieri]

1 min 35 secs is a F Nippon pole lap.

Certainly puts the old chassis in perspective........I wonder what an F1 would do? Probably a 1.15 or so I guess.