Indycar News & Rumors.

[Bob Baldwin]

DRT : Logical Reasons ? {$$$$$} Me thinks you answered your own Question

[bjohnsonsmith]

Power wants F1 VSC.

http://classic.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/124665

[NaBUru38]

How about virtual pace car / code 60, everybody pits, then regrouping before green flag?

[Nikki Katz]

I'm not a fan of the vsc and am skeptical that they would have used it in the case of bianchi's accident (men and a crane on track at the point where a car has just aquaplaned off the road - why would that not be a safety car in the first place?), but I've got to say that it's a much better idea than what indycar currently have. If the track isn't marshalled enough to leave the pits open during a safety car then it's got to be the solution. At least bourdais is a decent driver, that race that huertas won a couple of years ago was just a sham

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Nikki Katz

I'm not a fan of the vsc and am skeptical that they would have used it in the case of bianchi's accident (men and a crane on track at the point where a car has just aquaplaned off the road - why would that not be a safety car in the first place?), but I've got to say that it's a much better idea than what indycar currently have. If the track isn't marshalled enough to leave the pits open during a safety car then it's got to be the solution. At least bourdais is a decent driver, that race that huertas won a couple of years ago was just a sham

I thought the VSC worked well at Monaco.

[D.R.T.]

VSC / Code 60 would be a brilliant addition to Indycar. The sooner the better I feel.

[Matt]

VSC is boring.

[fieldodreams79]

Restarts are fun and jammed pit roads under FCY add an element of spice and strategy to the race, but long yellows are boring in any motor race. VSC is awkward right now...maybe that's just me.

[Purist]

If NASCAR is any indication, it seems like most American race fans DON'T WANT something other than the full-on safety car system.

Just a point of amusement, but the IndyCar site, for the Road America info, lists the current sportscar series visiting the circuit as "American Le Mans".

Also, on the actual news side of things, Robin Miller does a good rundown of upcoming IndyCar activities in his latest piece for RACER. The main notes for me are the tire tests at Road America (June 15) and Watkins Glen (June 20).

[owrforever]

I think the tire test at Road America is a "Firestone tire test" and may not be open to the public, unlike the test last autumn.
Now I am dating myself, but does anyone remember the "pace lights" that were used at Indy; kind of a prehistoric attempt at keeping intervals, not unlike the VSC?

[owrforever]

Looks like RA test will have access to the Indycar paddock, in conjunction with a car show.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by owrforever

Looks like RA test will have access to the Indycar paddock, in conjunction with a car show.

That's the sort of promotion the series needs.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Matt

VSC is boring.

Is what way?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Matt

VSC is boring.

Is it any more boring, than watching a bunch of cars going round and round under an FCY?

Monaco showed it worked very well. It isolates the incident, without the whole field having to bunch up under the SC.

[D.R.T.]

Watching Helio get screwed at Detroit was hardly entertaining

[Purist]

I didn't like that particular piece of it; Helio is my favorite driver.

I'm sure someone would tell me though, if I complained, that, "He got the bad end this time, but will get the benefit of it another time.".

American series, especially, seem to want to do (just about) whatever they can to "ensure a close finish". If they come to think that something other than the safety car is more "beneficial", they'll go with that; otherwise, don't expect a change.

Also, they maybe want to just keep the same procedure across the calendar, and I can't see the safety car going away for the ovals. So, the status quo might be maintained partly to keep that consistency for all events.

[NaBUru38]

Remember than caution periods are used to clean the track and debris. Having cars bunched up is useful to do it.

So how about one lap of code 60 mph (where drivers pit without getting caught), then the pace car enters the track to bunch up cars.

[D.R.T.]

You will see in the WEC if the crash and clean up is large or severe enough they will go with a Safety Car.

Code 60 can be used for appropriate situations without needing to bring out the Safety Car at every opportunity

[gert]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Monaco showed it worked very well. It isolates the incident, without the whole field having to bunch up under the SC.

Then again, it didn't work particularly well in the first GP2 race in Monaco.

The VSC periods only lasted for less than a lap, where Markelov always had it at parts of the track where he had to go slow anyway, and Nato at parts where he could go fast.
Maybe it should be extended to a full lap instead of a partial lap to keep things equal.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by gert

Then again, it didn't work particularly well in the first GP2 race in Monaco.

The VSC periods only lasted for less than a lap, where Markelov always had it at parts of the track where he had to go slow anyway, and Nato at parts where he could go fast.
Maybe it should be extended to a full lap instead of a partial lap to keep things equal.

I didn't see the GP2 race but I thought it worked well today at Montreal. Certainly caught Ferrari on the hop.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by gert

Maybe it should be extended to a full lap instead of a partial lap to keep things equal.

That's easy to do.

[bjohnsonsmith]

JR Hildebrand to drive for Ed Carpenter Racing as Josef Newgarden recovers.

http://www.indycar.com/News/2016/06/...-for-Newgarden

[bjohnsonsmith]

Congrats to Sebastien Bourdais on Chip Ganassi on winning Le Mans.

[Purist]

Had the Watkins Glen test today.

http://www.indycar.com/News/2016/06/...kins-Glen-test

Three seconds puts them down into the 1:25s, though I'm not sure where they got that particular time for Briscoe's lap. Anyway, a 1:25 flat would be an average speed of 144-mph.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Purist

Had the Watkins Glen test today.

http://www.indycar.com/News/2016/06/...kins-Glen-test

Three seconds puts them down into the 1:25s, though I'm not sure where they got that particular time for Briscoe's lap. Anyway, a 1:25 flat would be an average speed of 144-mph.

According to Watkins Glen, Briscoe set a lap record of 1:28.5970, 136.935 Mph (220.375 Kmh) when he took Pole for the 2009 Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen.

http://www.theglen.com/Articles/2009...ualifying.aspx