MIPS testing at Indy

Snips1 · 24 Mar 2005, 16:45 (Ref:1260865)

So the cars are on track and I have just noticed that a Larry Connor is testing the Genoa car instead of Chesson, does anybody knows why Connor is testing and not Chesson??

Snips1 · 24 Mar 2005, 16:51 (Ref:1260873)

Where are the Scmidt cars???

Snips1 · 24 Mar 2005, 17:26 (Ref:1260917)

Ohhh, there they are

GP Racer · 25 Mar 2005, 00:51 (Ref:1261213)

The final results were Jeff Simmons coming in first, by almost 2 seconds over the second place Chris Festa, and third place went to none other than Marco Andretti - nice name! - with Michael and Mario there to help. Glad to see Simmons doing well!

I'll be at the USGP again this year, but for the first time, I'll have some real interest in the support race.

Snips1 · 25 Mar 2005, 14:20 (Ref:1261498)

Yeah good test, glad to see Simons up there where he belongs, hopefully the MIPS will be more accepted by the former CART owners, how cool wouldn't it be to see Simmons at AGR? or Rahal/Letterman?

GP Racer · 25 Mar 2005, 21:57 (Ref:1261918)

Unfortunately, I don't see any chance of Simmons getting a break from any of the former CART teams. When was the last time an American IPS driver got a shot from any of them? They are far more likely to drop a guy like Briscoe, Takagi, or Enge on us, from series that we've never seen or even heard of here. It's not like that in NASCAR, where drivers have ladder series that matter, and where fans can see the "young guns" throughout there career. I think the best Simmons could hope for is a shot at from D&R, RBC, Vision, or one of the smaller teams.

And they wonder why NASCAR is kicking our butts?

Team Owner · 26 Mar 2005, 00:35 (Ref:1262013)

Simmons ran the Indy 500 last year for Nunn Racing and did a fine job. Larry Conner was in the #36 because he will be in that car at the F-1 support race in June not PJ. PJ will be in the car at St. Pete.

GP Racer · 26 Mar 2005, 03:02 (Ref:1262055)

[QUOTE=Team Owner]Simmons ran the Indy 500 last year for Nunn Racing and did a fine job. QUOTE]

I absolutely agree TO. But why is he still wasting his time in IPS? It's obvious that he is a fan favorite, and his performance in the 500 earned him a spot in the IRL.

Since your an insider, maybe you can answer this question Team Owner, why doesn't a guy like Simmons or Thiago get a ride in the IRL ahead of guys like Enge or Briscoe? Is it just money, or does the IPS have no credibility to team owners, especially former CART team owners?

Kicking-back · 26 Mar 2005, 11:34 (Ref:1262228)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GP Racer

Why doesn't a guy like Simmons or Thiago get a ride in the IRL ahead of guys like Enge or Briscoe? Is it just money, or does the IPS have no credibility to team owners, especially former CART team owners?

Briscoe got his drive because Toyota needed something for him after ditching him from F1 testing - AFAIK the 3rd Ganassi seat would not have existed other than for him.

As for Enge, I do believe the teams would see a F3000/F1 background as more credible that MIPS - drivers coming in from that series have so far shown it's maybe not the best place to learn.

If MIPS had a 20 car field it would teach the drivers so much more.

Snips1 · 26 Mar 2005, 12:20 (Ref:1262255)

Yeah, Enge could teach them how to smoke.....

Dennis H. · 27 Mar 2005, 03:11 (Ref:1262673)

I met Enge tonight at a thing Panther was doing in Indy, nice guy although I can never understand anything an Irishman says. In any event I think he will really like Indy because he said his favorite road courses in Europe were the high speed ones like Monza.

911gt1 · 27 Mar 2005, 05:20 (Ref:1262687)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis H.

I met Enge tonight at a thing Panther was doing in Indy, nice guy although I can never understand anything an Irishman says. In any event I think he will really like Indy because he said his favorite road courses in Europe were the high speed ones like Monza.

Irishman?!?!?!?!?!?!

Team Owner · 27 Mar 2005, 07:08 (Ref:1262710)

Enge is Chek. I don't know the answers to your questions about Simmons and Mederios eexcept to say that certain deals don't ever have their names associated with them. I do know that Thiago did not work at getting funding or a ride in the off season and that hurt him a great deal as I think he's possibly the one driver that could bring a lot of excitement to the league right now Brazzilion or not as he has a take no prisioners attitude. I heeeer da little birdy tell me that someting is in the works for him for the Freedom 10 and the F-1 support race

I thi8nk with a good crew. G=Force chassis and a Honda engine he would be top 5 every race that he didn't crash out of

trow · 27 Mar 2005, 16:00 (Ref:1262976)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 911gt1

Irishman?!?!?!?!?!?!

Dennis H. · 27 Mar 2005, 20:31 (Ref:1263112)

my bad, I was wondering why I was having trouble picking up his accent, I was thinking he was English but when he started talking I knew it wasn't an English accent. LOL In any event, he seemed happy to be going road racing next.

trow · 27 Mar 2005, 23:28 (Ref:1263235)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis H.

my bad, I was wondering why I was having trouble picking up his accent, I was thinking he was English but when he started talking I knew it wasn't an English accent. LOL In any event, he seemed happy to be going road racing next.

I was going to go, but the Pacers were playing, and as much as I like Tomas, and especially Buddy ... nothing gets in the way of watching my Pacers play basketball! Judging by the results of last night's game, I probably should've went to the fund raiser.

P.S. Nothing but the Indianapolis 500, of course.

Dennis H. · 27 Mar 2005, 23:35 (Ref:1263237)

I didn't realize that was a home game, I was driving listening to it on the radio and it didn't sound like a Pacer crowd on the radio so I figured it was in Chicago

trow · 28 Mar 2005, 01:48 (Ref:1263287)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis H.

I didn't realize that was a home game, I was driving listening to it on the radio and it didn't sound like a Pacer crowd on the radio so I figured it was in Chicago

It was on TV, it was in Chicago.

BootsOntheSide · 28 Mar 2005, 13:25 (Ref:1263497)

It's interesting that Tomas was mistaken for having English as his first language, his grammar and prounciation ois clearly pretty good, so that shouldn't' stop him achieving support in the US. His F3000 incident would though.

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