nearchoclatetown Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 Wow, Tony thought he had trouble before, with the IRL. Anyone want some Michelin stock?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 That Michelin Man has been full of hot air for over a century. They were bitching about the BANKING at Indy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 I can't get Speedvision for less than another $50/mo, and since I'm already sending them $80/mo I figure I'll do without. What I saw on the news was a joke. The real shame is that last week's race in Canada was the best one I've seen in years. Finally the FIA isn't a single marque series with back markers, and now this.I half thought of driving up there too. Could you imagine dropping $130+/seat (to say nohting of the high-buck corporate/VIP suite prices) to see that fiasco. Joie Chitwood's (IMS CEO) press conference statements released after the race ends with a quote that says it all: <span style="font-style: italic">"(Do you feel that the damage that was done today is repairable?): ?<span style="font-weight: bold">I hope it is. I?m not sure; I hope it is</span>.?</span>I'll bet Eccelstone is glad he didn't sell the re-broadcast rights to CBS for this one. It would've been a great ad for the IRL (of all things). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 Another telling quote from Mr. Chitwood: O. ....Has Formula One finally put a gun to its head and pulled the trigger today?<span style="font-style: italic">?I?m not sure that anything that occurred today would help this event prosper.?</span> This is going to be ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 From a story currently about 6 hours old on Reuters: Schumacher claims hollow U.S. GP win <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Asked about the future of Formula One in the United States, and the future of Michelin in Formula One, Ecclestone said: "Not good, on both counts." </div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted June 20, 2005 Author Share Posted June 20, 2005 Dave, the US Grand Prix has been a joke since it left Watkins Glen. Grand Prix have nothing to do with ovaltracks. The "I love to race in America" speaches from the drivers sound way too scripted. Tony has gotten what a spoiled brat deserves. I sure wouldn't have wanted to read your report had you gone to the INDY for this farse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Grand Prix have nothing to do with ovaltracks. </div></div> Definitely. However only 1/3 of the oval is used for the G.P. track. They did manage of shoehorn a quite passable road course into the infield. Having a portion of oval track actually added interest to the race, because it made for a 19 second stretch of open throttle (more than double <span style="font-style: italic">any</span> other stretch of F1 racing) and made for one heck of a braking test at Turn 1. I went the the first USGP in 2000. Back then it was a Ferrari parade with an over/under of 50% for the back markers finishing <span style="font-style: italic">any</span> race. Basically this year's fiasco was 2000's normal outcome. As a result I haven't been able to get my friends to get together and spend the bucks to go see it again. So instead of watching $14 million open wheelers this year I'll be up there in August watching $200K glorified go-carts with "stock" bodies. So much for next year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moskowitz Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 Hey big guy, leave Tony alone. He is not solely responsible for the mess in open wheel racing! Michelin screwed up royally in this one and they certainly look bad, bad, bad! The Indy circuit is not ideal for F-1 in my opinion but it certainly is workable. Of course, Bernie also thinks women are like kitchen appliances! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Michelin screwed up royally in this one and they certainly look bad, bad, bad! </div></div> Amen to that! Talk about taking your ball and going home! By the way, Turn 13 at the USGP track at Indy is Turn 1 of the oval (but going backwards). Can you imagine how childish it would look to have these cars (unable to handle a turn where every other kind of car in existence has no trouble) having to use a kiddie-car style chicane there? Those tires must have been gum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted June 20, 2005 Author Share Posted June 20, 2005 Oldscarnut, I thought that would wake you from your afternoon nap! The key word is "solely responsible", OK 2 words. Personally I'd rather head the Vdub north with Hendrix in the 8 track to a real road course across the NY border, and watch Pedro, Jackie, and Cevert battle it out. That was racin'!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted June 23, 2005 Author Share Posted June 23, 2005 Ouch!! Did anyone hear the quote from the F1 exec about Danica Patrick? Then he had the nads to call her and apoligize. He had to repeat it to her as she hadn't heard what he said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shop Rat Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Nope, didn't hear it. Is it printable here without getting into trouble? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK Sr. Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 F1 has been getting more and more holes shot in its tin can every year, Like most F1 fans I too was at the First Indy race in 2000, this years tire rule and 2 race engine rule both cause a lot of parts to be scraped before they get close to finished because it's engine HAS to last 2 races. The one set of tires rule has taken the pit times to being a joke as only fuel is needed now. Technology has always been the reason we car guys love this racing, but we watched as the V12's went to 10's and next year to 8 cylinders! what are they thinking. With team budgets at 2-4 hundred million, I say give us what we always wanted the roar of V12's, tire dust in the pits, and if the back markers fold... so be it! Talked to one guy who was there this year, he left at lap 2. In front of him was a couple from Japan who spent $21K to come and see the race, another close couple was from Spain, they said it was $8k to be there. My friends room was 9 miles from the track, $720 a night and 3 night min. plus food and drive out. As he was leaving the "swat" teams were coming the other way on the interstate in riot gear... Just in case! BAD, BAD, BAD day for F1. Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 The only F1 car worth watching at INDY was the Maserati Wilber Shaw won with in 1940. Those FIRESTONES worked just fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ouch!! Did anyone hear the quote from the F1 exec about Danica Patrick? Then he had the nads to call her and apoligize. He had to repeat it to her as she hadn't heard what he said </div></div>I did a Google search and found it. Dick Ecclestone is an ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted June 24, 2005 Author Share Posted June 24, 2005 37, not everything good in the automotive world happened before 1940! Karl, you are absolutely right about the technology. F1 has been so far ahead of anything else and now Bernie is making a joke of it for greed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The only F1 car worth watching at INDY was the Maserati Wilber Shaw won with in 1940. </div></div> There were a couple of little green cars in '64-'67 that did pretty well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 Dave, Was the Clark Lotus/Ford really a F1 car? Saw that car (the actual winning one) rotting in barn in upstate Connecticut back in the early 1970's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> F1 has been so far ahead of anything else and now Bernie is making a joke of it for greed. </div></div> Yes, but I can understand why. Ferrari had so much more than anyone else to spend that the whole concept of competition was lost. They had to do something because it just wasn't an interesting show any more.Of course the decision process might have been better handled by people who have the judgement not to make repetitive sexist comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Dave, Was the Clark Lotus/Ford really a F1 car? Saw that car (the actual winning one) rotting in barn in upstate Connecticut back in the early 1970's. </div></div>WOW! Really? That car would be worth a fortune right now. They've got one in the IMS Museum but I'm not sure which year it was raced.The Lotus was a F1 car according to several books. Clark's Grand Prix Hall of Fame Biography also describes all three years' (1963. 1964. 1965) cars as such: <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> During a break in action Lotus took the Grand Prix car to Indianapolis and tested it on the famous speedway while the track was closed. He soon had the car lapping at 140 mph. The Americans who were in attendance that day were catching a glimpse of the future.... At his first race at Indianapolis he finished second to Parnelli Jones.... This year (1965) it was Clark's turn at the top rung and he included a win at Indianapolis for good measure. Leading the race for 190 laps out of 200 he left a lasting impression on his American rivals. </div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted June 24, 2005 Author Share Posted June 24, 2005 Dave , you right about the Ferrari's $$$. Enzo produced the road car to fund his racing projects. Back in the day it was the Tyrells, or Lotus's, or whoever had the edge at the time. F1 has never been real competitive that I know. The rules always favor a particular engineering secret and as long as the team stays in good graces the rules don't change against them. Remember the 6 wheeled cars?I still wonder what possessed my father to let me, as a high school senior,go to my first Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in '69. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amphicar BUYER Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ouch!! Did anyone hear the quote from the F1 exec about Danica Patrick? Then he had the nads to call her and apoligize. He had to repeat it to her as she hadn't heard what he said </div></div>FOX news said..."She did a good job, didn't she? Super. Didn't think she'd be able to make it like that," Ecclestone told a gathering of reporters about Patrick's Indy 500 finish."You know, I've got one of these wonderful ideas that women should be all dressed in white like all the other domestic appliances," - Bernie Ecclestone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Dave, Was the Clark Lotus/Ford really a F1 car? Saw that car (the actual winning one) rotting in barn in upstate Connecticut back in the early 1970's. </div></div>WOW! Really? That car would be worth a fortune right now. They've got one in the IMS Museum but I'm not sure which year it was raced.The Lotus was a F1 car according to several books. Clark's Grand Prix Hall of Fame Biography also describes all three years' (1963. 1964. 1965) cars as such: </div></div>I think it was Automobile Quarterly that did a nice feature on this car after it was restored. There was something unique about the rear suspention uprights that proved that was in fact the Indy 500 winning car, not one of the painted up lookalike show cars. I got to see what I thought was the winner at the New York Auto Show in the spring of 1966. Those were great times, every year there was some special race car there, Summers Brothers Goldenrod LSR record car, Craig Breedlove LSR vehicles, Art Arfons LSR car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shop Rat Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 I'd say that after comments like that, he better not get any ideas about getting behind the wheel of a racecar and going on the track with her. She might decide to show him what the wall looks like....close up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 I'm glad the car was saved. A lot of cars like that get lost to the ether, and then wind up re-created in triplicate with three cars made out of bits and pieces that fell off along the way.One thing that amazes me is to watch people walk through the IMS Museum before a race. I love seeing "race fans" walking past the Caracciola trophy collection, Corvette SSI, Mercedes 300SL LeMans, and 20 other equally rare cars without a glance to spend all their time staring at the A.J. Foyt cars and last year's winner. The <span style="font-style: italic">"cognoscenti"</span> will stand for a few minutes and stare at the Marmon Wasp's rear view mirror. What a joke! I always arrive well before race time and most years wind up spending some time there. I'll also often go during the time trails in May where I can spend the time that the room commands. If you get a chance this one museum that (though small) shouldn't be missed. It's the best $3 ticket I know. The trophies alone are astounding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 I agree, last time we were at the Museum was in 1994 I sure there have been a few additions since then. I bet a tour of the cars that are in storage would be of equal interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted June 24, 2005 Author Share Posted June 24, 2005 My kids' mom has relatives near there, whenever we visit I spend a day in the museum. I think the Corvette SS looked better with the few dents and scrapes, then now with the slightly off color repaint. We were last there in '03, don't think I liked the politically correct something for everyone look either. A little section for Fiat, NASCAR,etc. Race cars need scars, they are not meant to be perfect. I like to compare the old with the new, driver suits, helmets, tire, etc. And the engines and suspensions are true artwork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moskowitz Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 Dave, you are right! It is a fascinating museum that just screams out so many great memories. I have had the pleasure of being downstairs in the museum which more than doubles the amount of cars. I also got to peek in the personal collection of the Hulman/George family on the north end of the course. A couple of very, very interesting cars there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK Sr. Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 Budgets: My understanding is that Toyota is NOW spending more than BIG RED, but a few years ago that would have been correct. The last year I saw any "guesses" was in 2002, the top two: Ferrari was $275 Million, Mercedes $256 Million. I don't know how Daimler/Chrysler stock holders feel about that spending now, but Kimi is keeping Benz in the spot light. Look at the tire rule and the outcome of the race 3 weeks ago when Kimi's tire blew with 2 laps to go, this would have never happened last year as he would have been on his third set of tires at that point of the race. Ten thousand less spent on tires each weekend made for a lot of carbon fibers scraping the wall. Oh well... Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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