OT: Racing 2008-2009 (Spoiler Alert)

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:26 am

What the hell has happened to Casey Stoner? He crashed out again !

Rossi looks set to take the win and Jorge Lorenzo looks to be back on form as it's Rossi, Lorenzo with 14 laps to go.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 9:16 am

If there'll be a long, lingering shot of his wife every time he crashes then I'm alright with it. She looks an absolute sort.

The rumour that HRC are testing on Bridgestones tomorrow is an interesting one, and while I wouldn't necessarily be surprised to see them make the switch, I'd be a bit startled to see it taking place now. Nakano is on the factory-spec bike with his Bridgestones now, of course, so there's data there to make a decision with.

Roger Burnett just mentioned that Dovizioso's ride is being offered to Ben Spies for 2009. A good move for him?

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 9:41 am

Oh yeah Casey has a mighty fine looking wife and she makes for a great grid girl too.

So back to my question. Three crashes in three races. Something is amiss because that's not like him at all. Do you think Valentino rattled him at the Laguna Seca race? And the other problem is he keeps crashing while in the the lead. The last race even by his admission had no explanation as it was an easy corner. Baffling indeed.

It looks like your boy Toseland showed up today.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 10:08 am

Stoner supposedly was riding with a rebroken wrist today, so that could have something to do with it. The same bone he broke during that offseason testing crash late last year.

The problem isn't the riders -- it's the 800cc formula. I had an illuminating conversation about this with Colin Edwards last week, as I talk with him after every race for a feature called "Tornado Warning" at redbullindianapolisgp.com.

Colin said the cornering speeds "ignited" -- his colorful words, as usual! -- when MotoGP switched from 990 to 800 last year. Even though straightaway speeds are higher in the 990s, there's so much more inertia with those bikes in the corner that slower cornering speeds are a must.

The problem with the high cornering speeds, Colin said, is that it puts the bikes further out on the literal edge of the tire's traction area. With the 990s, the traction area was bigger, more predictable, because the cornering speeds were lower. Now with the 800s, these guys are just hanging on for dear life on the outer edges of the tire, and a smaller area also breeds higher temperatures in that condensed area, which makes it even more treacherous.

Higher cornering speeds are being exacerbated by all of the electronic gizmos on the bikes now. Colin said when he ran World Superbike in the late 90s and early 2000s, their electronics had eight channels of data to monitor. Current 800cc MotoGP bikes now have between 100 and 200 channels of data, he said.

Colin said if he was running the show, he would go to a bigger engine -- hell, he even mentioned a 1200! -- reduce the electronics to just eight channels and go to a spec tire. It makes sense: The cornering speeds would be much lower even though the engines were larger, but the lap times would remain the same due to the higher straightaway speeds.

But higher straightaway speeds wouldn't be more dangerous. After all, how many crashes have you seen on the straights this season? Right -- almost all of them have been in the corners.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 10:11 am

GB_Simo wrote:Roger Burnett just mentioned that Dovizioso's ride is being offered to Ben Spies for 2009. A good move for him?

If the annual salary is $2 million or more. Word on the street is that's what American Suzuki pays Spies in AMA Superbikes and that he won't accept a dime less to run MotoGP.

I doubt JiR Scot has that kind of coin for Spies unless Honda is supporting the pay packet.

Spies' salary demands are odd for a guy who supposedly wants to ride MotoGP so badly. Only the top factory teams are paying that kind of dosh, and it's going to proven riders in the category or past 250cc World Champions, not hotshots from the States.

Take care,
PK

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 10:24 am

Thanks for the explanation, I wasn't aware of those things.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 11:51 am

Rodster wrote:Thanks for the explanation, I wasn't aware of those things.

Thank Colin, not me! He's the coolest, most insightful motorsports competitor I've ever encountered in my 20 years in this business either as a reporter or PR person. A super guy who would have a beer or six with any of us petrolheads.

Take care,
PK

Gurantsu · Post by **Gurantsu** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:47 am

All I have to say is...

WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What an awesome race! My 60 car won by less than half a second over the number 10 of Max Angelleli. The closing laps were nerve-racking, but Oswaldo Negri drove an awesome race and held off the pack. Here are a few more pics:

Our view of the track:

Rolling the 60 out for the start:

The 01 made it, and clinched the championship to boot:

Awaiting inspection after the race:

Overall probably the best racing weekend as a fan I've ever had. Incredible access to the teams and garage, a new track in the area where I grew up, my favorite racing series, and a win by my favorite team. It doesn't get any better than that! It was also cool to finally meet and talk to my friends brother.

Now, the track still has a way to go to get fully up to speed. They in all honesty needed to wait a year to have the race. The track hadn't cured properly, so parts of it were coming up. There is a section where some cars catch air along the back stretch. Other than the garages and an infield building there were no ammenities for fans. We were talking to the guy running the race shop and he said he litterally took over the space 4 days ago, having to buy fixtures from Ikea and set everything up in time for the race weekend.

I'm hoping that by having such an exciting race, everyone will work to get the track into shape to support a large series like this. The events were great, with lots of series racing (including motorcycles!) and giving folks a really full weekend of racing. But if they want a major series to come back they'll need to patch things up. Fingers crossed that Grand-Am comes back next year.

EZSnappin · Post by **EZSnappin** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:02 am

Great Pics! Glad to hear it lived up to your high expectations.

Sadly, I've got a dirt track close buy but nothing like this. Looks like in the coming years it could be a great place to catch a race.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:28 am

Cool pics, Grant! Especially the one of the finish -- excellent shot.

Great insight, as always, too. Your love of sports car racing and Grand Am pours through the pores of every one of your posts.

Take care,
PK

Gurantsu · Post by **Gurantsu** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:19 am

I can't take credit for the finish pic, that was from the Grand-Am web site. I had good access, but not THAT good!

Gurantsu · Post by **Gurantsu** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:07 pm

As a final good-bye to my racing weekend, on the Pennsylvania turnpike we passed the man who drove more miles than any driver this weekend:

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:23 pm

Great quote from A.J. Foyt about Helio Castroneves blocking Justin Wilson last weekend in the IndyCar race at Detroit:

“If somebody blocked you, you either hit ’em in the ass or got out of your car and beat their ass,” said A.J. Foyt. “Mario chopped me once at Phoenix so I ran over him and took us both out – but he never chopped me again.

“But we didn’t even have any mirrors when I started in roadsters
and blocking really started with those big rear-view mirrors. And all those road racers in CART.”

Gotta love Super Tex!

Take care,
PK

Smurfy · Post by **Smurfy** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:16 pm

Sorry to take this off topic for a moment, but I found a picture that's worth looking at.

Go to this link: http://www.formula1.com/gallery/other/2008/313.html

Look for the image of Schumacher's F310 which won the 1996 Belgian Grand Prix (4th row from the bottom of the gallery). Click on the image to see it enlarged.

Now look at all the aero parts on that car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kruza · Post by **Kruza** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:36 am

I won't spoil it for those who didn't watch the F1 race yet, but what a wild finish at Spa! Just a crazy sequence of events.

Kruza

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:42 am

Simply unbelievable and gut wrenching finish. Brilliant tv that was , i was pulling for Kimi at the end.
But not too spoil it your right,watch this one before you find out the result boys.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:51 am

I saw it and since this is a spoiler thread. I can officially say Kimi you suck even though he's my favorite driver. He cracked under pressure and got passed by Lewis at La Source. Then Massa does a Massa and spins out. It's over for Kimi this year.

Ferrari needs Alonso.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:57 am

Race is under investigation.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70381

The Belgian Grand Prix stewards cast doubt over the result of the race after announcing an incident between Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen was under investigation.

Hamilton won the thrilling race after passing Raikkonen when it began to rain heavily with three laps to go.

Before that, however, the duo made contact several times while the McLaren driver tried to pass the Ferrari and vice versa. Hamilton jumped the Bus Stop chicane before passing Raikkonen at La Source.

Hamilton went on to take his fifth win of the season while Raikkonen crashed against the wall and retired.

The stewards said after the race that the incident between the drivers was under investigation.

Kruza · Post by **Kruza** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:19 am

I don't think Hamilton should get a violation for the incident because he did give up the first position (albeit briefly) to Raikkonen on the start/finish straight after all that contact was made at the Bus Stop chicane. I would think differently about this had Hamilton stayed in first position and not surrendered the lead at all.

As for the contact, I chalk it up to hard, competitive, yet fair racing. Both drivers gave each other room on the track whenever possible without one showing the intention of deliberately running the other off track. At least that's what I see out there.

Kruza

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:35 am

I seriously doubt it will get overturned and that's no way to win a race. I'm sure Massa wouldn't object to the gift but he would rather win it on the track.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:07 pm

Rodster wrote:I seriously doubt it will get overturned

Think again, my friend.

What I struggle to understand is how going off the track, slowing to let the other man pass again and then repassing him merits a 25 second penalty, or any penalty at all. Yes, I'm English and yes, I'd like to see Lewis win so you can take this with a pinch of salt if you like, but is it not a bit of a joke?

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:16 pm

Wow, totally unexpected and Hammy should not have penalized like that, no way. If guilty he should have been allowed to keep his win but penalized for the next race.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:32 pm

McLaren is appealing to the FIA and they should. Hopefully Hammy will keep his win.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:47 pm

Rod, I recorded the race to watch when I got in from playing football, and the first thing I did after Hamilton crossed the line was check Sky Sports News to see if he'd been penalised. The breathless haste with which the stewards penalised Kovalainen earlier in the race (perfectly correctly, admittedly) gave me an idea of what might happen.

It's interesting that the amount of time Raikkonen gained by staying off the racetrack at Pouhon when he and Lewis went off on lap 43 appears to have gone unmentioned by the stewards of the meeting, isn't it?

The FIA have really outdone themselves here. That was one of the most exciting, unpredictable and thoroughly bizarre ends to a Grand Prix in Heaven knows how long, exactly the kind of thing that would stir up more interest in what is a fascinating title battle, and the first thing they've done is make a decision that can do nothing other than generate all kinds of negative publicity.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:18 pm

Agree Adam, that's why I say let Lewis keep his win and if the stewards felt he did something wrong then move him back a few spots for the race at Monza.

The win should stand and this comes from a Ferrari and Kimi fan.