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[OperaTenor]

Precisely why motorcycles are the ultimate roadracing machines.

Power to weight!

<img src="http://www.operatenor.100megs24.com/BoxerCup.jpg" alt=" - " />

<small>[ 06-02-2005, 12:08 PM: Message edited by: OperaTenor ]</small>

[barfle]

Originally posted by Selma in Sandy Eggo:
Not a devoted fan, either. It's a car race. They go. Around. An oval. Five hundred times. This is exciting?

It's only 200 times around a 2½ mile track for 500 miles.

As with any sport, it helps to have an understanding of what's going on. If you understand baseball like I understand cricket, you won't care for it, either.

When you watch a car race, what you're usually looking for is a battle somewhere in the field. There might be a very interesting race among places 6, 7, and 8, while the leader has a lap on the field. Watching the leader wouldn't be much fun, but seeing how the drivers try to pass someone else who is trying to keep them from passing can stick your heart in your throat, especially when they're going over 200 MPH.

I have the same problem with drag racing as I have with bowling. There's no defense.

I was in Alaska fishing while the Indy 500 was on. I set up my VCR to tape it, and it seems to have worked, but I haven't actually seen it yet. I even brought a portable short-wave radio along to see if I could find any broadcast of it, but all I got live was an update about every half hour. Naturlly, Danica Patrick was mentioned every time, along with the leader, if different. What little I've heard was that she showed she can race with the big boys, and that's quite refreshing.

I wonder about how little talent seems to have travelled with A.J. Foyt's genes. With his legendary temper, I can't imagine what it's like to try to follow his legend with so little success.

I went to Indy two years ago, and saw Dan Wheldon do pretty good for a rookie, until he flipped between 3 and 4. He's got the right stuff, and I congratulate him and the Andretti team. It's about time.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

So, how was the fishing?

[barfle]

Originally posted by Selma in Sandy Eggo:
So, how was the fishing?

HIJACK!!!

The fishing was pretty good. I brought home about 75 pounds of halibut, salmon, cod, black rockfish, and yellow eye. My dad's doing well, and we're having salmon for dinner tonight.

[BigJon@Work]

Originally posted by OperaTenor:
Precisely why motorcycles are the ultimate roadracing machines.

Power to weight!

Sorry, at most tracks cars own the outright lap record. Motorcycle tire contact patches are too small to corner with the big boys. Get off your toys.

BigJon

[OperaTenor]

Now, don't start nitpicking with facts.

Toys?!! Piffle, I say!

[BigJon@Work]

What did you all think of the F1asco in Indy?

BigJon

[barfle]

Hopefully, it's just a glitch, but it was a multimillion dollar glitch.

I can see some points on both sides. It appears that there's a turn on the course that is more stressful on the tires than was anticipated. This could have been discovered by testing on the track, but that's expensive for both the cars and the track, which, as you remember, had a major event there just three weeks earlier.

I can't really fault Michelin for not wanting to have their tires shred on the track, and I can't really fault IMS for not anticipating that the turn would cause so much stress on the tire. Unfortunately, the whole shootin' match ended up being aimed at the feet of the principals involved. IMS, FIA, Michelin, and the fans all lost a lot.

F1 cars are extremely touchy beasts. Heck, even my VW was touchy, and that was 35 years ago. I can only imagine how those machines react to a situation they haven't been presented with before. Even those whose imaginations are more informed than mine won't be right all the time.

With a little luck, there will be some testing and modifications made that will let a seriously good show be put on next year.

[piqaboo]

uhhmmmmm.......... so what happened?????? :ignorant:

[DavidS]

Originally posted by barfle:
When you watch a car race, what you're usually looking for is a battle somewhere in the field.

That's how some folks drive on public highways.

[BigJon@Work]

Google "indy f1 fiasco" and get an eyefull. Essentially Mish-a-lynne brought an tire that was too weak to stand up to the stresses of the Indy track and had no backup tire. Therefore all the Moose-shill-ine teams withdrew their cars from the track after the warm-up lap, and the race proceded with the 6 cars on Bridgestone tires.

Boycott Michelin and BFG tires, buy Bridgestone and Firestone tires. I just bought a set of Bridgestone 750s for my wife's car. Great tires.

[BigJon@Work]

Originally posted by barfle:
I can see some points on both sides. It appears that there's a turn on the course that is more stressful on the tires than was anticipated. This could have been discovered by testing on the track, but that's expensive for both the cars and the track, which, as you remember, had a major event there just three weeks earlier.

I can't really fault Michelin for not wanting to have their tires shred on the track, and I can't really fault IMS for not anticipating that the turn would cause so much stress on the tire. Unfortunately, the whole shootin' match ended up being aimed at the feet of the principals involved. IMS, FIA, Michelin, and the fans all lost a lot.

F1 cars are extremely touchy beasts. Heck, even my VW was touchy, and that was 35 years ago. I can only imagine how those machines react to a situation they haven't been presented with before. Even those whose imaginations are more informed than mine won't be right all the time.

This was the froggy-boys sixth time at the track in this very same configuration. You're giving them grace as if it was their first time on the track.

BigJon