Well, who would have thought that? General Internet Buzz has it that today's Izod Indycar series race at Alabama's Barber Motorsport Park was a FANTASTIC show. Based on the broadcast I saw, I'm going to agree. I think that race had everything one could want.
If St. Petersburg was the race Indycar needed after Las Vegas and this off-season, Barber is the race Indycar needs for the future.
A few points:
1. Near to my heart-because it's what I last wrote about-is Lotus' performance. Sebastian Bourdais whipped his Lotus-powered Dragon Racing Dallara to a hard-earned 9th place finish. Oriol Servia climbed from 26th (DFL) to 13th, on the lead lap. In fact, all but one of the Lotii were classified as "Running" at the conclusion of the race. Only Alex Tagliani's car failed to finish, but it was embarrassingly the first lap, and I'm not sure Lotus was pleased with him saying the engine blew up in interviews... In contrast, the best Lotus at St. Petersburg finished 15th, one lap down. Three more didn't finish the race. The NBCSN crew reported that Lotus will actually be skipping this week's Indianapolis test because of a lack of engines and spares. I understand their concern, but skipping that test sounds like a very, very bad idea.
2. Speaking of the NBCSN crew, they were great. The whole broadcast was great, especially when compared to ABC's last week. If Townsend Bell can't be driving race cars, at least he can be telling us about them. Jon Beekhuis' technical pieces were excellent. I have a hard time criticizing Bob Jenkins' gaffes, since he's been making them for 20+ years, but he tested me this afternoon. After defending him in a conversation Saturday, it seemed that Bob went on to confuse every blue-and-red car in the field, mispronounce names, cut names short, etc. Maybe he's rusty, or maybe he needs to study the Spotter's Guide, but I hope the guy who embodies "Racing Announcer" for me comes up better over the next few races. Overall, however, the crew showed how it was done. Hint: ABC, don't show us the leader all by his lonesome when there is dicing and passing for position back in the field.
3. Will Power won on a road course-but not from the pole, and not by dominating. I am slightly surprised by this. It should frighten the rest of the field.
4. I thought Barber, as a narrow motorcycle track, was impossible to pass on. Or so went conventional wisdom. Most laps looked like someone was challenging someone else for position, to the point where I started to wonder what the leaders looked like... What struck me most, however, was how many (all) of the passes were "Real"-none were caused by bumps between cars, none were the artificial results of underpowered engines and pack racing, etc, just real driver skill getting the job done.
More to come soon. What do you think the most promising part of the 2012 season is so far?
Racing Opinions and Commentary!
Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Stop Naysaying! / You Try Creating Something!
Uh, yeah, about that more frequent posting rate-it will happen, I promise! See, I'm posting at least once a month!
Anyway, on to the matter of the day:
The Indycar series' off-season has produced a number of interesting topics for discussion. Chief among them is the Dallara DW12, the all-new race car set to equip the entire field in 2012. Contrary to rumors and pessimistic speculation, a sufficient number appear to have been ordered to ensure full grids all next season. The car is praised for improved road course manners compared to the 2003-2011 car. Internet articles, comments sections, forums, and letters columns show a deep dislike for the car's aesthetics and near-panic over its large-oval handling characteristics.
I'll tackle the less serious issue first. Over and over again, in place after place, I've read that the new car is "ugly," "hideous," and that it "doesn't look like an Indycar." These comments puzzle me. First, though I know it's subjective, I can't see what exactly is unattractive about the 2012 car. Nor can I see how it doesn't look like an Indycar. The appearance of an "Indycar" has been largely unchanged for 40 years now: Four exposed wheels, centrally-located open cockpit, narrow body, wings front and rear, and sidepods. The same goes for Formula 1 cars. Like it or not, the layman couldn't pick an "Indycar" out of a lineup of modern and historic American open-wheel and Formula 1 cars. The appearance of the 2012 Dallara changes none of that. The educated eye (i.e. the Indy car fan) will point out the unique nose outline, the add-on strakes/sharkfins/splitters, and the largely enclosed rear wheels. None of which make for a radical departure in appearance or an eyesore more offensive than the cobbled-together "Indycar" "ideal" already is. I'll go further and point out that I went on the record as firmly and proudly pro-Delta Wing. Not because that concept was particularly attractive or gorgeous, but it was new and different-both in appearance and concept. And that is what Indycar needs-embrace the future and BE the next big thing. I don't want Indycars or Indianapolis to be confused with "those F1s" ever again. A new, unique, and special brand needs to be built-and the 2012 Dallara with it's nearly covered rear wheels and unique (to American open-wheel cars) use of aerodynamic blades and surfaces-is a good start.
The more pressing issue is the DW12's teething problems. Multiple stories have been published discussing the car's wicked fast-oval handling. Apparently, it exhibits extreme oversteer on corner entry (too extreme for even loose-car aficianado Dan Wheldon, it is said), followed by understeer on corner exit. Excessive rear weight bias is pointed to as the culprit. Fixes are underway, but the Indycar fan community at large is up in arms, and certain that the future of their sport is in jeopardy, thanks to The Worst Race Car Ever to Turn a Wheel. Is anyone really surprised that the first prototypes of an all-new design specified to perform at over 200 mph are having problems? Or that a company whose business is building race cars hasn't had similar problems in the past? I'm pretty certain that nearly every new race car (like most products) didn't perform particularly well on its first shakedown runs. That's why the company employs test drivers, engineers, and technicians. If you didn't hear about other new race car teething problems, that's probably because of a couple of reasons. First, the internet facilitates frequent articles and updates from journalists and fosters communities that discuss and analyze what those journalists write about. Aiding this is Dallara, probably trying to establish a level of transparency as an advertising or public relations move. Something that would be unheard of in an era of chassis competition. So, we have a race car that is brand new from the ground up that does not perform as promised in its first few tests. Dallara, acting in an open, free manner likely inspired partly by its brand new, taxpayer-funded facility in Speedway, shares the new car's problem areas with the public, and is ripped apart for it. I have no doubt that the DW12 has problems. I also have no doubt that the engineers involved have a pretty good idea how to solve those problems and are working on them. I don't believe that is cause for concern, I believe that is the normal order of development. By the first race weekend of the year, I'd be willing to bet that most of the major problems will be ironed out.
In fact, latest word has it that the car is acceptable to race as-is on road courses, and that adding ballast is proving to be a workable stopgap solution. The initial deliveries (probably as you read this) are even on schedule!
There are a lot of questions about the 2012 season, but at this point I'd be willing to be that when we look back at this time next year, the DW12 will have not been a big problem.
Be back soon,
Anyway, on to the matter of the day:
The Indycar series' off-season has produced a number of interesting topics for discussion. Chief among them is the Dallara DW12, the all-new race car set to equip the entire field in 2012. Contrary to rumors and pessimistic speculation, a sufficient number appear to have been ordered to ensure full grids all next season. The car is praised for improved road course manners compared to the 2003-2011 car. Internet articles, comments sections, forums, and letters columns show a deep dislike for the car's aesthetics and near-panic over its large-oval handling characteristics.
I'll tackle the less serious issue first. Over and over again, in place after place, I've read that the new car is "ugly," "hideous," and that it "doesn't look like an Indycar." These comments puzzle me. First, though I know it's subjective, I can't see what exactly is unattractive about the 2012 car. Nor can I see how it doesn't look like an Indycar. The appearance of an "Indycar" has been largely unchanged for 40 years now: Four exposed wheels, centrally-located open cockpit, narrow body, wings front and rear, and sidepods. The same goes for Formula 1 cars. Like it or not, the layman couldn't pick an "Indycar" out of a lineup of modern and historic American open-wheel and Formula 1 cars. The appearance of the 2012 Dallara changes none of that. The educated eye (i.e. the Indy car fan) will point out the unique nose outline, the add-on strakes/sharkfins/splitters, and the largely enclosed rear wheels. None of which make for a radical departure in appearance or an eyesore more offensive than the cobbled-together "Indycar" "ideal" already is. I'll go further and point out that I went on the record as firmly and proudly pro-Delta Wing. Not because that concept was particularly attractive or gorgeous, but it was new and different-both in appearance and concept. And that is what Indycar needs-embrace the future and BE the next big thing. I don't want Indycars or Indianapolis to be confused with "those F1s" ever again. A new, unique, and special brand needs to be built-and the 2012 Dallara with it's nearly covered rear wheels and unique (to American open-wheel cars) use of aerodynamic blades and surfaces-is a good start.
The more pressing issue is the DW12's teething problems. Multiple stories have been published discussing the car's wicked fast-oval handling. Apparently, it exhibits extreme oversteer on corner entry (too extreme for even loose-car aficianado Dan Wheldon, it is said), followed by understeer on corner exit. Excessive rear weight bias is pointed to as the culprit. Fixes are underway, but the Indycar fan community at large is up in arms, and certain that the future of their sport is in jeopardy, thanks to The Worst Race Car Ever to Turn a Wheel. Is anyone really surprised that the first prototypes of an all-new design specified to perform at over 200 mph are having problems? Or that a company whose business is building race cars hasn't had similar problems in the past? I'm pretty certain that nearly every new race car (like most products) didn't perform particularly well on its first shakedown runs. That's why the company employs test drivers, engineers, and technicians. If you didn't hear about other new race car teething problems, that's probably because of a couple of reasons. First, the internet facilitates frequent articles and updates from journalists and fosters communities that discuss and analyze what those journalists write about. Aiding this is Dallara, probably trying to establish a level of transparency as an advertising or public relations move. Something that would be unheard of in an era of chassis competition. So, we have a race car that is brand new from the ground up that does not perform as promised in its first few tests. Dallara, acting in an open, free manner likely inspired partly by its brand new, taxpayer-funded facility in Speedway, shares the new car's problem areas with the public, and is ripped apart for it. I have no doubt that the DW12 has problems. I also have no doubt that the engineers involved have a pretty good idea how to solve those problems and are working on them. I don't believe that is cause for concern, I believe that is the normal order of development. By the first race weekend of the year, I'd be willing to bet that most of the major problems will be ironed out.
In fact, latest word has it that the car is acceptable to race as-is on road courses, and that adding ballast is proving to be a workable stopgap solution. The initial deliveries (probably as you read this) are even on schedule!
There are a lot of questions about the 2012 season, but at this point I'd be willing to be that when we look back at this time next year, the DW12 will have not been a big problem.
Be back soon,
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