Texas- Firestone 550 Race Thread

**DanicaFan** · 6th Jun 12, 14:57

Race 7 of 16

Race - Firestone 550

Location - Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX

Date - Saturday, June 9th

Time & TV Schedule - Pre-Race Show - 8:00PM Eastern , Green Flag - Approx. 8:15PM Eastern- NBC Sports Network

Course Type - 1.5 Mile Oval

Distance - 228 Laps / 342 Miles (550km)

Practice Sessions -

Friday, June 8th - 1:30-2:45PM & 7:45-8:15PM Eastern
Saturday, June 9th Systems Check - 2:20-2:25PM Eastern

Qualifications - Friday, June 8th -4:30 -6:00PM Eastern

Texas Motor Speedway Track Facts

Length - 1.5 Miles
Banking - 24 degrees in Turns & 5 degrees on straights

2011 Twin 275's Race Information

Race 1 Winner -Dario Franchitti
Race 1 Pole Sitter - Alex Tagliani -215.186mph
Time Of Race - 54 minutes & 47 seconds
Average Speed- 181.649 mph
Cautions - 1 for 10 laps
Margin Of Victory -.053 seconds
Lead Changes - 6

Race 2 Winner - Will Power
Race 2 Pole Sitter - Tony Kanaan (By Draw)
Time Of Race - 48 minutes & 9 seconds
Average Speed - 206.693 mph
Cautions - None
Margin Of Victory - .947 seconds
Lead Changes - 8

**DanicaFan** · 6th Jun 12, 14:58

**00steven** · 6th Jun 12, 15:09

A bit apprehensive, but I'm sure this will be a good safe race.

**heliocastroneves#3** · 6th Jun 12, 16:06

Yes, and that's no surprise at all. I really don't understand why people are still whining about the safety of Texas Motor Speedway and other 1,5 mile ovals because there never has been a fatal accident on this track, while they even ran here twice a year from 1998 until 2004. The horrific accident at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was just a perfect storm, which sadly claimed the life of Dan Wheldon but that doesn't mean we should ban racing on 1,5 mile high banked ovals. Of course it's going to be safe but it's going to be very exciting with maybe 4 -wide racing.

This is definitely one of my favorite races of the year, I'm looking forward to this 550k event for sure.

And for those who disagree with me or find my opinion a little disrespectful, keep in mind that Dan Wheldon loved those tracks and that he did a great job with doing the commentary for the Twin 275s event of last year.

Enjoy the race and don't be scared, motorsports are just dangerous... Nothing can be done against that.

**FIAT1** · 6th Jun 12, 16:45

Originally Posted by 00steven

A bit apprehensive, but I'm sure this will be a good safe race.

Same here, I hope for safe race.

**DanicaFan** · 6th Jun 12, 16:59

Originally Posted by 00steven

A bit apprehensive, but I'm sure this will be a good safe race.

Im not apprehensive. Its going to be a good, safe race. They have raced here for a long time with no problems. Im just ready to see some ovals, tired of streets.

**00steven** · 6th Jun 12, 19:34

Originally Posted by DanicaFan

Im not apprehensive. Its going to be a good, safe race. They have raced here for a long time with no problems. Im just ready to see some ovals, tired of streets.

I think Kenny Brack would disagree.

**Anubis** · 6th Jun 12, 20:16

Originally Posted by 00steven

I think Kenny Brack would disagree.

As might Davey Hamilton.

**heliocastroneves#3** · 6th Jun 12, 20:43

Yeah, of course Kenny would probably disagree but you can't race on any oval anymore, if you're getting concerned about safety... Did we react like this after Tony Renna's and/or Paul Dana's accident? No. So I don't see the point in being concerned about this race, only because it's a 1,5 mile high banked oval..

**Nikki Katz** · 7th Jun 12, 00:15

The pack racing at Vegas was much much worse than at Texas last year. I could see the Las Vegas crash coming a mile off, surprised it wasn't a few laps earlier when Tagliani swiped at Briscoe, which could've been even worse. There were a few extra cars at Vegas to complicate things further though. I'm a little concerned about the new car, given how hard it was to break into a lead at Indy, if that will just aggravate pack racing a bit, when it was supposed to be making things better. But if there's no room to run inside each others' wheels then surely that's a good thing.

Hopefully it'll be good, it probably will be, though I'm still a little nervous.

**00steven** · 7th Jun 12, 02:46

It's not pack racing I'm worried about. It's the fact that we have seen Marco get air at Long Beach going much slower. Texas is one of those races that makes me nervous, even before Vegas. It's been that way for me since CART had their debacle back in 2001.

I'm sure the drivers will mind their manners but having these cars on such a small track creates extremely close racing. At least at Indy, California, Michigan there is room to seperate and make passes.

I'm all for racing at ovals, Indy is my favorite thing in the world. But I'd be lying if I said that I'm not nervous.

**FIAT1** · 7th Jun 12, 13:53

Wally Dallenbach chef stewart of CART visited speedway when built and stated that is beautiful facility but it is not build for Indycars. We don't know how these cars will beahave and as I could see at Indy they are still lifting. People like Wally, drivers and team owners have reservations and are uncomfortable and all of us here are hoping for great safe race ,but to be cavalier about it is litle amateurish and ignorant.

**DanicaFan** · 7th Jun 12, 14:51

Originally Posted by 00steven

I think Kenny Brack would disagree.

Every track has had bad crashes. Look at how many drivers were killed at Indy yet every driver wants to be in it.

**DanicaFan** · 7th Jun 12, 15:05

**00steven** · 8th Jun 12, 00:45

Originally Posted by DanicaFan

Every track has had bad crashes. Look at how many drivers were killed at Indy yet every driver wants to be in it.

The driver is in control at Indy.

**Phoenixent** · 8th Jun 12, 22:20

Originally Posted by DanicaFan

Every track has had bad crashes. Look at how many drivers were killed at Indy yet every driver wants to be in it.

Indy and Texas are completely different tracks as the drivers control the speed at Indy and Texas is 100% throttle all the time. Besides most of those drivers killed at Indy were before the advent of the safety features they have now. High Bank tracks like Texas have been killing drivers since they were made like the old board tracks. As long as there is this soft mass moving at high speeds there is a chance for something bad to happen no matter if it's high bank oval, super speedway, bull ring, road course or street course.

**FIAT1** · 8th Jun 12, 23:17

Congrats to Tags for the pole.

**00steven** · 9th Jun 12, 01:27

Good job by Tag.

**DanicaFan** · 9th Jun 12, 05:13

Alex Tagliani grabs the pole for the race. Here is the starting lineup..

1. #98 Alex Tagliani -215.691 mph
2. #10 Dario Franchitti - 215.646 mph
3. #38 Graham Rahal -215.554 mph
4. #9 Scott Dixon -215.331 mph
5. #12 Will Power -215.116 mph
6. #27 James Hinchchliffe -214.920 mph
7. #11 Tony Kanaan -214.701 mph
8. #14 Mike Conway -214.458 mph
9. #26 Marco Andretti -214.424 mph
10. #15 Takuma Sato -214.196 mph
11. #77 Simon Pagenaud -214.082 mph
12. #2 Ryan Briscoe -214.060 mph
13. #22 Oriol Servia -213.957 mph
14. #8 Rubens Barrichello -213.949 mph
15. #28 Ryan Hunter-Reay -213.927 mph
16. #5 EJ Viso -213.444 mph
17. #3 Helio Castroneves -213.402 mph
18. #83 Charlie Kimball -212.833 mph
19. #18 Justin Wilson -212.136 mph
20. #20 Ed Carpenter -211.643 mph
21. #19 James Jakes -211.245 mph
22. #6 Katherine Legge -210.543 mph
23. #78 Simona De Silvestro -204.066 mph
24. #4 JR Hildebrand -202.596 mph
25. #67 Josef Newgarden - No time

**DanicaFan** · 9th Jun 12, 05:13

Some penalties to be aware of at this race...

Mike Conway will receive a 10 grid spot penalty for an unapproved engine change after Belle Isle.
Takuma Sato will receive a 10 grid penalty for an unapproved engine change after the final practice.