Wilson - Helio pass

[MDS]

Calls like this are great for the series and thank God for them. Personally I still think PT was robbed in 2002, and honestly that's the only thing I remember clearly about that race.

Finally we have a "Controversy" that is racing related and not just coverage of some Danica episode.

I saw it, it was a block, Helio said it was a block. The only question really is Helio got the warning he felt he should have gotten. Honestly, I think that's a bit of stupid logic. You're doing something you know is illegal, but you think you can get away with it because you specifically haven't been warned about it, but it was spelled out in a previous meeting in which you participated.

What I saw was a good race that has generated discussion about racing. Bout time

[NickFalzone]

The fact of the matter is that, out of the fantastic 4 (dw, tk, sd, hc) helio is by far the worst about blocking. He's a good guy out of the race car, but on track he's one of the dirtiest drivers. Usually he doesn't have to race dirty because his car is so good. But this call should not have been a surprise to him, and he should feel lucky he didn't get punted. To say that Wilson shouldn't be able to race him because he's running for the championship is a bad racing mentality.

[The instant classic]

so why have they not penalized danica? she consistantly blocks race after race, taking vitor out of contention this week. Yet gets away with it. No penalty.

For all the penalty free blocking she has done this year they should start her from the back of the grid in Chicagoland.

i wolud agree to penaliazed danica,

but indycar lets her get away with alot more cuz shes a girl,,witch i think is wrong, all driver sholud be treated the same,

but if danica loves to block, wont be long till someone has anuff of her,,and put her in the wall,, some driver need to learn the hard way,

[Marbles]

Just another lap in F1 but not in the IRL.

Definitely not a Helio fan and not seeing him climb a fence after the race was okay by me but... it's always hard when the officials make a call like that. I think the SCCA over officiates and to a certain degree, so does the ALMS. I feel that call on Team Penske on Saturday was terrible.

To their (IRL) credit, the call was made swiftly and didn't have fans waiting for laps or even after the race was over to find out what was happening. As Indycool pointed out, one move and maintain it is usually acceptable but as he also pointed out he moved back onto the line. However, Barnhart's point was that Helio's initial move was in response to Wilson's move. This too is a no no.

The only way for Helio to get away with the blocking would have been for him to take that line immediately after he exited the corner and maintain it to the next corner. He did none of this. The AP report also claimed Wilson was blocked similarly three times although I didn't see that.

If there is one blatant blocking move you want for a race official's video tutorial, this would be it!

[DanicaFan]

so why have they not penalized danica? she consistantly blocks race after race, taking vitor out of contention this week. Yet gets away with it. No penalty.

For all the penalty free blocking she has done this year they should start her from the back of the grid in Chicagoland.

First off, Danica DID NOT take Vitor out of contention, why dont you watch the replay of that again..Vitor CLEARLY takes Danica out!!!

People always accuse her of blocking. They have to find something to pick on her about because she can hang with the front runners at any race. She doesnt do anymore blocking than anyone else does out there its just people love to blame her for some reason. They think she cant do anything right.

As for Helio, there should of only been a warning given, not the penalty. Especially when crucial championship points were at stake. Bad call in my opinion.

[MDS]

As for Helio, there should of only been a warning given, not the penalty.

Helio admits it was a block, knew that blocking is illegal, had been warned against blocking at the driver's meeting and you think he should get a specific warning for doing something he knew was against the rules in the first place?

Wilson walked away from Helio in the last couple of laps. He had a much faster car and Helio knew that. Even if he had gotten a warning the most that would have happened is that he'd keep JW behind him for another lap or two.

[DanicaFan]

Helio admits it was a block, knew that blocking is illegal, had been warned against blocking at the driver's meeting and you think he should get a specific warning for doing something he knew was against the rules in the first place?

Wilson walked away from Helio in the last couple of laps. He had a much faster car and Helio knew that. Even if he had gotten a warning the most that would have happened is that he'd keep JW behind him for another lap or two.

Yes I do. It wasnt anymore of a block than I have seen all year and others got warnings. And Brian said every driver's meeting, there are warnings given out but in those past incidents, almost all were warnings. And this was a crucial race with crucial points at hand for the championship. I just think it was a bad call at a bad time.

[ShiftingGears]

First off, Danica DID NOT take Vitor out of contention, why dont you watch the replay of that again..Vitor CLEARLY takes Danica out!!!

Is it on youtube?

People always accuse her of blocking. They have to find something to pick on her about because she can hang with the front runners at any race.

By any race, I hope you dont mean the race last week, where she was 10th before she accident. Hardly hanging with the front runners.

[bravefish]

A fair and correct call - the mistake that cost Helio the position was made at the corner prior to the blocking maneuver. Wilson was going to make the pass any way you look at it, the loss of one position is an adequate penalty for the situation. Nobody would be blinking an eyelid if the penalty was over a fight for 15th position and a championship wasnt at stake...

[TURN3]

First off, Danica DID NOT take Vitor out of contention, why dont you watch the replay of that again..Vitor CLEARLY takes Danica out!!!

I've watched the replay over and over again and the only thing that is clear about the entire sequence of DP coming out of the pits is that she was on cold tires, blocked Viso into the marbles (who crashed a few turns later), blocked Rahal to give Meira the run, blocked Meira to give Rahal the run, then ran out of room to block them both when they split her. She CLEARLY was in total confusion about how to keep them both behind her. Meira's move was optimistic given he was on the outside of 3 cars but he was more than along side her...it was her front wheel that hit is rear wheel and she DID move to the left to make a right hand turn (?) and that is CLEAR. In any traffic accident the ticket goes to the driver behind.

"People", to include most of the drivers, "accuse" her of blocking because she does it all the time. She is by far the worst of the worst when it comes to blocking. She herself has even admitted that "As a professional race car driver I'm entitled to defend my position". That means...BLOCKING.

What Helio did was just as blatant as what Manning got penalized for and just as blatant as the 4 or 5 blocks Danaica threw at 3 drivers on her cold tires. I know it stinks and it is hard to swallow when you're in Helio's position but as many people have pointed out here, the rules are the rules and even he admits he broke them. Just because it's hard to swallow doesn't mean it isn't right.

Helio's incident with J Dub was for a race win and has gotten all the publicity. Given that DP's ludicrous, blantant, and dangerous blocking was for 10th - 12th place, nobody seens to give it much thought. I suspect that if Danica doesn't run into Meira and then somehow stall her car because of the flat front left then she gets the penalty too. They were pretty consistent all day. I'm absolutely certain that Barnhart will be addressing that issue with her by Surfer's. Maybe show Danica the incident with Krosnoff in Toronto. That blocking crap can be dangerous even on street courses.

No specific blocking videos on YouTube but these are good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPKnm...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUMIO_X0P14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if5Vq-HisL0