Indy Japan - The Final - Race Thread

[NickFalzone]

Yeah, I'd have to give the nod to either Junior or Jeff Gordon. I'd have to rate Jimmie Johnson as the best current American driver, but he just doesn't get the attention that his success should bring.

I think Kyle is the best current American driver, and JJ's 48 is the best overall American race team. Shamefully, not much to report America-wise on the IndyCar front, with the exception of the small gleaming light of Hildebrand.

[SarahFan]

Take danicas photo alOng with a handful of others racers and show them to 10k random folks across the country and I'd be willing to bet she is the most recognizable ...

[NickFalzone]

Take danicas photo alOng with a handful of others racers and show them to 10k random folks across the country and I'd be willing to bet she is the most recognizable ...

And 9/10 they would call her a NASCAR driver.. And nowadays, I guess that would even be correct. No more awkward "No, she races in IndyCar" "What's that?".

[SarahFan]

I agree nick....

Just sayin a very strong argument could be made she is in fact the most famous racer around


I certainly would bet against it

[DanicaFan]

1st Practice Session..

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Will Power up front, what a surprise. I expect they will 4 to 5 seconds from the time, the Formula Nippon pole time was 1:35.0 this year

[beachbum]

Take danicas photo alOng with a handful of others racers and show them to 10k random folks across the country and I'd be willing to bet she is the most recognizable ...

..... add in a few media "stars" like Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, or Kate Gosselin and see where she falls.

Being a celebrity and media star doesn't require talent, just the ability to be outrageous.

Racing is a niche sport, so I wouldn't expect many of the 10K to even care about racing. I suspect most who would recognize her would call her that GoDaddy girl who apparently drives some sort of race car.

It has been shown over and over again that she doesn't move the needle much for Indy Car, regardless of what her faithful seem to think. While ESPN falls all over itself to promote her, the various NASCAR forums suggest the NASCAR fans aren't exactly accepting her with open arms.

[BobbyC]

They've also informed competitors there is a change to pit road. The competitors will not be using the regular pit lane for the 2.983 mile road course. They have built links to the oval pit lane so competitors will use the oval pit road by exiting Turn 14 and exiting just before Turn 2. Reportedly it was a safety issue as the wider pit lane will be welcome for competitors (the traditional F1-style pit garage complex is very tight and narrow; there are some F1 tracks where there are only 13 pit boxes!)

[SarahFan]

Not a strong showing by the ladies so far ..... And what's gotten into James jakes the past 3 races!!!


And are the indycars really 5 seconds slower than formula Nippon?

[Lee Roy]

Take danicas photo alOng with a handful of others racers and show them to 10k random folks across the country and I'd be willing to bet she is the most recognizable ...

Didn't her fame explode when she led those laps towards the end of an Indy 500 a few years ago? At that time the faithful saw her as the light that would lead Indy Car out of the darkness, which never happened. Is that why she gets these mulit-page mysoginistic rants?