Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma

[heliocastroneves#3]

I dunno whats your problem, compared to F1 the IndyCar Series is awesome. In F1 they already give a penalty when two cars are having a LITTLE contact... Pantano's penalty wasn't needed but it's good that people like Hunter-Reay and Conway had to take a penalty in Edmonton and are putted on probation.

You may have your opinion, but if there's a parade series with a lot of penalties it's the Formula One....

[coogmaster]

Much more exciting than the contrived, show that is oval racing.

The Pantano penalty has a faint odor of NASCAR style controls.

I agree that the penalty is another example of how the rulebook needs to be altered and clarified, and the man interpreting the rules either should be replaced or smacked upside the head.

I enjoy a good road race. When it has PASSING. Competition is the driving force behind motorsports, racing with other drivers, not sitting back and watching a train go by. Left & right hand turns are a good challenge for the drivers, I agree. But, the F1 race in SPA was head & shoulders above this. These cars just can't pass on road courses (no ground effects, cars built for ovals, ect).

That being said, I understand how ovals can be boring sometimes. Anytime you have a parade, no matter the track, that's no fun. Wheel to wheel competition, however, is the essence behind American OW racing - A race like Iowa, Kanaan ahead one lap, Marco the next, then after that they come by side-by-side - I mean, that's RACING. Sometimes the challenge of racing a driver is better than the challenge of racing the track (IMO).

Bottom line, and we all know this, it's the car. A unique challenge of ovals and road racing is what sets AOWR apart from NAPCAR, F1 and the rest. The new car might be ugly, it might take a year for the new engines to come through - but, I think the racing will be fresh and exciting on all circuits (I have faith in turbos), something we all have been needing for too long.

[DBell]

I dunno whats your problem, compared to F1 the IndyCar Series is awesome. In F1 they already give a penalty when two cars are having a LITTLE contact... Pantano's penalty wasn't needed but it's good that people like Hunter-Reay and Conway had to take a penalty in Edmonton and are putted on probation.

You may have your opinion, but if there's a parade series with a lot of penalties it's the Formula One....

Have you actually watched F1 this year. Spa had more passing on the first few laps than IndyCar had the whole race. Way more parades in IndyCar this year than F1.

[00steven]

F1, Indycar, and NASCAR have all a good to great year,imo.

[JTK]

What a dreadfully boring race that was, now I know why I prefer the excitement of the ovals. Indycar has switched too many races away from the ovals, a revert to at least 60/40% back in their favour is needed.

[NickFalzone]

The scenic road courses, such as in Ohio, Alabama, and Sonoma, are all pretty to view, and probably fun to drive, but they are dreadfully dull to watch, and a real anchor on the entertainment value/ratings of the IndyCar series. Add 1 or 2 street circuit, another oval, and drop 3 road races, and you've got yourselves a MUCH better racing schedule.

[nigelred5]

I agree with you on Sonoma and Mid Ohio being boring races to watch, and I had hoped Barber would be different but it's not. I'd love to switch sonoma for laguna Seca, but my frienhds that live in the bay area will tell you you have a better chance of a consistent crowd at Sonoma than all the way down at Laguna Seca(?). Mid ohio also has a better chance for better crowds than Road America, but the tracks barely bear comparison for raceability IMHO, the Indycars should be at Road America and still be at the Glen. Barber is a beautiful place, but sadly pretty much a bike track. Indycars really need tracks with nice long straights.

I'd lovee to see The IMS road course configured in some way to utilize much more of the oval and see an Indycar/ALMS 12 hr endurance race.

[Nikki Katz]

I don't think the race was that bad, though not exactly one of the best. I don't really understand Pantano's penalty though, was he just penalised for overtaking? There've been many more questionable moves (perhaps not this race) that have gone unpunished.

[maxmach]

Good race, not great.......solid I guess. Not every race is going to be a barn burner, or crashfest, which gets more mainstream attention but for the wrong reasons. Rahal was looking racey, just too far back to matter. Pantanos penelty was BS. Bourdais, I think He may be having the drive of the year, overcoming a lot. And this from a PT fan.
As for Benard and Miller......looks like the lone ranger isn't so alone anymore........
ANd please, Jenkins might be a nice guy......but His announcing.......just hurts my ears.

[Marbles]

I don't think the race was that bad, though not exactly one of the best.

I agree that while it certainly wasn't a barn burner, there was some action in the back and it was caught by the broadcast. I'm wondering if they had a new guy in the truck in charge of this coverage. LOL, years from now someone will see a picture of Saavedra up on that hill and wonder how he managed that.

I don't really understand Pantano's penalty though, was he just penalised for overtaking? There've been many more questionable moves (perhaps not this race) that have gone unpunished.

Looking back, I understand the penalty as Indycar sees it. Pantano was not on the racing line and he was the car ahead from the previous corner. He isn't allowed to stray from the racing line. His move was not an F1 style "move inside and then assume the racing line when arriving at the next corner." He took the inside line immediately upon exiting the previous corner and kept it into the next corner. I believe? It was text book racecraft... anywhere on the planet except Indycar.

The F1 race has been mentioned a few times in comparison to this one. Firstly, it was at Spa. Need i say more? Okay, I will. Secondly, most people here don't like the silliness of P2P. How would you like Indycar to have a rear wing that opens up, gives a huge aero advantage and can only be used by the guy who somehow found himself behind?