Former Indycar driver news [Archive]

garyshell

20th February 2012, 16:08

So how did Mikey do on the first episode ?

Only watched long enough to see him make his entrance. Apparently, it was Marco who had been originally scheduled to be on the show and had gone thru all the preliminary meetings and prep. The day before they were to start taping the show was the day we lost Dan Wheldon. Because Marco was so shaken by that event, and rightfully so, the decision was made to have Michael step in. So he jumped on a plane and flew to NYC arriving well past the initial taping and showing up as the team was starting the execution of their first challenge. At that point I tuned out. I did think the way the show and his teammates handled the situation was very good. The very first words out of Dee Snyder's mouth were "how is your son".

Honestly, I think Michael was a better fit for the show anyway. He has a lot more business experience than Marco, who would have been chewed up and spit out by the other players or Trump.

Gary

FIAT1

20th February 2012, 16:46

Caring for former anything is a waste of time. I said that!

FIAT1

20th February 2012, 16:58

Stand corrected. Former Indycar darling driver can't get new engine for her all American team. Shame on Indycar.

heliocastroneves#3

20th February 2012, 18:36

Ah, that's so.... Bad... Some bad luck for princess right now it seems, maybe they should rename her team to DanicaPanica!

DBell

20th February 2012, 19:06

Stand corrected. Former Indycar darling driver can't get new engine for her all American team. Shame on Indycar.

Yeah, Robin had a rant about Sarah at Speed.

AUTO RACING - MILLER: Outrage For Sarah (http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/miller-outrage-for-sarah-fisher/)

I can't believe Chevy wouldn't come up with an engine for her. Seems like a good match.

GRW1983

20th February 2012, 20:40

Yeah, Robin had a rant about Sarah at Speed.

AUTO RACING - MILLER: Outrage For Sarah (http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/miller-outrage-for-sarah-fisher/)

I can't believe Chevy wouldn't come up with an engine for her. Seems like a good match.
I'm confused. Robin Miller says Fisher might get Honda's 12th engine if Rahal don't field a 2nd car for Luca Fillippi. Haven't Honda only got 10 signed so far, even taking a 2nd Rahal into account??? I thought they had Ganassi x 4, Rahal x 2, Coyne x 2, SSM x 1 & Foyt x 1. When did Honda give out 2 more engines & to whom??? As for Chevy, Penske x 3, KV x 3, Andretti x 3, Panther x 1 & Carpenter x 1. Now Will Phillips expects 28 cars at St.Pete, 10 for Honda, 12 for Chevy & 6 for Lotus. Shank are probably the 6th Lotus engine, Honda already have 10, so there is 1 engine lease going at Chevy, based on what Phillips said. So, who is getting it if Fisher can't??? Are we looking at a 4th Andretti or a 2nd Panther or what??? I thought Fisher would be the 12th Chevy & Shank the 6th Lotus & Conquest would be the odd one out. So, does anyone actuallly know the exact situation regarding CONFIRMED engine deals & those who don't. I thought it was 10 Honda, 11 Chevy & 5 Lotus, with Fisher, Shank & Conquest to confirm. Have I missed something???

heliocastroneves#3

20th February 2012, 21:10

Stand corrected. Former Indycar darling driver can't get new engine for her all American team. Shame on Indycar.

This is a shame indeed. :(

Nem14

21st February 2012, 01:18

What's up that Michael can do the TV show, but Marco can't.

Shouldn't Michael be in about the same mental state as Marco, after Las Vegas?

And regarding Danica, it takes the whole team to field a quick enough car.

anthonyvop

21st February 2012, 01:23

Stand corrected. Former Indycar darling driver can't get new engine for her all American team. Shame on Indycar.

Why? What rates her special treatment?

And why is anyone surprised about the engine situation? IndyCar brought it on themselves by limiting it to only approved manufacturers.

BTW Her "All American" team would be running an Italian Chassis, Japanese Tires, British Engine Management system, German Spark plugs............. :)

garyshell

21st February 2012, 04:16

Why? What rates her special treatment?

Really? You are really going to ask that question?

BTW Her "All American" team would be running an Italian Chassis, Japanese Tires, British Engine Management system, German Spark plugs............. :)

And you are really going to suggest that her using the mandated suppliers somehow should prevent her from staking that claim? Given your track record here, I guess I really shouldn't be surprised.

Gary

FIAT1

21st February 2012, 13:38

[quote="anthonyvop"]Why? What rates her special treatment?

Absolutely nothing. This is a harsh buisiness of racing, but young woman from back home in Indiana is going to race with big, well funded teams with a kid from southern state that made it in ledder system would create nice headline to follow and story of underdog would bring some new fans from that side of this great country to cheer and tune in, and yung go- cart racers to have a dream. What is wrong with that? She was there when they needed her help and her story, for month of may. I will assure you that other series would not let this pr opportunity slip away. It is a right thing to do,simple as that and as for foreing cars and parts, well ,member of my family have purchased American GM product Buick regal made in Germany.

anthonyvop

21st February 2012, 14:12

Really? You are really going to ask that question?

Yes I am. Sorry I don't get the "warm and Fuzzys" when her name is mentioned but what rates her special treatment than other owners and teams?

And you are really going to suggest that her using the mandated suppliers somehow should prevent her from staking that claim?

Of course I would bring up a FACT. If she wants to run an All American Team there are other series that would be more accommodating. Don't insult the public's intelligence by claiming that any team in IndyCar is "All American" It just makes you look either stupid or willing to lie in order to be manipulative.

Given your track record here, I guess I really shouldn't be surprised.

Gary

Nope.
You shouldn't be surprised at all that I would disagree with you.

garyshell

21st February 2012, 16:16

Yes I am. Sorry I don't get the "warm and Fuzzys" when her name is mentioned but what rates her special treatment than other owners and teams?

I think Fiat1 laid out the rationale rather well. As someone who claims to be so media savvy, you would think this would be rather obvious to you. I suspect it was, but your hatred for the IRL won't let you get over the war and move on.

Of course I would bring up a FACT. If she wants to run an All American Team there are other series that would be more accommodating. Don't insult the public's intelligence by claiming that any team in IndyCar is "All American" It just makes you look either stupid or willing to lie in order to be manipulative.

The FACT is under the rules of the league she is running an All American Team. The only one insulting the publics intelligence is you by thinking they don't understand the FACTS. Again your sentiment speaks volumes, apparently you'd rather see this poster girl for the IndyCar series go somewhere else? And why might that be? Oh, that's right to attempt to bring about the demise of Indycar someone or something else can step in to replace it. We've heard the mantra before.

Nope. You shouldn't be surprised at all that I would disagree with you.

My lack of surprise had NOTHING to do with whether we agreed or not. It was expressing my lack of surprise in your readiness to denigrate Indycar at any opportunity you can. Same old story. Same old song and dance.

Gary

anthonyvop

21st February 2012, 17:07

I think Fiat1 laid out the rationale rather well. As someone who claims to be so media savvy, you would think this would be rather obvious to you. I suspect it was, but your hatred for the IRL won't let you get over the war and move on.

I am waiting for someone to admit it.

The FACT is under the rules of the league she is running an All American Team. The only one insulting the publics intelligence is you by thinking they don't understand the FACTS. Again your sentiment speaks volumes,

She is planning on running an Italian Car with Japanese Engines and Tires......THAT IS A FACT! Just because the Indycar Rules force her to do so neither changes that fact nor gives her a pass on the All American Team Claim.

apparently you'd rather see this poster girl for the IndyCar series go somewhere else? And why might that be? Oh, that's right to attempt to bring about the demise of Indycar someone or something else can step in to replace it. We've heard the mantra before.

Poster Girl? You are getting close to admitting it. But how is she a Poster Girl? Is it because of her stellar career as an IndyCar Driver? Her astute business acumen in running a racing team? Does anyone outside of the Hardcore IndyCar fan base even know who Sarah Fisher is?

My lack of surprise had NOTHING to do with whether we agreed or not. It was expressing my lack of surprise in your readiness to denigrate Indycar at any opportunity you can. Same old story. Same old song and dance.

Gary

No. You are just a Fanboy who only gets made at me when I am critical of certain moves by IndyCar and totally ignores when I am not.

chuck34

21st February 2012, 19:27

I am waiting for someone to admit it.

Admit what?

She is planning on running an Italian Car

Soon to be made in Indianapolis.

with Japanese Engines

Honda? Made in California.

and Tires

Made in Akron, Ohio.

THAT IS A FACT!

And the FACT is that all those components are made in the USA by American workers.

Just because the Indycar Rules force her to do so neither changes that fact nor gives her a pass on the All American Team Claim.

I don't see anyone else coming nearly as close to "All-American" than them.

Poster Girl? You are getting close to admitting it. But how is she a Poster Girl? Is it because of her stellar career as an IndyCar Driver? Her astute business acumen in running a racing team? Does anyone outside of the Hardcore IndyCar fan base even know who Sarah Fisher is?

She's the poster girl because she works hard, had a fairly good career in under-funded teams as a driver, is a great underdog story etc. And no, not many people outside of the hardcore base know who she is. And that's the point many are making. That the league should do all they can to promote her, her name, and her team. She's got a great story that could go a long way to creating positive PR spin for the league. If only they would have a marketing department with half a brain.

No. You are just a Fanboy

Damn skippy he's a fanboy. Most everybody that has heard of Sarah is a fan. We need more fanboys, not less.

who only gets made at me when I am critical of certain moves by IndyCar and totally ignores when I am not.

How about when you are totally and completely wrong, as you are here, and as you were in the New Car News thread? You are the one that has totally ignored that thread since it was pointed out to you just how wrong you were to bash the times/the car at Sebring. Will you ignore this thread now too?

anthonyvop

21st February 2012, 19:49

Admit what?

Think

Soon to be made in Indianapolis.
Honda? Made in California.
Made in Akron, Ohio.
And the FACT is that all those components are made in the USA by American workers.

Are Honda, Dallara and Bridgestone US Companies? I'll answer for you....No they are not. Not many others would consider them to be either. When US car companies are named Honda never comes up.

I don't see anyone else coming nearly as close to "All-American" than them.

I can name dozens in other series that are much more American than That

She's the poster girl because she works hard, had a fairly good career in under-funded teams as a driver, is a great underdog story etc. And no, not many people outside of the hardcore base know who she is. And that's the point many are making. That the league should do all they can to promote her, her name, and her team. She's got a great story that could go a long way to creating positive PR spin for the league. If only they would have a marketing department with half a brain.

She is a nice woman who had a mediocre, at best, career as a driver which has continued on as a less than stellar career as an owner.

We get it. Some Hardcore fans like her but it still doesn't mean she is deserving of special treatment over other teams.

Damn skippy he's a fanboy. Most everybody that has heard of Sarah is a fan. We need more fanboys, not less.

And giving preferential treatment to another driver to appease the fanboys did lots to help the series right? It caused no damage to IndyCars credibility at all......(Please note the intense sarcasm)

How about when you are totally and completely wrong, as you are here, and as you were in the New Car News thread? You are the one that has totally ignored that thread since it was pointed out to you just how wrong you were to bash the times/the car at Sebring. Will you ignore this thread now too?

People bashed me about the times at Sebring but it doesn't change the fact that I was right and that the new Dallara is much slower than a car that was State of the Art almost 5 years ago

chuck34

21st February 2012, 20:46

Think

You have completely lost me and most others who have a brain. Perhaps in your little world you are making sense, but not here in reality.

Are Honda, Dallara and Bridgestone US Companies? I'll answer for you....No they are not. Not many others would consider them to be either. When US car companies are named Honda never comes up.

Yes those companies are owned by overseas companies. But who is actually doing the work Italians/Japaneese or Americans?

I can name dozens in other series that are much more American than That

So once again, it all comes down to the fact that you prefer other series to Indycar. Why are you here again? Honestly, I don't understand why you come here just to crap all over everything. Don't you have anything better to do with your time than to b!tch and moan about a series you don't even like?

She is a nice woman who had a mediocre, at best, career as a driver which has continued on as a less than stellar career as an owner.

I'm not going to debate Sarah Fisher's resume with you. If you can not see how her and her team doing well would be a good thing PR wise for the series, I can't help you.

And less than stellar career as an owner? Has her team even competed in enough races to make up a full season yet? And it's already won a race. I'd put that winning percentage up against most "top" teams.

We get it. Some Hardcore fans like her but it still doesn't mean she is deserving of special treatment over other teams.

Why not? If helping her can help the entire series then EVERYONE will benifit. Indycar wouldn't be the first nor the only series out there to give help to deserving teams.

And giving preferential treatment to another driver to appease the fanboys did lots to help the series right? It caused no damage to IndyCars credibility at all......(Please note the intense sarcasm)

If you are speaking of Danica, I will say that the series promoting her in the begining was a good thing. She brought a lot of viewers to the series to see this driver that appeared to have what it took to make it in Indycar. Like Sarah Fisher Racing she brought a lot of good PR. The issue with the promotion of Danica was continuing to promote her as "the next great thing" once she had proven that she wasn't.

People bashed me about the times at Sebring but it doesn't change the fact that I was right and that the new Dallara is much slower than a car that was State of the Art almost 5 years ago

Face the fact you are dead wrong on your evaluation of the car at Sebring. It was already faster than the old car (you claimed it was slower). Everyone was saying how much more potential the car has in it (you claimed that was all it had). Everyone was raving about how good it was on the road course (you claimed they were calling it a dog).

And don't give me this "State of the Art" BS. NASCAR wasn't even "State of the Art" 60 years ago, so don't go claiming that you have to be SOTA to be a popular series. If that was truley the case then no other series would exist except F1.

Nem14

22nd February 2012, 00:57

Even F1 isn't state of the art, and hasn't been for a long time now.

heliocastroneves#3

22nd February 2012, 10:38

And this is all about that Chevrolet can't give SFHR an engine? And that her team is not literally an All American team? Well her team is, in terms of team owner and driver (Josef Newgarden). :)

garyshell

22nd February 2012, 17:42

And this is all about that Chevrolet can't give SFHR an engine? And that her team is not literally an All American team? Well her team is, in terms of team owner and driver (Josef Newgarden). :)

Actually, it is about them SELLING the team an engine. They have the money to pay for it.

Gary

heliocastroneves#3

22nd February 2012, 17:51

Actually, it is about them SELLING the team an engine. They have the money to pay for it.

Gary

I never expected you would take my post THAT literally. :p :

numanoid

22nd February 2012, 18:42

I never expected you would take my post THAT literally. :p :

You almost have to with some of this crowd!

garyshell

23rd February 2012, 04:42

I never expected you would take my post THAT literally. :p :

I wasn't trying to comment on your post so much as I was trying to point out how ridiculous this situation is. Here is Sarah with ful funding and she can't get a damn engine? Ridiculous.

Gary

heliocastroneves#3

23rd February 2012, 15:47

Totally agree with you Gary, this is a VERY ridiculous situation. Sarah deserves a Chevy engine!!

garyshell

23rd February 2012, 16:39

Totally agree with you Gary, this is a VERY ridiculous situation. Sarah deserves a Chevy engine!!

While I agree with your sentiment, the point really is not that she deserves it. The point is she agreed to buy a chassis, hired a driver, is building a brand new shop and has FULL funding for the entire year and yet she can't get an engine. Some folks from Indy, Detroit, Japan and Malaysia all need to be put in a room and told don't come out to you get this worked out so that EVERY team who purchased a chassis and has the funds gets an engine for the first race. I don't care who's fault it is, or who has to bite the bullet. This situation MUST be fixed. Someone seriously screwed up or underestimated the number of entries. But the real snafu is that chassis were sold without a corresponding engine deal. The two should have been paired up from the very beginning. I am not saying the two should be sold as a package, just that a chassis should not have been sold UNLESS an engine deal was in place. And the engine deals with Indycar should have included monetary penalties for non delivery of commitments AND contingencies for EXTRA engines to handle this very issue. Lots of blame to go around, but that's water over the damn. A summit to FIX the issue is REQUIRED.

Gary

chuck34

23rd February 2012, 17:38

While I agree with your sentiment, the point really is not that she deserves it. The point is she agreed to buy a chassis, hired a driver, is building a brand new shop and has FULL funding for the entire year and yet she can't get an engine. Some folks from Indy, Detroit, Japan and Malaysia all need to be put in a room and told don't come out to you get this worked out so that EVERY team who purchased a chassis and has the funds gets an engine for the first race. I don't care who's fault it is, or who has to bite the bullet. This situation MUST be fixed. Someone seriously screwed up or underestimated the number of entries. But the real snafu is that chassis were sold without a corresponding engine deal. The two should have been paired up from the very beginning. I am not saying the two should be sold as a package, just that a chassis should not have been sold UNLESS an engine deal was in place. And the engine deals with Indycar should have included monetary penalties for non delivery of commitments AND contingencies for EXTRA engines to handle this very issue. Lots of blame to go around, but that's water over the damn. A summit to FIX the issue is REQUIRED.

Gary

Honestly the fix is even easier than that. The league should simply allow the engine builders to sell/lease their engines at a price that allows them to make money. That way when a new entrant shows up, the engine builders would be competing to get the new business. Instead we have a bizzaro world situation where a new entrant shows up and since the engine builders are loosing money on every unit, they are competing to force their competitor to get the business.

numanoid

24th February 2012, 20:49

Danica got the pole for the NNS season opener at Daytona.

Not too shabby!

heliocastroneves#3

24th February 2012, 21:15

I think NASCAR might have given her a faster car then the others, or maybe NASCAR is just more her thing then IndyCar.... (I always said IndyCar is way more competitive then NASCAR anyway :p )

SoCalPVguy

25th February 2012, 07:36

I was so wrong... I told the wifey beforehand that I was sure Nascar timing and scoring which is not made public, will have DP on the pole for sure... but apparently she was so slow they couldn't even halfway fake it.

Turns out I had the right idea- but wrong race.

beachbum

25th February 2012, 11:27

Danica got the pole for the NNS season opener at Daytona.

Not too shabby!
As nearly every driver says at Daytona, qualifying is all about the car. Her car was a rocketship that handled very well on the straights. Watching the lap tracker, every other car lost time to her on the straights. But that is a single car run. Racing in a draft may be different. While I don't have a high opinion of her, I think she will have drafting friends with a car that fast and expect to see it up near the front all day.

FIAT1

25th February 2012, 15:20

heliocastroneves#3

25th February 2012, 16:08

FIAT1

25th February 2012, 16:36

Because she couldn't win in IndyCar, where it's actually about SKILL. In F1 it's about the car and in NASCAR it's all about money. IndyCar is for the drivers with SKILLS, something she clearly has not.

Puzzled, but whatever dude.

numanoid

25th February 2012, 19:07

Surpries surprise, what a predictable garbage. Nascar has no shame to manufacture and give special gifts to chosen few for the headline story , every time including tragedy they make sure they benefit from it. Realty show is real for some I guess. Racing! Please, this type fabricated show has nothing to do with skill of racing and now we know why she is there.

So, just to play devil's advocate here, if she does poorly, then she sucks just like she did in Indycar, but if she does well, then it's a setup?

Because she couldn't win in IndyCar, where it's actually about SKILL. In F1 it's about the car and in NASCAR it's all about money. IndyCar is for the drivers with SKILLS, something she clearly has not.

I'm not a big NASCAR fan, but to say it doesn't take skill is just dumb. It's very different racing than Indycar, but it does take a lot of skill.

30 laps in and Danica is still top 5, after moving throughout the pack.

Her teammate put her into the wall. LOL.

FIAT1

25th February 2012, 21:16

[quote="numanoid"]So, just to play devil's advocate here, if she does poorly, then she sucks just like she did in Indycar, but if she does well, then it's a setup?

To each his own.

heliocastroneves#3

25th February 2012, 21:22

NASCAR also takes some skill, but sometimes they don't use their brain.... *Kuch* Kurt Busch *kuch*... :p

numanoid

26th February 2012, 01:13

NASCAR also takes some skill, but sometimes they don't use their brain.... *Kuch* Kurt Busch *kuch*... :p

Yeah, that goes without saying. Do you mean Kurt Busch or Kyle Busch? Kurt is the loudmouth former Penske driver, and Kyle was the guy that intentionally took out a driver in the truck series. I was beyond happy to see them lose the race today. I was cringing at the last lap seeing them P1 and P2, but to see the carnage and see them drop was a very nice thing.

Like I said before, I'm not a nascar fan, but I'm going to start watching the races more often just to be able to watch more motorsports. The Indycar series can learn a lot from nascar races. I don't want to see bumping/rubbing/pack racing in ICS, but NASCAR has at least some of the formula right when you're seeing 30+ lead changes in a spec car series. In the opening 30 laps, I saw Danica drop to 20th from first and come back to 5th before the first pit stop. As an Indycar fan, it was a very odd thing to see. Had Danica not been taken out so quickly she would have been somewhat competitive. Instead of a 38th place finish she would have likely taken a top 15 spot if she had avoided the carnage (not likely) or a top 25 spot if not. I can't wait to see her run the 500 tomorrow. I bet she DNFs though. Sprint Cup is way out of her league right now. We'll see, I suppose. Her moving to Nascar brought me along with it, at least part time.

Regardless, be it engine or aero, Indycar needs to be able to mix things up. Whether it's an oval, road, or street course, nobody wants to watch the polesitter run in P1 to the checkered flag.

FIAT1

26th February 2012, 05:07

Regardless, be it engine or aero, Indycar needs to be able to mix things up. Whether it's an oval, road, or street course, nobody wants to watch the polesitter run in P1 to the checkered flag.

I'm not nascar fan but.....Right. There is nothing wrong to be nascar fan if that's your cup of tea, but I'm Indycar ,F1 and ALMS fan and I want to watch polesitter run to checkered flag between concrete barriers on the street and blind fast corners on the road track with razor precision skill and if there is no other racer to beat him, means he is the best, period. I don't want fixed or manufactured phony yellows slow pack racing , and big ones . I want best racer to win the race and if others can't, then he is a man to beat. Last thing Indycar needs to do is copy nascar.

heliocastroneves#3

26th February 2012, 12:11

IndyCar is just a complete different type of racing. I have to say that I like the oval racing in IndyCar much more then in NASCAR, despite I can enjoy watching NASCAR very much. I did that yesterday, and since they do broadcast the complete Nationwide season LIVE here in The Netherlands I might watch every Nationwide race this year. I'll watch the full sprint cup and truck series races on YouTube, just some days after the race has been driven. And by the way, in IndyCar it doesn't happen that much that the pole sitter actually wins the race, that's a much bigger problem of Formula One.

To take the pole/win stats from last year:

St. Petersburg - Pole: Will Power Win: Dario Franchitti
Barber - Pole: Will Power Win: Will Power
Long Beach - Pole: Will Power Win: Mike Conway
Sao Paulo - Pole: Will Power Win: Will Power
Indianapolis - Pole: Alex Tagliani Win: Dan Wheldon
Texas Race #1 - Pole: Alex Tagliani Win: Dario Franchitti
Texas Race #2 - Pole: Tony Kanaan Win: Will Power
Milwaukee - Pole: Dario Franchitti Win: Dario Franchitti
Iowa - Pole: Takuma Sato - Win: Marco Andretti
Toronto - Pole: Will Power - Win: Dario Franchitti
Edmonton - Pole: Takuma Sato - Win: Will Power
Mid-Ohio - Pole: Scott Dixon - Win: Scott Dixon
New Hampshire - Pole: Dario Franchitti - Win: Ryan Hunter-Reay
Infineon - Pole: Will Power - Win: Will Power
Baltimore - Pole: Will Power - Win: Will Power
Motegi - Pole: Scott Dixon - Win: Scott Dixon
Kentucky - Pole: Will Power - Win: Ed Carpenter

It only happened ONCE a driver won two times in a row (Will Power at Infineon and Baltimore). It happened seven times a driver who started from pole, won the race as well. In F1 this happens 9 out of 10 times (despite you can't compare F1 and IndyCar, but you can't compare NASCAR and IndyCar too), and with this being happened seven times, this means that more then the half of the races hasn't been won by the pole sitter.

I have seen IndyCar pack racing often, and I truly love that kind of racing. 9 out of 10 times it has a good end, sadly it hadn't at Las Vegas last year. But for me that's not a reason to dislike IndyCar pack racing. The racing at 1,5 mile ovals in common is just great with IndyCars. I like every type of IndyCar racing, but nothing is as good as racing with those cars on 1,5 mile ovals like Texas, Kentucky or Chicagoland. Watch the 2010 Chicagoland race, or IndyCar races at Texas... It's everything except boring. NASCAR's racing is just completely different, but it are stock cars. You can't compare them with IndyCars. Or take the race at Iowa from last year, or Milwaukee. It's simply some great racing. Some nice road/street racing was seen last year at St. Petersburg, Long Beach, Toronto, Edmonton, Baltimore and Motegi.

@numanoid: I mean Kurt Busch, the man who just started to block like hell in the last lap.

gm99

26th February 2012, 12:51

It only happened ONCE a driver won two times in a row (Will Power at Infineon and Baltimore). It happened seven times a driver who started from pole, won the race as well. In F1 this happens 9 out of 10 times (despite you can't compare F1 and IndyCar, but you can't compare NASCAR and IndyCar too), and with this being happened seven times, this means that more then the half of the races hasn't been won by the pole sitter.

Actually, in F1 last year, only nine out of 19 races have been won from the pole, so that's less than half (47 % to be exact) as well (Indy Car was 7/17, as you pointed out, or 41 %, so the difference between the two series is nowhere as distinct as you think).