Oop that brake pedal...

[ZzZzZz]

To me it was pretty clear Dixon took his foot off the brake in reaction to seeing (head-on) that Dario was going to sneak by. Mikey saw it the same way. After being warned for his blatant blocking, I think he should be disqualified for his un-sportsman-like conduct.

[45 Below]

Won't happen. They haven't acted on any of the other stuff that's gone on this season.

[mark123]

i have to wait until tonight to see the race before making a comment. One observation though - Tony seamed to be setting a pretty slow race pace at the end there. Did that have an influence on the accident?

She's going to be a rip snorter of a race next weekend!!!! you can't say that this is not exciting!!

[45 Below]

You can see the last lap incident on the IndyCar.com site.

http://www.indycar.com/multimedia/videos/player.php?v=796

Rice's team have confirmed he had run out of fuel so Dixon had to pass where he did (otherwise I don't think Dixon would have bothered). They both got pinched for room and Dixon spun - it's what happened from that point on that looks dodgy. I'll leave it up to you to make up your own mind.

[mark123]

thanks 45 below.

No way did dixon take Dairo out. AGR need to grow up. that was a racing accident. And by the way, AGR are really not in a position to accuse anyone else of cheating.

bring on next weekend.

[supernads]

I agree... theres no way the IRL will take any action.

However I disagree that Dixon didn't intentionally take his foot off of the brake . If he kept his foot on the brake he would have stopped without damage in the center of the track. When does a driver in that position EVER let off and let it roll into the wall?

Also, looking at that video, you can see the wheels take a quick turn at the 17-18 second mark. With the way they set the toe on the cars, that would never happen when rolling unless there was driver input.

Why was Dixon aiming at the wall at an angle like that?

[mark123]

if Dixon had full control over the car, he wouldn't have spun the thing in the first place. you can rewind and slow down the tape as much as you like, but this all happened in a fraction of a second.

If you are saying that dixon took aim at Dairo while he was in the middle of a spin and going backwards, then you may be giving Dixon's driving ability too much credit.

btw - if you look at accidents that have happened in the past, more often then not the car ends up against the outside wall.

[Chris Herr]

I think a possible giveaway to the fact Dixon intentionally coasted backwards into Franchitti is the fact he ran hard into the wall damaging his rear wing. He was moving fairly slowly in the aftermath of the spin. I think he could easily have stopped. I am a fan of Dixon's and think Mikey is a big crybaby but hey, that's the way I saw it.

[45 Below]

I really can't make up my mind on this one.

One point I would make is that Dixon is a passenger until the moment the back tyres bite - and you can see that happen with a bit of a twitch before the car rolls backwards. From that time until Dario hit him took about half a second and that's not much time to make a decision.

Even if he had gone backwards without turning the wheel I think he would've hit Dario - but it's that turn of the wheel that looks malicious.

I have been watching Scott Dixon race a long time and he's not been known as a dirty racer - certainly nothing like this. I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt but I'm finding it hard.

[ZzZzZz]

Did you see the blocking? He'd made a run at Rice and got twitchy and lost momentum, leaving an opening for Dario. He then zigged in front of Dario's run and then zagged the other way blocking his dart the other way. That looked blatant enough that it warrants consideration of more than just a warning. I've seen this in other series too, where a potential championship winning illegal move results in a warning. I think officials should be *more* vigilent in these circumstances.

I agree, Dixon is normally a clean racer. I can't recall anything like this before. But this is a championship on the line. Who knows when or if his next championship opportunity will come along. We've seen the likes of Senna and Schumacher get dirty in similar circumstance.

I'm not a fan of Mikey, or of Kanaan's wing-man BS at Sears Point. I feel about the same about Scott and Dario. No bias. It's not even an IRL issue for me, really. But I do hope they seriously look at this, and if they see what I saw beyond a reasonable doubt, give Dixon a DQ.

[cobre]

as a Dixon fan, i hope all was accidental; but that last second steering input looks awfully suspicious.

[Jimmy Magnusson]

I say Dixon is in the wrong. The spin itself looks accidental, but the way he then turned around and managed to end up in front of Dario is just too convenient and looks very conscious.

Edit: After looking at it again from another angle I have no doubt. Dixon took out Dario willfully.

[Komahawk]

On another thread I attacked Michael Andretti for "making a fool of himself" with his statements directly after the incidents. But now I think I'll have to take that one back.
I watched the crash over and over and it's becoming more obvious each time.

1) Why did Dixon steer the car towards the wall?
2) Why did he release the brakes, heading for the wall?

The combination of these two occurences make no sense to me. Sorry. As far as I know, if you're in a spin you brake until you're heading into the right direction (or the car is halted) and THEN release the brakes. We have racers here, maybe someone would care to elaborate on this.
From my point of view, Dixon (multiple race winner, series champ, widely considered to be a very rational and calculating driver) MUST have been FULLY aware of what was going on, including Dario's situation. The speed at which it all happened isn't particularly high for someone with Dixon's merrits, so that excuse won't work.

Until Dixon can give a DETAILED explaination for his actions I will assume he did it all on purpose. Schumacher style, I have little doubt.

[Chris Herr]

While I still think Dixon intentionally blocked Dario, the steering change everyone is harping on is one that would help face Dixon's car in the right direction. Wouldn't he want the car to face forward regardless of whether Dario was coming or not? Only Dixon knows for sure.

[call_me_andrew]

I don't think he had enough time to react to what Dario was doing. I think he was just trying to drift to the wall so he could get it pointed in the right direction.

[bravefish]

Its a tough one to call - Dixon and Franchitti are by far the last of the gentlemen racers out there - Scott had a ton of pressure on him from Franchitti - could have been a heat of the moment reaction after the frustration of colliding with Rice, could have been the momentum of a spin exiting a corner which always snaps the car backwards - hard to really know for sure.

Old hothead Michael Andretti was quick to spout off - Franchitti didnt agree with him.. again... that team is a bit of a soap.

Bit ironic though of AGR to be up in arms when they've got that goon Kanaan driving round - rest assured if it was him involved then he would have done his upmost to take out the other driver.

Also of note was the move by Danica to let Franchitti past - it reeked of Formula 1 ala Schumacher/Barrichello - not good for the sport - yes sure, understandable but a shame nonetheless.

Castroneves somehow found a way to justify his stock car move on Scheckter - guess its handy being a 'nice guy' you can do that....

Sarah Fisher.. umm.. yes well...

Interesting race, plenty to talk about

[Comal]

I just hope that at the final race we get a fair & square one Scott vs Dario, none of this team BS etc. Let the boys sort it out just the 2 of them.

[xtlm]

My view is split...he did turn his wheel...now was it because:


1: To get to the wall and out of everyone's way
or
2: To hit Dario


I don't know ... :O

[call_me_andrew]

Also of note was the move by Danica to let Franchitti past - it reeked of Formula 1 ala Schumacher/Barrichello - not good for the sport - yes sure, understandable but a shame nonetheless.

I thought the consensus was that Schumacher was slowing down for a fauxto* finish and Barrichello screwed him over.

*I'm going to claim invention of that word.

[45 Below]

As I mentioned in an earlier post he had no control over the car until it had stopped spinning and that was only moments before the impact.

In an attempt to give him the benefit of the doubt - his first reaction would have been to go for the clutch and accelerator to try and keep the engine running. I doubt he would have used the old heel'n'toe in that situation so their would have been nothing on the brakes - leaving the car to roll backwards. By the time he realised his engine had died he would have been into Dario.

But I'm still uncomfortable with the wheel turn.

[mark123]

I think that if any of us try to drive a 650hp indy car on a go-kart track with walls, we may have a small understanding of how good these guys are, but when you are sideways and out of control - there aren't too much you can do about it.

You can slow the tape down and watch replays all you like, but this all happened in a split second - and I for on simply don't believe that dixon deliberately backed his $500,000 race car into the wall to block Dairo.

and as for AGR - of all the teams in the series, they can not complain about other team's driving habits.

[45 Below]

I don't like the AGR team tactics either, or the way one of their drivers openly stated their aim for the weekend was to make sure Franchitti got ahead of Dixon. It smacks of four ganging up on one.

BUT I don't see it as any sort of justification or kharmic pay-back for what happened, be it accidental or otherwise.

In an ideal world I would like to see everybody out there racing for themselves - no team orders.

[ZzZzZz]

I don't think he turned the wheel, that's the position it was in. He just got off the brakes. And you can see he was facing Dario. He knew Dario was coming, he knew where his car would go if he got off the brakes.

Drivers know the effect of getting off the brakes in a spin, as well as getting on the gas (remember CART at Fontana?). You especially see it in NASCAR, but I've seen it in many other series.

Danica was way off Dario's pace, so it wouldn't make much sense to impede his pursuit of his championship contender. I think a lot on non-teammates would've also let him by. Why make an ass out of yourself, delay the inevitable and invite a desparate bonzai move? Sheckter moved over for a faster car and Helio expected him to do the same for him, right?

[Komahawk]

Maybe Helio just attempted the pass in the wrong corner.

And I don't think ANY non-temmates would've let Dario by, especially not towards the end. Imagine you're in a low budget team (like Rice for instance), and all of a sudden you're leading the race with like 10 laps to go and not having to pit anymore? Who would give up a win just like that? If Dario (or Dixon for that matter) wants by he'll have to pass me, banzei-move or not. And if a potential banzei-move results in a crash it's probably going to be his fault, and BTW second place will extend his points lead all the same.

[Civic]

I think Dixon may have attempted a reverse snap turn. When going backwards at a somewhat high speed you quickly turn the steering wheel to the side without using the brakes.

In most situations after a snap oversteer situation (early throttle application, too much trail braking, getting hit, etc) you steer into the skid until your rear end is pointing to where you want to go. Then you turn your steering wheel the other way and hopefully snap a 180 so that you're now facing where you originally were headed.

Another technique is to just mash the throttle and tap the brakes to pivot the car around the front wheels. However, this usually is suited to situations where early/too much throttle breaks the rear wheels loose.

Was Dixon anticipating Dario to go to the inside of the turn and he did what he did to give him room? No matter what, only Dixon really knows what happened.

[Komahawk]

That's a nice illustration of a "reverse snap turn". Thanx. But if it was that what Scott attempted, it was poorly executed to say the least. He just MUST HAVE KNOWN there was a wall! Reverse snap turn or whatever, no technique demands crashing your rear end into the wall. It's the last thing you want to happen.
And BTW, when they do these "reversed snap turns", don't they usually make sure they have plenty of room and especially NO TRAFFIC? I mean if their name isn't Paul Tracy? You can't just make these "correction spins" in the middle of traffic, that's next to intenional collecting oponents.

Agreed, only Dixon knows what he did and why. He should explain it to the stewards, and to Dario. Bottom line it's inacceptable. It was either inept driving (which is bad enough and a reason for being suspended), or it was a deliberate move (which is even worse).

[Hoss Ghoul]

I don't know how anyone could believe that its not possible to have made that move....

Intentional or not, it is certainly possible he could have. The argument that he didn't have enough time, thought, etc, etc, is BS.

Great championship this year.

[mark123]

i watched it again last night at race pace and am convinced that there was no intent on Dixons part. it all happened in a split second and was totally an accident. The owners at AGR just keep proving what everyone already knows.

[bravefish]

Either way its going to be a great race at Chicago ! May the best man (this year) win !!!

[mark123]

Bravefish - you have just become my best friend. the ABs will win and so will Dixon!!!!

[Old3Fan]

Most of you posters are freaking crazy conspiracy theorists. If you think Dixon is that good that in an instant, (milli- seconds), he could to decide to crash out Dario than this is the best damn driver that there ever was. This was a racing incident.........PERIOD. Even Dario says he didn't do it on purpose. Now anything the Andretti's, that includes Mario, Michael or Marko says about anything that happened to them is whining. Look in Websters under whining, the 3 Andrettis are pictured.

[wedge]

IMO, it looked like Dixon was hoping to block Dario but probably didn't want to crash into him; or was hoping Dario would go high and then spin the car round when he backed up into the wall thus allowing traffic to pass on the inside.

As been said before, only Scott know was really knows what really happened.

People mention that Dixon is last of the gentleman drivers but when you can sniff the sweet smell of victory and a championship you can make crazy, questionable decisions - Prost, Senna and Schumacher being good examples in F1.

[mark123]

old3fan - that you are absolutely correct.

[45 Below]

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=268314&FS=IRL

(Quote from the bottom of the article linked above.)

Today, Tony Kanaan recanted his Detroit Grand Prix post-race statements about the incident.

He originally claimed the TCGR driver's move across the track to obstruct and collect Dario Franchitti was intentional.

"In (regards to) Detroit I have to say I've got to apologize to Scott. I made a comment without seeing it," said Kanaan.

"I looked at it again," he added. "I would say Scott is not that type of a guy."

****



I should probably add my own apology too ... but then what I think doesn't matter anyway.

Let's all hope for a good, clean, fair, and above all, safe final race.

Either of the front runners would make champions the series can be proud of.

May the best man win!

[ZzZzZz]

[quote="Old3Fan"]Most of you posters are freaking crazy conspiracy theorists. If you think Dixon is that good that in an instant, (milli- seconds), he could to decide to crash out Dario than this is the best damn driver that there ever was. This was a racing incident.........PERIOD. [quote]

By that logic, it would be unthinkable that Dario could have reacted in time to stop and be able to continue. Or any driver could avoid a spiing car in front of him. It's about being "in the moment". Muscle training, preacting. Race car drivers do it all the time. It's not thinking and reacting, it's just doing. You should know that.

Anyway, it's certainly possible. To me, it looked purposeful. I don't know, but I'd like to think the IRL gave it a proper review. And there's no way I'd want them to penalize Dixon without a great deal of certainty.