Who will be at Sebring this Saturday

[seppefan]

Minardi - Viso & maybe Doornbos
Conquest - Perera
DCR - Junqueira
PKV - Servia & Tag
Forsythe - PT
Rocketsport - Bernoldi
PCM - Matinez & Figg
NHL - Wilson & Rahal - both in MacDonalds colour ?
Walker - Power

Others ?

[BradCA1]

And maybe a few crickets too... :D j/k

I love CC and what it was 10-15 years ago...but I must say, what exactly is there left to root for? Look at your driver list. The schedule is all road courses so there is no niche that CC fills anymore.

The 06 Atlantics champ is gonna get tossed to the curb after a solid rookie season cause he doesn't bring any money to the table.

There's gonna be 17 cars for Long Beach when all is said and done, but half of them will be series rookies bringing cash with them cause they are shut out of GP2.

I'm not trying to bash the series or anything, I'm just curious as to why people who support CC do so?

[garyshell]

I'm not trying to bash the series or anything, I'm just curious as to why people who support CC do so?

Yes, you are. Saying you aren't doesn't hide that fact. But to answer your question, there are cars there, they make lots of noise, they go by real fast, you can smell the exhaust. What else does ANY race fan need?


Gary

[BradCA1]

Read my post again, the main 3 points I make are:

1) No schedule diversity like its heyday. When it was CART, the claim to fame was the mix of ovals, superspeedways, natural road courses and street circuits.

2) Pagenaud (the hailed recipient of the $2 mil bonus after 06 to "jumpstart his CC career") is likely out of a ride for 07 and beyond cause he doesn't bring money. Not much of a vote of confidence to the kids with promise in Atlantics like Hinchcliffe, Bomarito, or Cameron.

3) The most likely scenario is that the second half of the field, come LB, will be filled with ride buyers, with really no credibility whatsoever (read: Tristan Gommendy 2007).

These are FACTS...not sure how I can bash the series when I merely state facts?

I've read far more scathing posts from CC diehards in the recent weeks. So really, I'm not bashing...just more like realisitc.

[garyshell]

These are FACTS...not sure how I can bash the series when I merely state facts?

I've read far more scathing posts from CC diehards in the recent weeks. So really, I'm not bashing...just more like realisitc.


I never disputed those facts, nor did I suggest the bashing was unwarranted. I have been among those diehards generating some of those scathing posts. I am just saying that you can't make such comments and disclaim them as not bashing the series. You can't have it both ways.

Remember the question in this thread is NOT what is wrong, but "who will be at Sebring", so if you ARE there my comment still stands. What else do you need but the sight, sound, smell and visceral feel of the cars whizzing by to root for or make you a supporter, even if just for the time you ARE at Sebring?

Gary

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Read my post again, the main 3 points I make are:

1) No schedule diversity like its heyday. When it was CART, the claim to fame was the mix of ovals, superspeedways, natural road courses and street circuits.

2) Pagenaud (the hailed recipient of the $2 mil bonus after 06 to "jumpstart his CC career") is likely out of a ride for 07 and beyond cause he doesn't bring money. Not much of a vote of confidence to the kids with promise in Atlantics like Hinchcliffe, Bomarito, or Cameron.

3) The most likely scenario is that the second half of the field, come LB, will be filled with ride buyers, with really no credibility whatsoever (read: Tristan Gommendy 2007).

These are FACTS...not sure how I can bash the series when I merely state facts?

I've read far more scathing posts from CC diehards in the recent weeks. So really, I'm not bashing...just more like realisitc.

Ease up. Nobody said you bashed the series without a good reason. Gary provided his answer to your question. Please don't think that every current Champ Car fan is a blind koolaid drinker. Maybe we just don't have anything better to do for that two hours once in a fortnight. Maybe there aren't any better alternatives.

Myself, I watch Champ Car races because my preferred motorsport is open wheel racing and it's one of the best series in that discipline. I also follow F1 and GP2.

I don't like the IRL becuase the cars look extremely ugly for me and more than half of the schedule is made up by tracks where the drivers can race without lifting. Even at tracks like Iowa. I don't like that.

There may be lots of passing but in my dictionary that qualifies as a parade. More than a road course race where there is little passing but the driving itself is more inspiring. I'd take a full road course schedule over that especially with fantastic circuits like Road America, Long Beach, Mont-Tremblant, Las Vegas (RIP) and Mexico City.

That said, I would appreciate a couple of racy mile ovals like Milwaukee, Phoenix, Richmond and New Hampshire.

You mentioned the drivers. I'd also prefer to see Pagenaud continue because he is the 2006 Atlantics champion. We'll se whether he makes the grid at Long Beach. I think he will. He said Forsythe and Walker wouldn't sign without sponsorship but Conquest made an interesting offer. I hope it will work out.

But I think the field was not as bad in, say, 2007 than some people would say. From Bourdais to Heylen, they are worthwile racers (the exceptions were Legge and Figge). Like David Phillips said, Champ Car may lack name drivers, but it certainly doesn't lack talented drivers.

[garyshell]

I don't like the IRL becuase the cars look extremely ugly for me and more than half of the schedule is made up by tracks where the drivers can race without lifting.

<snip>

That said, I would appreciate a couple of racy mile ovals like Milwaukee, Phoenix, Richmond and New Hampshire.



Amen!!! There is nothing wrong with ovals as long as you have to lift or, god forbid, use the brakes at some time other than pitting or avoiding an accident.

Gary

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Minardi - Viso & maybe Doornbos
Conquest - Perera
DCR - Junqueira
PKV - Servia & Tag
Forsythe - PT
Rocketsport - Bernoldi
PCM - Matinez & Figg
NHL - Wilson & Rahal - both in MacDonalds colour ?
Walker - Power

Others ?

Yeah, those will be there IMHO. Doornbos certainly, he told a Dutch newspaper he would stay with Minardi. I hope FPR, Conquest and DCR will also show up with two cars each. I say 15 cars. Let's see. Please nobody start an argument about the number. Just make your bets. We will see in two days.

[Rogelio]

Unfortuantely, like every other year since the Champ Car era, we are clueless as to who will show up at Long Beach. Long Beach is our marqee event and the promoters are not even able to put together a decent program. Have you seen the racing programs the last few years? I guess Sebring will cause the dominoes to start falling and we will find out who has a ride. Amigos, you should be ashamed of yourselves, that is if you guys have any dignity. Then again, maybe the Amigos think they are doing a wonderful job.

[sanguin]

Franck Montagny with Forsythe

[elan 02]

Not so sure I can agree with your accessment on diversity. Testing at Sebring and Laguna,several of the best street course,don't need names now do we. Two of the best airport course ever. And lets not forget are natural road circuts and Europe. What does this guy want. IRL

[jimispeed]

I wish I could be there. When they test in Portland, I'm always there. It's not going to be on race director. However, I called the Champcar office and talked to who was in charge of race director, and he informed me that they were working on some much better features and technology for this season.

Of course I'll purchase it!!

[seppefan]

I think this really summarises ChampCar

This thread had a simple question with 11 answers so far. Of those two answered the question, well one and a half and the balance squabled.

Nuff said.

[seppefan]

Franck Montagny with Forsythe

That would be a major plus. AR1 reporting this as well as a rumour.

[sanguin]

That would be a major plus. AR1 reporting this as well as a rumour.

silly season-

Conquest (2) Perera , Pagenaud

Coyne (2) Bruno, TBA

Forsythe (2-3) Tracy, Montagny, TBA?

Haas (2) Rahal, Justin Wilson,

Kalkhoven (2) Servia, Alex Tagliani

Minardi (2) Viso, Doornbos

PCM (2) Figge, Martinez

Rocketsports (1) Bernoldi, Legge?

Walker (1-2) Power, TBA

I think there will be some surprises as to who else shows up in Sebring.

[BobGarage]

i don't think we'll see legge.
she's supposed to have been testing an Audi DTM in the south of France this week.

[bblocker68]

Montagny is fast. I am very much looking forward to seeing what he can do in a Champcar.

Confused about why this turned into a bashing thread. There are 4000 of those elsewhere. This was to be a positive thread to get us excited about who will be on track tomorrow, not to squabble about CC politics.

I'm really looking forward to seeing 2 McDonalds cars on the track tomorrow. It'll be the first time in a while that I'll be rooting for NHLR.

[Rogelio]

I would love to see Shorty get another shot. There nothing wrong with our series having an experienced driver, champion and I guy who wants to race in our series. Champ Car teams/onwers find a way to get him a ride!

[CCFanatic]

Yes, you are. Saying you aren't doesn't hide that fact. But to answer your question, there are cars there, they make lots of noise, they go by real fast, you can smell the exhaust. What else does ANY race fan need?


Gary

Beer! And alot of it!

[CCFanatic]

Team Australia will not be running this weekend. They will run two cars, but have done shaker rig testing this week and need time to analyze the data from there before applying it. So we'll se them at Laguna.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

I'm dissapointed Doornbos and Power will be absent. Would have been interesting to compare their times to Wilson, Rahal, Servia and Tracy.

[BobGarage]

Montagny is fast. I am very much looking forward to seeing what he can do in a Champcar.

he showed what he could do in 2006! testing for PKV at sebring he outpaced Bruno in a Hewman-Haas car.

[Rogelio]

Any news on Mario Dominiguez? Who is he running with again?

[gofastandwynn]

Any news on Mario Dominiguez? Who is he running with again?

All of the latest rumors say he is talking with Samax in the ICS.

[Lousada]

First session:
1. Alex Figge 51.097 seconds
2. Franck Montagny 51.214
3. Alex Tagliani 51.228
4. Justin Wilson 51.250
5. Graham Rahal 51.477
6. Bruno Junqueira 51.790
7. Oriol Servia 51.793
8. Paul Tracy 52.106
9. Mario Moraes 52.149
10. David Martinez 52.160
11. Franck Perera 52.502
12. Enrique Bernoldi 52.560
13. Simon Pagenaud 52.595
14. Ernesto Viso 52.923

[Dr. Krogshöj]

First session:
1. Alex Figge 51.097 seconds
2. Franck Montagny 51.214
3. Alex Tagliani 51.228
4. Justin Wilson 51.250
5. Graham Rahal 51.477
6. Bruno Junqueira 51.790
7. Oriol Servia 51.793
8. Paul Tracy 52.106
9. Mario Moraes 52.149
10. David Martinez 52.160
11. Franck Perera 52.502
12. Enrique Bernoldi 52.560
13. Simon Pagenaud 52.595
14. Ernesto Viso 52.923

How long is a session in hours?

[BobGarage]

^^ i believe it was 8am til 12.

[seppefan]

Impressive turn out. Figge fastest which is a surprise and well done him.

[seppefan]

Why no Doornbos as yet ?
If Pagenaud goes to Conquest and Power is ok for Walker then who gets second Walker drive ?

[jimispeed]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=928584047787485196&q=champ+car+sebring&total=16&start=0&num=10&so=1&type=search&plindex=5

;)

[jimispeed]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8223908287973126115&q=champ+car+sebring&total=16&start=0&num=10&so=1&type=search&plindex=6

;)

[jimispeed]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3990281574272647770&q=champ+car+sebring&total=16&start=0&num=10&so=1&type=search&plindex=7

;)

[gofastandwynn]

Why are you showing us last years videos jimi?

[jimispeed]

Why are you showing us last years videos jimi?


Thought maybe the eye wink would give that one away!!

Lighten up everybody!!

[SoCalPVguy]

I can't make it to Sebring as I will be out of town, so in the spirit of the weekend, I'll rent a Chrysler SEBRING.

[Lousada]

Second Session
1. F. Montagny Forsythe 0:50.788
2. O. Servia PKV Racing 0:50.856
3. J. Wilson Newman / Haas / Lanigan 0:50.927
4. F. Perera Conquest Racing 0:50.986
5. A. Figge Pacific Coast 0:51.097
6. G. Rahal Newman / Haas / Lanigan 0:51.104
7. A. Tagliani PKV Racing 0:51.228
8. B. Junqueira Dale Coyne 0:51.228
9. M. Moraes Dale Coyne 0:51.346
10. P. Tracy Forsythe 0:51.347
11. D. Martinez Pacific Coast 0:51.950
12. E. Viso Minardi 0:51.973
13. E. Bernoldi Rocketsports 0:52.019
14. S. Pagenaud Conquest Racing 0:52.118

[Dr. Krogshöj]

I'm not jumping to conclusions but Franck Montagny would be a godsend for Forsythe anyway. He has a reputation of being a good test driver.

But who is Mario Moraes?

[Nikki Katz]

How come Team Australia aren't taking part?
While I am pretty much convinced that this'll be the final ChampCar season, that doesn't mean it should be a bad one. But I think that with Bourdais gone (still not convinced he'll be in F1 for long, but that's a different point) the series really needs people like Doornbos and Power. And preferably Pagenaud as him losing his seat already would devaule Atlantics, though he did test today.
Would be great if Montangy got a seat, but we've seen him fast in testing and not have it turn into a ride before.

[BobGarage]

But who is Mario Moraes?

brazilian, drove in south american f3 in 05 and 06 and british f3 in 07. he brings money... ;-)

[Rogelio]

The last few years, I have been trying to deny the fact that PT just does not have it anymore. Although its preseason, Montangy is outperforming PT.

[Pat Wiatrowski]

The last few years, I have been trying to deny the fact that PT just does not have it anymore. Although its preseason, Montangy is outperforming PT.

VERY early yet! Doesn't mean a thing.