The first 2011 Silly Season driver/team thread

I would be very opposed to keeping cars off the grid. For many years now, we were wishing and hoping for larger grids, some silly season years desperately scraping up cars, hoping to make 20, worrying about the declining field.

So now, if we are in a position to have a field of 27-30+ cars, they all managed to put their sponsors in order and make the race, and within 107% (or whatever percentage is deemed appropriate), then by all means, let them race. If you shut out some cars, eventually they run the risk of losing their sponsorship, and disappearing altogether - the last thing we want, right?

What's the point ladder like? Does IndyCar currently pay out points to everyone who shows up? If so, then perhaps cap the points beyond the 26th qualifier (though in reality I'd like to see points paid to only the first 10, making a "top 10 finish" actually mean something...).

Apparently Sebastian Saavedra's check cleared
http://www.indycar.com/news/show/55-...-for-full-year

I might get out to Barber tomorrow, but I've been told I can't bring my camera.

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Originally Posted by DavePI2

well if we do get 26 for each race then I will get to see danica near the back of the pack again and being passed in the esses on the last lap at midohio. Sorry Danica Fan, hope to meet you this year at midohio.

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I will be there again. I will make plans to meet you. OH, and Danica wont get lapped at Mid-Ohio and she will be a front runner.. :)

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Originally Posted by DanicaFan

OH, and Danica wont get lapped at Mid-Ohio and she will be a front runner.. :)

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Based on her impressive history of course? Hi-lighted by yet another day (and there are many) where she is at the eraser end of the grid...on a similiar track.

Turn3, why dont you come out to mid-ohio and meet up with us ?

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Originally Posted by DanicaFan

Turn3, why dont you come out to mid-ohio and meet up with us ?

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1. I live in Arizona. Traveling to see a race doesn't include Mid-Ohio, it just isn't worth it to me. Been there done that and Mid-Ohio isn't that special to me. I'll be at Long Beach and Vegas for sure and probably a weekend at Indy and/or Milwaukee. I tend to get stuck in Vegas over Memorial weekend where I tend to collect a small share by betting the field against Danica for the 500. A return trip to Toronto or a first run to Edmonton would be a distinct possibility also.

2. If I were going to meet up with members here, you wouldn't be on the list. I tend to hang out with people that are not clueless.

So I made it to Barber during the test, but I was told no camera by my host, so here's what I heard.

The KV crew is pumped for the season. Unlike a lot of the posters hear the crew respects their drivers and some of them really love the underdog role they're in this year. They really want to shock the ICS this year and have pretty high goals for both Sato and Viso. Someone not on the team told me they have a deal with TK all but done for a third car. Sato and Viso both kept strong pace

After wearing all black last year and quietly walking around the paddock like they were at a funeral last year the NHR guys are ready to go, that and there's more of them than last year. Apparently neither driver has a signed contract but both expect to be with the team for the season. At this point Hinch is short funding for a few races St. Pete. The big sponsor they were hoping to snag for him hasn't signed on, but the Canadian broadcast schedule is better than it has been in years. Maybe that and his results at Barber will help prod the company to come on board for him. His car was painted white and a shade of blue that to me reminded a great deal of the corporate colors of a certain Canadian company. It had been painted since their first test at Seabring so its pretty likely they did a mock up for someone...

Sebass said he was happy to be back in the states. I think Coyne is actually going to pay him, not a lot, but still pay him.

Kimball was unimpressive, near the bottom at every session and he ran a ton of laps. Considering he was in the FIL race here last year, where he finished second but never challenged for the lead, he should have been a lot faster. There may have been some issues with his car, but kind of doubt it.

No one I asked could tell me if Conquest had qualified for the Team funding for their second car. Several said they hadn't, which lends credibility to the Dragon Racing comeback rumors.

Jamie McMurray is not interested in doing the Vegas race. He expects to be in the chase this year and only did five laps, all at least five or six seconds off Ana Biatriz's pace. If he was serious they would have done around 40 laps.

Conquest is now set on survival, PT is out of the picture there.

Everyone I talked with asked me who James Jake was. Everyone seemed surprised by that pick. I hear he passed his physical the Friday before testing.

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Originally Posted by MDS

1. His car was painted white and a shade of blue that to me reminded a great deal of the corporate colors of a certain Canadian company.

2. Kimball was unimpressive, near the bottom at every session and he ran a ton of laps.

3. Jamie McMurray is not interested in doing the Vegas race. He expects to be in the chase this year and only did five laps, all at least five or six seconds off Ana Biatriz's pace. If he was serious they would have done around 40 laps.

4. Everyone I talked with asked me who James Jake was.

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1. His car was painted like Mutoh's from last year. Probably haven't painted in since then.

2. Kimball was at least midpack in most sessions. And never was off course. I'd say he did just fine.

3. McMurray was only doing some PR laps. He was never going to do more then a few laps. Really has nothing to do with whether he'd run Vegas or not.

4. Rich kid from England with a mediocre resume and a big checkbook. Typical Coyne "pick".

Yeah, sorry, it was Servia's car that had the different paint job.

http://www.indycar.com:8080/var/asse...ts-pcomb22.pdf

Also, the McMurray test was something that got a good bit of talk. Apparently some people from the team said flat out there was no plans on running McMurray or JPM at Vegas.