Keep you ears and eyes open....

[!!WALDO!!]

In the good old days, when the cars weren't all clones, there was a big spread. I'd much rather have the good old days, with folks trying all kinds of funky ideas, most of which won't work out, than have the current situation. I think there are a lot of folks in that camp, which is why we see paltry crowds at most venues.

Problem was in the early 1980s there was attempts to get old stuff to run with chewing gum and spit. So yes, there was a spread but the 1983-1984-1985 started to kill off those efforts.
Paltry crowds? How about 6900 to see Foyt, Andretti, Unsers, Ruby, etc? That was 40 years ago at PIR.

Open Wheel always had those problems.

http://www.champcarstats.com/year/1994.htm

HALF the races that year, they sent cars home early because they lacked pit space, space on the track, or CART just decided they were too slow and sent them home, because CART had the luxury of doing that.

Now, looking at things today...

Those cars were not within 105%. The CART rules allowed them to start if they were within that range.

Amazing how 1994 is used when Penske won all but 3 races and had 6 1-2-3 finishes. This was the model CART year.

[Alexamateo]

So Alsup, Ferguson, Gehlhausen, Boom-Boom Cannon and Gary B were strong rides?
Alsup in a 1983 Argo-T/Cosworth was a sled.
Ferguson in 1981 March T/Cosworth was strong in 1981 not in 1983 thanks to the rules.
Gehlhausen in a 1982 Eagle T/Cosworth. The car Mike Mosley could not qualify in 1982.
Cannon---in a 1977 Vollstedt T/Offy. A car that Dick Simon drove in 1977, the car was 6 years old.
Gary B had a problem keeping the Falconer V-6 Chevy glued together. The chassis was 5 years old.

Yes real strong stuff.

Well, On Saturday, Alsup waved off a 189,190,189 run, Gary B a 187 run, Ferguson a 185 run, and a later 190 run, Gelhausen a 187 run, All speeds that could have put them in the field ahead of Fillip, and evidently no one thought a 190 was going to make the field because of the wave-offs, because Firestone also waved off a 191,186,189 run although he obviously messed up his second lap. FWIW, Phil Krueger, Rich Vogler, Ken Schraeder, and Doug Heveron all had run 191+ in practice although all crashed in practice later.

Obviously most expected 192-193 would be necessary to make the race. Again, the only reason there were only 34 qualifiers that year was the rain.

To review 34 completed runs, 5 cars in line, 4 others who had speed but crashed during the month, and that doesn't even count guys like Bill Tempero, who waved off a 172 run.

The premise that it was tough to fill the field in 1983 just doesn't hold water.

[!!WALDO!!]

It is, as you well know, an insult.

How about this?

"calling you pompous wouldn't be an insult then, right?"

It is amazing a basic fact not known by one but known by everyone else and pointing it out is an insult but the other Moderator calling me names is not.

Two set of rules one known and one not.

[!!WALDO!!]

Well, On Saturday, Alsup waved off a 189,190,189 run, Gary B a 187 run, Ferguson a 185 run, and a later 190 run, Gelhausen a 187 run, All speeds that could have put them in the field ahead of Fillip, and evidently no one thought a 190 was going to make the field because of the wave-offs, because Firestone also waved off a 191,186,189 run although he obviously messed up his second lap. FWIW, Phil Krueger, Rich Vogler, Ken Schraeder, and Doug Heveron all had run 191+ in practice although all crashed in practice later.

Obviously most expected 192-193 would be necessary to make the race. Again, the only reason there were only 34 qualifiers that year was the rain.

To review 34 completed runs, 5 cars in line, 4 others who had speed but crashed during the month, and that doesn't even count guys like Bill Tempero, who waved off a 172 run.

The premise that it was tough to fill the field in 1983 just doesn't hold water.

I worked the Speedway that month in an Officials roll. It was a lot tougher than that. The big loss was John Paul Jr.

These older cars would not hold their speeds in continual laps. If Paul had not crashed then Fillip would have been bounced.

Remember something also, pop off valves went on in tech. So this times although good were at what boost?

If you don't like that year pick another. 1982? 1984?

[Chris R]

Despite the quality of the field in 1983 - the fact of the matter is that there were more than 33 cars presented to qualify - something that has not always been the case recently.... Also, whatever intrigue was going on behind the scenes in 1983 certainly added to the "show" - recently it has been pretty bland to say the least....

1983 had a full field of characters - 2006 and 2007 most certainly did not...

anyway, why was Waldo banned? it seemed like he was the name "calle" - not the name caller....

[garyshell]

Hmm, so hypothetically speaking, calling you pompous wouldn't be an insult then, right?

Gary

How about this?

"calling you pompous wouldn't be an insult then, right?"

It is amazing a basic fact not known by one but known by everyone else and pointing it out is an insult but the other Moderator calling me names is not.

Two set of rules one known and one not.

I am not a moderator and the question was purely hypothetical.

Gary

[Lousada]

Sooooo, what's this argument about anyway?

[Rex Monaco]

Not an insult but a FACT. It appears you didn't know this. I can't help you with that.

So it's a FACT, and not an OPINION, that I am not a real fan? Is that really how you are going to explain away your insult?

[Rex Monaco]

Sooooo, what's this argument about anyway?

Cakes and Pies. I say Pie tastes better.

[Rex Monaco]

In 1983, WHERE ELSE COULD YOU RACE YOUR INDY TYPE CAR?

At Indy, under USAC.