New car news!!

[jimispeed]

More news..........

AUTO RACING - INDYCAR: New McLaren ECU, Sato, Pagenaud Log Testing Miles At Sebring

[garyshell]

YES AND AT THE EXPENSE OF SPEED!

Do try and pay attention........you need them both.

According to YOU. So what is the end game in this eternal quest for speed, an ever escalating "neeeeeeew traaaaaaack record" every year? Or is this a one time "we need it in the first year" sort of thing? If it's the latter, honestly I don't have any real issue. If it's the former, in my mind it's a fool's errand. YMMV.

Gary

[BDunnell]

According to YOU. So what is the end game in this eternal quest for speed, an ever escalating "neeeeeeew traaaaaaack record" every year? Or is this a one time "we need it in the first year" sort of thing? If it's the latter, honestly I don't have any real issue. If it's the former, in my mind it's a fool's errand. YMMV.

Gary

I find interesting this notion that reducing speed equates to 'dumbing-down'. I would have thought that a series in which outright speed is the be-all and end-all has been comprehensively dumbed-down.

[garyshell]

I find interesting this notion that reducing speed equates to 'dumbing-down'. I would have thought that a series in which outright speed is the be-all and end-all has been comprehensively dumbed-down.

I am with you 100%, but there are others here who seem to think speed is king.

Gary

[SarahFan]

Why does Gary ignore the elephant in the room... The question has been repeated a dozen Times now


If speed doesn't matter why not just run the indylights and call it Indycar?

[zzatz]

If speed doesn't matter why not just run the indylights and call it Indycar?

Speed does matter. It's not the only thing that matters.

NASCAR went down that road long ago, and the lessons apply to all racing. Bill France built Talladega because he wanted higher speeds. He was sure that higher speeds would attract more fans. He was right, that race attracts a huge turnout.

But higher speeds came at a price. It was too dangerous. So NASCAR mandated restrictor plates to reduce power, which of course also reduced speed. The crowds still show up, so maybe speed isn't the most important factor.

I find that race boring. I'm not alone. Pack racing sucks. The teams and drivers hate it.

NASCAR's solution - reducing power - is the wrong approach. Racing suffers any time that you can complete a lap without ever lifting the throttle. A better solution for Talladega, and for Las Vegas, is to reduce the banking. Lift entering the turns, accelerate coming out. Driver skill becomes more important. You can still have high speeds down the straights. Speed does matter, but it's not the only thing, and perhaps not even the most important thing. Passing is more important. Driver skill is more important.

I like fast cars. But placing speed above everything else leads to boring, dangerous, pack racing that allows mediocre drivers to win because luck counts more than skill. New track records may get headlines, but it's one on one battles for position that keep fans coming back for more.

[SarahFan]

Zzats...

This series desperatly needs the headlines right now

[BDunnell]

Zzats...

This series desperatly needs the headlines right now

Like I said, 'dumbing-down'.

[SarahFan]

The series has had the same car for a decade and the roll out a slower one

That's dumbing down

[BDunnell]

The series has had the same car for a decade and the roll out a slower one

That's dumbing down

No it isn't. Doing something just to get into the headlines is an example of 'dumbing down'. What you describe isn't. I suggest you go and watch drag racing if literally all that matters to you is outright speed.