Do you think Honda and Chevy REALLY want to take on a team like DRR? Let alone a group like Dragon? They are tired of taking refugees for the sake of the series.
If you signed a deal with Lotus, deal with it. Nobody told you that the engines were all going to be the same, and you can't walk into Renault with a check and demand an F1 supply, nor can you walk into Hendrick's shop and demand Hendrick Cup Chevys for the year. Welcome to racing.
The Indy 500! 3? race cars and engines built by the lowest bidder!!! Ya, That's NOT the ticket!
Keith Koether http://www.kkraceshots.com
Ex ARCA, ASA and local bullring crewdog. I remember when racing was really racing and the Talladega Express!!!
+1. I think years of spec racing made people forget what competition was like.Originally Posted by Cygni
"Unfortunately, the business types who now permeate the sport don't share this same gut centered devotion. I can only hope that the truly addicted will prevail, and that the original spirit of open wheel competition will somehow manage to survive and prosper into the future."
-Dr. Stephen Olvey
-1. Competition is when there are 45 entries for the 500. Signing with Lotus isn't the problem. The problem is Lotus may end up looking like Hunter-Reay running out of gas with Conway riding his coat tails. If they aren't competitive, then the fewer entries by them, the better.
This isn't a spec series anymore. Deal with it.
+1. Life is tough. Wear a helmet. And maybe a HANS device for good measure.
From a couch in North Dakota
Actually, I am sort of surprised that Lotus made it this far.
"Is that my *** that I smell burning?" ... Helmet Stogie from "Death spasms of the Mabuchi"
Aren't these engine leases great?
The transformation is complete. The Indy 500 is the only IndyCar race that matters.
Barely, they lost 2 soldiers on the way.
My words may not be what you want to hear.....but what you need to hear. TF CHALLENGE: CONVINCE 1 NEW PERSON TO WATCH INDY NEXT SUNDAY
I beg to differ!!! Until someone can show up with any car and any engine that fits within the rules and attempt to qualify it's still a spec series.
You know, that doesn't sound so far fetched at this point.
When asked which race he considered to be the most important to win, Enzo Ferrari would always answer; "The NEXT one."
Tell that to all those chassis manufacturers.
Uncle Si for Pace Car Driver - 2013!!
So you have an engine that meets the rules, including the max season and Indy cost stipulations, that can enter and beat the Lotus to boot? Please do tell, there are teams that want to know.
Do you really think an independent builder could do better than Judd-Lotus?
Would MSRIndy take an independent engine or keep whining that they want only Chevy or Honda?
IMHO if he doesnt want to race he can sit down and shut up.
Congratulations to RHR, & all the winning drivers & teams in the fantastic 2012 season. Looking forward to 2013!
We are all together now. Goal 22-24 races per year split 50:50 oval:RC/SC
Yes, he wants to RACE - not tootle around In the back of the field.
Independent engine builders worked just fine for decades.
And what Independent engine builder is lining up to build an engine? You guys act as if getting rid of the badging requirement would fix anything. What engine manufacturer has expressed an interest in entering without a manufacturer providing funding?
can anyone explain why the Lotus is so bad? Did Judd really make that crappy of an engine?
The Original Fan of Kimi "The Iceman" Raikkonen 2007 World Driving Champion: 20 Wins---72 Podiums---16 Pole Positions---38 Fastest Laps ---1 Gorilla Suit 2013 Australian Grand Prix CHAMPION
A lot of it has to do with the ECU. Lotus being late to the game was never able to fully develop it. Then being behind on engines put a huge strain on their testing program in the pre-season. Chevy was able to have 4-5 cars on track testing different parameters, Lotus was either not there or they had 1-2 cars on track. Then with some of the oval testing cut out, there's a lot of unknowns. There is no doubt during Indy they will work on the ECU, especially considering that the teams will get new engines before the 500, and if they're already banking on being at the back of the pack, a pre-mature engine change isn't really going to hurt them either (f your 3 cars are 30-33rd, you can't really go further back, can you?).
Basically, nobody has really been able to see what these engines can do, since the program isn't optimized.
All of the Chevy teams are on one-year contracts, and all the Honda teams, with the possible exception of Sarah Fisher Racing, are on two year deals.
Wow, talk about hyperbole.. So, are you saying the F1 is a spec series? Anybody can build a car that meets specs, but in order to race, the team has one get the approval of the FIA before the season begins. Since someone can't just show up with a car that meets specs and run it, according to your definition must be a spec series.
Independent engine builders wouldn't have a sniff at challenging Honda and Chevy either. The only valid challenger that might spoil their party is Ford, period. Everyone who thinks that independent builders would have done a better job than Lotus is slightly delusional to say the very least IMO.
This.
Independent builders may have a chance at competing with the big boys, but in order to do that, it's gonna cost $$$$$$, which I doubt many independent builders have, nor many teams have to spend on such an engine.
$$$$$$$
I think the basic engine is sound. Judd is not a beginner at this. But it takes money (lots of it) to build dyno mules that can be run for hours to build fuel maps, money to test , test , and test some more, money to build stockpile of engines, and money for a team of development engineers to find the next development bits to improve the engine. Judd make already know some of the answers, but with a engine freeze, the answers may have come too late. Now with only 3 cars, they are in a real hole as they don't get much track time. The proverbial catch 22
What independent builder would show interest given that it is well known they are not welcome?
No man can cause more grief than that one clinging blindly to the vices of his ancestors. - William Faulker
you realize that this open to everyone approach could open the door to something like the 209 mercedes - you ok with that as well...one team dominating the race soley because of engine capability on unlimited R&D budget?
Which also was the "final straw" in creating the IRL
Hogwash. Tony announced plans for his own series in January of '94 before the Penske 209 ever turned a lap. The name "IRL" was announced two months later in March. What's more, you're arguing the IRL was created to save Indy from USAC (the 209 was never legal in CART) which was/is a subsidiary of the Speedway.
The Ayn Rand of Indycar
No one had to badge the Offy.
It's May! and all I can think to do is complain that IndyCar isn't everything I want it to be. Why do we have foreign drivers? How come we don't have turbines and solar cars and hydrogen fuel cell specials and mr. fusion mounted on the back of a DeLorean and V-12 turbocharged 4.5 liter 1500 HP with no downforce because thats how they did it when it was a front engine roadster? And seriously, those rear wheel ramps are going to send a car out on to Georgetown. Can you believe they let women drive these things? By the way, this series is doomed without Danica! When are we going back to Springfield and DuQuoin? If it weren't for all these street races, we would have a much better series anyway. Can you believe they let Lotus provide an engine when they were on the edge of bankruptcy? Who in their right mind would have signed an engine lease with Lotus? How come I can't build my own chassis in the back yard. How come local engine shops aren't allowed to do whatever the heck I think they should be able to do even though I have no freaking way of knowing if any of them are capable or willing to make an investment to build an engine that may or may not get used? <inhales deep breath>
Get over yourselves and enjoy the show.
Yup.
I will enjoy this May!
Have a very blessed day!
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks