Too Many Cars = Pit Stall Problems

[pits4me]

I was wondering if there be enough pit stall spaces for this unified open wheel field. NASCAR has pit lanes on both sides at some tracks.

[SoCalPVguy]

I was wondering if there be enough pit stall spaces for this unified open wheel field. NASCAR has pit lanes on both sides at some tracks.


Legitimate question, but...

What a good problem to have after all these years.

[JasonD]

Lets not forget NASCAR has 42 cars in the field so pits on both sides of an oval or needed but only on the itsby bitsy ones.

My ignorance doesnt afford me to know this for sure but, I dont think Indycar races at any of the little ovals so in that aspect it wont be a problem, likewise the road courses have the room.

Now as for the street courses they were probably making it as long as it needed to be, they will probably just extend it along the entrace or exit and widen as necessary.

[Henry Cutts]

I guess there would have to be pre qualifying to reduce the numbers. Fingers crossed it will be a problem! 20-25 cars all season would be fantastic.

[!!WALDO!!]

Lets not forget NASCAR has 42 cars in the field so pits on both sides of an oval or needed but only on the itsby bitsy ones.

My ignorance doesnt afford me to know this for sure but, I dont think Indycar races at any of the little ovals so in that aspect it wont be a problem, likewise the road courses have the room.

Now as for the street courses they were probably making it as long as it needed to be, they will probably just extend it along the entrace or exit and widen as necessary.

43 cars and only the real short tracks have pits on both sides of the tracks and the IRL does not race on those tracks.

There will be 24 to 26 cars so it is about where it was 8 years ago in both series.

[Scheckterfan54]

You might wanna check your facts again, I dont believe there are any tracks that pit on both sides, there are some nascar tracks that the teams are forced to share, but none that pit on both sides.

[!!WALDO!!]

You might wanna check your facts again, I dont believe there are any tracks that pit on both sides, there are some nascar tracks that the teams are forced to share, but none that pit on both sides.

On the Front stretch and back stretch? Martinsville, Bristol are two. Darlington for years until redone was another.

[JasonD]

You might wanna check your facts again, I dont believe there are any tracks that pit on both sides, there are some nascar tracks that the teams are forced to share, but none that pit on both sides.

I'm pretty sure bristol used to but was changed to one long pit road that went into turn 1/2. I remember DE Snr saying it was impossible to win if you pitstop was on the backstretch.

As for today, I dont watch short track NASCAR to know if it is done anywhere else.

[Scheckterfan54]

My apoligies, I was under the understanding you meant both sides of pit road, not both sides of the track. I realized this about 10 minutes after posting. DUH!

[!!WALDO!!]

My apoligies, I was under the understanding you meant both sides of pit road, not both sides of the track. I realized this about 10 minutes after posting. DUH!

That is a DUH! Never saw that anywhere. I remember when they pulled over to the side of the frontstretch and pitted in the open but of course most of those races if you stopped you were screwed as it was the crew chief and a stooge to change the right rear tire, 2 minutes later and 5 laps you were back at it.

[JasonD]

But they did stop on both sides of the road on one of the road courses, not sure if they still do. I think they called this little patch "Gilligans Island", held less than 10 cars I think.

[!!WALDO!!]

But they did stop on both sides of the road on one of the road courses, not sure if they still do. I think they called this little patch "Gilligans Island", held less than 10 cars I think.

Where? Not Indy Cars, Champ cars, Nextel Cup, Nationwide, NCTS, Trans-Am (Old-New) Can-Am, F-1 so what series and tracks are you talking about?

[JasonD]

Where? Not Indy Cars, Champ cars, Nextel Cup, Nationwide, NCTS, Trans-Am (Old-New) Can-Am, F-1 so what series and tracks are you talking about?

Ah yes that might help eh? :D It was Nascar going back to the Winston days. prior to maybe the 2002 season if memory serves. Must be sears point because I know Watkins Glen better.

[!!WALDO!!]

Ah yes that might help eh? :D It was Nascar going back to the Winston days. prior to maybe the 2002 season if memory serves. Must be sears point because I know Watkins Glen better.

Nope, I go back to the Grand National of 1964, it never happen.

[JasonD]

Nope, I go back to the Grand National of 1964, it never happen.

Try again bud (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Save_Mart_300K)

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From 1989 to 2001, the pit road could only accommodate 34 pit stalls. In the early years, some teams were required to share pit stalls. When cars dropped out of the race, their pits were reassigned to cars who were sharing. After a few years, a makeshift pit road was constructed inside the Hair Pin (turn 11) nicknamed Gilligan's Island (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilligan%27s_Island). Cars that had qualified 36th-43rd were assigned these pit stalls. Since the length of the auxiliary pit road was significantly shorter than the main pit road, the cars that pitted there were held from 15-20 seconds to make up for the time that would had been spent if the cars had traveled the entire main pit road.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Save_Mart_300K#_note-0) Pitting on Gilligan's Island had other inconveniences as well. The area was landlocked by the race course, and crew members were unable to leave once the race began. All repairs had to be in the area, as crews could not access the garage area. Crew members were also unable to return to the garages or their transporter for spare parts. If a team pitting on Gilligan's Island dropped out of the race, the crew was unable to pack up their supplies and prepare to leave (a common practice at other tracks) until the race was over. In 2002 the main pit road was reconfigured to handle all 43 cars, and Gilligan's Island (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilligan%27s_Island) was abandoned. Along with the pit road reconfiguration, the frontstretch was separated from the drag strip in 2002, shortening the track distance to 1.99 miles.

*********************

[calclubfire]

But they did stop on both sides of the road on one of the road courses, not sure if they still do. I think they called this little patch "Gilligans Island", held less than 10 cars I think.


Infenion Raceway up in Sonoma used to have this for NASCAR.

[!!WALDO!!]

Try again bud (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Save_Mart_300K)

*****************

From 1989 to 2001, the pit road could only accommodate 34 pit stalls. In the early years, some teams were required to share pit stalls. When cars dropped out of the race, their pits were reassigned to cars who were sharing. After a few years, a makeshift pit road was constructed inside the Hair Pin (turn 11) nicknamed Gilligan's Island (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilligan%27s_Island). Cars that had qualified 36th-43rd were assigned these pit stalls. Since the length of the auxiliary pit road was significantly shorter than the main pit road, the cars that pitted there were held from 15-20 seconds to make up for the time that would had been spent if the cars had traveled the entire main pit road.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Save_Mart_300K#_note-0) Pitting on Gilligan's Island had other inconveniences as well. The area was landlocked by the race course, and crew members were unable to leave once the race began. All repairs had to be in the area, as crews could not access the garage area. Crew members were also unable to return to the garages or their transporter for spare parts. If a team pitting on Gilligan's Island dropped out of the race, the crew was unable to pack up their supplies and prepare to leave (a common practice at other tracks) until the race was over. In 2002 the main pit road was reconfigured to handle all 43 cars, and Gilligan's Island (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilligan%27s_Island) was abandoned. Along with the pit road reconfiguration, the frontstretch was separated from the drag strip in 2002, shortening the track distance to 1.99 miles.

*********************

Good for you.
My question is how does 24 to 26 Indy Cars mess this up.

I was wondering if there be enough pit stall spaces for this unified open wheel field. NASCAR has pit lanes on both sides at some tracks.

I have been to Somona and never witnessed that from my seat. It was changed due to one thing, insurance.

But here is "try again Bud"
I'm pretty sure bristol used to but was changed to one long pit road that went into turn 1/2. I remember DE Snr saying it was impossible to win if you pitstop was on the backstretch.

As for today, I dont watch short track NASCAR to know if it is done anywhere else.

And this Gem:
Lets not forget NASCAR has 42 cars in the field so pits on both sides of an oval or needed but only on the itsby bitsy ones.

My ignorance doesnt afford me to know this for sure but, I dont think Indycar races at any of the little ovals so in that aspect it wont be a problem, likewise the road courses have the room.

Now as for the street courses they were probably making it as long as it needed to be, they will probably just extend it along the entrace or exit and widen as necessary.

[JasonD]

Sorry I was right and you were wrong, next time I'll let you win.

[!!WALDO!!]

Mr. Mature arent you. Sorry I was right and you were wrong, next time I'll let you win.

Just pointing out two mistakes you made. Thank god for the internet otherwise you would not have known. You still did not know 43 cars, or Bristol pits all the way around.
See I do mine from memory and after 54 years I have forgotten more than some know, I know that is tough to take but it is true.

I said: Good for you but the real topic is how this affects the ICS series. Of course it doesn't. Because some people had a problem with pitting on the front and back stretch and got confused you had to climb into a conversation that is nothing and has nothing to do with the topic.

So you won one and lost two, real bad. Yet we need to celebrate that one win with an assist from the internet.

Come back when you can do it with grey matter.

[huxleypiguk]

You do what they have in F1. Each 'Team' has a pit and both cars stop at that pit. Should shake things up a bit as one car teams will have an advantage, but I am sure they can work it out.

Lets see how many we actually get first....

[grungex]

Somehow I doubt this is going to be a concern...

[nigelred5]

You do what they have in F1. Each 'Team' has a pit and both cars stop at that pit. Should shake things up a bit as one car teams will have an advantage, but I am sure they can work it out.

Lets see how many we actually get first....

Dear GAWD NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! a thousand times! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!
IMHO that is an abominal solution that should never be considered. F1 spends BILLIONS of dollars a year, and yet they cheapo it on pit stops and screw the races all to hell because they would have to actually use two fuel rigs per team, which by the way, they already have set up. How about cutting the flippin pit crews in half. That would still be what? 12 people per car! THey currently use 12 members just to change the tires! F1 is the LAST place any ideas regarding pit stops should be taken from. I'd rather see a guy toting a jerry can full of ethanol across pit lane than anything from F1.


Loooking at the current schedule, I don't see anywhere on permanent courses that Nascar doesn't pit 43, so there shouldn't be any problems there. As for St Pete they can add them as there is plenty of room and at Detroit they might have to make the pit stalls a touch shorter to squeze them in. I agree, what a problem to have.

[Rantanamo]

LOL, cheapo? Have you seen how many people are in on an F-1 stop? Have you seen the garages that are directly next to the pit box?

[DazzlaF1]

Well if they can fit 43 cars and pit crews on pit road in Nascar, im pretty sure they can do it in IndyCar, the only place where i'd see a bit of a problem would be i think at Milwaukee.

But like some people have said on here, its a great problem to have

[!!WALDO!!]

Well if they can fit 43 cars and pit crews on pit road in Nascar, im pretty sure they can do it in IndyCar, the only place where i'd see a bit of a problem would be i think at Milwaukee.

But like some people have said on here, its a great problem to have

Milwaukee has a Nationwide Series race that starts 43 cars and a NASCAR Craftmen Truck Series race that starts 36 trucks.
I was there in 1968 for a USAC 250, that started 40 cars. ARCA ran that same event 2 years ago with 41 cars.

I have seen 26 Indy Cars pitted there in the 1960's, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s so I believe 24 to 26 is no problem.

Sorry to sound like a know-it-all but been to the Mile about 100 times and been in the pits about 55 times during the race.

[Jag_Warrior]

Somehow I doubt this is going to be a concern...

Agreed.
http://jilldenton.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/cart-before-horse-2.jpghttp://jilldenton.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/cart-before-horse-2.jpg

We've yet to find out which teams are going to even answer the bell.

[call_me_andrew]

I'm pretty sure bristol used to but was changed to one long pit road that went into turn 1/2. I remember DE Snr saying it was impossible to win if you pitstop was on the backstretch.

As for today, I dont watch short track NASCAR to know if it is done anywhere else.

I'm going to settle this for no other reason than to hear myself type.

Bristol is the only track that still has two pit roads. The problem with 2 pit roads was that during cautions the front stretch cars could pit first and were able to finish their stops and rejoin the field by the time the remaining cars were entering their pit stalls, they were getting passed. A rule change now requires all cars to follow pit road speed between both pit roads and must travel on both pit roads to make a stop.

Of course that only applies to cautions. You can still come and go as you please under green.

Martinsville, while smaller than Bristol, reconfigured the pits to make one long pit road that starts at turn 3 and ends at turn 2. A garage was then built in place of the obsolete back straight pit road.

To be honest, I think it would be interesting to see IndyCars at Martinsville. IndyCars would be interesting at Bristol just for the sheer insantiy of such an event.

Martinsville went the Darlington and Rocking