you stay classy Mike Hull

[usgrandprix]

I'm not into being too negative, but I will call a spade a spade and get this off my chest.

What's with the classless interview after the race?

Mike Hull (to paraphrase): "there are two ways to win a race and we like to do it the fast way"

Well chew on this:

1. About two laps into the race you told your driver to go to FP 4 to lean out fuel creating a boring "fuel race." As far as ESPN reported, you were the "trendsetter" in this decision.

2. Scott didn't look "fast" when he got passed by Vitor and Marco.

3. Only passes I saw Scott make were in the pits and on a car low on fuel.

4. Where was your decision to win the "fast way" last year at Chicago?

5. It's not like you beat Brian Herta or Panther or something. That was Helio flippin' Castroneves and Penske. Show some class by acknowledging a team and driver that can win in a lot of ways.

6. Can we assume you'll be full rich for the rest of the season there speedy?

Go take those last three races by the throat Spiderman!

[underpowered]

Go take those last three races by the throat Spiderman!

Someone's a little bitter.

Scott drove a great race, just like he has been doing all year. Have some class and accept it.

Mike had to be conservative with his strategy because they were up front (Penske could try anything as they were at the back). Scott did his part and got better fuel mileage than any other car on the track while staying as close to the front as possible. Scott jumps cars in the pits because he never needs as much fuel. If some of the other drivers could learn to run fast without burning through their fuel they might have a shot at Scott also.

I was very impressed with what Penske made out of a bad situation. It shows why they are such a great team. They just didn’t do it with car speed, and Mike pointed that out.

[speeddurango]

Motorsport is a teamwork, motorsport is also not called an overtaking sport, overtaking is just a part of it, and taking a role of claptrap for people, but motorsport is a lot mroe than that.

[SUBARUTEAM]

Scott lead 151 of the 200 laps so I find it difficult to accept your suggestion that he was running a fuel race and driving slow. If he can set the fuel to FP4 and still lead - all power to him

[usgrandprix]

Hull implied that Helio's win would not have been worthy because fuel played such a big part in the Penske strategy and tried to imply it was beneath his strategy because they were so "fast." While my point is that fuel wasn't so insignificant in the Ganassi strategy either and oh, they didn't even run a fast lap in the top 5. If anyone was going for speed it was Marco and Vitor.

I know they won and I'm not saying it was cheap. I just think it's classless that instead of acknowledging some great work by some other fast teams he uses a win to stretch what's just not there. It's a very "mission accomplished" attitude. Abusing a position of strength = classless.

[NickFalzone]

I agree with the first poster that Mike Hull's comments were tasteless. That said, i do give a lot of credit to Dixon and his team for not only running good mileage, but running fast on that fuel position. From what I could tell, Dixon on FP3 and 4 was running about as fast as Meira and Andretti on full power. So that team is doing championship level work in the shop and Dixon knows how to drive that car precisely within its limits. But again, I agree that it's a bit unfair of Hull to call out fuel strategies when their team is benefitting off that bigtime this season.

Basically this season I'm seeing Dixon running consistently top-3 on the track, and then running faster than anyone in pits. He always makes gains in the pits. And that's a major reason why they're going to win the championship.

[SUBARUTEAM]

i'm not really surprised that dixon was not in the top 5 lap times for two reasons. 1. as already mentioned, he was conserving fuel and 2. he was out in front. the top lap times would have been as a result of other cars picking up a good tow.

I think that people are reading too much into Mikes comments. his driver had just won an exciting race and someone stuck a mic in his face and ask for a comment. he simply said that they prefer to run up front rather then gamble of fuel (which is kind of their only option given that they started on pole and were running p1 on the track)

[usgrandprix]

I don't think he gets the benefit of the doubt when it comes to Ganassi v. Penske. There's tension there, for sure.

Here's the truth about racing at that sort of track:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/irl/2008-06-25-Testing_N.htm

Fact is without being a big three Vitor made the ballsy move and passed Dixon on the track because Dixon either lifted (as Goodyear thought) or didn't have the speed--neither one of which let's you get to mouth off about how "fast" you are.

I understand that you don't have to set the fastest lap to win. I know you can shorten your pit time. I know it's a team effort. I know you can try to pit one fewer time. I know fuel is important. In laps, out laps. I know it's about consistent laps. That's exactly my point. These things are exactly what Dixon's win was about yet the first comment from Hull is about their speed--as if that was the strength of their win. Like they lapped the field and could pass at will. They won by running just as fast as everyone else, while using less fuel to do so and spending less time in/out of the pits. It's what I hate about this kind of racing. Dixon's awesome at it, but I can only appreciate this style so much--and don't sit there and feed me bull about how bad-ass fast you are.

Why not acknowledge Vitor at least? Besides, praising your competition only makes your own win more impressive.

Of course frustrated, but it doesn't make what I say untrue. That's why I'm frustrated. And I'm just a fan--imagine how frustrated Vitor is. I'll get over it when Helio beats Scott at Detroit. As long as Scott doesn't back into him like he did Franchitti last year (for which I gave him the benefit of the doubt).

[The instant classic]

I'm not into being too negative, but I will call a spade a spade and get this off my chest.

What's with the classless interview after the race?

Mike Hull (to paraphrase): "there are two ways to win a race and we like to do it the fast way"

Well chew on this:

1. About two laps into the race you told your driver to go to FP 4 to lean out fuel creating a boring "fuel race." As far as ESPN reported, you were the "trendsetter" in this decision.

2. Scott didn't look "fast" when he got passed by Vitor and Marco.

3. Only passes I saw Scott make were in the pits and on a car low on fuel.

4. Where was your decision to win the "fast way" last year at Chicago?

5. It's not like you beat Brian Herta or Panther or something. That was Helio flippin' Castroneves and Penske. Show some class by acknowledging a team and driver that can win in a lot of ways.

6. Can we assume you'll be full rich for the rest of the season there speedy?

Go take those last three races by the throat Spiderman!


i 100% agree with you,, i felt the same way last year with dixon and crew,
last year he race drity, this year hes fine on track, but the crew seems to have this ego now, but to me i woludnt get to carryed away, with this ego thing, rember at chicago, as you have pointed out, i do think dixon has already won the title, but his crew is jumming the gun so to speak, on everything

[garyshell]

i 100% agree with you,, i felt the same way last year with dixon and crew,
last year he race drity, this year hes fine on track, but the crew seems to have this ego now, but to me i woludnt get to carryed away, with this ego thing, rember at chicago, as you have pointed out, i do think dixon has already won the title, but his crew is jumming the gun so to speak, on everything

Please find the shift key and period key on your telephone, or wait until you get home to respond.

Gary

[underpowered]

I recorded the replay and listened to the interview. I htought in the interests of accuracy I would transcipt it here.

Mike Hull: “You know what, there are two ways to race motor races, we don’t like to race slow motor races, and we have a guy now that’s at the top of his game, and he’s got an extreme roll going here, and we want to race to win the fasted way possible and so we had to be a bit careful with the fuel to get him to that splash at the end. But we beat the guys we were racing with and we got to Helio and , you know, Team Penske does a fantastic job, Tim Cindric over there calls a great race, in a way you have got to feel sorry for those guys, because they worked hard, but in a way Target did what it had to do tonight.”

Interviewer: “Earlier in the race you experimented with fuel position 4, you kinda tried to see how you could make fuel, it paid off in the end”

Mike Hull: “Were you in the cockpit? Scott is very, very good at what we call making fuel, understanding what he has to do to make fuel, and ah , it’s not just the position you’re in , it’s your driving style, and , you know when we start practicing on any given oval weekend or road track weekend, he works extremely hard on that to figure out what to do next and he’s the reason were doing this” (I guess he means winning)

[underpowered]

i 100% agree with you,, i felt the same way last year with dixon and crew,
last year he race drity, this year hes fine on track, but the crew seems to have this ego now, but to me i woludnt get to carryed away, with this ego thing, rember at chicago, as you have pointed out, i do think dixon has already won the title, but his crew is jumming the gun so to speak, on everything

Dude. In the past Dixon has been accused of not having enough of an ego.

They would joke that he tried to avoid the limelight.

Get some perspective. He has never been a dirty driver

[The instant classic]

Dude. In the past Dixon has been accused of not having enough of an ego.

They would joke that he tried to avoid the limelight.

Get some perspective. He has never been a dirty driver

no i was saying his crew got some ego on them, this year,, i can see why, but woludnt jummp for joy yet with the year not over,

and for racing drity he did just that at Belle Isle last year, when he spun and trun right into dario, thats a drity chep move,, dont get me wrong dixon is a great driver,,and im sure he will win the title this year,,but mike hull seems to be talking like hes won already, it seems,but i guess he knows they have already won :champion:

[underpowered]

and for racing drity he did just that at Belle Isle last year, when he spun and trun right into dario, thats a drity chep move,

Dario at the time said it was an accident (and he was there!).

[The instant classic]

Dario at the time said it was an accident (and he was there!).
dario is a class act driver thats why, many drivers take the blame when it wasnt there falut ;)

[usgrandprix]

underpowered, Thanks for that. I have to admit that after Hull's first sentence I was too busy rebutting to a buddy (poor guy) about his FP4 call to notice that Jack Arute was also calling him out about it. Still Hull did say the right thing about Cindric, which is classy. Still, seemed a bit smarmy from the get go and even I know better than not to risk pity being taken the wrong way.

[underpowered]

underpowered, Thanks for that. I have to admit that after Hull's first sentence I was too busy rebutting to a buddy (poor guy) about his FP4 call to notice that Jack Arute was also calling him out about it. Still Hull did say the right thing about Cindric, which is classy. Still, seemed a bit smarmy from the get go and even I know better than not to risk pity being taken the wrong way.

Funny, I didnt remember the Cindric comment either. I heard it differently and was amused when I listened again.

[bravefish]

I thought Mike Hulls comment was as clear as day - what he meant by saying they were running fast was exactly that - at the front - sticking to a fast strategy of splash and go. Pretty simple really - all the top guys were on a fast strategy except Helio who was on a fuel strategy (which paid off ..just.. but kudos to Tim Cindric nonetheless).

Why would you not be classified as on a fast strategy if your leading the race? Scott could always turn it up a notch and have a few less laps of fuel and be a fraction of as second faster per lap sure.. but why bother when he can make his passing maneuvers in the pits - remember Scott is also very good on his in and out laps, which also makes a big difference so its not completely fast pit work alone. He is the whole package this year (well except for Watkins Glen ala Indianapolis 2003)...

I bet Vitor and Marco were wishing they could run that fast leaned out and have guys in the pits who perform like precision robots every week.

[underpowered]

I bet Vitor and Marco were wishing they could run that fast leaned out and have guys in the pits who perform like precision robots every week.

Or Kanaan Ha ha ha ha.

Poor guys never going to know what that feels like.

[bravefish]

Or Kanaan Ha ha ha ha.

Poor guys never going to know what that feels like.



Oh well too bad never mind

[EagleEye]

You'd find him to be one of the nicest and most genuine guys in the paddock.

You don't know Mike...

[weeflyonthewall]

You'd find him to be one of the nicest and most genuine guys in the paddock.

You don't know Mike...

Wasn't Mike with Arciero and Patrick years ago? He's has been around the paddock for ages. He seems a lot more patient these days so I can't see what's prompted all the negativism. It makes me wonder just how many people here actually get beyond the grandstand if indeed they attend a race?