Indy Grand Prix at Sonoma

[NickFalzone]

I expect qualifying to be the most exciting part of the weekend. Only memorable moment in the last couple years is Dario getting into Marco in 2007 then TK blocking Penske from getting around the damaged Dario for 3rd. Unless the push to pass does something, it's going to be a long green follow the leader.

Versus did a track preview and an IndyCar 101 for Sonoma:

http://www.versus.com/indycartrackpreview

http://www.versus.com/indycar101

[Mad_Hatter]

What you don't remember the spin and win?

[indycool]

Marin Independent Journal:

http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_13162970

Vallejo News Herald:

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/sports/ci_13175599

Contra Costa Times:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/sports/ci_13173091

San Francisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/20/SPJQ19AOFJ.DTL

San Jose Mercury-News:

http://www.mercurynews.com/sportsheadlines/ci_13174072?nclick_check=1

Fairfield Republic:

Story on de Ferran starting IRL team but it's a long, drawn-out exercise to get to it....

Sonoma Index-Tribune:

http://www.sonomanews.com/articles/2009/08/20/news/sports/doc4a8e049952ff7519248075.txt

Napa Valley Register:

http://www.napavalleyregister.com/sports/

[TURN3]

With DF flown the coop and not posting that there is a race this weekend, I almost forgot! Gee, how am I going to be able to figure out who is racing this weekend and all that?

[Hoop-98]

Here's some Help:

http://i27.tinypic.com/15n9jpg.jpg

and:

http://i32.tinypic.com/29p6s88.jpg


rh

[TURN3]

LOL...I actually like that a lot better!

Can you please tell me Danica will qualify on pole and finish on the podium?

[SarahFan]

LOL...I actually like that a lot better!

Can you please tell me Danica will qualify on pole and finish on the podium?


doesn't she always

[indycool]

Vallejo Times Herald (lede story):

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/sports/ci_13183841

Contra Costa Times:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/sports/ci_13182011

Napa Valley Register:

http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2009/08/22/sports/motorsports/doc4a8ce24a54adf335396878.txt

San Fracncisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/21/SPJQ19APTV.DTL

Oakland Tribune (same as Contra Costa Times):

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_13182011

San Jose Mercury-News (same as Contra Costa Times):

http://www.mercurynews.com/sportsheadlines/ci_13181956

Monterey Herald:

http://www.montereyherald.com/sports/ci_13183930?nclick_check=1

Sacramento Bee:

http://www.sacbee.com/sports/story/2130456.html

[SarahFan]

http://indycar.neulion.com/indy/console.jsp?catid=10

cars on track

[SarahFan]

Out and about and on the phone...

Can someone post practice times

[NickFalzone]

Power and Phillipe suffered concussions, Power is being transported to the hospital with back pains. Viso came out with the least damage:

http://www.indycar.com/news/?story_id=14951

[Hoop-98]

Practice 1, i will be flying NYC-IAH this afternoon so you're on your own ;)

http://i28.tinypic.com/2qbdgnr.jpg

rh

[NickFalzone]

Phillipe also transported to hospital. My guess is both Power and Phillipe not racing tomorrow.

This is the crash in 3a:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHxG6hHdTpA&feature=sub

[ykiki]

Yikes - that's one scary video. Can't imagine what's going through Nelson's head when he knows he's just hanging out there. :(

[PA Rick]

Yikes - that's one scary video. Can't imagine what's going through Nelson's head when he knows he's just hanging out there. :(

Were the corner workers slow in picking up the stopped car? I would think there should be a quicker response.

[MDS]

From the KV twitter feed:


Power & Phillippe have been taken to hospital.Power gone by air with concussion & back pain. Phillippe by land with concussion & foot injury

[MDS]

Vision Twitter


Update: Power has L2 & L4 fractures. Philippe has open fracture left foot. Both remain in hospital 1 night. Both have concussions.

[TURN3]

Did Michael Andretti just say that the Danica was right up with the best of them on road courses? OMG! No wonder his partners can't make things work with him.

[RacinRandy]

Were the corner workers slow in picking up the stopped car? I would think there should be a quicker response.

Are you crazy? Did you see how fast that happened? Notice that the corner workers were waving the yellow flag at the top of the hill. The thought of even thinking about stepping on to that track was insaine. Viso didn't have a chance, but Power should have seen the flag and slowed down.

[TURN3]

Just to note on that previous comment that Mikey made. His road course ace finished 5th out of all 5 teammates in qualifying. That being said, they as a team have looked much stronger here and last race in mid-ohio, more so here. No doubt the teams that tested have a leg up. KV didn't test and i think this is about the first time they didn't at least challenge for the top 6.

[speeddurango]

Are you crazy? Did you see how fast that happened? Notice that the corner workers were waving the yellow flag at the top of the hill. The thought of even thinking about stepping on to that track was insaine. Viso didn't have a chance, but Power should have seen the flag and slowed down.

I have an impression that unless drivers see the accidents themselves, yellow flags are usually invisible to drivers, not just Indycar by the way.

[nigelred5]

I just now started rolling the quals on the dvr. That was vicious hit. That really sucks for all of them. It could have been far worse but Damn, so much for another good showing for Will. Get well soon Will.

[garyshell]

Are you crazy? Did you see how fast that happened? Notice that the corner workers were waving the yellow flag at the top of the hill. The thought of even thinking about stepping on to that track was insaine. Viso didn't have a chance, but Power should have seen the flag and slowed down.


Yes, but it appeared that all that was there was a waving yellow flag. I know at MidOhio in the esses the corner workers not only wave the flag but someone is also using had gestures to indicate WHERE the incident is. They indicate the driver should be on the outside or inside line in the corner. I never got a good visual from todays incident, but it looks like the corner workers are up in a tower where there would be no opportunity for such hand signals.

Gary

[Anubis]

So when's Duno going to be parked for her own and everyone else's safety?

[indycool]

Marin Independent Journal:

http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_13187024

http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_13186842

Santa Rosa Press-Democrat:

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090822/SPORTS/908229960/1010/SPORTS?Title=Grand-Prix-of-Sonoma-Franchitti-wins-pole

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090822/SPORTS/908229966/1010/SPORTS?Title=IRL-drivers-injured-at-Infineon

Vallejo Times-Herald

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/sports/ci_13183841

San Francisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/22/SPIB19CEK7.DTL

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/22/SPIB19CEKB.DTL

San Jose Mercury-News:

http://www.mercurynews.com/sportsheadlines/ci_13186515

http://www.mercurynews.com/sportsheadlines/ci_13186624

Sacramento Bee:

http://www.sacbee.com/sports/story/2131893.html

Indianapolis Star:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20090823/SPORTS0107/908230367/1004/SPORTS/Crash+takes+pair+from+IndyCar+field

Versus.com

http://www.versus.com/nw/article/view/82222/?tf=bruce_martin.tpl

SpeedTV.com:

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-danica-staying-at-agr/

(several other stories here)

[Lousada]

Yes, but it appeared that all that was there was a waving yellow flag. I know at MidOhio in the esses the corner workers not only wave the flag but someone is also using had gestures to indicate WHERE the incident is. They indicate the driver should be on the outside or inside line in the corner. I never got a good visual from todays incident, but it looks like the corner workers are up in a tower where there would be no opportunity for such hand signals.

Gary

A yellow flag is supposed to mean 'danger ahead'. If it's a blind corner it is wise to slow down. Sadly, not many drivers do that nowadays.

[garyshell]

A yellow flag is supposed to mean 'danger ahead'. If it's a blind corner it is wise to slow down. Sadly, not many drivers do that nowadays.


Yes, but the way the Lake Erie folks (the group that does corner work at Mid Ohio) do it, there is more information given to the driver. Not so he doesn't have to slow down, but so he knows WHERE to go AS he slows down. Even if Will had slowed down more, I don't think he could have avoided a wreck since he was so far to the left. Had he known to come to the inside of the corner, he might have had a chance.

Don't we have some former corner workers among us? Is the "Lake Erie way" the norm or unique to them? I have seen them do this for years. It's always two folks, one with the flag and one with two hands pulling in or pushing out in a very exaggerated motion.

Gary

[Easy Drifter]

It is done at Mosport when possible. For some of the club races in particular there are not enough marshalls to do it.
Some tracks do not allow marshalls to go over the wall or trackside until the safety car is deployed. It may depend on the tracks Insurance policy.

[MDS]

6 p.m. Eastern time is just too late to start a race. It's different if you're on one of the big broadcast networks at the time viewership starts to run it, its an entirely different thing if you're on a third-tier cable network that isn't carried by a lot of homes and is in danger of being dumped by Direct TV.

Why do they have to start the race at 3 p.m. local time? There's nothing on verses that would preclude them from starting at a more reasonable time, but 6 p.m. on a Sunday is just too late, why compete with the beginning of the Sunday night prime time?

[TURN3]

Great closing laps, glad VS stayed on the battle. Shout out to Conway, Moraes, and Mutoh...great races by those guys and much needed.

Marco needs his head examined for 1st lap and last lap incidents. The way he mouths off when he is the one out of the race I'd be interested in his take on those two bonehead moves. Dixon doesn't have any room to complain though, it was him that ultimately caused the entire 1st lap melee. Either way, they both got what they deserved to some extent.

[ozrevhead]

Well first off Congrats to Dario - he earned that race

Secondly, like Ryan said 'Second is getting a old" well at best its pulling your hair out moment especally on street/road courses where its his forte :|

I think he has to win at least 1 or 2 of the last three - my main concern is those pole and fastest lap points he's giving away...the championship is so tight they might be the difference between winnin or losing it

He needs a race like Dario had today

[NickFalzone]

I only saw the first third and last third, but a better than expected race, particularly for the mid-pack action. Glad to see Dario getting so close to the points lead. Dixon had a bad weekend, but he's only 20 points behind Briscoe since Andretti was penalized a spot for that move in the last corner.

[TURN3]

I think he has to win at least 1 or 2 of the last three - my main concern is those pole and fastest lap points he's giving away...the championship is so tight they might be the difference between winnin or losing it

There aren't points for fastest lap, only pole and most laps led. I think they said Dario and Dixon each have 10 bonus points and Ryan has 9. He's not giving it away on bonus points but you're right, he's going to have to get a win or 2 to close the deal out. It's bascally a 3 way tie, he who wins most wins most likely.

[ozrevhead]

ah my bad Turn3 :)

Seemed more than 10 to 9 - mby im more nervous and paying more attention to them now :p

[PA Rick]

Yes, but the way the Lake Erie folks (the group that does corner work at Mid Ohio) do it, there is more information given to the driver. Not so he doesn't have to slow down, but so he knows WHERE to go AS he slows down. Even if Will had slowed down more, I don't think he could have avoided a wreck since he was so far to the left. Had he known to come to the inside of the corner, he might have had a chance.

Don't we have some former corner workers among us? Is the "Lake Erie way" the norm or unique to them? I have seen them do this for years. It's always two folks, one with the flag and one with two hands pulling in or pushing out in a very exaggerated motion.

Gary

I seem to remember The Glen corner workers in the F1 days were very involved. There seemed to be a few seconds between the two impacts.

[PA Rick]

During two of Mario Moraes' pit stops I saw a girl in Croc's and shorts standing on the pit wall. I thought there were pretty strict rules on attire in the hot pits.

[indycool]

Marin Independent Journal:

http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_13190987

http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_13190985

Contra Costa Times:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/sports/ci_13190301?nclick_check=1

Santa Rosa Press-Democrat:

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090823/SPORTS/908239982/1340/SPORTS?Title=Franchitti-wins-IndyCar-Grand-Prix-of-Sonoma

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090823/SPORTS/908239981/1010/SPORTS?Title=Infineon-notes-Injured-drivers-still-hospitalized

San Francisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/23/SP4M19CMDA.DTL

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/23/SP6019CO2K.DTL

San Jose Mercury-News (similar to CC Times):

http://www.mercurynews.com/sportsheadlines/ci_13190765

http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_13190765

Oakland Tribune (same as CC Times):

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_13190301

Monterey Herald:

http://www.montereyherald.com/sports/ci_13192229

Vallejo Times Herald

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/sports/ci_13183841

http://www.Versus.com

http://www.versus.com/nw/article/view/82232/?tf=bruce_martin.tpl

http://www.versus.com/nw/article/view/82230/?tf=bruce_martin.tpl

[V12]

Great race - delighted for Conway who I honestly think given a few more laps (or an earlier final yellow) could have won the thing - definitely a candidate for a top line drive if it becomes available. Also impressed with Wilson and Dale Coyne today, had an eye on his position and time gap to leader throughout, what a recovery from that half spin as well!

[Mark in Oshawa]

During two of Mario Moraes' pit stops I saw a girl in Croc's and shorts standing on the pit wall. I thought there were pretty strict rules on attire in the hot pits.

THAT is just wrong...but that could be the series putting or allowing "hot"women in the pits to look good on TV. I wonder how burned skin will look on TV after an methanol fire.....?

[Mark in Oshawa]

I have an impression that unless drivers see the accidents themselves, yellow flags are usually invisible to drivers, not just Indycar by the way.

THAT is VERY true. I have seen drivers ignore a red flag too.....

This was one of those incidents that happens because drivers turn the brain off when the visor goes down. Things happen fast enough out there, and then you have people racing down the track with tunnel vision. This isn't an indictment of them by the way, I think that sort of concentration is required to drive these cars that fast but they have to learn to leave that 5% of the brain aware of the flags and marshals. ...

[SarahFan]

Marin Independent Journal:

http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_13190987

http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_13190985

Contra Costa Times:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/sports/ci_13190301?nclick_check=1

Santa Rosa Press-Democrat:

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090823/SPORTS/908239982/1340/SPORTS?Title=Franchitti-wins-IndyCar-Grand-Prix-of-Sonoma

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090823/SPORTS/908239981/1010/SPORTS?Title=Infineon-notes-Injured-drivers-still-hospitalized

San Francisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/23/SP4M19CMDA.DTL

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/23/SP6019CO2K.DTL

San Jose Mercury-News (similar to CC Times):

http://www.mercurynews.com/sportsheadlines/ci_13190765

http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_13190765

Oakland Tribune (same as CC Times):

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_13190301

Monterey Herald:

http://www.montereyherald.com/sports/ci_13192229

Vallejo Times Herald

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/sports/ci_13183841

http://www.Versus.com

http://www.versus.com/nw/article/view/82232/?tf=bruce_martin.tpl

http://www.versus.com/nw/article/view/82230/?tf=bruce_martin.tpl


any thoughts of your own?

[chuck34]

THAT is VERY true. I have seen drivers ignore a red flag too.....

This was one of those incidents that happens because drivers turn the brain off when the visor goes down. Things happen fast enough out there, and then you have people racing down the track with tunnel vision. This isn't an indictment of them by the way, I think that sort of concentration is required to drive these cars that fast but they have to learn to leave that 5% of the brain aware of the flags and marshals. ...

I've never been ON the track, but I have been there. And the flag stands are quite far from the track and in areas that seem to be fairly hard to see. There's really no place that would be better/safer though. That may have something to do with it.

[indycool]

Ken, I post those so those who want to read 'em can easily find 'em, what the writers are saying.

My own thoughts from the race were that Franchitti had 'em covered, there was some good racing back in the pack and the accident was about like the first turn at Cleveland,

[Easy Drifter]

I am a little surprised lights aren't used at more road courses.
I noticed them on TV at Valencia and they seemed to be a strobe type which would be quite noticable as far as catching a driver's eye.
Mosport had them when it first opened and they were just old fashioned traffic lights.
Some were not very well placed then (especially at 3) but you did notice them. That was the only track I drove at that had lights and I do not recall lights at any other road course I was at (about 50). I do not know when they were removed at Mosport.
With today's high intensity and strobe type lights I would think they would be very noticable and could be placed in line with a drivers vision going into turns without endangering marshalls.
Just need to get a couple of experienced drivers to aid in placement. Not knocking race officials or marshalls but they really do not know where a driver is looking approaching a corner. Also in a close race with another car you are too busy sorting out what move you and/or he is going to be doing to be looking at flags or lights.
Just think how many times we and the commentators say he/she should have seen that passing attempt. Well the driver is looking mostly at the corner and concentrating on that so they usually aren't doing more than a very quick glance in the tiny mirrors, if that, and you can imagine how easy it would be to miss flags 20 feet back from the course edge especially if poorly located up on a stand. The stands are great for marshalls for some weather protection and a better view if up a few feet but drivers aren't looking up. You take yours eyes off the corner and your apex and you will probably be the next spin!

[RacinRandy]

Yes, but the way the Lake Erie folks (the group that does corner work at Mid Ohio) do it, there is more information given to the driver. Not so he doesn't have to slow down, but so he knows WHERE to go AS he slows down. Even if Will had slowed down more, I don't think he could have avoided a wreck since he was so far to the left. Had he known to come to the inside of the corner, he might have had a chance.

Don't we have some former corner workers among us? Is the "Lake Erie way" the norm or unique to them? I have seen them do this for years. It's always two folks, one with the flag and one with two hands pulling in or pushing out in a very exaggerated motion.

Gary

Lake Erie guy here, since 1979. Yes, other tracks do uses the pulling and pushing motions. Can't say if they were being used in that incident, but if you come over any blind hill or turn and see a waving yellow, you should slow down. It was just practice!! Nelson should have let himself roll completely of the track after his spin. I think the drivers are told to do that.

[Hoop-98]

I thought it was a better than "average " race. Better coverage on-line than tv but that's normal. We did get a fair amount of mid pack stuff on TV.


That's my thought....Ken, what did you think?


rh

[Easy Drifter]

I agree Strarter. The Mosport lights were power grid wired in. The red was controlled from Race Control and the others under local control. They did need to be checked and if there were sufficient marshalls there were ones stationed before the lights that could check them. Also the previous station (corner one for two and so on) checked them.
They were especially useful on Fridays when there was often a shortage of marshalls.
Timing getting warnings out is critical and sometimes, for whatever reason, marshalls do not react quickly enough. Sometimes just lack of experience or a moments distraction.
Having marshalled and also worked in Race Control in pro races I know there is a lot of difference in the ability of the marshalls. We had one very senior, in terms of experience, at Mosport who was absolutely useless. Just couldn't handle any emergency but the marshalling group often placed this person in a very responsible position. We eventually insisted that this person be used only in a position of no responsibility.

[grungex]

any thoughts of your own?

Just doing his job, Ken...

[Hoop-98]

Just doing his job, Ken...

Now that is Irony :)

[indycool]

I don't know what that job might be by providing forum members links to the stories around the race.

[harvick#1]

I thought the race was good, although Ryan seemed to have the faster car than Dario, on the 2 pitstops, Ryan erased 3 second leads from Dario in the matter of laps, but the horrid IRL cars just seem to have too much dirty air to make a pass for the lead.

Conway did one amazing job getting the final podium step and really drove his ass off those final laps, while passing Dario and Ryan was next to impossible without any P2P (while Dario and Ryan both had 6+ left) if given a few more laps, it could've been a exciting run to see if he could do it

[chuck34]

I thought the race was good, although Ryan seemed to have the faster car than Dario, on the 2 pitstops, Ryan erased 3 second leads from Dario in the matter of laps, but the horrid IRL cars just seem to have too much dirty air to make a pass for the lead.

Conway did one amazing job getting the final podium step and really drove his ass off those final laps, while passing Dario and Ryan was next to impossible without any P2P (while Dario and Ryan both had 6+ left) if given a few more laps, it could've been a exciting run to see if he could do it

So you can't pass in an IRL car, yet Conway passed at least 2 cars on the last lap? How's that work? Maybe it was just that Dario was too fast to be passed, maybe?

[SarahFan]

I thought it was a better than "average " race. Better coverage on-line than tv but that's normal. We did get a fair amount of mid pack stuff on TV.


That's my thought....Ken, what did you think?


rh



I thought that it was a darn good race .....Worst coverage of the season

P3-p18 swaped positions thru put the race

Commentators spend to much time talking about p2p and reds then 'action'

listened to the first third on xm..... Exciteing, versus should spend the off season reviewing all xm broadcasts

Crowd looked about double what's been there in the past......

[harvick#1]

I said pass for the lead, Ryan had the faster, but when your stuck behind a guy just a bit slower but rarely makes mistakes on a track like Sonoma when its already tough to pass, its gonna be difficult. I saw alot of passes Sunday that were basically overshots or Danica and Milka being passed. yeah Conway made all the passes but without the caution to bunch everyone up and attack at the end, it would've been a horrible race

[chuck34]

I said pass for the lead, Ryan had the faster, but when your stuck behind a guy just a bit slower but rarely makes mistakes on a track like Sonoma when its already tough to pass, its gonna be difficult. I saw alot of passes Sunday that were basically overshots or Danica and Milka being passed. yeah Conway made all the passes but without the caution to bunch everyone up and attack at the end, it would've been a horrible race

Glass half empty. Why is it so hard to admit when there was a good race, even if it wasn't for the lead? There have been plenty of crap races this year, but I don't believe this was one of them.

[TURN3]

I'm not so sure Ryan was any faster than Dario. The fact Dario went further on fuel indicates he was able to roll into corners off the throttle. I think maybe more of a case of Dario being conservative on fuel and tires while pacing himself.

All the talk of P2P is already old too. It's pretty evident that with the engine management they currently have it isn't much help. PT has explained pretty well exactly what the issues are. I applaud the effort but with the limited powerband of this engine config, it just doesn't make any difference. P2P is a great concept but unless they implement a system that will give a definate and broadly based range of boost, it is useless.

Again I applaud the effort so I'm not knocking it down for that. The alternate tires and the new aero changes have made huge differences on the other hand though.

[NickFalzone]

I agree T3. I sort of see the drivers rolling their eyes when they're asked by Jack or whoever about how they plan to use their push to passes at each race and whether they'll save them to the end. Clearly it doesn't do a whole lot, particularly on the road courses. It may have a real (but small) effect on the ovals. But for the most part it's not as big a deal as the league is making it out to be. I don't know about the details of the engine design or maintenance, but it seems to me that doubling it to 10 hp or 400 rpm, would not have a very detrimental effect on the life of the engine, and at that level you'd get a real boost from the button. The fact that the drivers are using it on road/streets suggests it does something, I saw the Briscoe used most and Conway used them all up, but I think a few more HP would make it a much more useful feature.

[beachbum]

I saw the Briscoe used most and Conway used them all up, but I think a few more HP would make it a much more useful feature.A clear example of how little it means was the performance of Conway in the last few laps. He was out of the P2P, and yet pulled away from the cars behind. A faster car and driver is just - well , faster.

[Marbles]

It was a decent race but the coverage blew. Yes, let's cut away from the three-wide and show TK coming into the pits. Impressed mostly by Conway. Tough luck for Dixon.

Regading the Philippe incident, are there flag stations on that hill? didn't notice on the replay.

[garyshell]

It was a decent race but the coverage blew. Yes, let's cut away from the three-wide and show TK coming into the pits. Impressed mostly by Conway. Tough luck for Dixon.

Regading the Philippe incident, are there flag stations on that hill? didn't notice on the replay.

There are but they are well before the apex of the turn, set way back and elevated. All making it tough for the drivers to see anything except the waving flag, i.e. they can't possibly see any of the hand gestures to indicate WHERE the trouble is.

As was pointed out elsewhere because of the need to concentrate on the blind apex, it appears that even the flag is not in normal line of sight for the driver. I think a re-think of the flagging i that corner (the operation NOT the personnel) is in order.

Gary

[Shifter]

As a flagger myself and having driven performance driving events, seeing the flag stations is simply part of a driver's job, tough or not. IMO Will Power was driving 10/10ths cresting through turn 3, and to lift off the throttle there is an almost guaranteed spin and wrecked car. Will Kept the throttle on to plant the car through the corner and, I'm assuming, hoped that he'd have enough time to react to whatever was over the hill, if he had seen the flag.

We use lights now at Summit Point, affixed to the bridge. They're double sided so we can see if all the lights are in working order, and of course we back everything up with flags.

Bummed that Power and Phillipe were injured, but the race itself was great, I thought. Kept me on the edge of my seat. I would, however, on behalf of Indycar fans, like to offer my services on the Versus television control panel. I promise not to cut away from action.

[SarahFan]

I would, however, on behalf of Indycar fans, like to offer my services on the Versus television control panel. I promise not to cut away from action.


I second your nomination!!!

[garyshell]

From the indycar.com website.


Penske Racing driver Will Power, injured in a practice accident at Infineon Raceway on Aug. 22, won't require surgery, according to orthopedic specialist Dr. Terry Trammell.

During an examination Aug. 31, Trammell determined that Power suffered fractures of his second, third and fourth lumbar vertebrae and a fracture of his fifth thoracic vertebra in the crash that also involved Nelson Philippe. Trammell expects Power to recover with rest and rehabilitation.
Power will continue to wear a back brace during an expected recovery period of at least four months. Power, who also suffered a concussion and a chipped left front tooth in the incident, will begin physical therapy for his back injuries this week.

After completing his rehabilitation, Power is expected to be ready to compete by the IndyCar Series season-opening race in March 2010.

Gary

[garyshell]

Now I see there is a headline on AR1 that reads "Will Power's injuries worse than expected ". What's up with that? It directly refutes the press release from Dr. Terry.

Gary

[grungex]

Really? His injuries were originally announced as L2 and L4, now they are those plus quite a few more. I'd say that easily qualifies as worse. Typical for the IRL...

[NickFalzone]

I agree Grungex, that press release from the IRL is misleading. Basically everything Trammell says there is worse than what has been reported about Will's injuries. The good news is that it sounds like he will be able to make a full recovery, but his injuries definitely sound worse than expected.

[garyshell]

I didn't remember the inital reports as being only L2 and L4. Now I see why Mark C is calling it worse. Make sense. But the bottom line is Terry exepects a full recovery for the March opening.

Gary

[garyshell]

His injuries were originally announced as L2 and L4, now they are those plus quite a few more.

Quite a few more or three more as indicated in Terry's press release? Is AR1 reportig addtional breaks?

Gary

[indycool]

I don't know.....I read it as no surgery and no paralysis and felt that was a good thing......