Back Markers

[robd]

Is it my imagination or have the back markers in the IRL got slower and are are crashing more often.
Look at how much more racing we would have seen at the Indy 500 if the last 11 qualifiers had not started. I gave up watching because of all the single car accidents.
If A J Foyt (a back marker if there ever was one) hadn't been at Texas we would have not lost so many good cars. I know a lot of people got excited about Danica's third place, but would this have happened if both the Ganassi cars had not been taken out.
I know that while there are two open wheel series in the US the fields of both will be weaker, especially at the blunt end, it is frustrating watching so much racing being spoilt.
I have about given up and will probably only watch the remaining road races.

[beachbum]

Is it my imagination or have the back markers in the IRL got slower and are are crashing more often.
Look at how much more racing we would have seen at the Indy 500 if the last 11 qualifiers had not started. I gave up watching because of all the single car accidents.
If A J Foyt (a back marker if there ever was one) hadn't been at Texas we would have not lost so many good cars. I know a lot of people got excited about Danica's third place, but would this have happened if both the Ganassi cars had not been taken out.
I know that while there are two open wheel series in the US the fields of both will be weaker, especially at the blunt end, it is frustrating watching so much racing being spoilt.
I have about given up and will probably only watch the remaining road races.
Vivid imagination. Foyt didn't crash, his wheel fell off. Since he didn't put it on, he has no blame in that one. The question is why did the leaders barrel off into the mess and run into each other when a "backmarker" (Fisher) was able to slow and get out of the way. The other significant moment came from two guys running up front when one decided to put their car in the same spot the other already occupied. Not exactly "backmarkers". At Indy, the so-called backmarkers did have issues. But that may be as much from inexperience and cars not quite right (there was a reason they were at the back).

Besides, there will always be "backmarkers" Someone runs up front, which means someone must be behind them and they eventually will have to pass them. If all you want are the "top" teams, you would has less than 10 cars. That would be "exciting" racing and they would likely still find ways to run into each other. Dealing with traffic is part of racing. Not everyone can be a Penske.

[Alexamateo]

It's your imagination, Foyt IV was on the lead lap up until he pitted at lap 191, and had only lost a lap on the pit sequence when an improperly attached wheel came off on lap 196-197. I would say your thoughts were perhaps true in 2005, but not this year. I personally think lapping cars and traffic is good as I think how a driver manages and uses traffic is part of the skill set they need, and adds to the interest of the race. What made the 1989 Indy 500 so memorable? Lapped traffic. (Oh and third place was 5-6 laps behind) Finally, a look at box scores would indicate there have always been single-car incidents including several years with as many or more than this year (including the glory years of 1989-1995)

[mileman]

And what of Milka Duno? I was only able to listen to the race, and it seemed like the announcers were saying that she " almost got in the way of" somebody every few laps. I didn't see it, but it sounded like dozens of "near misses."

[beachbum]

And what of Milka Duno? I was only able to listen to the race, and it seemed like the announcers were saying that she " almost got in the way of" somebody every few laps. I didn't see it, but it sounded like dozens of "near misses."
Well, the situation wasn't exactly as described if you saw the video and lap times. When she was running alone or with cars of similar speed, she was running reasonable (205 with the leaders at 210) and consistent times. Much of the time she wasn't the slowest car on the track. Where she got in trouble was making a rookie mistake of trying to get out of the way when the leaders came up. She backed off - sometimes a lot - and the closing speed was significant. She didn't change her line and stayed right on the white line, but catching a car 20 mph slower in the turn was definitely an eye opener and unexpected. The next lap she was back up to speed. If she doesn't correct that, she deserves to be parked. But otherwise, she did ok and stayed out of the way. At least her lines were consistent and predictable, which is more than can be said for some others.

The "near misses" were reserved for the drivers chopping each other. The in-car cameras showed that very well, but is wasn't reported. I guess that is "just racing" if you are one of the lead pack. More than once, a driver had to back off a lot to avoid "issues". Herb got a stop and go for a major block and Matsuura apparently got a black flag for "wondering" all over the track. There were a couple impressive near misses at the front including one that didn't miss (Marco vs Scheckter).

[robd]

I confess that until this year I have only been a casual follower of the IRL, but decided that this year with the inclusion of more road races I would follow it more closely.
As it is esentially a spec series with the same engines and chassis and strict limits on development I have been surprised at the difference between the front and back of the pack.
Also the number of single car accidents and the number of laps spent behind the pace car does not make for compelling viewing.
In reality there are only three teams capable of winning a race and everyone else is a 'back marker'.
I know Tony George has to field three cars to keep the numbers up, but maybe it has stretched Vision Racing and that is why the wheel fell off A J Foyt's car. (by back marker I was refering to the team as much as the driver),
I appreciate that how the faster cars negotiate the slower ones is part of racing, but to have the racing interupted so often by accidents that do not involve antone with a hope of finishing in the top three is an issue, especially if the IRL has any hope of growing the series.
I got up at 05:00 am to watch this year's Indy 500, but by 6:30 had given up on it as I got bored because of the number of yellow flag laps.
I am a genuine motor racing fan and get up in the middle of the night to watch F1, World Superbikes, Moto GP and if the IRL cannot attract me, how is it going to attract the casual fan.
I know F1 does not supply the most exciting motor racing entertainment, but it has a fasinating technical/engineering aspect that the IRL doesn't. So if the IRL does want to grow it is going to have to provide better entertainment and it does not.
I know that a lot is made of the side by side racing, but it is all on circuits that are run with the throttle 100% open and the viewer soon catches on to this and it becomes big yawn. It is these circuits that seem to have most of the accidents. Would it be better to either get ride of these circuits or change the cars so the drivers have to lift (or even brake)?

[FerrrariF1]

And what of Milka Duno? I was only able to listen to the race, and it seemed like the announcers were saying that she " almost got in the way of" somebody every few laps. I didn't see it, but it sounded like dozens of "near misses."

or John Herb? Or Darren Manning? Or Sarah Fisher?

They were all real slow compared to even the midfielders at texas

[RGM Fan]

Just looking at the practice times from the first session at one point Milka was a whopping 21 mph off. She managed to cut it to 11 by the end of the session. Clearly she's struggling. She ran the third highest number of laps but by the end of the day was more than a full second behind the leader's best time. At that point she's going to be lapped every 15 to 20 laps.

[Bob Riebe]

Also the number of single car accidents and the number of laps spent behind the pace car does not make for compelling viewing.

If you think single car crashes are something new, you should get a tape of the '92 race, and check some of the names that crashed out-all by themselves, in rather rapid succession

[gerkebi]

Wasn't that the race Guerrero crashed out on the parade lap, from P1? It was cold, and the tires just weren't getting up to temp, if memory serves.