Indycar: Infineon

[DooberRoni]

PEAK Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma
Infineon Raceway, Sonoma Ca
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/PeakInfineon.jpg

Qualifying
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/indycarLogo.gif (http://www.indycar.com/)
indycar.com live feed
Saturday, August 23
4:15pm EASTERN
1:15pm PACIFIC

Race Broadcast on
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/espnLogo.jpg2
Sunday, Aug 24th
5:30pm EASTERN
2:30pm PACIFIC

Come join us for live posting during the race.

Schedule info courtesy of (clicks)
http://www.dooberville.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=6&pictureid=52 (http://www.racefantv.com/USTV.htm)

With three races to go and this being one of them, be sure not to miss all the action from Infineon. Get your Indycar racing fix now before it's too late.
Details and news to follow:

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/InfineonEntries.jpg

[LittleAlguy]

I was hoping PT, Vision, and Walker could have teamed up again for this weekend but hopefully, he can get back in there in either or both races after this.

Hopefully, that moderation at Turn 7 does its job.

[ÜberDoober]

I'm just hoping we don't get blasted with Danica's "look at me, I'm a slut" Peak antifreeze commercial. :) I hate that one.

I'd much rather see PT at Infineon and Detroit than on an oval. I just hope something gets set up for him with a full time ride next year. I should know this but have CRS disease and a few too many shriveled up brain cells. Have the Champ Car drivers raced at Infineon in recent years? I could go look it up but I'm too lazy.

[LittleAlguy]

Which ad? lol

A couple of them were there for the test on the 14th. Servia has been to the track when he was racing in Indy Lights with Dorricott Racing but he did not test there then.

There were a couple of interesting names at the test. Matos and Lloyd were there testing for AGR and Ganassi respectively. Romain Dumas drove the IndyCar with Penske. Mike Conway was testing with Panther. Makes you wonder...

[LittleAlguy]

Good thing everyone was ok, stinks about their cars:

http://www.indycar.com/news/?story_id=12312

[ÜberDoober]

I'm surprised as sophisticated as these transporters are that they don't have a super duper fire supression system built in. Afterall, it's not like they don't usually carry flammable stuff inside.

So, what's your take on the whole AGR to A1GP thang? I'd have liked to seem them stay in ALMS. At least there's some TV coverage for that. Still, it is an unexpected move.

[LittleAlguy]

That is a bit surprising. I knew that Acura was a bit disappointed with the way they were performing this year and even more so in light of how de Ferran's team outpaced them off the bat. That said, AGR has been quicker since they hired Montagny.

It should be interesting to see how Marco and Danica perform in such an environment and see what help that may be to their IndyCar campaign in '09. I also wonder who they will get to drive the car when neither can make the trip (Summerton?). Speaking of which, this stinks for Summerton as I thought he could have made a run at the top-5 in the championship for there.

[LittleAlguy]

Of course, if that is all true. :p

Marty Roth P2?!!? It's very early in practice but wow. He better enjoy that. That won't last too long.

Plus, he has some sponsorship from Men's Warehouse.

[LittleAlguy]

I do hope Matos can get a ride for next year.

[LittleAlguy]

Hmm, HVM might have a 2nd car next year according to the radio guys.

So much for Penske being affected heavily by the transporter fire. P2 and P3 in the session so far.

[LittleAlguy]

P1 results: http://www1.indycar.com/scoring/2008/reports/indycarseries/infineon/indycar-results-p1.pdf (http://www1.indycar.com/scoring/2008/reports/indycarseries/infineon/indycar-results-p1.pd)

[ÜberDoober]

Made it home to catch the last part of the second practice session. Lots of spins with Marty Roth's second one ending up in a barrier.

KV is looking good. Penske, as you said, recovering nicely from the fire. Surprised Rahal so far down and Wilson not higher up. The guys said seeing PT in a car for the last two cars is unlikely. It looks like it might be a good race, :)

Practice 2 results (most of them anyway)
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/InfineonPractice.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

Saturday practice group 1 results. Townsend Bell off 3 times with the final jaunt sending him into the tires bringing out the yellow with 2 minutes left in the session.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/SearsP1.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

Combined results after 2nd group.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/searsp2.jpg

Most of the in-car cameras need to be pointed up. Wheldon's is okay but most of the others are too low.

[LittleAlguy]

I liked these onboards:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=235OT9RAq-I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE3U_qPtQpQ

I appreciate their effort with that 360 design but I still feel that they seem kind of puzzled as far as how to best use it. If they can ever do it, I would love to see them use a camera or two inside the cockpit to show the effort the drivers are undertaking while driving. Maybe put a camera on the pedals and another in the helmet.

[LittleAlguy]

Qualifying groups: http://www.indycar.com/news/2008/infineon/2008_ics_infineon_qualgroups.pdf

Group 2 seems to be the really tough group.

[ÜberDoober]

Just got in from grocery shopping. Tuning in now...

[LittleAlguy]

Group 1 advancees: Servia, Kanaan, Andretti, Hunter-Reay, Dominguez, Moraes

Group 2 advancees: Power, Briscoe, Castroneves, Dixon, Patrick, Wilson

[ÜberDoober]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/searsQual2.jpg

What a whiner!

[LittleAlguy]

Oh Junky, I thought you were beyond that. And I thought his Texas rant was bad.

Oops by Mutoh there.

[LittleAlguy]

"It's just coincidence."

Come on, Viso, you know better than that.

edit: his tone was not of someone who truly believed that.

[LittleAlguy]

KV and Penske with a Kanaan-Dixon sampler for the Fast Six.

[ÜberDoober]

Top 6. Why do they go on speed instead of time on a road course?

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/top6.jpg

[LittleAlguy]

They list both time and speed. I guess that they leave speed in due to starting off as an oval series.

[LittleAlguy]

Another Penske 1-2 start on the road course. Helio with another pole on his CV.

[ÜberDoober]

Bummer Servia didn't get his last hot lap in.

Starting Grid:
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/searsFinalQual1.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/SearsFinalQual2.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

I happened to bump into morning warmup. Here's the times. Most of them anyway. I'd say there was some sandbagging going on?

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/SearsWarmup.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

Nice air show going on in the pre-race stuff. :)

[ÜberDoober]

Bumped from the scheduled broadcast by women's golf. I wanna puke. :puke:

[LittleAlguy]

Bumped to the Ocho.

[LittleAlguy]

I wonder how many of these teams thinking of going to two cars will actually have two cars next year.

[LittleAlguy]

I'd like nothing more than to see Helio win.

[ÜberDoober]

All I've got right now is Indycar.com. 2 minutes left in ALMS and it's nuts.

[ÜberDoober]

Awesome. ESPN2 is up for the start!

[LittleAlguy]

Ooo, sounds good. I'll have to check the full race later.

Great start by Helio.

[LittleAlguy]

Bold move by Wheldon.

[LittleAlguy]

Briscoe gained .15 s in the 2nd sector and Castroneves gained that back on S3.

[ÜberDoober]

Foyt had some kind of problem and had to pit?

[ÜberDoober]

Mutoh comes in for a stop. Strategy or problem unknown?

[ÜberDoober]

Moraes spins. Early stops for everybody now?

[LittleAlguy]

This must be strategy.

Heh, thanks Vince. :)

[LittleAlguy]

I'm a bit surprised the Penskes haven't pulled away more than they have. That's nothing against Will but the form they've shown the last couple of roadies has been pretty awesome.

[ÜberDoober]

I'd say Briscoe is slightly faster? A good teammate would be good for Helio right now.

[ÜberDoober]

Yellow! Marty Roth in the dirt.

Good first run.

[LittleAlguy]

Haha, ouch.

[LittleAlguy]

Should have expected that from Roger.

[LittleAlguy]

Wheldon again does it at the chicane.

[ÜberDoober]

RHR tries an optimistic outside pass on Wilson and goes around.

[LittleAlguy]

Hmm, maybe that turn modification is working (slightly).

Castroneves trying to move up.
Meira up to 10th.

edit: as soon as I say that, some pretty quick cars are stuck behind Bernoldi

[LittleAlguy]

HAHAH, the queen of fuel strategy.

[LittleAlguy]

Man, check out that freight train.

[LittleAlguy]

Power with a short fill.

[LittleAlguy]

Helio is really putting the hammer down to get a gap. He's been a second a lap quicker than Briscoe the past couple of laps.

[ÜberDoober]

So much strategy it's almost confusing. :ack2:

[LittleAlguy]

Wow, very quick stop. 5.9 at the box.

edit: RHR nearly dove by Wilson

Servia had a 1:18.9 just before pitting.

[LittleAlguy]

Fantastic battle between TK and Helio. This won't help Helio's cause. Briscoe seems to have the strategy edge if this stays green the whole way.

[LittleAlguy]

That bobble might be big. Briscoe lost a few seconds. That would be a big boon to Helio's chances as he won't need to fill it all the way.

edit: especially if there's no yellow before his scheduled stop

[LittleAlguy]

Well played.

edit: on the other hand, not so much for Power. :( Drive thru

[ÜberDoober]

Boy howdy! 20 to go!

Com' on Helio!

[LittleAlguy]

I have to wonder about Dixon. Not sure how he got down in 14th. Must have been that train.

[LittleAlguy]

Oh wow, Viso looked as if he did a little weaving.

[ÜberDoober]

Whoa! Some silly stuff but no yellow and everyone continues. :)

[ÜberDoober]

Will Powers' day gets worse!

Last lap...Helio still in the lead...

HELIO CASTRONEVES WINS INFINEON! :cheers2:

[LittleAlguy]

HELIO!!! What a performance. Congrats. :D

Power and Carpenter with late race woes.

[ÜberDoober]

Only 1 yellow. That's breaks the record of 2.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/SearsFinal1.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/SearsFinal2.jpg

Great to see Penske come back from so many problems. It was a pretty good race. Only one week to go before Belle Isle!

Thanks, LittleAl/Big Ev! Have to fire up the barbie and have a big steak so we'll catch ya next time. :D

[LittleAlguy]

Enjoy! See ya for the Detroit thread. :seeya: