Motegi Meanderings

[ÜberDoober]

What a frakked up deal to have two races in two different places for the new merged series but going ahead and running DP-01's at Long Beach was the best decision they could have made. It gives the Champ Car fans a chance to see the Panoz in action one last time and say goodbye.

Being in that group that formerly preferred Champ Car over the IRL, it's almost easy to forget the regular Indycars are also running at Motegi. In checking the TV schedule, I see that ESPN2 is broadcasting the race from live Japan at 12:00am Saturday morning. For those of us on left coast time, that is a convenient 9:00pm on Friday evening (but that messes up watching Battlestar Galactica :mad:) Guess I'll have to have both tuned in so I dont' miss anything. They're also showing the race again at 3:00pm EST/12:00pm PST on Saturday.

Don't know yet if qualifying will be streamed live on the Indycar website but will keep checking until I find out.

Here's the participant schedule for the weekend in Motegi. I'm assuming all times are local?

[DooberRoni]

Danica for the win! :ack2:

[HeadDoober]

Updated P2 times from Twin Ring Motegi

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/MotegiP2.jpg

[HeadDoober]

Qualifying Rained Out!

Helio on pole by virtue of points. :reddevil:

[LittleAlguy]

Danica the tire warmer. :p

[LittleAlguy]

HAH! They ARE trying to fix the race for her! :eek: ;)

[ÜberDoober]

OMG, she's such a slut :ack2:

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/dan4.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/dan2.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/dan3.jpg

[LittleAlguy]

I have bad memories from Rockingham in '01. The race ended up being superb but it was, and this is, a bit painful waiting.

[ÜberDoober]

Isn't it about 1:00am in your neck 'o the woods? It's just 10:00 here but it would be nice for them to get going soon.

[LittleAlguy]

Yes it is. I was hoping that the race would start right away, they'd put on a good show, and I could go to bed to rest my body. I've been feeling a little blah since Thursday which, ironically, was my last day of class before spring break. I know there's a replay but I have other stuff to do at the time.

[ÜberDoober]

Sorry to hear you aren't your best especially just as you get some time off.

I'm not seeing a lot that makes me think they're going to roll off in a couple of minutes. I'm watching on the computer with the sound down 'cuz I'm also watching Battlestar Galactica.

Uh Oh...Barnhardt's talking better listen...not sounding good. If they can't start in 40 minutes, they're screwed. Geez...let's get the shop vac out.

Get some rest. I'm guessing it's not going to start?

[ÜberDoober]

Well, I'm off to bed. Going on a motorcycle ride early in the morning and will probably miss whatever's going to happen.

Take care of yourself and have a good one. :seeya:

[LittleAlguy]

Thank you. Have a good night. :)

10 pm ET on the Ocho (aka ESPN Classic).

[LittleAlguy]

Feeling better today. Now it's time to go racing. :)

[LittleAlguy]

Marco into the wall in the first corner. :(

[LittleAlguy]

When doesn't she have an understeering car? That's not news. Tell me when the back end of the car is stepping out from under her.

[LittleAlguy]

Mutoh has damage to the front wing. Marty Roth is against the front straightaway wall.

[ÜberDoober]

Just got home and tuning in -missed the first 12 laps and Marco's boo boo. With you shortly, gotta eat quick.

[LittleAlguy]

I'm so glad this is, hopefully, the last time we have to watch 18 cars start a race.

[ÜberDoober]

I'll drink to that!

Yellow out! Are you watching on TV? I don't get ESPN Classic but am watching the stream from the website with the radio broadcast. No commercials! :)

[ÜberDoober]

Love the Japanese scrawl!

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

[LittleAlguy]

Yes, I am. Every time I want to mention something bad about the commentators, I just remember Todd Harris and they look much better.

This is the only negative about overseas races. You're pretty much at the mercy of the home broadcaster.

Long Beach mention!

[ÜberDoober]

Long Beach mention!

I just caught part of that. Did they say it will be streamed live on the Indycar site tomorrow? That would be cool.

Whaddya know about their $39.90 Race Control package? I might sign up since I dumped Race Director from the Champie site?

[LittleAlguy]

Race Control was a bit of a pain to handle. Unlike Race Director where you can see the race feed as well as other information in one screen, here you have to scroll down a window to see all of T&S. There were a bunch of problems at St. Pete with on-boards though part of it may have been with the rain.

The actual T&S screen isn't bad at all. It updates gaps live instead of after each lap.

They did rebate $10 as a result of the issues from the first two races which is nice because I was a bit disappointed by it compared to Race Director. If they can put everything viewable in one screen along with allowing for us, the users, to pick whomever we want to view instead of a select few, that would be a benefit.

[LittleAlguy]

Watch for Patrick, Carpenter, and Castroneves to try to go all the way.

[ÜberDoober]

Oh thanks for the good advice.

Too bad for the problems for the hometown Japanese drivers. Podium for Danica on fuel strategy?? :tongue_smilie:

[LittleAlguy]

She just dropped to 8th. Either she's handling poorly or she's WAY off the gas to conserve fuel.

Look at Ryan Hunter-Reay go.

[LittleAlguy]

At this pace, the leaders may end up getting out of the pits before her.

[ÜberDoober]

:rofl: That's pretty funny!

[LittleAlguy]

RHR is in pitlane.

[LittleAlguy]

I am speechless. I don't believe it. She broke the streak.

[ÜberDoober]

OMG! SHE DID IT!

[ÜberDoober]

Oh sh*t. I'm crying like a baby. Must be the beers?

The whiners are going to complain it wasn't a "real" win, but she took the trophy, regardless. It's a good day for AOR!
:rocker-001:

[LittleAlguy]

Hey, it might not have been an outright pace win but better one win than none.

[ÜberDoober]

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

Relieved but man, does she ever have a lot a media to deal with.

[ÜberDoober]

I'm still stunned!

Thanks for hanging out in DooberVille! I'm off to bed. Went motorcycling today and I'm pooped. Cya 'round!

Oh yeah, can't wait for tomorrow!