INDY 500 - The Month of May

[ÜberDoober]

The action begins this weekend with rookie orientation. Looks to be good streaming coverage on the Indycar website. Event & broadcast information for next weeks Pole Day 1 & 2 is in the Calendar.


PREPARING FROM SCRATCH
Tim Harris
Indycar.com

Eight rookies have won the Indianapolis 500 - and that includes Ray Harroun, who won the inaugural race in 1911. This year, 13 rookies, the most since 1997, will attempt to add their name to the list that includes Graham Hill, Juan Pablo Montoya and Helio Castroneves.
The rookie class for the 92nd Indianapolis 500 will take their first laps around the 2.5-mile speedway May 4-5 when they must complete the Rookie Orientation Program, a set of four phases of 10 laps each at increasing speeds.

Watch the action on the track and Opening Day festivities on indycar.com from 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (ET) May 4 via streaming video.

The rookie class is diverse, featuring drivers who have won at the track in Firestone Indy Lights, drivers who competed on the track's road course in Formula One, and several drivers who will be on the grounds for the first time. There's also Graham Rahal, whose father Bobby won the 500 three years before the 19-year-old was born. The rest of the story can be found HERE (http://www.indycar.com/news/?story_id=11146).

[DooberRoni]

Andretti, Rahal and Foyt?

Sure sounds like an Indianapolis 500 to me! :thumbup1:

[LittleAlguy]

Andretti, Rahal and Foyt?

Sure sounds like an Indianapolis 500 to me! :thumbup1:

All we need is an Unser and we're set. Ironic that the speedway is celebrating the Unser family yet there won't be an Unser in the 500 unless someone is, I hate to say this, desperate to give Al Jr. a ride. Maybe next year as Al III is interested in being there next year.

Other news:
Jamie Camara had an accident during ROP today. X-Rays were negative but he has yet to be cleared.

[ÜberDoober]

I just scanned the Indycar headlines on our website (http://www.dooberville.com/indy.htm) and see it's been since 1992 that there was an Andretti, Foyt & Rahal in the 500. Wow!

I'm also sorry to say that indeed, it would be a very desperate move to put Al Jr, in a ride. I can't say I've kept up with his current status but wonder that after all his troubles the last few years if he'd even be in physical/mental condition to accept an offer? I did hear he was doing well and working in some capacity this season, but can't remember what?

But wouldn't that be something, though! I dare say that even with only three of these big/historic names in the 500, that it just might attract some attention from disenfranchised NASCAR fans.

I can't say I like everything about the unified series but I completely like the fact that there is only one now and I am excited for the possibility that the fan base and popularity of the sport will grow leaps and bounds this year. I think Indycar is sitting pretty right now

[LittleAlguy]

He's a driver coach for the Indy Racing League. He did say that if he doesn't get anything done this year that he still wants to give it a go once more and hopefully do so with his son. It would be pretty nice if he could make his own team.

I'm with you on the excitement. It should be awesome over the rest of the season.

Tuesday times:
http://www1.indycar.com/scoring/2008/reports/indycarseries/indy/indycar-results-p1.pdf

[ÜberDoober]

Wednesday: Rain
Thursday: Rain

That ain't no fun! :(

[LittleAlguy]

There's supposed to be some rain for Sunday as well, unfortunately. If Pole Day is fine, things could be even more frantic.

Speaking of which, here are my predictions for the top 11:

Row 1: Dixon, Castroneves, Kanaan
Row 2: Wheldon, Patrick, Andretti
Row 3: Briscoe, Carpenter, Mutoh
Row 4: Foyt, Wilson

[LittleAlguy]

In the early going, Patrick, Dixon, Briscoe are on the front row.

Will Power is up to try to bump Moraes out of the top-11.

[LittleAlguy]

Wheldon now takes provisional pole.

[LittleAlguy]

So far-

Bumped out: Hunter-Reay, Servia, Power, Moraes

Failed to qualify: Bell, Wilson, Mutoh (originally qualified but failed inspection)

Hamilton back on the bubble.

[ÜberDoober]

Thanks for the updates! Just got home and only 1 hour remaining. Damn!

[ÜberDoober]

Cool!

Been kind of busy with the TV on but couldn't focus on it. Saw Graham doing some whining about something or another? Not thrilled that Ganassi on pole. My nic for him is Porky Pig! Danica top AGR driver! :)

Will watch tomorrow for "the rest of the story". Will read the other boards and keep an eye on the DooberVille (http://www.dooberville.com) website for headlines to see what all I missed today.

[ÜberDoober]

http://www.dooberville.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=6&pictureid=79 (http://www.indy500.com/grid/)
© Indycar.com (http://www.indy500.com/grid/)

I'm really liking the Indiana Jones livery on Marco's car. It is cool. Like I said, not a Ganassi fan but you've got to give them props for the front row.

[LittleAlguy]

I'm starting to think that with there being more than enough entries for the field that they should go back to not needing the 11 cars/day limit. I believe that with the likely growth in entries over the next few years, they can keep the three attempts/day so that there's some drama in Days 2 and 3 in addition to bump day but with no limit, cars that are relatively safe can focus more on race day setup.

[ÜberDoober]

I'm starting to think that with there being more than enough entries for the field that they should go back to not needing the 11 cars/day limit. I believe that with the likely growth in entries over the next few years, they can keep the three attempts/day so that there's some drama in Days 2 and 3 in addition to bump day but with no limit, cars that are relatively safe can focus more on race day setup.

Ok, I've had time to catch up on my reading enough to make a moderately informed comment about this: I absolutely agree! :) Some tweaking is needed to the format.

On a side note, I'm trying to get more Indy and F1 fans to the board to make it more interesting here. If you've got some pals over at SPEED or anywhere else, feel free to PM them and invite them over for a look.

[LittleAlguy]

This weekend is going be pretty good. From the looks of things, the following cars are questionable for getting into the field:

Duno, Roth, Lazier, Papis, Dominguez, Moraes, Camara, Bernoldi, and Giebler (if he ever gets out there as he was a no-show during the practice sessions this week)

I would love it if a veteran driver who hasn't been out there can try to bump into the field on Sunday but I doubt that will be the case. :(

[ÜberDoober]

I would love it if a veteran driver who hasn't been out there can try to bump into the field on Sunday but I doubt that will be the case. :(

Michael Andretti! :willy_nilly:

[LittleAlguy]

Hehe, that would be pretty neat. :)

Oh yeah, I forgot to add Yasukawa to those who may be sweating it out.

[LittleAlguy]

So far today:

Bell, Rahal, Junqueira (good run), Wilson, Rice, Andretti, Power, Servia, Viso, Duno, Moraes

Also- Papis and Dominguez wrecked their cars so they'll be sweating on Sunday.

[LittleAlguy]

The grid so far:

http://www.indy500.com/grid/

Foyt IV, Roth all had runs waved off. Giebler is yet to see the track for qualy. Dominguez and Papis likely not to be out there until tomorrow.

edit: Simmons was not charged with an attempt. The crew screwed up and did not give the OK for a qualifying attempt.

[ÜberDoober]

Too dang busy to keep up today. Will start watching when it comes on TV.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/230update.jpg

What's going on with AJIV?

[ÜberDoober]

Caught the last of the broadcast today...too bad that Foyt didn't get a run in. I'm watching them shove the gearbox back in with 10 minutes to and think for a driver, that's got to be not too confidence inspiring.

We'll see what happens on Sunday! :)

[ÜberDoober]

What rotten luck for Foyt! What a firey crash! :ack2:

[ÜberDoober]

That last few minutes was great! Thought Dominguez had it until he crashed. All very cool stuff.

I have more interest in the 500 this year than I remember for quite some time. For a dedicated Champ Car fan, that's somewhat of a surprise.:)

[LittleAlguy]

Wow, what a last half-hour. While there may not have been the amount of cars trying to bump into the field as people would have hoped for as a result of unification, it sure made up for it with that session. I give props to A.J. IV for finally getting in, Roth for putting in a good run, and for Lazier for pulling out those laps without putting time out on track to test out adjustments (I wasn't around to see Bump Days of yore but Lazier's run seemed to be what people talked about back in the days). I feel bad and would like to give plenty of kudos to Papis, Yasukawa, Giebler, and most dramatically Dominguez on giving it their all to try to make the field but falling short for one reason or another.

Aside from the fact that MD is A-OK, which is always good to hear, he sure will get the Mexico City Tourism board some free publicity ending the month the way he did even though he and the team didn't reach the goal of making the race.

Though I noted that Papis was among the drivers to sweat on Bump Day, I am surprised that they were not able to make the field. Then again, it wouldn't be a "true" Indy month without a surprise or two.