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waluigi
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waluigi
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Shepherd

The end of the month of May is fast approaching, which means the Indy 500 is almost upon us. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Indy 500, making it even more special to win.
Today was pole day qualifications, where the first 24 drivers in a field of 33 were set. Surprisingly, Alex Tagliani grabbed the pole position, the first time it has not been earned by a Penske of Ginassi car since 2005. Second is Scott Dixon, who will be looking for his second victory at Indy. Third place went to Oriol Servia in his best qualifying effort yet in the Indycar series.
Surprisingly, Helio Castroneves did not have a good qualifying time. Even more surprising is that his team mate, Ryan Briscoe, failed to be in the top 24, very strange for a Penske driver. Even more so, Andretti Autosport had 1 out of 5 cars make it in. Just a crazy day.

Tomorrow begins bump day qualifying, and then next Sunday, the 500 starts. Who will win the Greatest Spectacle in Racing?

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Maverick4
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Maverick4
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Surprisingly, Helio Castroneves did not have a good qualifying time. Even more surprising is that his team mate, Ryan Briscoe, failed to be in the top 24, very strange for a Penske driver. Even more so, Andretti Autosport had 1 out of 5 cars make it in. Just a crazy day.


When they spoke of the end of the world, may be this is what they were refering to? Thats crazy, as you said. May be not so much Andretti, but Ryan Briscoe, thats a real shocker.
waluigi
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waluigi
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Shepherd

When they spoke of the end of the world, may be this is what they were refering to?

Ur Funneh!

One thing I forgot to mention, Dario Franchitti ran out of fuel in his qualifying attempt in the "fast 9" segment. Someone is getting fired from Ginassi's team...
knight_34
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knight_34
13,817 posts
Farmer

I mainly came to this thread because of..

Second is Scott Dixon, who will be looking for his second victory at Indy.


I'm obliged to support New Zealand sportsmen.

Honestly I don't know too much about the IndyCar Series. I'll sit back and educate myself.
waluigi
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waluigi
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Shepherd

I'm obliged to support New Zealand sportsmen.


And I'd say you're routing for one of the best in indycars. He has a pretty good shot at victory, and apparently really should have won the pole, but he ran out of fuel in turn 4 of the last lap.

Even more drama on bump day qualifying for the 500, as two Andretti Autosport cars will not be racing next Sunday. Both Ryan Hunter-Raey and Mike Conway failed to be in the field of 33, while team mates Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti, and John Andretti will be racing. Paul Tracy and Ryan Briscoe also managed there ways into the field after dismal attempts in yesterday's qualification attempts.
This year will see 4 woman driving in the race, the most ever in any major event at the speedway. Simona de Selvestro, Danica Patrick, Pippa Mann, and Ana Beatriz all made it, with Selvestro being the fastest of the women drivers.

The starting line-up for this year's Indy 500 is:

Row 1: Alex Tagliani, Scott Dixon, Oriol Servia
Row 2: Townsend Bell, Will Power, Dan Wheldon
Row 3: Buddy Rice, Ed Carpenter, Dario Franchitti
Row 4: Takuma Sato, Vitor Meira, J.R. Hildebrand
Row 5: James Hinchliffe, Bertrand Baguette, Davey Hamilton
Row 6: Helio Castroneves, John Andretti, E.J. Viso
Row 7: Bruno Junqueira, Justin Wilson, Jay Howard
Row 8: Thomas Scheckter, Tony Kanaan, Simona de Silverstro
Row 9: Paul Tracy, Danica Patrick, Ryan Briscoe
Row 10: Marco Andretti, Charlie Kimball, Graham Rahal
Row 11: Alex Lloyd, Pippa Mann, Ana Beatriz

So less than a week now until the race. Who will win? Find out next Sunday. I hopefully will actually be at the race, so long as it doesn't rain.
knight_34
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knight_34
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Farmer

And I'd say you're rooting for one of the best in indycars. He has a pretty good shot at victory, and apparently really should have won the pole, but he ran out of fuel in turn 4 of the last lap.


From the quick reading I did on IndyCars, I could tell he was somewhere up there. All the Indy 500 news coverage here was: Dixon failed to win the pole, fuel mishap.

I'll be keeping an eye.
waluigi
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waluigi
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Shepherd

So more news. Ryan Hunter-Raey had "bought" his way into the field. He will be taking the place of Bruno Junqueira, but will still drive the car Bruno was supposed to. This is definitely unfair, as Bruno didn't even get a say in the matter. But as the saying goes, "money talks".

A bit random, but...
I remember when Dixon won the Indy 500 in 2008, Dixon thought that another man from New Zealand was giving him free land. Turns out the guy actually said lamb. Dixon was definitely surprised by that.

waluigi
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waluigi
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Shepherd

Well, tommorow is the 95th Indy 500. Who will win? Will Penske and Gianassi continue their dominance, or will another team like Sam Schmidt or Newman/Hass take victory? Tune in tommorow at 11:00 A.M. Eastern Time for the start of the Indy 500 on ABC.

waluigi
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waluigi
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Shepherd

So, yesterday's race had the most crazy ending to a race I've ever seen. With about 30 laps to go, green flag pit stops began. Some people tryed to stay out, so Danica Patrick led a few laps before being passed by Bertrand Baugette. Baugette stayed out until about three laps to go, where J.R. Hildebrand took the lead. Meanwhile, Dan Wheldon took over second as Scott Dixon slowed to conserve fuel. He was short filled. again. Hildebrand had the lead through the final lap. In the last turn, he crashed. In the last turn! Dan Wheldon wound up taking his second Indy 500 victory due to this. Wheldon had been in the top 5 all day, so it was not like he was a back marker who had excellent pit strategy to take victory.
The Ginassi cars dominated the race, with Dixon and Franchitti swapping positions multiple times before the final round of pit stops.
Only one caution resulted directly from one of the double file restarts, and that came with E.J. Viso, who almost always crashes. I was actually at the race, so I got to see a majority of the crashes. Heck, the crash between Ryan Briscoe and Towsend Bell happened right in front of me. That race was the most bizarre that I've ever seen. And I feel bad for J.R. So close.

The final results of the 95th Indy 500
1: Dan Wheldon
2. J.R. Hildebrand
3. Graham Rahal
4. Tony Kanaan
5. Scott Dixon
6. Oriol Servia
7. Bertrand Baugette
8. Thomas Scheckter
9. Marco Andretti
10. Danica Patrick
11. Ed Carpenter
12. Dario Franchitti
13. Charlie Kimball
14. Will Power
15. Vitor Meira
16. Justin Wilson
17. Helio Castroneves
18. Buddy Rice
19. Alex Lloyd
20. Pippa Mann
21. Ana Beatriz
22. John Andretti
23. Ryan Hunter-Raey
24. Davey Hamilton
25. Paul Tracy
26. Townsend Bell
27. Ryan Briscoe
28. Alex Tagliani
29. James Hinchcliffe
30. Jay Howard
31. Simona de Silvestro
32. E.J. Viso
33. Takuma Sato


http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Dan_Wheldon_Indy_500_winner.jpg
Congratulations to Dan Wheldon!

knight_34
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knight_34
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I was disappointed Dixon lost. Though really, I'm more sympathetic for the rookie that crashed. Congratulations to Wheldon though.

I was actually at the race, so I got to see a majority of the crashes


Woo.
waluigi
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waluigi
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Shepherd

Just got carried away. Being at the race is something special in itself.

I felt sorry for Hildebrand too. That may have been the cruelest thing I've ever seen at the speedway. From what I've heard, he was bawling his eyes out at the care center after his crash. I don't blame him. That may have been his only shot at winning the 500.

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