IRL at Barbers

[chuck schultz]

This must be a big deal, because, after ignoring more than a dozen nationally televised pro races, the Anniston Star sports section actually published something about activities going on at Barber.

Also, I'm not a native, so I need to ask how you define "deep south?" I thought Florida was in the south.

[Jedi1]

No no no, Florida is full of Yankees that moved south, therefore it has negated it's southern status with a century full of retirement move ins. I was born and raised in Virginia about 45 minutes from the capital of the confederacy and apparently I'm not southern either. It's a complicated formula consisting of many things that if written about would somewhat offend most southern folk, but if you question any of the things that seemingly makes one southern on an individual basis they will typically be defended to the death. I can't figure this whole southern thing out, probably because I only thought I was southern.

[FVee90]

eat grits?

[Jedi1]

I have been known to eat the occasional grit. Great with Cheese and Shrimp for some reason.

[WickedLoose]

I was always a CART/ChampCar guy but, when the series "merged", I swallowed my pride and have watched the combined series since.

Yoder is right - they desperately need a new chassis; the Panoz is a beautiful car and it's hard to beat the sound of those 2.65 liter turbocharged Cosworths...

I'll be there and looking forward to, eventually, a new chassis (love to see Lola get back in) + more engine manufacturers.

[Jedi1]

I'm not really sure how to feel about this development. Should I send Mr. Wilson money or just sit here and feel really good that someone agreed with me? I think I'm going for option two.

[chuck schultz]

My first impression of the cars was: almost trucklike compared to most other formula cars I've seen - surprisingly large, at least, but apparently fairly nimble, quick, and durable. They are the fastest lappers I've clocked at BMP, but I did miss that private test a few years ago, before reunification.

[Jedi1]

The Old Lola's were running 1:05's. You'll never find anyone at Barber that will admit it, but they were.

[chuck schultz]

Kanaan ran 1:09's in one of the crapwagons in '07, so they aren't too far off, actually. I wasn't at this year's test, because test days can be excruciatingly boring, even worse than DEs.

[Jedi1]

When you get closer to the one minute mark on a 2.3 mile circuit every second is that much more impressive. Think about 4+ seconds taken off the IRL cars. That's FLYING. And to top it off the Panoz was at the very least 2 full seconds quicker than the Lola around Laguna Seca.

Here's what I want to see. Justin Wilson back in the Panoz at the next IRL gathering. Just let him bring the DP01 out for 1 Thursday test session. It would be a blood bath.

I am hearing from very reliable inside sources that the IRL chassis will have a complete revamp before showing up next year. That coupled with the possibility of Porsche badged as a VW (I would so love that!), Fiat, Audi or BMW power and we might just have a decent show on our hands.I'm hearing that Barber will limit ticket sales to 30,000 and that would be a huge mistake. But I haven't seen Zoom do one thing that makes any sense in the 5 years we've been here, so why would they start now.

The last thing I can't wrap my brain around is safety. These cars are going to need more runoff and less gravel. That coupled with the entire backstretch and the turns 2-3/turns 13-14 areas needing catch fencing that I have heard the top of the food chain does not want to put up. There's allot of work to be done before April.

[chuck schultz]

I think the 30,000 per day limit might be a limit on ticket sales per day, to try to give folks more than a 5-minute period to buy tickets. At least that's the way the wording in the article I saw it in sounded.

I assume that there is already an agreement between the parties about where the catch fencing will be, or they wouldn't have announced. Remember, Birmingham's weather gives them virtually all winter to install it, too. They tore it all down at Talladega, repaved the track, and reinstalled it between races in one summer. That was almost 3 miles of catch fence. I wouldn't be surprised if they were already putting in concrete footers.

[rodhx]

They are already doing dirt work for some sort of small building just inside the track through the tunnel. I saw it while working station 14 @ the Grand Am race. The guys I was working with said it was for the Indycar race.

[Jedi1]

It's the place for Danica to go whine in private? I went there. It was so easy I couldn't resist it.

[rodhx]

I wish I had thought of that!

[WickedLoose]

It's the place for Danica to go whine in private? I went there. It was so easy I couldn't resist it.

LOL!

If Danica has somewhere to whine, you know that Marco will have to have his own place. I believe that ABC/Versus pre-records his whines before every race.