2018 Indianapolis -- Big Machine Vodka 400 - Pre-Race Thread

Out the following week after heat exhaustion? Never in my 40 + years of racing have I heard that one before.
Have to remember Kasey is also in top tier shape as a cyclist.

Kasey was absolutely wiped after his Brickyard win last season.

Makes me wonder if his prehydration schedules and/or conditioning techniques are coming up short.

Or he could just have the flu.
 
Out the following week after heat exhaustion? Never in my 40 + years of racing have I heard that one before.
I saw it in the National Guard a couple of times. Someone would overdo it on a summer day while wearing MOPP gear (heavy quilted clothing and gas mask worn to during chemical attacks). Depending on the severity, it wasn't uncommon to have him or her restricted to A/C'ed buildings for several days, medically barred from returning to field training. Besides the impact on the soldier's health, the unit would be short-handed during the most important training event of year.
 
The effects of extreme heat exhaustion can last a week. Once you’ve had it you’re more susceptible.
I've had it. Spent 2 day's in the hospital and about a month to get over it. And as you say I had to be more careful because after that it came on quicker. Extreme is the defining word here.
 
I've had it. Spent 2 day's in the hospital and about a month to get over it. And as you say I had to be more careful because after that it came on quicker. Extreme is the defining word here.
I got in 2012. I was found unconscious. 6 hours in the hospital, 3 liters of fluid in my arm. Roached my right kidney a bit. The pain in my back on the right side was severe enough that I needed help walking.
 
2004-Jeff.jpg
I don’t see Hipster Rutledge or the NBC pick up truck racing over to JG for an interview...BTW Jeff’s 2014 Brickyard win is in my top 3 of his favorite victories ever.
 
Here we are again on a Friday leading up to the final race before the playoffs and not one practice session scheduled today. I hope NASCAR and the owners are enjoying not spending that money for travel today. Wheres the build up?
 
I don’t see Hipster Rutledge or the NBC pick up truck racing over to JG for an interview...BTW Jeff’s 2014 Brickyard win is in my top 3 of his favorite victories ever.
2014 win makes up for Paul Menards fluke while Jeff had him in his sights.
 
Here we are again on a Friday leading up to the final race before the playoffs and not one practice session scheduled today. I hope NASCAR and the owners are enjoying not spending that money for travel today. Wheres the build up?

There stopped being any buildup for this race when they moved the race to Sunday. In NASCAR's mad dash to homogenize EVERYTHING, they took away just about anything that made this event stand out in the early years, from being a Saturday race to extra practice sessions, the support races at IRP, having the drivers come to town early and do fan related events, everything. For quite some time it has felt like just another stop on the circuit, no different than New Hampshire or Kansas. They had done the exact same thing with the Southern 500 until somebody finally got their head out of their butt and actually worked again to build up some buzz and excitement about the race.
 
Here we are again on a Friday leading up to the final race before the playoffs and not one practice session scheduled today. I hope NASCAR and the owners are enjoying not spending that money for travel today. Wheres the build up?
No excitement either on social media for Brickyard weekend.
 
Here we are again on a Friday leading up to the final race before the playoffs and not one practice session scheduled today. I hope NASCAR and the owners are enjoying not spending that money for travel today. Wheres the build up?
No excitement either on social media for Brickyard weekend.
I doubt there's any build-up or social buzz that could be mounted at this point that will
  • pull casual fans away from opening weekend of the NFL,
  • for a playoff field that is all but locked in already,
  • for a race that's going to delayed until Monday anyway.
 
Jeff Gluck‏Verified account @jeff_gluck
.@kaseykahne is holding a teleconference at this moment. He’s been experiencing some sort of rapid dehydration over the last year that has put his body in dangerous situations despite being in great shape. Until that gets addressed/figured out w/docs, may not be in the car.
Jeff Gluck‏Verified account @jeff_gluck
Kahne just wrapped up a very detailed call about his condition. It’s been quite extreme at times; more serious than most people probably realized. Will have a post up ASAP with his comments.

From Bob Pockrass:
Kasey Kahne, out for the Brickyard 400, says since last year, he is getting worse by end of races with his hydration. He said during Darlington was the worst he has been and lingered all week. He said he was hydrated for four days prior to the race. He said his heart rate was high and he had trouble seeing for final 100 laps of Darlington and couldn't drink over last half of race. He said he vomited several times after the race.
http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-41030913-4
 
I doubt there's any build-up or social buzz that could be mounted at this point that will
  • pull casual fans away from opening weekend of the NFL,
  • for a playoff field that is all but locked in already,
  • for a race that's going to delayed until Monday anyway.
If NASCAR would have told the RTA to kicks rocks that we are running the All Star aero package it damn sure coulda been.
 
More on Kasey Kahne: A bit more in depth.
http://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/s...ey-kahne-says-behind-wheel-dehydration-issues
***********
http://jeffgluck.com/kasey-kahne-extreme-dehydration/
Kahne finished the race — he still managed to get 24th place — then got out of the car and lay down on the pit wall as medical personnel arrived. But his heart rate was still so sky high, the doctor couldn’t get a measurement on his pulse.

He threw up all the way to the infield care center — right in front of fans. Once there, his arms, chest and neck were so cramped, Kahne indicated he had to be held down to get IVs in both arms.
This is what is really scary.
 
Jeff Gluck‏Verified account @jeff_gluck
.@kaseykahne is holding a teleconference at this moment. He’s been experiencing some sort of rapid dehydration over the last year that has put his body in dangerous situations despite being in great shape. Until that gets addressed/figured out w/docs, may not be in the car.
Jeff Gluck‏Verified account @jeff_gluck
Kahne just wrapped up a very detailed call about his condition. It’s been quite extreme at times; more serious than most people probably realized. Will have a post up ASAP with his comments.

From Bob Pockrass:
Kasey Kahne, out for the Brickyard 400, says since last year, he is getting worse by end of races with his hydration. He said during Darlington was the worst he has been and lingered all week. He said he was hydrated for four days prior to the race. He said his heart rate was high and he had trouble seeing for final 100 laps of Darlington and couldn't drink over last half of race. He said he vomited several times after the race.
http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-41030913-4

Scary. Hope they can find the source.
 
If NASCAR would have told the RTA to kicks rocks that we are running the All Star aero package it damn sure coulda been.
Or if they'd put in flaming hoops and a couple of ramps over school buses.

Clarify for me, please. Are you complaining about the lack of media push (as I understand your post #129) or about the wrong aero package (per your post #137)?

Do you think the casual fans who are responsible for Indy's elevated viewing numbers know what the 'All-Star package' is, or care? Would a media push built around it matter to them?
 
I doubt there's any build-up or social buzz that could be mounted at this point that will
  • pull casual fans away from opening weekend of the NFL,
  • for a playoff field that is all but locked in already,
  • for a race that's going to delayed until Monday anyway.

Never have the ratings been strong for the playoffs cutoff race even in years in which many spots were up for grabs. I can't believe anyone still thinks the larger 'casual' audience cares about the playoffs. Cutoff races during the playoffs races do no better either, except for Homestead itself.
 
Or if they'd put in flaming hoops and a couple of ramps over school buses.

Clarify for me, please. Are you complaining about the lack of media push (as I understand your post #129) or about the wrong aero package (per your post #137)?

Do you think the casual fans who are responsible for Indy's elevated viewing numbers know what the 'All-Star package' is, or care? Would a media push built around it matter to them?
In general Im talking about the build up to the playoffs and had they instituted the aero package ( forward thinking) it definitely would be creating more buzz about the race and the possibility of adding the package giving more drivers a chance to advance. So to answer your question, yes.
 
Never have the ratings been strong for the playoffs cutoff race even in years in which many spots were up for grabs. I can't believe anyone still thinks the larger 'casual' audience cares about the playoffs. Cutoff races during the playoffs races do no better either, except for Homestead itself.
Let me be clear, I'm not talking about to draw more people in, I'm talking about for the ones who will be there and watching anyway.
 
In general Im talking about the build up to the playoffs and had they instituted the aero package ( forward thinking) it definitely would be creating more buzz about the race and the possibility of adding the package giving more drivers a chance to advance. So to answer your question, yes.

Nascar is handcuffed into having to give the mega teams a year of warning for any changes to the cars, they gotta have time ya know so they can sic their engineering department on any change and spend millions trying to wring a tenth out of the car. I wonder who came up with that rule? Big Bill kept costs down by saying don't bring that back, I don't like it. Now any change goes thru three committees, drivers, owners, and the RTA.
 
Nascar is handcuffed into having to give the mega teams a year of warning for any changes to the cars, they gotta have time ya know so they can sic their engineering department on any change and spend millions trying to wring a tenth out of the car. I wonder who came up with that rule? Big Bill kept costs down by saying don't bring that back, I don't like it. Now any change goes thru three committees, drivers, owners, and the RTA.
Right and that bull**** has got to go.
 
Let me be clear, I'm not talking about to draw more people in, I'm talking about for the ones who will be there and watching anyway.
They don't need the build-up or social media buzz. As you said, they're going to be there and watching anyway.
 
Now that you've clarified that, I don't think the All-Star package would have affected at-the-track attendance any more than it would the viewing audience. I don't see casual fans buying a ticket based on an aero change they probably don't understand, tested at a race they probably didn't see, any more than it would inspire them to watch it at home.
Never mentioned attendance or television.
 
Let me be clear, I'm not talking about to draw more people in, I'm talking about for the ones who will be there and watching anyway.

The Xfinity package already proved that last year compared to the wreck a thon that was cup racing.
 
huh? You dont think more people would be talking about this race if they had instituted the new aero stuff?
Nope. Race fans might be talking about it more, but we're going to be talking about it anyway, so that's not more people. Non-race fans don't care about aero.
 
They don't need the build-up or social media buzz. As you said, they're going to be there and watching anyway.
No need to take them for granted. You are trying to keep them excited and give them a good product. Fan retention is critical.
 
Nope. Race fans might be talking about it more, but we're going to be talking about it anyway, so that's not more people. Non-race fans don't care about aero.
Sure they would be, lots of fans have push button issues that get them fired up, this is one of them.
 

I have been kind of concerned about Kasey for a LONG time. During his Hendrick tenure, almost every time they would talk to him when he fell out of a race or after a race, he acted strange to me, like there was something wrong. Sometimes it almost seemed like the lights were on but there was nobody home. I don't know if there is a connection or not, but he always seemed kind of hollow after a race compared other times he was interviewed. I hope they find the issue and pray that it's not anything serious or non-correctable.
 
Sure they would be, lots of fans have push button issues that get them fired up, this is one of them.
I've gotten lost here somewhere. I think I've completely misunderstood your original point about 'Where's the build-up?'. Don't worry about it.
 
You can build up the race for those already attending.
Oh, already attending! I thought you expected promotion to increase attendance / viewership among those not previously planning to attend.

I'm not really sure what the goal of that would be, but I'm not a social media user. Just having a ticket is enough build-up for me.

Never mind.
 
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