Double-File Restarts at Infineon

[WNY24Fan]

I have a question WNYfan... How are they going to handle the chicane on the yellow flag lap taking the green? It seems to me that the distance from the chicane to the line isn't all that far and it'll be tough for then to double up after single filing it. . I don't see any way they'll go through the chicane double wide.

Thoughts?

As Mag said, there's still quite a distance from the chicane before they get to the front stretch. They really don't start picking up speed until they come under the bridge on the front stretch since the green flag is about in the middle. From where I sit, I can only see the front stretch and the chicane on the jumbotron.

BTW - Thanks for calling it the CHICANE. We don't know where the heck they came up with the name "bus stop." I come from a family that was going down there for years before NASCAR even came on the scene and it's never been called that until recently. My husband, brothers, etc., like to go to other races there since they really enjoy watching from the boot, which NASCAR doesn't use.

 

[Magnethead]

As Mag said, there's still quite a distance from the chicane before they get to the front stretch. They really don't start picking up speed until they come under the bridge on the front stretch since the green flag is about in the middle. From where I sit, I can only see the front stretch and the chicane on the jumbotron.

BTW - Thanks for calling it the CHICANE. We don't know where the heck they came up with the name "bus stop." I come from a family that was going down there for years before NASCAR even came on the scene and it's never been called that until recently. My husband, brothers, etc., like to go to other races there since they really enjoy watching from the boot, which NASCAR doesn't use.

i think nascar should use the boot and carosel at watkins and sonoma respectively...better racing than the shortcuts.

The term bus stop comes from Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium). Before Spa became a "closed course" (Like LeMans, it still is partly public i think), the part where they used to have the chicane, was literally a public road bus stop- The public traffic went by while the buss(es) parked on what became the chicane to load passengers. And so the name stuck- it is/was formally called the "bus stop" chicane, until it was reconfigured to make Max Mosley happy. Watkins and some other road courses use the exact same chicane size, so they are dubbed "bus stop" chicanes as well.

 

[WNY24Fan]

i think nascar should use the boot and carosel at watkins and sonoma respectively...better racing than the shortcuts.

The term bus stop comes from Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium). Before Spa became a "closed course" (Like LeMans, it still is partly public i think), the part where they used to have the chicane, was literally a public road bus stop- The public traffic went by while the buss(es) parked on what became the chicane to load passengers. And so the name stuck- it is/was formally called the "bus stop" chicane, until it was reconfigured to make Max Mosley happy. Watkins and some other road courses use the exact same chicane size, so they are dubbed "bus stop" chicanes as well.

Thanks, Mag! It's funny because it totally bugs my husband and me when they call it that. LOL

 

[Magnethead]

Thanks, Mag! It's funny because it totally bugs my husband and me when they call it that. LOL

now you have the reason

 

[foehammer111]

Thanks, Mag! It's funny because it totally bugs my husband and me when they call it that. LOL

That term is starting to be picked up and used at a lot of tracks that have a similar chicane. I think it's really more because of the media that it catches on.

For example, some announcers (especially on SPEED) have backgrounds in covering open-wheel and sports-car series. Thus they pick up the term, and use it regardless of what they're covering. At the 24 Hours of Daytona this year, they used the term all the time for the chicane along the backstretch.

I don't mind the term, but a lot of times it's used to incorrectly identify any chicane. Not just ones like the one in Spa.

 

[Magnethead]

That term is starting to be picked up and used at a lot of tracks that have a similar chicane. I think it's really more because of the media that it catches on.

For example, some announcers (especially on SPEED) have backgrounds in covering open-wheel and sports-car series. Thus they pick up the term, and use it regardless of what they're covering. At the 24 Hours of Daytona this year, they used the term all the time for the chicane along the backstretch.

I don't mind the term, but a lot of times it's used to incorrectly identify any chicane. Not just ones like the one in Spa.

true.

the one at Daytoner (it's not Daytona, to the euro's..listen to the broadcast) is too big and fast to be considered a bus stop i think...

 

[John Galt]

BTW - Thanks for calling it the CHICANE. We don't know where the heck they came up with the name "bus stop." I come from a family that was going down there for years before NASCAR even came on the scene and it's never been called that until recently. My husband, brothers, etc., like to go to other races there since they really enjoy watching from the boot, which NASCAR doesn't use.

Mags beat me to giving an explanation for "Bus Stop," though I did learn one thing I previously didn't know, Thanks.

How the ESPN hacks picked it up is beyond me. It's a chicane, and a classical example of one, for that matter.

I'm dating myself a bit but I think it would be a kick if, somehow, they would run the race on the old existing roads course on the outskirts of Watkins Glen. Impossible? Sure. But I think it'd be a hoot.

 

[Magnethead]

Mags beat me to giving an explanation for "Bus Stop," though I did learn one thing I previously didn't know, Thanks.

How the ESPN hacks picked it up is beyond me. It's a chicane, and a classical example of one, for that matter.

I'm dating myself a bit but I think it would be a kick if, somehow, they would run the race on the old existing roads course on the outskirts of Watkins Glen. Impossible? Sure. But I think it'd be a hoot.

I think the drivers would like a street course....

Goodyear would have a chit fit though.

 

[John Galt]

I think the drivers would like a street course....

Goodyear would have a chit fit though.

My opinion is that the same thing wrong with the current road courses is wrong with street courses for full-bodied stock cars, in spades. The courses just are not designed for stock cars. The only road course I can think of, off the top of my head, which showed off the stock cars to their full potential, was Riverside. Watkins Glen comes close, but no cigar.

What I would like to see is to have someone sit down and design a road courses around stock cars. Wide turns with varying camber and a track where passing can be accomplished on fully 2/3's of the track.

A lot of stock car fans don't care for Sonoma because they view it as a track where, except for a couple of spots, the track encourages follow-the-leader racing. Finesse is admired in SCCA circles but to your average stock car fan it's about as exciting as watching grass grow.

The alternative to watching them stay on the current road courses might be to have the teams run compact cars. From a stock car fan's perspective some of the best stock car racing I've seen on a road course is the Koni Challenge. I can't believe the drivers in Cup could put on an equally good, or better show on the twisters in appropriate cars.

(Boy! I bet I just set a bunch of fan's teeth on edge with that last thought. It's only an opinion!)

 

[dragonlady424]

I personally love the road courses and feel that ONE of the chase races should be on a road course. And Like some other comments, i think that remark will set some "purists" teeth on edge too. LOL

 

[Digger]

I personally love the road courses and feel that ONE of the chase races should be on a road course.

Send AutoClub Speedway's race to Portland.

 

[dragonlady424]

Andy, that wasn't even funny. Fontana's AAA race can go whereever, whenever. Just not to rainy Portland!!!!!

Bring Riverside Raceway back!!!!!!!!!

 

[Digger]

Andy, that wasn't even funny. Fontana's AAA race can go whereever, whenever. Just not to rainy Portland!!!!!

Bring Riverside Raceway back!!!!!!!!!

You got a better chance of getting a race in at Portland than you do at Loudon.

Why don't the Northwest fans, who have begged for a race, deserve one?

 

[SlowNeasy]

Why don't the Northwest fans, who have begged for a race, deserve one?

well we could start with they haven't managed to build a facility under a dome yet. <g> the question would be will the race get in at all on a given weekend rather than who would win it.