Lessons Learned from Memorial Day Weekend Racing

LouieLouie

LouieLouie

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As the title states, what did you learn over the weekend?

1. Indycar broke their aero package (specifically for the 500). The race was still interesting to watch but not as interesting as the previous few years. IMO.
2. Poor, Poor Danica.
3. Sherry Pollex > Liz Power, even though I think they are both sweet.
4. I don't have ESPN so I couldn't watch the F1 race. They replayed it on ABC after the 500, but something about watching a rerun of a race just didn't appeal to me. Plus they didn't show any of the pre-race which is most of the fun at Monaco.
5. The 600 was pretty interesting without the ASR package. Looks like the Chevys are finally starting to slowly catch up.
6. I found myself really enjoying the indycar race without the stages. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but for some reason I just enjoyed it. I think I really liked the pit strategy involved. Not sure.
 
Monaco - I got my annual dose of F1, reminding me again why this is the only race I watch from that series. Nice parade for the holiday.

Indy - There have been better 500s but I enjoyed it. I wish at least one of the Brazilians would have finished; I was pulling for both to win.

Charlotte - FOX did a better than average job of showing us the racing back in the pack.
 
The trophy for best race for a belly laugh of the day goes to Indycar. Closing laps, announcers were busting a vein, can he make it on fuel, I don't know if he can, there is no way he can, right? on and on. I'm paying attention, and then I swear it caught me funny. It looked like two cars minus blinkers exiting left off onto a interstate ramp. I busted out laughing, Ya built me up just to let me down..ha ha that's racing sometimes.
 
LouieLouie said:
As the title states, what did you learn over the weekend?
1. Indycar broke their aero package (specifically for the 500). The race was still interesting to watch but not as interesting as the previous few years. IMO.
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Think the high heat played a role. All the racers around Carb Day when they knew what the weekend weather would look like thought the track was going to be so slick that passing would be less. And then you still had guys like Rossi that were passing guys at will on the outside at times. That guy is going to be a multiple-time champion at current rate. He's just fast.
4. I don't have ESPN so I couldn't watch the F1 race. They replayed it on ABC after the 500, but something about watching a rerun of a race just didn't appeal to me. Plus they didn't show any of the pre-race which is most of the fun at Monaco.
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You didn't miss much.
5. The 600 was pretty interesting without the ASR package. Looks like the Chevys are finally starting to slowly catch up.
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My biggest takeaway from the 600 is you had a driver that was super dominant and yet did not lead by more than 3 seconds for most of it. Almost like he got a small lead and then was just passing time.
This is the first time since Gordon in the mid-90s you can just pencil in a winner every race and where those guys don't win it's not the norm. I'd pencil in from here "Harvick or Kyle Busch". No one else can compete with them week-to-week at this point.

StandOnIt said:
The trophy for best race for a belly laugh of the day goes to Indycar. Closing laps, announcers were busting a vein, can he make it on fuel, I don't know if he can, there is no way he can, right? on and on. I'm paying attention, and then I swear it caught me funny. It looked like two cars minus blinkers exiting left off onto a interstate ramp. I busted out laughing, Ya built me up just to let me down..ha ha that's racing sometimes.
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There was no way any of them were going to make it unless another caution flag flew. We did a pool where I was at and one guy was "hey, I have Servia!". I told him, "he can't make it, don't worry". Dixon is recognized as the best guy in the paddock at saving fuel and still driving fast. He pitted a few laps after they did. And that strategy was out the window for working when Dixon got passed by Power in the preceding green flag run.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Monaco - I got my annual dose of F1, reminding me again why this is the only race I watch from that series. Nice parade for the holiday.
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Charlie, even people who watch nearly every F1 race like me don't watch Monaco expecting it to be anything but processional.

Heck, even the drivers who race in it...



Yeah, Alonso will be back at Indy instead next year.
 
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gnomesayin said:
Charlie, even people who watch nearly every F1 race like me don't watch Monaco expecting it to be anything but processional.

Heck, even the drivers who race in it...



Yeah, Alonso will be back at Indy instead next year.
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So I should give it a shot at some other track? Recommendation, please.
 
People don't watch Monaco for the racing, they watch for the spectacle. Even then, though, it was better than usual. Intriguing race.

Indianapolis was a great race as usual, though not as exciting as the past.

Charlotte .... I don't even bother to watch the 600 anymore. Longer than usual night race at a brobdingnagian. Three strikes.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Oh, and I learned that FOX still hasn't figured out a good use for its fly-by-wire camera gimmick. I'd pay for a camara feed that was all overhead all the time.
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I never understood why they don't just take a camera feed from one of the seats as if you were there at the race. You don't need to show it every lap, but they also don't show the bumper cam every lap (for good reasons). So many opportunities for improved camera angles.
 
StandOnIt said:
The trophy for best race for a belly laugh of the day goes to Indycar. Closing laps, announcers were busting a vein, can he make it on fuel, I don't know if he can, there is no way he can, right? on and on. I'm paying attention, and then I swear it caught me funny. It looked like two cars minus blinkers exiting left off onto a interstate ramp. I busted out laughing, Ya built me up just to let me down..ha ha that's racing sometimes.
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Yeah that was crazy. I was scratching my head at that one too. You are leading the indy 500 with 4 laps to go and you decide to pit? I'm no conspiracy theorist but even I thought that looked a little suspicious.
 
I liked the Monaco race, it was riveting to me waiting for Riccardio’s gearbox to break apart and it just never did. Vettel just never pounced, couldn’t believe him and Ferrari didn’t see the blood in the water. Someone here posted earlier people watch for the spectacle that is Monaco and that’s what it is, I love that race. I wish I was in a tax bracket to attend it but Sunday morning in front of my tv knowing I don’t have to work the next day is good enough for me. The Indy Car 500, Alex Rossi stole the show for me, what a bad ass driver. And as for the Coke 600, very cool watching Kyle kick everyone’s behind, I’m all in for Harvick vs Busch
 
Snappy D said:
I liked the Monaco race, it was riveting to me waiting for Riccardio’s gearbox to break apart and it just never did. Vettel just never pounced, couldn’t believe him and Ferrari didn’t see the blood in the water. Someone here posted earlier people watch for the spectacle that is Monaco and that’s what it is, I love that race. I wish I was in a tax bracket to attend it but Sunday morning in front of my tv knowing I don’t have to work the next day is good enough for me. The Indy Car 500, Alex Rossi stole the show for me, what a bad ass driver. And as for the Coke 600, very cool watching Kyle kick everyone’s behind, I’m all in for Harvick vs Busch
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Imagine trying to pass at Monaco
 
LouieLouie said:
So many opportunities for improved camera angles.
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So many existing good camera angles underused in favor of overused gimmicks - in-car, in-track, fly-by-wire, helmet cams, etc.
kyle18fan said:
Imagine trying to pass at Monaco
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As far as I could tell, that's the only way you'll see one - imagining it. Sorry, I'm not big on spectacle, especially when it's wrapped around something unspectacular.
 
Monaco was mostly a high speed parade. I was surprised to see three different teams at the front.

Indy was more interesting to watch but not as good as some previous years; it looked like the cars couldn't close up.

Charlotte was better than average for the 600, I thought the extra stage helped the race. The racing was pretty good throughout the field.
 
DIDIT said:
I learned that it is really hard to pace yourself for this special racing day when you start drinking with Monaco. I almost made it, but fell asleep during the last stage. I will try again next year and hopefully be able to pull it off!
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Note to self,I fell asleep sounds much better than what you have previously told co-workers. LOL.
Thanks DIDIT !
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Charlotte - FOX did a better than average job of showing us the racing back in the pack.
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I thought so too, with the exception of the last stage. Then it turned into the Kyle Busch show, and all they seemed to do was focus on and talk about him. Before that though, yes, there was good racing all over, and they showed it.
 
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