Battle on The Bricks leaves me feeling Deflated

And it’s got nothing to do with the long forgotten MSR Tyregate fiasco…

 

Full disclosure, obviously I scribbled this awhile ago, immediately after the race. In order to have something to post on No Fenders when I’d originally planned to procrastinate upon having thoust Confuzer’ in the shop for a tune-up…

 

Yet the joke’s on me once again, thanks Microsoft! Having pulled the proverbial plug upon Mwah Wayback on Thursday, September 24th, but I digress…

 

By Gummit’, where’s ‘Ol Forrest Gump when Yuhs need Him, Eh? As you’d have thought I would have been “Jazzed” up over tuning into a fall motor race, now that IndyCar’s gone into its ridiculous six months winter hibernation, Yawn!

 

This summer, when trying to listen online to le 24 Heurs du Mans, all three of my web browsers gave me serious alerts for Hackers possibly targeting my machine after having clicked on the RS2 radio feed via IMSA Radio, Say What! And since these warnings failed to go away, I had to scramble to learn another way to listen to IMSA Sports car races, Sigh!

 

My latest website is MyTuner Radio, which works fine, with the exception of the volume being constantly wonky all race long, Urgh! As the volume went up ‘n down repeatedly as I had to keep jacking up the volume to hear the muted tone of John Hindhaugh, whilst Ryan Marin was shouting at me! Not to mention pitlane reporter ArJuna’s interviews starting off loud and then diminishing – before returning to the booth had their sound level too loud, Oh Never Mind!

 

Thus, naturally this makes following a race annoying to say the least! And I don’t know if it’s a broadcast problema or my Spectrum internet provider’s?

 

It’s odd how Deflated I felt at race’s end. As I like both Jack Achey-Breaky’ Aitken and Laurin Heinrich equally. With these two protagonists vying for the Drivers title. Yet I find myself wanting Heinrich to win over Aitken for reasons unknown. Other than He seems to have had the better season, with three wins vs. Aitken’s two.

 

Yet Aitken’s been more consistent, winning at Detroit and Watkins glen. Along with a total of seven podiums; four runner-up and one third place finishes prior to Road Atlanta’s season finale. With his Road America contretemps with Porsche’s Kevin Estre netting an eighth-place result.

 

Heinrich, who’s raced in three different Porsche’s, has six podiums. Having won the first two events aboard the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport entry. (Daytona-Sebring) And then securing the first customer Porsche win with JDC Miller Motorsport at Laguna Seca; one runner-up and two third place finishes. While a sixth and 11th at Long Beach and Detroit blot his copybook. Being 147 points behind Aitken entering Petit Le Mans.

 

As Heinrich needs a miracle to win the title, since basically if Aitken and Co. finish ninth or better at Road Atlanta, I believe He wins the championship.

 

Actually, Aitken effectively clinched the title by qualifying ahead of Heinrich at Road Atlanta…

 

Although I don’t want Penske to win every race, following Sebring, IMSA slapped the maximum allowable penalty of 45 kilos, approx. 100lbs of additional ballast to the 963 Panzerwagens, Youch! And the Porsche’s haven’t been able to win since.

 

While if I put my tin-foil hat on, it’s a bit disconcerting that the (AXR) Whelen Engineering Caddy’ with ties to IMSA’s owner NASCAR is leading the points battle…

 

Yes, I was happy that Sheldon van der Linde passed Earl Bamber for the lead with five minutes remaining, and scored BMW Team WRT’s debutante IMSA GTP victory! But I was hoping more for Heinrich to pass Bamber for second, which didn’t happen.

 

A similar feeling swept over Mwah for the outcome of the GTD Pro category. Yeah, I was happy that Dennis Olsen held off Nicky Catsburg for the win in the No. 64 “Darkhorse” Ford Mustang after Bangin’ doors with the Corvette. But I’d wanted the young lion Nikita Johnson on the fuel-save of his life to claim victory instead.

 

Reigning Indy NXT champion Johnson was trying to score Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s (RLLR) maiden GTD Pro win with its NO. 59 factory McLaren 720s on an audacious fuel strategy. With John Hindhaugh noting Johnson had come up just five seconds short! And if the last lap had been 1:18 vs. 1:23 – requiring another circuit round the Speedway, Johnson wouldn’t have needed to pit for a splash of fuel with one-lap remaining…

 

Yet IndyCar driver Christian Rasmussen proved it was possible to go exceedingly long on a tank of racing petrol. As the Dane’ stretched his No. 18 ERA Motorsport Oreaca’s fuel load, winning the LMP2 category for his third win on the Brickyard’s permanent road course.

 

Cannot recall hearing of such a rule before. But the dominant GT Daytona (GTD) class winners Windward Racing had to drop to the rear of the field after failing to return to the pitlane during the reconnaissance lap before the pits closed prior to race’s start.

 

Although Russell Ward drove towards the front. One could say this violation enabled the No. 96 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 Evo of Patrick Gallagher and Robby Foley to hang on for the win, barely ahead of Windwards’ No. 57 Mercedes at the stripe!

 

The win was Turner’s first in two-plus years, last winning at Road America in August, 2024.

 

And even though it was an entertaining race, I just didn’t feel any euphoria after a three hours cruise of the volume constantly going up-down-up like a raging sea with Gilligan at the tiller… 

Two Top Racing Teams Implode!

Or should the number have been three?

 

Alright, it wasn’t quite that bad, but I had to come up with some clever title, Eh?

 

As sorry if you’re still looking for some riveting IndyCar recap of our latest Oval race, as I’ve got Zip, Nada Nothing! Since I’ve still got the weekend of Toronto and the Hungaroring on my mind…

 

It was Uber funny how Mark Gravelly’ James, IndyCar Radio’s lead announcer jumped All over how Kyle Moyer, Scott McLaughlin’s strategist had been saying during the red flag period at Toronto. How the team All works together, and All of the drivers get on with each other. As it’s All for one, i.e.; Team Penske, Blah-Blah-Blah…

 

As that was before Wilbur’ “Mr. Ed” Power made a Boneheaded decision to attempt passing teammate ScottyMac’ in Turn-5 where nobody had been able to pass!

 

As I absolutely loved how McLaughlin sarcastically clapped as Power went by before climbing into the AMR safety vehicle! Not to mention McLaughlin rightly being still Hot under the collar when interviewed after the race’s end!

 

With Davey Hamilton belabouring the point repeatedly how Power went from being 33-points behind points leader Alex Palou, to now being 49-points adrift. (Following Toronto) Not to mention All three Penske’s being inside the Top-10 before resuming racing after the red flag….

 

Oh yeah, almost forgot about the G-R-R-reat Josef Newgarden  self inflicting another wound upon His wilting championship hopes! As Schlick’ ran wide or off track at race’s end and finished P11, the highest finishing Penske. As Power was P12 and McLaughlin thru NO fault of His own, was scored one lap down in P16.

 

Whilst how ‘bout that “Davey” Malukas in the Oh Kanaduh’ Tragically Hip mobile, aboard the No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing entry. As Malukas finished sixth, His first Top-10 of His truncated season…

 

While I still marvel over Theo Pourschair’s Madcap scramble across thoust Gory Puddle from France to the Toronto paddock with 62mins to spare! Before being the highest finishing McLaren in 14th.

 

Meanwhile, Colton Herta serenely led 81 of the 85-laps, effectively leading wire-to-wire! His first win in 41 races, since the spring Indy GP of 2022, Yikes!

 

Dixon went from P15 to third and Palou went from P18 to fourth! With three Ganassi cars in the Top-5, with Marcus Armstrong fifth. While All three Penske’s summarily imploded due to self-annihilation…

 

Meanwhile you could definitely say that the Unga-Boring’, ergo Hungarian Grand Prix was anything but boring this year!

 

Although I must confess I fell asleep midway thru the race’s encore presentation on le Deusch’, nee ESPN2 Sunday evening. And thus missed the whole McLaren pitstop shenanigans. Which basically boiled down to the team not firmly explaining to Lando Norris their intent of Him resuming second after this final pitstop!

 

As Racer’s Chris Medalin’s pointed out. The Delta between pitstops at Budapest is 20 seconds. And Lewis Hamilton who was coming like a freight train had carved the gap down to 22.5 seconds when McLaren told Lando to Box-box-box! Thus leaving Norris out any longer would have conceivably saw Sir Lewis jump the Mclaren for second place…

 

I was rootin’ for Oscar Piastri to win His maiden Grand Prix. But with Norris’s indignant self preservation over the final twenty laps reaching a crescendo. I have to say that Piastri’s win felt overly anti-climatic to Mwah!

 

And then there was vintage Maximus’ Hothead on display thru the entire race. Beginning with Max wingeing over His in-car radio about having to give second place bact to Lando after advancing with an off-track pass. As Verstappen got more ‘n more cranked up All race long, boiling over with His poorly judged pass upon Hamilton for third place! Seeing Max’s Red Bull getting airbourne; No Red Bull gives you wings Jokes here! Before Verstappen was forced to settle for fifth place. Ooh, poor Max. And no, I’m not gonna F-Off Max!

 

As understandably, but not deserved. Piastri was subdued over the radio and during the podium interviews following His first win. As McLaren really made a mess of this! But I enjoyed hearing the Australian National Anthem being played for the first time in several years. Since I didn’t bother to “watch”, Err listen to DannyRic’s (Ricciardo) Monaco victory in 2021… 

INDYCAR: Robb Walks Away from Big Accident

As four cars were Done Torn Up at race’s end!

 

It’s pretty sad that Sting Ray robb’s last lap accident aboard the No. 41 A.J. Foyt Enterprises Dallara Chevy was more exciting than the race itself!

 

As Robb apparently was caught off guard over a slowing Alexander Rossi, whose Arrow McLaren Chevrolet ran out of fuel on the final lap of Sunday’s Iowa IndyCar race.

 

As Robb clipped Rossi’s rear wheel and was launched skywards, barrel rolling at least twice before coming to a stop upside down upon His Aeroscreen!

 

After being taken to a nearby local Hospital for further imaging, Robb was released from Hospital and got away with a nasty accident!

 

Following the race, a terse Rossi when interviewed by IndyCar Radio said He’d run out of fuel when asked what happened? Saying the team just isn’t executing…

 

Having to make you wonder if Rossi’s somewhat relieved to be leaving Arrow McLaren at season’s end… 

Some brief IndyCar “Tech” Talk

As how come those darn Flinstones’ were Hard as Rocks?

 

Although I haven’t been reading Racer’s Mailbag lately. I did listen to Marshall Pruett’s The Week in IndyCar March 13th edition recently.

 

Regarding all of the reported grousing over the St Pete season opener being a Dud! Marshall pointed out one fact that seems to not be being discussed.

 

The current spec Dallara DW12 which ironically contested it’s 200th race at St Pete, is currenty 30-31 pounds lighter than it’s predecessor – due to the weight savings initiatives taken for the coming (Hybrid) Energy Recovery System (ERS) slated for this July.

 

Yet as Pruett sagely points out. Firestone had to make it’s tyres for the perceived debut of the DW12 with Hybrid technology at St Pete, where it was originally planned to debut. And thus Firestone has had to produce harder, longer lasting tyres that can withstand the added burden the ERS will place upon the rear tyres. Along with producing various 2024 rubber compounds for the first half of the year which now is non-hybrid.

 

Pruett notes how yes, it would have been nice to have added an additional ten laps to St Pete’s total, i.e.; 110 vs. 100 which would have given teams the option to run a three stop strategy. But we only had 100-laps and tyres that didn’t degrade quickly due to the perceived arrival of the DW12 with ERS. And so none of the drivers were overly enticed to take any daring overtaking risks. And hence, St Pete became processional, which has happened during more than one IndyCar race, or now weekly in Formula 1!

 

Perhaps IndyCar will revisit the upcoming race distances? But I wouldn’t hold your breath upon that!

 

As the teams will just need to adjust their set-ups and strategies, and presumably if Ganassi and Andretti can qualify further up the grid. Along with at least Christian Lundgaard for Bobby Rahal & Company. Along with Pato O’Ward and the McLaren Boyz’ continue Harrying the pack, then Team Penske should have plenty of competition to contend with…