2008 IndyCar Series Preview: Unified And It Feels So Good

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3/27/08

2008 IndyCar Series Preview: Unified And It Feels So Good

IndyCar, 2008 Season Preview

gearhead

more posts by author

So, how about that offseason for the IndyCar series? Since the checkered flag dropped in September, we've seen:

The last two series champions and Indy 500 winners go to NASCAR
Helio Castroneves become a superstar by winning "Dancing With The Stars"
Danica Patrick pose in the SI Swimsuit Issue

Oh, and the sport was unified after 12 years of BS that cannibalized it into a shell of its former self, now forced to deal with a world that only cares about NASCAR.

That's the past now, and if open wheel racing is to make a comeback in the country, it starts this Saturday (8:00, ESPN2) with the opening race of 2008 season at Homestead. For those who need a refresher, or those who want to check things out, here's a primer on what is happening and what to expect this season.

What happened exactly?

The IndyCar Series and the Champ Car World Series blended together (the word coined for it is blendification) to form one open wheel series under the IndyCar name. A total of five Champ Car teams with nine driver/car combinations have joined the series full time. Adding them to the IndyCar regulars gives the series 26 full-time entries this season.

What are the benefits of blendification?

The most obvious one is that one series of 26 cars is better than two of 16-18 cars. It just looks healthier and more professional. The confusion in the marketplace is now gone, which can only help on the long road to gain back sponsors, fans, and media interest. The series also gains the potentially marketable drivers from Champ Car. Other than that, there probably won't be much immediate benefit. This is the foundation to fixing open wheel's problems, not the solution.

I thought this would be a slower process, but big sponsors appear to already be coming back.

Has anything else changed?

Three new races have been added to the schedule from the remnants of Champ Car. The Long Beach race will be run April 20th with the former CC teams only in their former cars. The same weekend, the IndyCars will run in Motegi, Japan. Both races will count for points. Lame, I know, but the best that could be done on short notice. IndyCar will also added races in Edmonton and Surfer's Paradise, Australia this year.

The cars, meanwhile, is the biggest constant from last year. It will still be Dallara chassis, Honda engines, and Firestone tires, with only a few changes from 2007.

Who are these new guys switching series?

The notable ones are:

Graham Rahal, Bobby's 19 year old son
Justin Wilson, a 29 year old Brit who might be the most talented of them all
Bruno Junqueira and Oriol Servia, two veterans who will a solid job
Will Power, yes that's his real name, and note he kind of looks like Ricky Bobby

The most recognizable name, Paul Tracy, doesn't have a ride yet because his owner took his ball and went home. Hopefully he'll at least get a ride at Indy.

How will the Indy 500 be affected by all this?

With all these full-time entrants and a fairly large number of part-time and Indy-only entries in the works, bumping on Bump Day looks all but certain. It looks like the Indy entry list will be somewhere in the mid to high 30s, with as many as 40 still possible. Like the series as a whole, more cars trying to get in is the first step towards the recovery of the 500.

Will these new teams be any competitive?

On road courses, yes. Road races were Champ Car's domain exclusively for the last three years. That's their turf. The ovals, especially early, is a different matter. The teams have no experience with oval setups, and most of the drivers have almost no experience. Early it'll be ugly, but the hope is the month of May will allow them to catch up.

Won't that be dangerous?

Maybe, but I trust these guys more than Milka "The Human Chicane" Duno.

Can we roast Danica over an open fire and call her the next Kournikova yet?

In other words, will she win this year? It's certainly possible given that she's with a top three team. She might want to do it early though, before the former CC teams are up to speed. One thing is definite, Danica is under a lot of pressure. The AnnaK comparisons are growing and if 2008 passes without a win, it'll be full steam ahead, and there won't be any excuses.

Doesn't it hurt losing the last two champs to NASCAR?

Obviously, it doesn't help, but I think it's a bit overblown, especially now that unification should mostly curtail the exodus. By all accounts, Dario Franchitti was not choosing between NASCAR and IndyCar, he was choosing between NASCAR and retirement (and possibly sports cars). Meanwhile, Sam Hornish, while American, has the personality of a plain bagel, so it's not like some big star really left.

Will this season be dominated by Penske, Ganassi, and AGR again?

Probably, especially on ovals. A former Champ Car team or two could gain a road course victory though.

Who has a best chance of winning outside those three teams?

The guy to watch is AJ Foyt IV. Last year he really improved, even getting a career high 3rd place finish at Kentucky. He's also been very quick in testing. If anyone outside the big three (or a CC team on a twistie) can breakthrough with a win, it's AJ's grandson.

Other than Danica, who's under the most pressure to perform?

Marco Andretti. The third generation driver had a tough sophomore season, going upside down twice and having numerous issues with car setup. Like Danica, the kid gloves are coming off. He doesn't necessarily have to contend for a championship this year, but progress needs to be made.

Who else should we know about?

The two guys replacing Hornish and Franchitti: Ryan Briscoe and Hideki Mutoh. This is the second go-around in IndyCars for Briscoe, and while the first was plagued by crashes, he's definitely quick and of course in one of the best cars. Some knowledge guys are calling Briscoe a dark horse for the championship. Mutoh will drive the #27 vacated by Franchitti. He was last seen finishing a solid 8th in last year's finale, his IndyCar debut. Mutoh has a good chance of becoming the best Japanese driver in recent memory, which admittedly isn't saying much.

What about Sarah Fisher?

Sarah has started her own team, and is scheduled to run four races this year (Indy, Texas, Kentucky, Chicagoland). Hopefully she'll be successful enough this year that she can make it a full-time program next year. Her steady sponsorship deal with AAMCO should help on that front.

What does IndyCar racing bring to the table for the average racing fan?

IndyCar provides exciting wheel-to-wheel racing most of the time. There are charismatic personalities throughout the series (Helio and Kanaan among them), natural rivalries (Andretti-Foyt-Rahal), and rivalries that have grown on the track (Danica-Wheldon). Unlike most any other racing series, the champion must show talent and skill on a variety from tracks, from short ovals to superspeedways to road courses to street circuits.

Also, the championship has gone down to the last race, last lap even, without an artificial playoff system.

Who should I read/listen to if I want to follow things during the season?

There are many great blogs about Indy racing. My Name is IRL, IndyCar Newsstand, Pressdog, Indy Racing Revolution, and Is It May Yet? are the most notable, but there are many more. Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star is also a must read.

Who should I not read/listen to for open wheel coverage and analysis?

Terry Blount, Darrell Waltrip, and any NASCAR blogger except Restrictor Plate This.

Who's going to win the championship?

The four favorites are the guys who've been there before: Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, and Dan Wheldon. Of these, my pick is Dixon. Last year he came as close as one can get. He's won a championship before, and he doesn't really have a weakness. Hopefully a championship will give Dixon, who I feel is the underrated driver in the world, some recognition.

When's the first race again?

This Saturday at 8:00 on ESPN2. Finally the politics can be pushed aside. It's time to go racing.

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3/29/08

kramer

I know Junquiera is a former Indy 500 pole sitter, so he's tried his hand with the IRL before. I also don't know about Paul Tracy and the 500. After that debacle with the caution lights in 2002, he switched to Champ Car and hasn't run a single IRL race since. It left a bad taste in his mouth. One last thing, Carpentier and Allmendinger have joined NASCAR too, and so far none of them have really done much. I hope they improve as the season goes on, but until I see otherwise, Tony Stewart is the ONLY driver to come from Indy cars to stock cars and have any amount of success.

3/29/08

gearhead

(Edited by gearhead)
kramer wrote:

I don't like being this direct, but almost everything you said is wrong.

1.) Junquiera raced in four 500s, all for CART/Champ Car teams doing Indy one-offs. That ended in 2005 when he wrecked during the race and broke his back.

2.) Tracy has always been in CART/Champ Car, save for some post-split Indy one-offs. He wants to run in the unified series, but got shafted of a ride cause his owner took his ball and went home.

3.) Who cares about Carpentier? He's 36 years old, and hasn't raced in an open wheel since 2005. Good luck finding an open wheel ride at that age unless you're as skilled as Tracy, which he wasn't. Allmendinger took Red Bull's cash, which I don't blame him at all because Champ Car purses were a joke.

As for the open wheelers lack of success so far (since you know, 5 races is enough to make a quantifiable judgment), I don't really care anymore. I expect unification will mostly stop the exodus, save for probably Dan Wheldon.

3/29/08

kramer

gearhead wrote:

Carpentier does well in qualifying, but none of the open wheel guys seem to be showing even a glimpse, save Hornish in the Daytona 500. I know it's a learning curve, but the playing field is even for them on the super speedways this year, as those tracks didn't run the COT last year. I could understand them being at a disadvantage where the COT was run in 2007, but the only track in the first 5 races where that occurred last year was Bristol, where the COT made its debut.

Also, Allmendinger was a rookie last year. He still can't qualify, and Mike Skinner is filling in for him for a few races to at least get some points for the team.

As for Dan Wheldon coming to NASCAR, that's one guy I'd love to see, because if he doesn't do well right off the bat, it would be comedy hour on pit road with his hissy fits.

3/29/08

gearhead

kramer wrote:

Also, Allmendinger was a rookie last year. He still can't qualify, and Mike Skinner is filling in for him for a few races to at least get some points for the team.

As for Dan Wheldon coming to NASCAR, that's one guy I'd love to see, because if he doesn't do well right off the bat, it would be comedy hour on pit road with his hissy fits.

I don't care anymore what they do. I just don't. I stopped caring on February 22nd, the day the unification agreement was signed. Those guys are the past. I'm aware of their struggles, but while I didn't think it'd be this bad (and again, only 5 races), you can't possibly think their playing field is even. It's a totally different animal, COT or not, on mostly teams that kind of suck. They followed the money, and that's what they get. Again, that's NASCAR. I'm concerned with IndyCar, the season the starts to tomorrow, and a future that isn't near as bleak as it was just two months ago.

3/29/08

kramer

gearhead wrote:

It's not like they're on awful teams. Carpentier is with Ray Evernham, Hornish still with Roger Penske, and Franchitti is with his former rival Chip Ganassi. Ganassi hasn't necessarily had stellar drivers the last few years either, and has been with new guys every couple of years. If you don't know much about NASCAR, I'm sure you still know the success Evernham is, and God knows Roger Penske doesn't fool around. I'm saying the playing field is even on tracks where the COT wasn't run last year, because everyone is learning at the same time, and again, the only track in the first 5 races where it was run last year was at Bristol. I'll probably be watching the race tomorrow night, I'm not a huge Indy Car fan, but I've watched some of the races here and there. One thing I will agree on though is that the split was one of the dumbest moves in the history of auto racing.

3/29/08

gearhead

kramer wrote:

Um, I know what teams they're on. Why in the world would you think I wouldn't know that? I also know none of them are the very top of the line, with the somewhat exception of Penske. And still, an Indy car and a stock car are two very different things. The COT does not change that. The guys with NASCAR experience still have a much better idea of how it works then the new guys. Advantage: the guys that have been around NASCAR.

I'm done now.

3/29/08

kramer

I'll agree to disagree, but I'm just going to leave it at this:

Ganassi hasn't been a stellar team since Sterling Marlin broke his neck. He hasn't been good since he came back from that, and I think it's not as much him not having the equipment as not having a top driver. The same goes for Evernham, with Elliott Sadler who has had all of 1 good season in his career. The COT was not run on the oval tracks 1.5 miles or larger in length last year, only shorter tracks and road courses. The Cup guys know how their old cars used to work on the bigger tracks, but none of them know what to expect with this new car, just watch Atlanta and you could figure that out. They're learning on the bigger tracks right along with the rest of the drivers who were there before they came.

3/29/08

gearhead

(Edited by gearhead)
kramer wrote:

I'll agree to disagree, but I'm just going to leave it at this:

One more thing. Doesn't Ganassi use Dodge, which is currently the crapwagon of the series?

I still can't believe you think the COT evens the playing field for guys who have never driven a stock car. That makes no sense.

Now, enough of this crap. Time for IndyCars to race.

3/29/08

kramer

gearhead wrote:

I said it evens the playing field on the larger tracks this year, because it wasn't used on tracks bigger than Darlington in 2007. If you watched any of the racing from Atlanta, you'd realize the guys who have been in NASCAR for a good while were thrown a curve with the COT, and stock car veterans also had trouble at Las Vegas. I love how you're generalizing that to every race, which I never said. With Kahne in the top 10 in points running quite well every week, and Roger Penske winning the Daytona 500, I wouldn't exactly say Dodge is the "crapwagon of the series." I hate to be so blunt, but maybe you should stick to Indy Cars, because while you're telling me nothing I say is right about Indy Cars, you're not understanding much about stock cars either, and you're twisting around what I've said about the COT. I'll say this one last time, in 2007, the COT was not raced on tracks larger than Darlington, which is 1.366 miles in length. Sure they tested at the bigger tracks, but when they returned to Atlanta, it was all the guys who had been in NASCAR for a good while saying how they didn't know what to expect because it was completely different from when they had tested there last fall...so much for the Cup guys being at an advantage. The short tracks is where the guys who have been in a stock car will have the advantage, but on the bigger tracks, the Cup series veterans are learning right along with everyone else as to how the cars will operate.

I'm done, racing time.

3/29/08

gearhead

kramer wrote:

I'm done, racing time.

Believe me, I want nothing to do with NASCAR. Why you had to make this IndyCar thread about it is beyond me.

3/29/08

kramer

gearhead wrote:

Believe me, I want nothing to do with NASCAR. Why you had to make this IndyCar thread about it is beyond me.

Doesn't it hurt losing the last two champs to NASCAR?

That was your question above, I made one little comment about it, and you said something that I felt the need to address. You told me I was wrong with what I said about Indy Cars, and I saw comments where you were wrong about NASCAR, and I pointed them out. If you didn't want it to turn into a NASCAR thread in the first place, maybe you shouldn't have said things like "teams that mostly suck" and what have you. I wouldn't have bothered with it, but that had to be addressed. That's all.

3/29/08

gearhead

(Edited by gearhead)
kramer wrote:

Doesn't it hurt losing the last two champs to NASCAR?

You know that question was necessary, and it was answered only as how it affected IndyCar. You then commented on it about how it affects NASCAR in a way I felt was irrelevant. That's what started this whole thing. If I wrong about some things (which I'm not surprised if I am), then I apologize. However, I still feel that the COT transition has to be easier for guys who have raced in stock cars before. Good luck to the newbies, but they don't concern me all that much anymore.