IndyCar, Player News / Analysis, Dario Franchitti, Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Live Thread, Rubens Barrichello, Will Power, James Hinchcliffe
Who's ready for some Brazilian flavor? The IZOD IndyCar Series makes its annual trip to Sao Paulo this week for the Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 (for the record, Itaipava is a Brazilian beer that according to my Twitter feed, I need to try). This is the third year for the Brazil race, and the first two were known for big crowds and lots of rain. The former is almost a given due to the Brazilian people's passion for racing, and especially for the presence of Rubens Barrichello. This week is all about Rubens, who can't go anywhere without a throng of fans and media. The pressure on him can't possibly be greater. Of course, he's still getting used to IndyCars, and while he gave it his all in qualifying, he just missed advancing from the first round and will start 13th.As for the weather, rain is in the forecast yet again. The DW12 has yet to run significant time in the rain, so this could make it a very unpredictable race.
The Sao Paulo track might be the most racy street circuit in motorsports right now. There are multiple passing zones, as you can see by the track map (link goes to a PDF), especially the hairpin turn 11 after the nearly mile long backstretch. The DW12 has produced some great racing so far, especially at tracks like Barber and Long Beach, normally known as parades. To make it simple, the new car + good track for racing + rain means this should be a good one.
Debi in her preview noted the engine battle between Honda and Chevy. Honda won the most recent battle in the appeals office, and so far the results are more favorable to Honda, who were able to get the half the spots in the Firestone Fast Six. However, Chevy and the man who's dominated the early part of the season, Will Power, took the pole. His old nemesis Dario Franchitti, who desperately needs a good finish, will start alongside Power on the front row. Power has won the last two races, and is the only winner the Sao Paulo race has ever known. I hate to be so conventional, but I'm picking Will to make it three in a row, both in 2012 and in Brazil. For my dark horse, I'm picking James Hinchcliffe. Hinch will start 4th after making the Firestone Fast Six yet again. He's the only driver to make the Fast Six all four races this season, and solid finishes have put him 5th in points. He's going to start winning soon, and this week is as good as any.
Coverage on NBC Sports Network begins at 10:30 AM eastern with INDYCAR36, starring Ryan Hunter-Reay. Pre-race starts at 11, with the green flag scheduled for approximately
4/29/12 |
gearhead
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The next race is the Indianapolis 500. That is all.
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gearhead
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Unofficial Results:
1. Will Power
2. Ryan Hunter-Reay
3. Takuma Sato (started 25th, finished 3rd, Drive of the Day)
4. Helio Castroneves
5. Dario Franchitti
6. James Hinchcliffe
7. JR Hildebrand
8. Charlie Kimball (career best for Kimball, he looked really racy today, he's improved a lot from last year)
9. EJ Viso
10. Rubens Barrichello
11. Oriol Servia (top Lotus car in a car that won't be Lotus anymore after this, Ouch)
12. Simon Pagenaud -1 lap
13. Tony Kanaan -1 lap
14. Marco Andretti -1 lap
15. James Jakes -1 lap
16. Graham Rahal -1 lap
17. Scott Dixon -1 lap
18. Sebastien Bourdais -1 lap
19. Mike Conway -2 laps
20. Ana Beatriz -2 laps
21. Ed Carpenter -3 laps
22. Justin Wilson DNF (Mechanical)
23. Josef Newgarden DNF (Contact)
24. Simona De Silvestro DNF (Contact)
25. Ryan Briscoe DNF (Contact)
26. Katherine Legge DNF (Contact)
Power has a 47 point lead over Helio. Hinch has moved into 3rd. Dario has finally moved into the top 10, but he's 98 points back.
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gearhead
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It's Will Power's world right now, and the rest of us are just living it in. Unofficial results to be posted shortly.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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Will Power pulling away from RHR, 3 to go
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gearhead
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It's raining now. This won't end well.
4/29/12 |
gearhead
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That turn 1 complex thing, while it has an awesome name (the S's of Samba), is easily the weakness of this track.
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gearhead
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I knew there was a reason I tweeted DERP before the restart even happened.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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What a forking mess with only a handful of laps to go :(
4/29/12 |
gearhead
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Absolute downpour at the Grand-Am race. It looked like a hydroplane race.
Top 5 right now: Will, RHR, Dario, Helio, Sato. Dixon dropped to 13th after pitting, Rubens 16th.
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gearhead
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Yellow as Newgarden wrecks it and Beatriz punts Ed (shame for him, he was running great). Dixon has to pit and is thus boned. Power and RHR likely going to duke it out for the win.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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Hmmmm Scott Dixon in the lead. Rather impressed with Anna Beatriz....etc. etc. I must say!
4/29/12 |
gearhead
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I should really know the different strategies by now, but like I suspect the booth is, I've been drinking, so I'm not sure. Sounds like Will and RHR might be the drivers seat.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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LOL she says "go run into a door"
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gearhead
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Tell her it looks like a booger. Problem solved.
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gearhead
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Will Power set his fastest lap of the race...on blacks. Again, that's not even fair.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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Nope, it's the car.
4/29/12 |
gearhead
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Maybe she just has a crush on Hinchcliffe?
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gearhead
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Servia restarted in 8th. He's now 18th. Lotus is an anchor.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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*sigh* My daughter wants the Go Daddy car. Dad says "to go shopping?"
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gearhead
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Conway not penalized (although he was involved in the Newgarden incident). That'll make Dario's post-race interview *real* fun now.
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gearhead
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Simona punted Newgarden, which caused a chain reaction. Jakes is stuck behind Josef's damaged car. Too bad, cause that was a fun restart between the Brazilians there.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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Oops. Another not so clean restart
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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WTG TK!!!!!!
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gearhead
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After all that, your top 5: Power, RHR, Dixon, Helio, Rubens. Then TK and Viso. Dario is still on the lead lap in 22nd.
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gearhead
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Total cluster*bleep* of a restart. Dixon was swerving all over the place. Conway punted Dario (he's awful season continues). Newgarden hit the wall on the fair left.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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Well, there goes the clean restarts....
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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Ryan Briscoe hits the wall, full course caution, but the Pits are still open. Hmmmmmm, this could be interesting. Strategies will undoubtedly be a lot different.
4/29/12 |
gearhead
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Yellow as Power was pitting. Briscoe walled it.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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No, it isn't. Kathrine Legge hit the wall. Still able to drive so she will limp into the pits.
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gearhead
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Will Power is saving fuel and pulling away at the same time. That's not even fair.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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I heard that. Jenna Fryer commented on twitter about it as well. Interesting that he has this news. Waiting on a clarification or a retraction on TV, but haven't heard it yet, so maybe it is accurate news??
Teams changing to Reds.
4/29/12 |
gearhead
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Sato had to serve a drive through penalty for speeding in the pits. If it weren't for bad luck, Taku would have no luck at all.
Reports of sprinkles on pit lane.
4/29/12 |
gearhead
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Bob Jenkins may have just accidentally broken some news in saying that both Bryan Herta Autosport and Dreyer & Reinbold are going to Honda after getting out of their Lotus contract. BHA going to Honda was expected, but it was believed that D&R would be going to Chevy.
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gearhead
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Newgarden to 4th already. Even more impressive is he's the highest placed guy who started on blacks.
Edit: Nevermind, T/S error. He's still 5th.
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gearhead
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Newgarden to 4th already. Even more impressive is he's the highest placed guy who started on blacks.
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gearhead
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If all street circuits were like this one, no one would ever complain about them being boring.
Hinch vs. Newgarden earlier. We could seeing those two battle for a long time.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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Nice clean pass by Mike Conway over Hinch. I love this track.....wait, I already said that.
4/29/12 |
gearhead
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Another clean start. Very impressive. Track is part dry, part wet.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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Still gotta say, GO TK!!!!!!
LOVE This track
4/29/12 |
gearhead
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We're dry for now, but it sure doesn't look like it'll stay that way for long. Some have started on wets.
4/29/12 |
JrCanuckFan
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I understand the popularity of Rubens Barichello, but this poor man cannot move without being surrounded. I'm surprised they were able to get him alone for that interview.
Okay, so I have to go with Will, which disappoints me, not because I don't like Will, but because I was hoping for a little more competition. I'm still a little shocked at Dario not even having a podium at all this year (were those breath right strips plastered across his nose during his interview?)
I'm stoked to see Hinch getting the start he has to his season. I'm also thinking he will win this season, and probably sooner rather than later.
And finally, I found an explanation of the Turbo Wars that I can understand. It's a little lengthy, tho, so here is the link.
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gearhead
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Again, the green flag has been moved up to 11:30 due to rain on the way. Starting in the back due to engine changes are Bourdais, Servia, Legge, and Sato. Wilson will start last after it was found his car didn't have the ballast that all cars that don't have on-board cameras are required to have. So despite making the Firestone Fast Six, Wilson will now start last.