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2018 Indy 500

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  • 2018 Indy 500

    Despite 90 degree weather, there was a big crowd yesterday. Everyone is for the most part polite and orderly, and the race was once again worth contending with the crowd.

    My twenty-something daughters call the now regular family event "Christmas in May". Glad to see at least part of my love for cars has been passed down. Looks like tons of other families agree.

    All track owned parking was sold out, and the surrounding homeowners and schools had a very profitable day.

    Glad to see Will Power finally get a win, although my heart wanted to see Ed Carpenter pull it off. No better venue for Patriotism, Competition, and Sportsmanship that I can think of. Crowd wasn't as big as the 100th, but it was close. The decision to leave USAC is long forgotten. As the radio commenters said while listening on the way in and out, Indy is back.

  • #2
    I was amazed to see the number of races that were broadcast yesterday from around the world including Indy. Glad to see Will Power take the checkers, too!
    The only difference between death and taxes is that death does not grow worse every time Congress convenes. - Will Rogers

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    • #3
      'Glad you and your family enjoyed the day, Kevin. It was indeed a great race; no injuries...and, boy, did single-car mishaps take out so many top names! BP
      We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

      G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.

      Comment


      • #4
        I was unable to watch it live so listened on the radio like I used to do with my Dad. Apparently the handling of the new aero package has made the cars handling diabotical. Top drivers spun out with no warning and with no apparent provocation. I watched video of Danica's spin. It did not appear that she was giving any input at all, just moving through the turn in the middle of the groove. The car just rotated and then went into the wall.

        I suspect the drivers were pretty much driving on eggshells the whole race because of it.
        Diesel loving, autocrossing, Coupe express loving, Grandpa Architect.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by BobPalma View Post
          'Glad you and your family enjoyed the day, Kevin. It was indeed a great race; no injuries...and, boy, did single-car mishaps take out so many top names! BP
          We saw Helio's crash in turn four from the Paddock, but the most excitement for us besides the last laps was when Zach Veach's car caught fire in the pits directly in front of our seats. Obviously, a 50 Cent O-Ring was cut or something stupid happened with the nozzle coupler. I did catch video of the next stop, where the same thing happened but they were ready for it with garden hoses. The crowd around us applauded every time Veach left the pits - not on fire - thereafter.

          The “greatest spectacle in racing” just one-upped itself in one pit stop. The No. 26 pit stall and car of Zach Veach burst into flames after a fueling mishap during today’s Indianapolis 500, but his crew yelled at him to drive off anyway. Fortunately, the wind blowing over his car put out the flames in no time. Speed…

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          • #6
            Originally posted by t walgamuth View Post
            I was unable to watch it live so listened on the radio like I used to do with my Dad. Apparently the handling of the new aero package has made the cars handling diabotical. Top drivers spun out with no warning and with no apparent provocation. I watched video of Danica's spin. It did not appear that she was giving any input at all, just moving through the turn in the middle of the groove. The car just rotated and then went into the wall.

            I suspect the drivers were pretty much driving on eggshells the whole race because of it.
            When I was a kid, detailing my Dad's cars with the race on the radio was a race day tradition. My first race was in 2012 when my oldest made All State Band, and we had an excuse to go. Wish I wouldn't have waited until my 50's to start going.

            Ed Jones and Danica looked to have very similar wrecks on the track replay. The track temperature was announced at 128 degrees, so that had to impact traction too. Just before Helio's wreck, we saw video of them four abreast in the backstretch. Insane. They ran three abreast down the frontstretch too. Not a usual sight since I've attended. I didn't realize Danica hadn't run Indy since 2011. She made a comment about how hard it was do drive an Indy Car after running other stuff for so long. I like her a lot, but that also had to impact her performance. After riding along in a two seater at 180MPH last year, you have to admire anyone with the stamina to go more than two laps. You are thrown into the side of the car like a rocket launch each turn, and your body is always under stress differently around the track. These people are real athletes. I kept thinking how A.J. did it at my age while in the car. Amazing.

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            • #7
              A good fitting seat makes a huge difference.
              Diesel loving, autocrossing, Coupe express loving, Grandpa Architect.

              Comment


              • #8
                Well, it must've been too hot or too intense for someone: The local Indianapolis afternoon news (Memorial Day; the day after the race) is reporting that a body was found during today's clean-up!

                OOPS! BP
                We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

                G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Not surprising!

                  In fact, only one?
                  Diesel loving, autocrossing, Coupe express loving, Grandpa Architect.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    We had to move aside for an ambulance that took an older patron away while walking in. The heat was bad. With a crowd that big, I was amazed we only saw one ambulance!

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                    • #11
                      The latest has it that the body was found inside a tent by a dormant vehicle with an out-of-state license plate, which has been towed away. It's possible the person was by himself/herself and if inside a tent, would not be noticed by passers-by. BP
                      We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

                      G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        That is sad.

                        I just searched for fans who die of natural causes at the speedway but found nothing. I find this hard to believe. All those people surely someone had heart failure or heat exhaustion...?

                        Is it suppressed in the local media?
                        Last edited by t walgamuth; 05-28-2018, 07:51 PM.
                        Diesel loving, autocrossing, Coupe express loving, Grandpa Architect.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Is it suppressed in the local media?
                          Can you blame them if they did?
                          The only difference between death and taxes is that death does not grow worse every time Congress convenes. - Will Rogers

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                          • #14
                            Oh I don't know. Actually with all the instant communication today it would probably be hard to supress any story.
                            Diesel loving, autocrossing, Coupe express loving, Grandpa Architect.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by t walgamuth View Post
                              That is sad.

                              I just searched for fans who die of natural causes at the speedway but found nothing. I find this hard to believe. All those people surely someone had heart failure or heat exhaustion...?

                              Is it suppressed in the local media?
                              Here's the latest. The incident did not occur within The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but in one of the parking lots west of the Speedway proper:



                              BP
                              We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

                              G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.

                              Comment

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