Round 10 Race thread :Road America (Race Spoilers)

[luke]

Sorry if I started this early marcus but it's Road America in 11 days woooohoooo!

Can't wait. If Robert out-performs Sebastien again I think it will show he is there until the end. It will either go that way or Bourdais just dominating the second half of the year llike usual.

But it's Road America soon, wooohooo!

[mueber]

Looking forward to it.

Leaving Thursday depending on circumstances (ie. traffic tie-ups around Chicago) hope to get in a couple of hours on Thursday. Will be there all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

[gomick]

i'm sure marcus will forgive you if there is a will power win at road america

[Leighton Irwin]

My favourite track with the possible exception of St Jovite. That is of over 40 tracks I have been at at one time or another.

[zinc]

I'll be there too I'll be taking a ton of high res pics and video for you guys

[Purist]

Let me know where around the track you guys are planning to be. It would be nice to put some faces to the "names" on here. I'll be around Saturday and Sunday (catching the CART and ALMS races).

[luke]

Welcome Zinc!

[blueflagger]

I'll be there, dressed in white. I double-dog-dare you to find me.

[Jonerz]

This is gonna be a heck of a race on one of America's very best race courses, if not America's best! I'll be chearing for Bobby D, and hoping for a terrific fight for the win with Seabass, Will Power, Justin and the rest of Champ Car's best.

Chris

[luke]

Have a great time those that are going! which I know doubt you will.

[Dutton]

You know, luke, I cannot decide if that post is suffering from typoitus or if it is quite clever word play.

[marcus]

Ok Im a bit late in this thread due to being away for the weekend



Road America , one of the best tracks in the world and Im really looking forward to seeing how the new chassis goes at this track.

A huge history at this track so lets have a look at previous winners

PREVIOUS WINNERS

1982 Hector Rebaque
1983 Mario Andretti
1984 Mario Andretti
1985 Jacques Villeneuve Snr
1986 Emerson Fittipaldi
1987 Mario Andretti
1988 Emerson Fittipaldi
1989 Danny Sullivan
1990 Michael Andretti
1991 Michael Andretti
1992 Emerson Fittipaldi
1993 Paul Tracy
1994 Jacques Villeneuve
1995 Jacques Villeneuve
1996 Michael Andretti
1997 Alex Zanardi
1998 Dario Franchitti
1999 Christian Fittipaldi
2000 Paul Tracy
2001 Bruno Junquiera
2002 Cristiano da Matta
2003 Bruno Junquiera
2004 Alex tagliani
2005 No Race
2006 AJ Allmendinger

A huge list of great drivers but who will add there name for 2007 ?


Check out the tracks website at http://www.roadamerica.com

Dont forget your fantasy and Predictions picks either

An Interesting note about this place is the track record has stood since 1998 with a time of 143.0473 mph set by the great Alex Zanardi , Im not sure if that will be broken this year but I think thy may come close

Bring on Road America

[marcus]

STARTING GRID

1. Sebastien Bourdais 1.41.435 (30th Career Pole)
Newman/Haas/Laningan Racing
69th Career Start


2. Will Power 1:43.116 (3rd time starting 2nd)
Team Australia Racing
26th Career Start


3. Robert Doornbos 1:43.134 (2nd time starting 3rd)
Minardi Team USA
10th Career Start


4. Graham Rahal 1:43.162 (3rd time starting 4th)
Newman/Haas/Laningan Racing
10th Career Start EQUAL CAREER BEST QUALIFYING


5. Bruno Junquiera 1:43.201 (7th time starting 5th)
Dale Coyne Racing
97th Career Start


6. Alex Tagliani 1:43.374 (7th time starting 6th)
RSPORTS
127th Career Start


7. Neel Jani 1:43.417 (1st time starting 7th)
PKV Racing
10th Career Start


8. Dan Clarke 1:43.439 (3rd time starting 8th)

Minardi Team USA
24th Career Start


9. Jan Heylen 1:43.523 (1st time starting 9th)
Conquest Racing
21st Career Start


10. Justin Wilson 1:43.525 (2nd time starting 10th)
RSPORTS
50th Career Start


11. Tristan Gommendy 1:43.565 (2nd time starting 11th)
PKV Racing
9th Career Start


12. Simon Pagenaud 1:43.581 (1st time starting 12th)
Team Australia Racing
10th Career Start


13. Ryan Dalziel 1:43.611 (1st time starting 13th)
Pacific Coast Motorsports
10th Career Start


14. Oriol Servia 1:43.710 (11th time starting 14th)
Forsythe Championship Racing
122nd Career Start


15. Alex Figge 1:44.027 (2nd time starting 15th)
Pacific Coast Motorsports
9th Career Start


16. Paul Tracy 1:44.716 (7th time starting 16th)
Forsythe Championship Racing
257th Career Start


17. Katherine Legge 1:46.901 (5th time starting 17th)
Dale Coyne Racing
24th Career Start

[marcus]

RACE RESULTS

1.Sebastien Bourdais (28th Career Victory)


2.Dan Clarke (1st time finishing 2nd)
CAREER BEST FINISH

3.Graham Rahal (2nd time finishing 3rd)


4.Oriol Servia (9th time finishing 4th)


5.Alex Tagliani (11th time Finishing 5th)


6.Jan Heylen (1st time finishing 6th)


7.Tristan Gommendy (2nd time finishing 7th)


8.Justin Wilson (4th time Finishing 8th)


9.Bruno Junqueira (6th time finishing 9th)


10.Neel Jani (1st time finishing 10th)


11.Simon Pagenaud (1st time Finishing 11th)


12.Paul Tracy (7th time finishing 12th)


13.Alex Figge (2nd time finishing 13th)


14.Robert Doornbos (1st time Finishing 14th)



DID NOT FINISH

Ryan Dalziel 1st Career DNF

Will Power 4th Career DNF

Katherine Legge 10th Career DNF


CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

1 Sebastien Bourdais 250
2 Robert Doornbos (R) 213
3 Will Power 197
4 Justin Wilson 190
5 Graham Rahal (R) 170
6 Oriol Servia 170
7 Neel Jani (R) 167
8 Simon Pagenaud (R) 164
9 Alex Tagliani 161
10 Bruno Junqueira 138
11 Paul Tracy 122
12 Tristan Gommendy (R) 112
13 Dan Clarke 110
14 Ryan Dalziel (R) 99
15 Katherine Legge 77
16 Jan Heylen 69
17 Alex Figge (R) 65
18 Mario Dominguez 49
19 Matt Halliday (R) 18
20 Roberto Moreno 9

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

1 Robert Doornbos (R) 213
2 Graham Rahal (R) 170
3 Neel Jani (R) 167
4 Simon Pagenaud (R) 164
5 Tristan Gommendy (R) 112
6 Ryan Dalziel (R) 99
7 Alex Figge (R) 65
8 Matt Halliday (R) 18

[blueflagger]

Slight difference to the track this year which may improve times, mainly due to a psychological factor.

The bridge that crossed Thunder Valley has been removed so people now access the paddock through a tunnel between stations 13 and 14. This makes the steepness of the hill more visible but doesn't actually change the track configuration.

However, before the change, drivers needed to be concerned about hitting the concrete bridge support and they had a blind spot heading towards the bridge. With that removed, drivers seem to be taking more chances there now that the can see where they think they are going.

There are more spins, wheels off and incidents there this season than I remember ever being reported before. Should be interesting.

[luke]

Originally Posted by Dutton

You know, luke, I cannot decide if that post is suffering from typoitus or if it is quite clever word play.

I always try to post my best but I type fast and half the times I can't see the typos I maybe slightly dyslexic..but I mean well

As for what blueflagger mentioned about the turn with no longer the bridge above I can understand where you are coming from now that the apex and view of the corner on the inside is no longer blind.

[djb]

isnt that the bridge where whatisname had a big off and the cockpit sort of opened up slightly but the driver wasnt injured (remember the still shot with the car rolling and his legs were visible)

cant remember his name

[Purist]

I think that was Memo Gidley back at the 2001 race.

Like I asked earier, who's planning to be there, and where around the track will you be? Also, where can I get the closest to the track (I don't have great eyesight)? Thanks.

[boom boom]

For being close to the track, the grandstands along the start finnish line, the hill by turn five, if you find the path to the bottom between the Carosell and the Canadian corner there are few spots in the woods were the fence is closer to the track, but the cars go by so fast and so close it is hard to tell who they are sometimes, Canada corner on the inside is cool, I was there once when Da Mattas car died and he pulled in on the inside corner and got out as his engine cuaght fire (put out nicely by the marshalls) and then there he was walking around right infront of us , and walking up to the track for a closer look before the Head Marshall had someone pull him back to a safer distance. I always take my mountain bike and bike from spot to spot while the cars make there long way aorunf the 4.5 mile track. there really isnt a bad spot to veiw, though some parts you can get closer the the track than others. I can't wait to get back there.

[Dutton]

Seems like there is a lot of freedom there.

Half the time at tracks I've found myself having to keep an eye over my shoulder as I move to places I am pretty sure I am not meant to be.

"Location, location, location" doesn't only apply to the property market...

[marcus]

Does anyone know if Ryan Dalziel will be back in the Pacific coast Motorsports car this weekend ? or is Mario Dominguez filling in again ?

[luke]

Seb was fastest in 1st practice.

[D.R.T.]

Dalziel in 6th is pretty impressive

[luke]

Friday Provisional

Pos Driver Team Time

1. Sebastien Bourdais Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:42.385
2. Will Power Team Australia 1:43.116 +0.731
3. Neel Jani PKV Racing 1:43.417 +1.032
4. Dan Clarke Minardi Team USA 1:43.439 +1.054
5. Justin Wilson RSPORTS 1:43.525 +1.140
6. Ryan Dalziel Pacific Coast 1:43.611 +1.226
7. Robert Doornbos Minardi Team USA 1:43.619 +1.234
8. Simon Pagenaud Team Australia 1:43.637 +1.252
9. Alex Tagliani RSPORTS 1:43.689 +1.304
10. Oriol Servia Forsythe Championship 1:43.710 +1.325
11. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:43.732 +1.347
12. Tristan Gommendy PKV Racing 1:44.032 +1.647
13. Jan Heylen Conquest Racing 1:44.295 +1.910
14. Bruno Junqueira Dale Coyne Racing 1:44.326 +1.941
15. Paul Tracy Forsythe Championship 1:44.716 +2.331
16. Alex Figge Pacific Coast 1:45.432 +3.047
17. Katherine Legge Dale Coyne Racing 1:46.901 +4.516

[marcus]

Practice 3 is currently underway.

under red flag at present due to Bourdais breaking down on track.

current positions are

Rahal
Tagliani
Gommendy
Pagenaud
Doornbos
Jani