Tracy Question

[TedN]

In Paul's latest column , he says the following about the Montreal race...

Three laps into the first practice session on Friday, the monocoque tub that houses my seat split apart — simply from running over curbs during a normal lap around the track.

Then in the first qualifying session, my gearbox split open — also from just running over the curbs.

Though I managed to turn some laps in Saturday's qualifying session, the car started to handle funny.

When I pulled in, the team found my engine block was cracked.

And after the race, not only was my front end cooked, we also discovered that the replacement monocoque had split apart on the car.

That amount of hardware damaged on one weekend is quite a stroke of misfortune, especially when most of it happened without even hitting anything.

It's quite a change from last year, when everything from qualifying to the races themselves seemed to go my way.

Burning through those monocoques means I'll be racing at Laguna Seca without a spare car.

I didn't realise things were this bad for Tracy. Seems like a potenially frightening situation. Is it an indication the chassis are too old?

Ted

[Kicking-back]

A very bizarre problem - never heard of that happening like that before.

As far as I know ageing isn't a problem for carbon-fibre tubs.

Paul Tracy needs to learn how to spell kerbs, too

[macdaddy]

Something else from Ted's link:

Now that Gerry Forsythe and I are close to signing a contract for me to race for his team again in 2005, I can focus my attention on what's right around the corner — Laguna Seca in California next weekend and Las Vegas two weeks later.

[Uesque]

Originally posted by Kicking-back

Paul Tracy needs to learn how to spell kerbs, too

Thank goodness he didn't mention his tires.

[Flatspot]

That's in interesting question Ted. Although carbon-fibre is not very suseptable to aging, it will fatigue.

I can see how the Reynards may be aging but the Lola's aren't old are they? Even though they have not seen a design change they are still new tubs this year, no?

[Fogelhund]

Carbon Fibre IS susceptable to aging, though it should take MUCH longer then the age of the cars in question. Additionally, it is pretty hard to tell if there is any damage to the tub from a prior incident. It might look ok, but in reality might not be.

[JohnSSC]

If you hit something hard enough, you will break what you hit it with.

This is forever PT's problem: he just goes storming around and does not always adjust his driving. One would think that if you split a monocoque after a few practice laps it might be wise to NOT go bounding over them again and again...

KB - here in the US "curbs" is an acceptable spelling of "kerbs" as is "tires" vs "tyres." England and the US, two countries separated by a common language!

[Kicking-back]

Yes, I was joking.

And I'm not in England!

[Snrub]

Good to hear about PT probably signing with Forsythe.

"The 1.5-mile oval's turns are fairly steeply banked, making it a fast track. The Champ technical team has decided to limit the speed of our cars there for safety reasons, so our average speed will probably be in the 210 mph (337 km/h) range — less than the 225 mph (362 km/h) we're probably capable of.

With the aerodynamics package the cars will have, you basically plant your foot on the floor and run flat out all the way. During testing, the fastest times were set when there were multiple cars on the track so that drivers could draft one another, rather than when they were on their own — quite a bit similar to what goes on in NASCAR."

I know some forum members are planning on attending this race, so I hope no one gets mad at me for saying this, but PT's comments do not fill me with much confidence for the Vegas race...

BTW: PT's articles always have spelling or gramatical errors. Notice his the spelling of his teammate's name. Doesn't the TO Star proof his work?

[Flatspot]

Oh well I'm willing to cut PT some slack there as I have come to learn that neither Fogelhund or myself know how to spell susceptible.

[Uesque]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Yes, I was joking.

And I'm not in England!

Of course not, West Lothian is in Scotland.

[macdaddy]

I think Vegas is gonna be a really exciting race. The purists may take exception, I know that I was against the Handford Device when it was introduced. But the racing that it produced at MIS was fantastic, though some may still say "contrived".

[JohnSSC]

A thousand pardons, K-B!

I should have been more careful to say: "UK" although that too may have missed the mark as Scotland is more independent these days!

I will have my niece help me out as she will be leaving shortly to attend the University of Glasgow. Soon I will know the proper way to eat (and spell) haggus as well as a bit more of the local geography.

.

[Uesque]

Originally posted by macdaddy
I think Vegas is gonna be a really exciting race. The purists may take exception, I know that I was against the Handford Device when it was introduced. But the racing that it produced at MIS was fantastic, though some may still say "contrived".

But wasn't the Handford device more about drag than downforce? The road course wings would be less artificial, I would think.

And it's "Haggis". We'll get JohhSSC to Burn's night in Jan. How are your knees?

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by JohnSSC
A thousand pardons, K-B!

I should have been more careful to say: "UK" although that too may have missed the mark as Scotland is more independent these days!

UK is fine, we're very much a part of it, although some matters are dealt with by a devolved government in Scotland.

A loose analogy is the relationship between California and the United States, for example.

[Snrub]

The Hanford device was all about drag. Was it a bit contrived? Probably, but as Macdaddy said you can't argue with the results. It's a very different thing to run so much downforce that drivers don't lift off the throttle.

[RedNine Racing]

Go Tracy at Laguna Seca!
Hopefully a win here and another DNF for Bourdais and hello Championship again!!!Maybe!

[Hazza]

Originally posted by Snrub
The Hanford device was all about drag. Was it a bit contrived? Probably, but as Macdaddy said you can't argue with the results. It's a very different thing to run so much downforce that drivers don't lift off the throttle.

And do what Scott Dixon said: Run around all day and don't pass anybody!

But boy, is it going to be fun!