IndyCar

Tagliani on pole in Texas as drivers debate downforce levels

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  • #131519

    Alex Tagliani will start Saturday’s IndyCar race at the Texas Motor Speedway from pole position, as he did last year.

    He leads a Honda-powered quartet comprising Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden and Dario Franchitti.

    Will Power is the highest Chevrolet-powered driver on the grid, followed by fellow Chevy users James Hinchcliffe and Tony Kanaan.

    Takuma Sato is tenth and Rubens Barrichello 14th.

    This being IndyCar’s only race on a 1.5-mile oval this year, following the events of Las Vegas last year, there are naturally concerns about the possible dangers of ‘pack racing’. The downforce levels on the cars have been reduced to make it harder for them to run in packs during the race.

    Since then it seems not all drivers are happy with the change, though some are defending it. Tweets from Curt Cavin:

    IndyCar drivers want downforce adjustment for night session and rest of weekend.

    https://twitter.com/curtcavin/status/211193482243612672

    I think some of the IndyCar drivers who are complaining are starting to realise how they sound.

    https://twitter.com/curtcavin/status/211216112380149760

    And Graham Rahal:

    Not all of us are saying what Curt Cavin is reporting. I think it’s great. Yes it’s a damn handful, but it should be.

    https://twitter.com/GrahamRahal/status/211198392737607682

    As always we’ll be following the race on F1 Fanatic Live. Broadcast details here:

    2012 Canadian Grand Prix TV Times

    #203363
    Carlitox
    Participant

    I have never been confident about Texas since the 2001 CART cancelled race. Okay, those were badass turbo V8 monsters and now we have a V6 but still pretty powerful. However, the car has proved safer, especially the dreadful-looking rear wheel guards (with the sole exception of Marco Andretti’s collision with Gram Rahal in Long Beach), and we don’t have the second-biggest mistake IndyCar made at Vegas: an excessive field of cars. Anyway, I’ll be praying for a safe and exciting race, and of course a victory from Helio or Takuma!

    #203364
    Victor_RO
    Participant

    I wouldn’t worry too much about something like the 2001 CART shambles, the main cause of that one was the speed, and the pole speed for this race is about 20mph slower than the fastest speeds in practice for that ill-fated event.

    #203365
    Adam Tate
    Participant

    Yes, CART in 2001, was a case of too much car for the track. They should have known better and the whole fiasco could have been avoided. The race tonight is going to be fascinating, it’s the most I’ve looked forward to the Texas race in years.

    #203366
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Chevy started the year with much success and you know you start wondering if Indy had a finger on that, but apparently no cause Indy just gave Honda a chance to dominate the field right before Indianapolis I cant understand why they did what they did.

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