Comments on: Random Thoughts On Iowa

By: Rathead

Rathead — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:30:07 +0000

One of the things that was really great to see in this race was TK pass and hold the lead. Previously, it seemed as if the drivers had the ability catch up to Penske and Ganassi, but the cars simply get around and/or hold the lead. Nice to see that finally disproven. — on the track and not on the pits. Plus, TK hasn’t had the wind at his back for a while; it was a great race and a great win.

By: The Speedgeek

The Speedgeek — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:31:59 +0000

Milka didn’t wreck anybody on Sunday, but she got real close. And I still haven’t watched the race on the TiVo yet, but I suspect that the TV coverage didn’t show that the leaders weren’t the only ones to miss her by inches when they came by to lap her. I’d guess that 10 or so of the 22 cars who lapped her between lap 19 (when the leaders got to her the first time) and lap 27 (when the leaders approached her again) had what they would call “a moment” when they were lapping her.

There’s a level of indecision when it comes to Milka’s driving that you can tell even from the grandstand. She has a tendency to turn into a corner, regardless of whether a lead lap car is approaching or is already alongside her, and sometimes she winds up in the middle line, making it very difficult for anybody to lap her inside or outside (and creating situations like what we saw at Barber and when the leaders got up to her at Iowa). It’s this indecision that makes her so dangerous, especially on the ovals when approach speeds and consequences are so high. You just can never count on where she’s going to go on any given lap, and that’s what made it borderline miraculous that nobody hit her when they were lapping her.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:30:15 +0000

A couple things can be said about Milka. 1) she didn’t wreck anybody despite the leaders attempting to go high and low. Sarah was the one who couldn’t safely get out of the way.
2) The league is walking a fine line by parking Milka without a rule to back it up. Especially when they let Marco keep running later when he was 2 seconds off the pace and the 500 winner was a result of running off rhe pace. Sweepstakes laws don’t look well at inequity. They need to define real rules soon.

By: Zink

Zink — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:50:24 +0000

I used to be a bit of a Milka apologist, but it’s getting harder and harder these days. So I’m not intending to defend her, cuz she was waaay off the pace at Iowa, but I’m pretty sure the sudden move to the high line was due to contact with Power. There’s an onboard from the next time they come around to lap her, and you can pretty clearly see a donut on the side of the car. Either way, she should have been out of Power’s way to let him by.

Agreed that it was a spectacular race – best in the four years I’ve been going to it!

By: NaBUru38

NaBUru38 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:25:44 +0000

I disagree with filling all weekends like Nascar does. I believe that IndyCar drivers should instead compete in other series, be it ALMS, Grand-Am or Nascar. They should visit Daytona, Sebring, Road Atlanta, Road America, Laguna Seca, Pikes Peak (the hill), X Games, Baja, Irwindale, Eldora, Knoxville, whatever.

In Argentina, there are four main tin-topped series (Top Race and Turismo Nacional race on the same weekends, the others in the rest) and top drivers race in two or three. 11 to 16 races each fill the racing season.

By: dylanpt24

dylanpt24 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 04:08:18 +0000

I don’t know, Sarah’s has had some good oval runs, like Chicagoland 08 and I think it was Kentucky 08. She’s kinda like Carpenter, not good on road courses, but solid on ovals.

By: crinderknecht

crinderknecht — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 03:29:51 +0000

True that with Lloyd. However, I’d say Milka has even fewer friends. I think there’s a difference between providing spice and adding an element of danger that doesn’t have to exist. I’m glad you can enjoy it. After seeing it live, though, I’m definitely fully on the “park Milka” bandwagon.

By: Leigh O'Gorman

Leigh O'Gorman — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 03:10:21 +0000

It’s also possible that the fact Sarah is a driver may be potentially holding the team back. As much as I like Sarah, sometimes you need to just take one thing at a time and she may be realising that being both a driver and team owner is too huge to give full attention.

By: Jim Bob

Jim Bob — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 02:46:37 +0000

BTW, I enjoy Milka being in these races. She is a nice moving pick, that always spices up the racing action.

And Lloyd is pissing more and more people off by the week. He is making very few friends, with the way he drives.

By: Jim Bob

Jim Bob — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 02:44:36 +0000

Graham Rahal was a backmarker driver with Sarah’s team too. He had one decent race, but the other two he was painfully off the pace.

I think any driver they put in a SFR car would be a backmarker. Howard couldn’t even qualify with a brand new Dallara at Indy.

Sarah is doing the best with what she has. She is running a limited schedule, with limited funding and driving a 7 year old car with no teammate at most races. If you think its “the driver”, for why SFR is not competitive, you are clueless. Its a very small team. Small teams have no chance of running near the front on ovals. NO chance.

If and when she does step out of the car (to start a family), it will be a young American driver who replaces her. That is what Dollar General wants, when Sarah retires.