Comments on: When Is A Starting Field Too Large?

By: IndyCar Blog Posts to Peruse « KF4LMT's Monitoring Post and Blog

IndyCar Blog Posts to Peruse « KF4LMT's Monitoring Post and Blog — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:33:56 +0000

[...] When Is A Starting Field Too Large? from Oilpressure [...]

By: NaBUru38

NaBUru38 — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 01:29:32 +0000

I like this rule. It will help to have less, better funded entries, since sponsors will focus on less cars. It will give more stability to the field.

By: Chris Lukens

Chris Lukens — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:07:18 +0000

The “Little 500″ is definitely on my Bucket List!

By: Edward

Edward — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:39:25 +0000

I admit I’m not fond of the idea of an arbitrary car count at certain races-except where space dictates-but I dislike the “provisional” idea even more-because it came from NASCAR along with certain other rules-see indystar.com for the details.

IndyCar isn’t where F1 was back in the late 80′s-early 90′s, when up to 38 cars tried to make races, and “pre-qualifying” sessions had to be held to determine who would actually make the proper 26 car field-maybe hopefully someday it will be-but it’s not there yet. Therefore, I don’t see the reasoning behind this arbitrary car count rule.

By: The Lapper

The Lapper — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 22:33:34 +0000

I say open it up and allow some front engine cars in the field.

By: billytheskink

billytheskink — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 22:08:17 +0000

If they really didn’t want Milka around then they would take away her license and tell her not to come back. That was supposedly what was done to Marty Roth.

It’s silly if the series is designing rules around the idea of keeping a driver or two driver “in” the series but off most of the starting grids. That may not be the reality here, but it’s easy to perceive this new rule as such.

By: Br!an McKay

Br!an McKay — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:49:57 +0000

I agree with you and others: no need to irk sponsors and team owners when tracks & pit lanes and paddocks can accommodate everyone.
I want to tell Barnhart to care about quality, not quantity, and enforce a 105% rule! We want (need) sponsors’ money. Let’s take it and spend it on Indy Lights graduates like Hinch, Indy Lights champions, and top-tier champs like TK & PT.

By: H.B. Donnelly

H.B. Donnelly — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:21:39 +0000

Two days before The 500, they put 33 full-sized V8 sprint cars on the high-banked, paved quarter-mile at Anderson, IN. When I first heard the premise, I thought it was insane. The only insane part of that race is how fun it can be to watch.

By: H.B. Donnelly

H.B. Donnelly — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:18:53 +0000

I don’t see it being a big issue until the last few races (Motegi excluded) when the teams try to empty the garages; IndyCar likely won’t have 26 cars qualifying, especially in the early road races.

As for 26, it does seem like a fairly arbitrary number. The only correlation I can see is that the FIA uses the same number for Formula One, though I don’t see anyone confusing Ferraris at Monaco with the Dallara/Hondas in Alabama…

By: Chris Lukens

Chris Lukens — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:58:40 +0000

I’m not sure that the concern is that owners will pull spare cars out of the garage to race. I seem to remember that the last time there was a last year of a design spec, there were a lot of cars sitting in owners garages, all missing the same replacement part that was no longer available from the manufacturer.
As far as the 26 car rules goes; I remember watching a race at I-25 Speedway, in Pueblo Colorado, a 1/4 mile track, where 26 Supermodified’s took the green flag ( one of which was driven by Davey Hamilton ). If these guys could handle 26 cars on a 1/4 mile track, I don’t know why “the best drivers in the world” couldn’t handle 28 at Milwaukee or even 33 at Texas. Anything that is arbitrary smacks of being contrived. I vote no on the 26 car rule.