Comments on: Random Thoughts On St. Petersburg

By: The Speedgeek

The Speedgeek — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:48:58 +0000

100% with what wickerbill said up there. It’s hilarious to think of PT shaking his head and thinking to himself “what a bunch of amateurs” as he watched those starts when you could go back and find a dozen or more similar incidents that he was the catalyst for (I can remember him doing something dumb at the start at Montreal at least once, and that’s right off the top of my head; YouTube would probably turn up many more).

Decent race, good effort by ABC, good suspense around the restarts. Could everything have been better? Sure, but everything sure looks a lot better than it did this time two years ago. We’re in for a good season.

By: JohnMc

JohnMc — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:31:54 +0000

Good report George. I thought that St. Pete was a blast and I was very impressed with ABC/ESPN as well. By the way, I agree with The Lapper about Jamie Little. Besides being a fox, Jamie is one of the best pit reporters in the business.

By: Brian McKay

Brian McKay — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:56:45 +0000

I felt sorry for victimized racers such as Wilson, but I enjoyed watching the race before and after cleanups. I didn’t count the crowd, and I don’t care. That’s Green & Savoree’s problem. What’s more important is worldwide following of IndyCar via TV & Internet.
Marco was like the pot calling the kettle black. One the first lap (not the last!) instead of being sane & prudential, turning right, two by two by two by two, Marco & Helio had to dive-bomb. And Helio’s braking was a bit longer than Marco’s.
The shame is that Marco and Helio weren’t the only victims! I felt sorry for Conway. T.K. must be glad that he left Daddy Day Care.

By: bentwickerbill

bentwickerbill — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:58:05 +0000

A great season opener sans the first 15 laps or so… Marco and Helio need to enrioll and attend a situational awareness and physics 101 class… AA stronger without TK, I think not….!!!! Many more than 20K people there for sure, possibly the most well attended/jamming crowded race I have been to since its inception in 2005…. Paul Tracy ashamed to be an IRL driver….HAH!!!! What he should be ashamed of is, all of the real race car drivers he unneccessarily speered, spun out and put into the wall in his clumsy attempt to show everyone what a great driver he really was….(when he had a ride that is) …

By: SkipinSC

SkipinSC — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 23:50:53 +0000

Like you, George, I’ve rarely spared ABC/ESPN for their coverage shortfalls in the past, and as to the booth talent, I have to concur. They were better, although Scott Goodyear seemed to get a little snarky when he refuted Danica’s view of moving between the two series.

My issue with this telecast this time is production-related, in that there were just too many things we didn’t see. (As P’dog would put it, “None of your business.”)

The booth guys can only call what they get from the truck. Usually, ABC’s production is first rate, but this was NOT the case this time. I cannot recall a race where so many significant happenings were just flat not shown. How did Simona get from mid pack to 2nd? We don’t know and we certainly didn’t see.

The later-lap coverage tells me they had plenty of cameras in place, but where were the pictures???

By: Brian McKay

Brian McKay — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 23:47:27 +0000

I would like to see 3 car lengths between rows when starting or restarting in two columns! You would think that PT and Sebas were banging wheels at turn 1. SO MANY racers got raw deals in the bumper-car race on Sunday. See my photos. I felt bad for Justin & R.H-R. Loved to see TK on the podium in his first race (“third day on the job”) with KVRT. Should’ve left A.A. years ago when he had the chance.

By: JHall14

JHall14 — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 22:20:36 +0000

Marco has been on his head more than “Ralphie The Racer” ever was in a dirt car. Not sure the kid will ever get it. What is the definition of “insanity”, doing the same thing over and over again.
Great race by Simona, she clearly is the best of the female drivers on Street & Road Courses, and with style I might add.
As for Helio, he can’t start a race from the pole without getting a jump on everyone, but it was great to know he was running such fast lap times several laps off the pace.

By: The Lapper

The Lapper — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:10:00 +0000

I couldn’t have been happier about the season’s first race. St. Pete comes off well on TV and I understand that the ratings for the race improved very much over last year’s broadcast. This was an excellent beffort and I have missed Jamie Little working the pits. In my studied opinion, she is the best and the prettiest. But, of course, I am The Lapper.

By: Mike Rice

Mike Rice — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:45:26 +0000

The drivers will (hopefully) eventually figure it out about the 2-wide restarts. They seemed to start to regain their senses about them as they did them yesterday the second and third times. Not perfect, but better. I think George’s summary of the pent up frustration was pretty spot-on.

By: NaBUru38

NaBUru38 — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:24:10 +0000

Double-file restarts will work if drivers are forced to leave 50 feet between rows. If they don’t do that, Barber and Long Beach will be even more crazy.