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Sunday, June 19, 2011

Why Dario Wasn't Penalizd

With 100 laps to go in the 225 lap race at the Milwaukee Mile, a controversial pit stop by Dario Franchitti put the win in question among some fans. While the eventual winner in Franchitti entered his pit, the #10's left rear tire made contact with Will Power's right front tire changer and tire. Power's crew member was standing atop the tire waiting to wave in the #12 car who was pitting just seconds later.

When asked why a penalty wasn't assessed, a member of the INDYCAR PR team replied: "Spoke with Brian. Race control didn't see anything that was a violation."

The representative later said that Brian Barnhart, INDYCAR's president of competition, said in the drivers meeting "Right fronts, pick up and move out the way for a car pitting in front of you. Clear right rears and hoses as quickly as possible for better exits of the cars behind you."

Brian didn't specify when the right front changer was to make room for a car entering his pit, but according to INDYCAR's pit stop summary page 5.3874 seconds passed from Dario's stop to Power's.

4 comments:

43 NASCAR stockers can fit onto this pit lane with no problems. Why can those lumbering beasts hit pit boxes better than sleek open-wheelers? Hopefully this is all under consideration for the new car...

Why does the rule book even exist when they pick and choose which rules to enforce and when to enforce them. The tire was there the whole time, it didn't just appear as Dario turned into his pit. It is such a joke to continually change how the series is officiated. I listened to an interview with Little Al where he talked about how they had to decide if rule infractions were done on purpose or on accident and then penalize based off that. That shouldn't mater. All that should matter was that so and so hit a piece of equipment in pit lane and that is a penalty. People talk about NASCAR using "phantom yellows" to control racing but at least they don't completely ignore rules in the rule book. I have never been more angry watching a race than I was after they decided not to penalize Dario and turned the race off right then and watched Golf the rest of the day. So good job INDYCAR! You all are doing a bang up job "saving" open wheel racing here in America.

After Ana Beatriz brushed a wall for ten feet, there's NO NEED for IndyCar to stop everyone from racing for several laps! Formula One wouldn't do that. Motorcycle series at Barber didn't do that. ~idiotic~ "The fastest drivers in the world" at 50mph? WHY?
After Dario saw a man standing on a tire and hit the tire, he should have been penalized according to the rule book. Personal, friendly relationships among series officials and competitors shouldn't affect officiating.

Sato was forced into another driver's pit while trying to not be hit by Brisco (he didn't miss his pit the way the announcers said), when Brisco came from the outside lane. Sato's crew was in the middle of moving their equipment out of the way so they could go get their driver and bring him to the correct pit, when he hit his tire. They didn't realize that he was still running and the crew member turned around with the tire and Sato hit it. He was penalized for hitting the tire. The whole incident could have been avoided if Brisco had moved to the inside lane before turning into his pits. The announcers said (4 times) during the Iowa race that this is what is supposed to be done.
Sato lost a lot of time in the pits because he avoided getting hit, and then is penalized on top of it.
Makes you wonder if Brisco would have been penalized for avoidable contact if he had hit Sato.

Guess it's good to drive for Ganassi for lots of reasons.

I've been a fan of Indycars for over 20 years. Might have to take up knitting instead.

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