As I head to the track – already late – long night – not in a fun way though, here are some notes. I picked up some interesting nuggets from a variety of drivers that could relate to the Mazda Road to Indy and other formula car racing. Including learning that a few of the youngsters here (some racing, some not old enough – gotta be 16) are looking to at least “try out” a formula car – via one of the available racing schools.
A couple other driver’s are actively working on programs for Indy Light’s – we’ll see how that comes together. More details on that aspect will follow in coming days.
Here is a list of all the Team INDYCAR driver’s and where they will start in today’s final Feature races:
Chad Boat – Starts 7th in C#1
Jerry Coons, Jr. – Starts 9th in B#1
Tyler Courtney – Starts 3rd in the A-Feature
Dave Darland – Starts 9th in B#2
David Gravel – Starts 8th in C#2
Davey Hamilton, Jr. – Starts 6th in J#2
Kyle, O’Gara – Starts 4th in E#2
Davey Ray – Starts 9th in D#1
Donny Schatz – 10th in B#1
Tyler Seavey – 9th in G#2
TSO sponsored driver Chris Sheil will be starting 7th in E#2. This gets clarified again below, but the format is basically now transfer or go home. If you are in the “#2” Features, you move up to to next letter #2. Example: if you transfer from the G-Main #2 you go to the F-Main #2.
Other notes, they don’t mess around here. They don’t wait for anyone and for most of the day, there is no “work area” – you have a problem, you’re done. If you spin you go to the back – doesn’t matter why, doesn’t matter whose fault it was. They officiate here by VERY black and white rules – no decisions are really made, and they don’t take any crap.
The doors will open at 8:00am with O and N hot laps at 9:30 and the first O-Feature at 9:50am. The final race – the A-main – is scheduled to go green at 10:30pm (going to be a LONG day – especially for the on track officials).
The O-E Features (working backwards here) will all be 10 laps or a 10 minute time limit with 4 cars transferring.
The D and C Features will be 15 laps, with 6 transferring to down (or is it up) their respective ladders.
The B-Features will also have 6 transferring from that pair of races, but the race will be 20 laps. Those 12 transferring drivers will join the 12 already locked in from the Tues-Friday qual nights (Top-3 from each night). The starting positions of the 12 locked in drivers were settled on Friday night after the A-Main in a “shoot-out” that had a drawing and driver’s racing in 2 lap head to head battles based on how they drew – and I totally don’t understand what I saw, but Justin Grant gets to start from the pole!
Ok gotta get to the track, I’m already late!