IRL Edmonton **SPOILER** - Page 3

**4re Nut** · #41 08-03-2010, 11:35 PM

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/03/h...monton-tirade/

Quote:

The Indy Racing League has handed down its punishment in the case of the race winner who was robbed. Following the controversial end of the IndyCar race in Edmonton last week, apparent winner Helio Castroneves drove into the pits, hopped out of his car and went after anyone wearing IRL gear. We showed you the video of the incident (now removed) a few days ago and most of you seemed to think Helio was in the right. He may have had a good reason to be upset, but the IRL stood by its decision after giving it some extra thought.

Now that they've had more than a week to mull things over, they've decided that Helio's reaction was too aggressive to go unpunished. They've slapped the charismatic driver with a $60,000 fine and put him on probation for the rest of the season. The monetary fines always hurt at some level, but it's the principle behind it that matters more here. The IRL is standing up for their decision – and their employees – and saying that if a driver has a problem with a race decision they need to use the proper channels to appeal it.

**GuyIncognito** · #42 08-03-2010, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4re Nut

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/03/h...monton-tirade/

briliant, piss off one of the sport's few stars. not like Helio is going anywhere else....

btw, I was on youtube the other day and a clip of the end of this race was the #1 most viewed clip for that day. Not sure if that's good or bad...getting lots of publicity (good), but for screwing up (bad). hmmmm.....

mousecatcher · #43 08-04-2010, 12:30 AM

anyway the edmonton track sucks

Roots Mon · #44 08-04-2010, 07:12 AM

We don't think Helio could jump over to the dreaded
NASCAR for one minute? And, we don't think NASCAR
wouldn't bend over backwards to accomodate him?
One phone call between Penske and France and Hornish
will be back to the IRL faster than Milka gets black flagged
for being too slow.

Admittedly, the whole situation smacks of NASCAResque
manufactured drama. The "blocking manouver" itself
was a stretch at best and the ruling from on high looks
to be nothing more than bollocks.

Helio's post-race rant likewise over the top and notice
when he's grabbing the IRL security guy by the shirt,
the guy is just standing there not only taking it but
smiling.

They've fallen into the NASCAR realm of keeping their
name in the news for all the wrong reasons. The difference
being NASCAR has been playing this game for 30+ years
and are old pros at the made up drama bit whereas
the IRL has just dipped it's toe in the waters (so to say)
and they all come off looking like baffoons in the process.

RM

**futureowner** · #45 08-04-2010, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roots Mon

Helio's post-race rant likewise over the top and notice
when he's grabbing the IRL security guy by the shirt,
the guy is just standing there not only taking it but
smiling.

The security guy is security for Team Penske iirc not for the IRL. Helio's always had a pretty strong temper/passion. Either way, the IRL sucks now.

IndyFan · #46 08-04-2010, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by futureowner

The security guy is security for Team Penske iirc not for the IRL. Helio's always had a pretty strong temper/passion. Either way, the IRL sucks now.

Charles Burns is the Chief of Security for the IRL, not Penske.

And I believe he was smiling because he was thinking, "Helio, do you really think you can take me on?" I don't believe it was some trumped up "NASCAR" stunt. Helio had a right to be upset. But if you review the tapes on why they called the penalty it was justified...whether you agree with it or not.

I'm sure Helio would have preferred to win the race, the prize money and the championship points over a $60,000 fine.

**Isobel** · #47 08-04-2010, 08:17 PM

Willipower needs to take some ........ from Rubinopower .

If he was afraid Helio would push him into the marbles, he should have sussed another line. He's a Wuzz, bring back Bourdais if you want the pinnacle of IRL.

Roots Mon · #48 08-05-2010, 07:10 AM

Further analysis of the Edmonton race revealed that
Will Power, leading from pole position, took the exact
same line into Turn One as Helio did from the late
restart.

In fact, in both instances (the start and late restart)
Power and Helio literally swapped positions.

Does anyone really think that Power was really a threat
to Helio's lead? Certainly, Penske allows racing between
his drivers but not likely he'd allow a dust-off between
Helio and Power with Dixon on their gearboxes.

This was indeed a stunt by the IRL and if not, certainly
an extremely dranconian intrepretation of an obscure
rule.

RM

ZUL8TR · #49 08-05-2010, 03:25 PM

A "stunt by IRL"? Really? Seriously?

Too many variables to get all that into place to happen. Put away the rereuns of the X-Files and look elsewhere for conspiracy theory for this one.

**GuyIncognito** · #50 08-05-2010, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZUL8TR

A "stunt by IRL"? Really? Seriously?

Too many variables to get all that into place to happen. Put away the rereuns of the X-Files and look elsewhere for conspiracy theory for this one.

+1

I think the IRl is pimpin' the controversy but I don't think they "rigged" a race to get it.

**robert_c** · #51 08-07-2010, 12:02 PM

I like the call.

Because his own teammate said he blocked him, which makes me believe it was a block. It is irrelevant that it was at the end of the race. We always complain about consistency in the officiating and a drive through penalty in the first lap should be a drive through in the last lap.

In F1 you get 3 laps to do your penalty. I don't know the IRL rule, but if the race ended before his 3 laps were up, I think adding the bogey time of a drive through added to his finish time would be appropriate.

**robert_c** · #52 08-07-2010, 12:17 PM

I wanted to add that watching that race on open tarmac was just the worst. Unwatchable.

**DGS** · #53 08-07-2010, 09:56 PM

I just saw the tape of the driver's meeting before Edmonton: Yes, they said you were required to take the outside line if you were in front.

The line I couldn't believe was just before that: "There should be no defending or blocking"

Wha? No defending?
That's not racing, that's qualifying.

Accurate, if inconsistent, application of a totally stupid rule.

Even F1 permits one blocking move. If IRL has banned *ANY* defending of a position, they might as well hand the trophy to the top qualifier, and skip the race completely.

But on the other side of the pond (and on tape delay), it was nice, in Rallye Finland, to see Kimi getting a chance to mix it up with Juha Kankkunen. The rallye veteran (who raced for both Ove Andersson and Jean Todt) got to go up against an F1 WDC, and Kimi got to run against a rallye legend from his land.