Anyone going to INDY

[R2 Racing]

No, you guys weren't "hurting" me. I thought it was a lot of fun and a great challenge to figure out how to make a pass and keep it against the engines in those things. Damn, you guys could seriously walk away from me down the front straight. You saw Sunday's start - you guys whooped me at the greeen flag, haha.

[paulydee]

Originally posted by trd77:
I hope the TR8s didnt hurt you too much in the corners, but it was a good time this weekend

I was hurting quite a bit in the corners for sure.

Going from a 1:53.xxx Qual time to being held up for 57's was a bit fustrating, but it was a learning experience none the less.

I commend you Kevin for a quick car. I had a little bit of HP but you were flying in the corners, especially between 1-3. Hope to see you again on track. It was a blast to race with someone I can trust not to hit me.


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Paul D'Angelo
73 ITS CENDIV
Indy Region
http://www.iridiumracing.com

[R2 Racing]

Originally posted by paulydee:
It was a blast to race with someone I can trust not to hit me.

Haha - yea, it's nice, isn't it?

Sunday I did tap the hardtop TR8 very lightly square on the bumper between turns 3 and 4 and got a finger wave from the driver. Oops!

[trd77]

hey Paul, you said that the TR8s were holding you up in the race, and you qualified quicker. it is a race, make a pass for position. this is not a lapping club where you get a point by.

[paulydee]

Originally posted by trd77:
hey Paul, you said that the TR8s were holding you up in the race, and you qualified quicker. it is a race, make a pass for position. this is not a lapping club where you get a point by.

I understood the racing aspect of the situation. When you qualify with a 53 and your race lap times were in the 57's, by defenition I was being held up. I'll leave it at that, and maybe next time I will figure a way to get by a higher HP , lower handling car.

[trd77]

i checked the race results, and both TR8s ran a quicker lap times than you, (both days). thats part of racing, cars have different advantages and drawbacks. however, we have a right to hold our position in a race, as long as there is now blocking. just because you qualified higher does not garantee you will finish in that order. I can't speak for the other TR8, but I know I never blocked you.

[paulydee]

I certainly agree with what you are saying Andy.

I have yet been given a clear defenition of blocking.

I just wish your father would not have said "the inside line is the fastest way around this track, I wasn't blocking you" after the race.

Ask any professional race car driver in the world if the inside line is the fastest around any race track. I highly doubt any one would say yes to that.

I don't mind being beaten by someone, I just would like to be acknowlegded for a good effort.

Pauly D

P.S. You never had the chance to block me because I was trying to get by your pops

[trd77]

you did have a good effort, you were much faster on sunday than saturday.
As for a defiinition of blocking: I look at like this, you may disagree, the lead car has the right to "a line" he may not make a second move or alter his line to hinder someone progress. I also believe that this would mean coming down on someone in the corner to stop his advancement. while i agree that the inside line is not always the fastest line, the lead drive has that right to run that line. thats why you will hear that there is a race line and a fast line. now I can't say about sunday, but I know how my dad races, and my bet is that he did not make a second move or changed his line to hinder your progress. I also know that if you beat him to a corner or line that he would give up the line.
that being said, I know my dad is going to drive inside to hold postion in the race. I saw twice this past weekend he gave the corner to the winner. i think that the different cars and their strengths are what make I.T. racing great. we may have great torque, but our braking hurts us and the opposite is true for you. thats why we race to have that type of challenge.

[paulydee]

Sounds reasonable enough. Thanks for the explanation. I guess I will see you guys next year.

PMD

[R2 Racing]

I thought everyone raced pretty cleanly. Yes, your Dad does seem to enjoy the inside quite often but hey, it's his choice to protect (do not read BLOCK) his spot and he was at least very consistent in doing so. He did squeeze me off on two occasions but it really wasn't that big of a deal. Personally, I loved it. It was nice to race in very close proximity to someone and be confident in their consistency to not take both of us out.

It just made one hell of a challenge for me to get around him and I did where I knew I could. I knew I'd have to pass around the outside of a corner and early on in a lap so I could pull away some before the front straight where I could get caught again. Either that, or wait for him to make a mistake and after hounding him for laps, I knew that wasn't going to happen. Kudo's for some good, safe, close racing to all of you guys.

------------------
Kevin
Ruck Racing
'92 ITA Acura Integra RS
'92 ITC Honda Civic CX
'85 ITC Honda Civic S
'95 ITS Honda Prelude Si

[This message has been edited by R2 Racing (edited May 15, 2004).]