This seemed so straightforward on the NBCSN coverage replays but new views now make it just slightly grayer. Reading a thread at the busy Autosports forum, many are less sure than they were. There was some movement right from RHR and Rossi, Sato says he held his line, he didn't. Sato's record precedes him. Many other drivers will say they're uncomfortable around him, well yeah.

No sanctions on Sato so far, IndyCar has to acknowledge something went wrong. Whatever happens, Pocono sucks for the series.

Heading twenty minutes up the road to Gateway next weekend, the heat wave may ease making for a better time than last year's sauna.

The Indianapolis Star was able to get a statement from IndyCar:

(IndyStar confirmed with an IndyCar official that Sato was penalized for avoidable contact for the Lap 1 incident but will not be penalized further or suspended. The IndyCar official, however, also cited rule 9.3.3.1, which says if Sato — or any driver — is in violation of avoidable contact during any three consecutive race events, he can be placed on probation.)

I guess Texas, where he hit the inside pit wall and mowed down his LR tire guy, was over 3 races ago.
The next race should be interesting to see how the other drivers view that incident.
They have likely seen video and especially data with steering sensor inputs that the public has not seen.
Keep in mind that on an oval, the car is set up with stagger, caster, rear toe, and other settings that cause the car to turn left much easier than right. You usually have to turn the wheel to the right just to go straight and straight means left.
An overhead shot would be the best video angle but there may not have been enough coverage to get one as they probably would have been focused on the first couple of cars.

Well how about that! Spend a week deciding if a man should be racing and he WINS the last oval of the season!! I don't recall Sato winning 2 races in one year in anything during his career and he pulls one out while the knives are out. Great job, sir. Damn good job...

Great weather, just about sold out I'd say, nice facility for sure. There's a big line for autographs outside the track. We stood at the rail set up about fifteen feet from the drivers, they're all right there. I don't know why, the wife sees Sato right in front of us and yells "Takuma, we love you!" He looks at her smiling ear to ear, gives a thumbs up. She is taking credit for his win of course.

As the drivers go to leave, some stop for selfies with those of us at the rail. Scott Dixon is probably the most accommodating of an accommodating bunch, we get the autograph and the rest is history. The wife's juju works both ways.

Sato? #*(@&%$#$* I scream from the mountain top!!

Sato has always had speed, even now at 42 he still keeps up. When the car is fast and he can keep out of trouble like at Gateway he can win. Those performances are what has kept him in good cars for years.
I hope this was a true learning experience (both weekends) that will stay with him but they haven't in the past. He seemed to be extra cautious this time and gave up positioned early when things got tight. That's what the guys that are regular winners do if needed. Risk/reward is what he's needed to get right. Let's hope.

He did manage a legitimate tank slapper on Lap 1 when he got the air chopped off his front wrong and almost took out Hunter-Reay. If he did end up wrecking, that would probably have been his swan song for the season.

While I consider myself "Sato-neutral," he's not Pastor Maldonado or Romain Grosjean. He does make mistakes, but can also win and when he does, it's not done stroke of luck like Maldonado at Spain.

The other thing this helps is RLL is close to securing a third full time driver. Depending on McLaren, it could end up being Hinchcliff since he's the "face" of Honda. While I wouldn't mind Conor Daly, is there anyone super hot coming out of Indy Lites? Colton Herta and Pato O'Ward were amazing, but even with NBC Gold, I'm not following it like I should.

Excitement in the early part then not too much.
Poor Scott Dixon. Two races in a row with completely random bad luck mechanical problems.

Two utterly bonehead moves and two open and honest admissions of guilt. Just too bad so many others got caught up. A good race could have been much better.

On to Laguna Seca, with memories of Zanardi-Herta and the Corkscrew and hopes for a barn burner.

A little payback to Sato today!

Zanardi, now there's a blast from the past. Great driver, terrible crash that cost him dearly. He faced his tragedy and is a true inspiration.

quote:

Originally posted by urbanwarrior238:
A little payback to Sato today!

Zanardi, now there's a blast from the past. Great driver, terrible crash that cost him dearly. He faced his tragedy and is a true inspiration.

That crash reminds me a lot of the crash that killed Anthoine Hubert yesterday. Out of control with a t-bone crash at high speed.

As far as Portland goes, I'm quite happy Scott Dixon ran into some bad luck for a change. Don't forget it was last year when he drove straight into the Lap 1 smozzle, through the dust cloud it picked up, and went straight through the other side without touching anything but the ground!

Kind of torn about the next race. From all the racing simulators I've done, I've always liked the Indy course at Sonoma FAR more than I ever liked Laguna Seca. It also doesn't help that beside "The Pass," I've never seen anything remotely interesting from any incarnation of IndyCar at that track. I know that the team owners like being out west because they can wine and dine their sponsors at the end of the year and NBC likes it because it looks beautiful and they can show the race on the main channel because the NFL is on and they can run Indycar/NASCAR/NFL in one long block.

It is rather frustrating and annoying.

Another great season down. Glad my American driver Newgarden won!! Going to Long Beach for the 2019 race. See you all next year in March.

quote:

Originally posted by urbanwarrior238:
Another great season down.

It WAS a great season, IndyCar ascendant.
We started the year with four hotshot rookies, one (O'Ward) snatched up for F1 feeder grooming. Let's hope our series can keep the other new kids, the future is really looking bright. The best major motorsports series right now.

Laguna Seca surprised with good battles and a very satisfying outcome. The track looked beautiful, the cars looked fast, the crowd strong, emotional finale, great TV!

Looks like Penske Entertainment (a new Penske venture) is buying Indycar and the Speedway itself.
Good to have an adult in the ownership position for once and not a dysfunctional family.
Press conference a little later this morning.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
Looks like Penske Entertainment (a new Penske venture) is buying Indycar and the Speedway itself.
Good to have an adult in the ownership position for once and not a dysfunctional family.
Press conference a little later this morning.

Oh, that is good news.

Penske does things right, this has to be good news for the series. That said, The Captain may need to sell his team to avoid a conflict of interest, no?

quote:

That said, The Captain may need to sell his team to avoid a conflict of interest, no?

Ed Carpenter is Tony George's stepson and Tony most likely wrote the check for that team.
Roger mentioned in the news conference that he would no longer be running the team.
Roger Penske is a guy that built his empire on being a man of integrity and straight shooter so I don't think there will be many knowledgeable people that will question that.

Yeah heard that Penske bought it today. I am not surprised. I believe he is the best person for the drivers seat.

One of the reporters on indycar, can’t remember his name, had a YouTube video. In it he said that there would be a big push to get more engine manufacturers involved. Said that alternative engine formulas may be on the table. They are going hybrid with a spec secondary power unit and that the push to pass may be electrical in nature, not turbo boost.

May be room for non turbocharged, larger displacement engines, and a 4 cyl package.