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ABC weighing midafternoon Indy 500 start in future [my title]
AP via NASCAR.com ^ | 5/29/04 | AP

Posted on 05/30/2004 6:18:54 AM PDT by foreverfree

[snip]

This might be the last year [Robby Gordon or anyone for that matter] can attempt the Memorial Day weekend double. Officials at ABC have discussed the possibility of pushing the starting time of the Indy 500 back by a couple of hours to help with TV ratings.

If that happens, the chance of anyone competing in both races is diminished.

"It would mess it up, but it is what it is," Gordon said. "I think that would be a mistake on the IRL's side because then Tony Stewart or myself would never be able to come over and compete.

"It would get them better TV ratings. But if they had drivers like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart there, their ratings would probably go up as well."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Indiana
KEYWORDS: autoracing; indy500; indycar; motorsports
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To: oceanview

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

AN UNSEASONABLY STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES INDIANA
TODAY.

A WARM FRONT WILL MOVE NORTH ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIKELY AHEAD AND ALONG THIS FRONT.
SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS
AND TORNADOES THE MAIN THREATS. AS THE WARM FRONT MOVES NORTH...MUCH
OF CENTRAL INDIANA WILL BE IN THE WARM SECTOR OF THIS POWERFUL STORM
SYSTEM. ONCE AGAIN THE THREAT FOR LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND
TORNADOES EXISTS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS.

LATER TONIGHT...AS THE COLD FRONT BEGINS TO PUSH EAST...A SQUALL LINE
IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE STATE. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THIS LINE
OF STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED TORNADO AND
LARGE HAIL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE.


21 posted on 05/30/2004 11:19:47 AM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: BurbankKarl
WeatherUnderground Radar Map

it don't look so good.....60 minutes to rain---max, IMHO.

22 posted on 05/30/2004 11:23:46 AM PDT by budman_2001
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To: budman_2001

they need 100 laps to get the race in I believe. this is why they are racing quite aggressively here in the opening laps - its not going the distance.


23 posted on 05/30/2004 11:29:19 AM PDT by oceanview
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To: oceanview

rain - yello flag.


24 posted on 05/30/2004 11:32:25 AM PDT by oceanview
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To: oceanview

avg speed 80 mph for the leader

might be a record low


25 posted on 05/30/2004 11:37:49 AM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: BurbankKarl

this is a major flaw in this format - they should race on rain tires, just like they do in Formula One.


26 posted on 05/30/2004 11:39:06 AM PDT by oceanview
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To: BurbankKarl

heavy rain within 30 minutes - this race is going to be held over until tomorrow.


27 posted on 05/30/2004 11:40:53 AM PDT by oceanview
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To: oceanview

you can do that on a road course....these cars would fly off the road at those speeds


28 posted on 05/30/2004 11:41:11 AM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: foreverfree

I have never heard of someone switching drivers mid race....that is crazy


29 posted on 05/30/2004 11:42:13 AM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: BurbankKarl
Poseur drivers? Gordon, R., okay. But Stewart makes, well, can make NASCAR races interesting. And I don't be by taking out a dozen cars...

I think I'd be concerned more with safety, due to driver fatigue, in the NASCAR race.

30 posted on 05/30/2004 11:42:19 AM PDT by Calvin Locke
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To: BurbankKarl

they would have to go slower of course. But they get over 200MPH in F1 at Monza, they race there in the rain on wet weather tires.

red flag now.


31 posted on 05/30/2004 11:42:58 AM PDT by oceanview
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To: oceanview
Obviously, they have lost the track now due to the moisture.

It takes a minimum of 90 minutes to dry it out, if the wind comes up, 120-150 if it doesn't (although the wind seems like a sure thing).

That puts the timeline of a restart back to about 3:30 or so, hopefully leaving enough daylight. Drop dead restart time would be 4pm IMHO.

32 posted on 05/30/2004 11:49:12 AM PDT by budman_2001
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To: oceanview

Do Buffaloes have wings?

33 posted on 05/30/2004 11:50:19 AM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: o_zarkman44

Al Unser Jr, Sarah Fischer

If we are gonna bring back any drivers let's get Al Unser Sr, Bobby Unser & Rick Mears, Gordon Johncock.

tony "disney" george screwed up the Indy 500 and that's all there is to it!


34 posted on 05/30/2004 11:51:04 AM PDT by ChefKeith (NASCAR...everything else is just a game!(Except War))
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To: oceanview

Correct, must make the 1/2 way point.

Thanks for the updates I'm currently TV challenged


35 posted on 05/30/2004 11:52:25 AM PDT by ChefKeith (NASCAR...everything else is just a game!(Except War))
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To: ChefKeith

What is the last race Robbie Gordon actually won? That didn't involve a truck.


36 posted on 05/30/2004 11:54:56 AM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: budman_2001; glock rocks

Did You get approval from the WeatherGlock to post that? ;)


37 posted on 05/30/2004 11:55:06 AM PDT by ChefKeith (NASCAR...everything else is just a game!(Except War))
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To: BurbankKarl

It happens more than You think it does


38 posted on 05/30/2004 11:56:27 AM PDT by ChefKeith (NASCAR...everything else is just a game!(Except War))
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To: BurbankKarl

IIRC it was Sonoma road course last year


39 posted on 05/30/2004 11:57:48 AM PDT by ChefKeith (NASCAR...everything else is just a game!(Except War))
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To: ChefKeith

man, AJ Foyt IV must be really bumming...he might get yelled at for an extra day there....


40 posted on 05/30/2004 12:01:45 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
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