2009 Indy 500 Log

[rszappa1]

So much for the Great American Race...

 

[TurboJim]

 Originally Posted By: rszappa1

Are there any American Made engines from GM/Ford of Cyrysler??

Does the pace car count?

 

[rszappa1]

What is the pace car this year? My guess is the camaro...but it looks like it should be a Honda.....

 

[Johnny]

It's still the great American race (Memorial Day, Indy, you know). When is the last time the Big 3 had engines at Indy, the 50's? Now NASCAR, that's another story.

 

[Footpounds]

 Originally Posted By: Johnny

It's still the great American race (Memorial Day, Indy, you know). When is the last time the Big 3 had engines at Indy, the 50's? Now NASCAR, that's another story.

Darn right it's the Great American Race! Beats the heck out of the so-called "World Series" in baseball. Funny how only American and Canadian teams ever make it in. Too bad Germany, or Japan, or Cuba, or China never make it to the "World" series. Ha!

 

[Bill in Utah]

 Originally Posted By: Johnny

It's still the great American race (Memorial Day, Indy, you know). When is the last time the Big 3 had engines at Indy, the 50's? Now NASCAR, that's another story.

They had Toyota, Honda and Chevy in the 90s. Once the split happened a few years later they went with one mfg for engines. And a few spec'd chassis to keep the costs low.

 

[Johnny]

Oh, you mean the Chevy engine that was made by Mercedes or earlier on the Ford engine that was made by Cosworth.

 

[Bill in Utah]

So how many engines are in the race today made by different mfg? Any way you look at it, there was more competition back then. I'd rather watch a Indycar race than ANY NASCAR. I've tried to watch and get interested and just can not see any racing. I long for the old CART days and them running at Road America, Laguna Seca and Cleveland Airport. That was racing...

 

[Johnny]

Amen to that. I miss CART/Indy Cars at Road America. That was always one of the highlights to my summers.

 

[tom slick]

I want F1 in the US.

 

[rszappa1]

I think that buick had a engine in the 90s also...

 

[Pat in Speedway]

The weather was perfect Wednesday for Community Day at the speedway. Plenty of vintage racecars on display on pit lane, full access to the garages, and of course you get to take your own car around the track for a lap. The video I took can be found here.

 

[Johnny]

Pat, Thanks for the tour and the narration. Was that the Covair you were in?

 

[labman]

They were running what they called a Chevy engine as late as 2005. I think it was based on the old Buick aluminum V-6 run as Novis, Buicks, Menards, Oldsmobiles, and lastly Chevies. I suspect the Chevy engines in 2005 were as closely related to the Ecotec in my Cavalier as the Honda engines this year are to whatever is in the Civic. This is Indy? Hondas, women, GEICO? When does 50 cents replace Jim Nabors?

 

[Pat in Speedway]

 Originally Posted By: Johnny

Pat, Thanks for the tour and the narration. Was that the Covair you were in?

Sure was Johnny!

 

[Badlees]

Pat, thanks for you pics on the JA Fanpage. They're great.

 

[bdcardinal]

 Originally Posted By: labman

They were running what they called a Chevy engine as late as 2005. I think it was based on the old Buick aluminum V-6 run as Novis, Buicks, Menards, Oldsmobiles, and lastly Chevies. I suspect the Chevy engines in 2005 were as closely related to the Ecotec in my Cavalier as the Honda engines this year are to whatever is in the Civic. This is Indy? Hondas, women, GEICO? When does 50 cents replace Jim Nabors?

not even close. they were built by Ilmor and then Cosworth. no relation to any production motor. the Buick V6's were based on the stock block, but they were obsolete in the early 90s.

 

[ARB1977]

Great shots...thanks for sharing.

 

[NCGuy68]

Does the Rahal-Letterman team have a car in the race? If so, who is the driver? Thanks.

 

[Bill in Utah]

I don't think so. They are out of Indycar due to not being able to get a sponsor. Rahal is spending all his time in the Le Mans Series.