Indy Car: Difference between revisions

{{Useful Notes}}

 

[[Indy Car]] (Known formally as the [[Indy Car]] Series), is perhaps the greatest racing series in America... that everyone forgot.

Now on the decline, CART began to get desperate. Trying to outdo IRL with a race at Texas Motor Speedway in 2001, [[Threat Backfire|they found that the greater performance of the cars led to many drivers coming close to to blacking out under the extreme g-forces imposed.]] Forced by the series doctors to cancel the race for medical reasons, CART took a huge blow in prestige, which was then compounded when a row over engine rules resulted in key engine manufacturers Honda and Toyota defecting to IRL. CART tried to pick up the pieces in 2003 by reforming under the name [[Brand Names Are Better|"Bridgestone Presents]] The Champ Car World Series [[Dualvertisement|Powered by Ford]] (Champ Car)." After declaring bankruptcy in 2003 and again in 2008, Champ Car was finally bought out by IRL, which then became simply the [[Indy Car]] Series. In a final twist of the saga George was voted out of his position at the head of the series by his own sisters, allegedly angry at the amount of family money that had been spent over the years, and a new boss was brought in (Randy Bernard, a former head of Professional Rodeo). Now the 'IRL' name is largely history too, and the series is officially the 'Izod Indycar Series', a series [[Shaggy Dog Story|contested between US and non-US drivers on oval, street and road courses.]]

 

'''Chip Ganassi Racing:'''

* ''Charlie Kimball'' - [[Handicapped Badass]]. Although 2011 was his first time in the Indy 500, he deserves recognition as being the first ''ever'' driver at the race with Type 1 Diabetes. He didn't get a podium finish but for him to complete the race ''at all'' (which he did handily) was a noteworthy achievement. Due to his condition he needed to have ''two'' drink reservoirs, one with water, the other with a high-glucose drink, and a switch to let him select which reservoir he'd be drinking from, chosen based on a blood-sugar-level gage integrated into his car's custom steering wheel. In the event that an insulin shot was needed, his pit crew included a doctor who could provide him with the needed injection on the next pit-stop.

* ''Tomas Scheckter'' - [[Glass Cannon]]. Son of former [[Formula One]] champion Jody Scheckter, Tomas is best known for his spectacular outside lane charges on the ovals...and his spectacular wipeouts that often result from it (especially when he drove for Red Bull in the early 2000s).

 

* [[Berserk Button]]: Legendary driver A.J. Foyt as a team owner in the late 90s. Slapped driver Arie Luyendyk in the face when he (correctly) contested Foyt's driver Billy Boat being declared the winner, and at one point Foyt smashed his laptop in anger.

* [[Badass Grandpa]]: Mario Andretti, who walked away from [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMeE9NAh60I this] crash back in 2003 with only a nick on his chin. Currently he's one of the drivers involved in the two-seater ride, aged 71!

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[[Category:Sporting Event]]