AutoInformed

Click on Palou’s Green Honda to enlarge.

Honda wrecked what was looking to be a Chevrolet Party at The NTT IndyCar Series’ seventh round. The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix (presented by Lear) presented a semi-race that was run almost one-third of the time under caution flags during its 100 laps. Alex Palou – starting on the pole for the second race in a row – in his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda bumped and banged his way to victory. “It’s a crazy track, tight and short,” Palou said. AutoInformed couldn’t agree more. The start was waved off. Then on lap 2 – the restart – there was a pile up in the third turn… yawwwwwwn, and so it went.

From a racing fan’s point of view, AutoInformed remains worried about the lack of real racing in IndyCar. Street tracks present huge problems. Detroit, to our eyes, was too narrow, too short and way too bumpy. The longest straightaway needed to be resurfaced – like many Michigan roads the second half of it needs to be fixed – smoothed so passing can occur without bumps and carbon-fiber wing benders. This is an IndyCar problem. Restarts lead to more restarts, but on street circuits the best way to overtake and pass is on the restart where everyone is bunched up – more accidents, more flags, more restarts with little sustained racing. (AutoInformed: Josef Newgarden Driving a Penske-Chevrolet Wins Accident Marred Indianapolis 500) Continue reading →