2012 Indianapolis 500 Discussion

[DavidCarter2]

Honestly guys the outcome is what it is. It's racing and stuff happens and will happens. But everyone is kinda let this one get all blown out of wack. You can say it was sato's fault you can blame dario but in the end it does not matter, the results will stand and dario gets his face on the trophy.

Fighting in anyway only leads to more hurt feelings, state opnions but let the fighting go away.

 

[celticfang]

Taku is a rookie, he'll learn next year and know the limits with the car now, everyone had to learn the cars at Indy so in a way it was a level playing field. I was hoping Hinch, Taku, TK or Rubens would win it but Dario's most certainly not an undeserving winner at all, right place, right time. Did people say AJ or Al Sr or Rick Mears not deserve to win? No, so why should Dario get that treatment, he's in one of the best teams (as Rick, Al and AJ were) and he has a lot of talent

 

[tipptruck]

Sato is not a rookie. This is not his first year in Indy car. This was also not his first Indy 500. This is his third year in Indy car and racing in the Indy 500. Plus he just didn't come from no were. He has 10 year plus of open wheel experience. So can every one please stop calling him a rookie.

 

[Frigus5]

Sato is not a rookie. This is not his first year in Indy car. This was also not his first Indy 500. This is his third year in Indy car and racing in the Indy 500. Plus he just didn't come from no were. He has 10 year plus of open wheel experience. So can every one please stop calling him a rookie.

He has yet to finish a 500. When he does that, he won't be a rookie anymore.

 

[moppenheimer]

Can't believe people are slagging off Sato...It's the last lap of the biggest race in the world!...He saw a gap, he went for it. To quote Senna, if you no longer go for a gap, you are no longer a racing driver. In that situation, I would have done exactly the same thing as both of Taku ( and the exact same if I were Dario, he defended brilliantly.) Second place means nothing in the Indy 500. If he had lifted and not used that run, he would have never gotten back to Dario, and Dixon would've been all over him. Even if he had stayed with Dario through 1-2, he wouldn't have had a chance into turn 3, Dario would've defended the exact same way and the head wind made passing extremely difficult. And off of T4? his chances at out-dragging a CGR car to the line were slim.

Sato isn't inexperienced, he knew exactly what he was doing, and he knew it was his shot. Any other lap of that race, and what Dario did would've been called dirty and Sato would be a victim of the latest "Im Dario Franchitti, I can do no wrong" maneuver. That said, last lap of the race, anything goes, I know that, fair play to Dario. But to say Sato did something wrong, or he was impatient is a joke. He HAD the corner, Dario turned in after Sato was alongside, remember that.

I think it was almost a bit of genius to try it there because i bet it surprised the heck out of Dario. He just ran out of grip as Dario squeezed him down there.

In summary #BringBackTheApron and Taku would've won.


I saw this tweet and I think it sums it up perfectly.

"When it's the last lap of the #Indy500 and you see what could be your only chance, you better try to take it. Kudos to @TakumaSatoRacer!"

 

[RP Motorsports]

Can't believe people are slagging off Sato...It's the last lap of the biggest race in the world!...He saw a gap, he went for it. To quote Senna, if you no longer go for a gap, you are no longer a racing driver. In that situation, I would have done exactly the same thing as both of Taku ( and the exact same if I were Dario, he defended brilliantly.) Second place means nothing in the Indy 500. If he had lifted and not used that run, he would have never gotten back to Dario, and Dixon would've been all over him. Even if he had stayed with Dario through 1-2, he wouldn't have had a chance into turn 3, Dario would've defended the exact same way and the head wind made passing extremely difficult. And off of T4? his chances at out-dragging a CGR car to the line were slim.

Sato isn't inexperienced, he knew exactly what he was doing, and he knew it was his shot. Any other lap of that race, and what Dario did would've been called dirty and Sato would be a victim of the latest "Im Dario Franchitti, I can do no wrong" maneuver. That said, last lap of the race, anything goes, I know that, fair play to Dario. But to say Sato did something wrong, or he was impatient is a joke. He HAD the corner, Dario turned in after Sato was alongside, remember that.

I think it was almost a bit of genius to try it there because i bet it surprised the heck out of Dario. He just ran out of grip as Dario squeezed him down there.

THANK YOU.

I honestly cant believe how many people here are saying Sato should've waited or was impatient or too aggressive. It all seems so simple when hindsight is 20/20 and you're sitting behind a TV watching the race.

It was the last lap of the Indy 500. Let me emphasize - THE INDY 500. The biggest lap those guys will ever race. Sato had a hell of a run and some space inside of Dario. Do you honestly and truely expect him to think "you know what, this could be a little risky, maybe I should back off and just wait to see if a better opportunity arises at the other end of the track". To be completely frank about it, I think thats rather absurd to expect of him. Again, last lap of the Indy 500.

Sato wouldn't have won anyway I don't think. I know I said he should have waited (which he should have) and passed him down the back straight, but now I think about it, Dario would have sling shot by him on the front strech. Sato just could not have won that race. It wasn't meant to be.

I'd have to respectfully disagree. In fact, had Sato not spun, I think he'd be your 2012 Indy 500 winner.

Obviously theres no way to know, and at this point its just talking about what couldve happened if something else happened that didnt happen. That being said, I think Sato was clearly the faster car during the closing laps. Hell, he restarted at least 4th (I dont remember if he was 4th or 5th) with six laps to go and made it up to 2nd in just four laps, then closed the gap on Dario real quick and was right on him taking the white flag. During that whole time, Dario certainly wasnt checking out or anything like that. He was right there and even traded the lead with Dixon a couple times, so we know he wasnt the fastest car on the track.

Whether or not Sato was the fastest car out there, I dont know for sure. But those last six laps showed that he was definitely faster than Dario. And based on that last run, I think theres an extremely good chance Sato would've won had he not spun.

 

[dalejrgamer]

We leave here with Takuma Sato's point of view of the entire ordeal:

TAKUMA SATO
“What an incredible weekend. Not only the weekend, but it was also an incredible month of May. I was going for the win. On the last restart, we jumped from seventh to fifth, then taking fourth, third, second. I kept pushing and overtaking. On the very last lap I had a good tow from Dario (Franchitti). I thought I had the job done. But he kept pushing and didn’t give me enough room so that I was well below the white line. But it was an outstanding job by the team. It was a very exciting race. I was calm when I was leading. I knew there were many laps to go and I was following team protocol. The last 30 laps were pretty exciting. The two yellows in 30 laps gave us some good opportunities to move forward. The moment I was alongside Dario I said to myself ‘Job done.’ I was hoping that coming out of Turn 1 side-by-side with Dario we would take the lead going to Turn 2 and Turn 3. It didn’t work out that way though. He could have given a little bit more space and we would have come out of the corner no problem. Into Turn 1 I was well below the white line. It was in the center of the monocoque. I was almost in the grass and the car started sliding.”

 

[Frigus5]

I'd have to respectfully disagree. In fact, had Sato not spun, I think he'd be your 2012 Indy 500 winner.

Obviously theres no way to know, and at this point its just talking about what couldve happened if something else happened that didnt happen. That being said, I think Sato was clearly the faster car during the closing laps. Hell, he restarted at least 4th (I dont remember if he was 4th or 5th) with six laps to go and made it up to 2nd in just four laps, then closed the gap on Dario real quick and was right on him taking the white flag. During that whole time, Dario certainly wasnt checking out or anything like that. He was right there and even traded the lead with Dixon a couple times, so we know he wasnt the fastest car on the track.

Whether or not Sato was the fastest car out there, I dont know for sure. But those last six laps showed that he was definitely faster than Dario. And based on that last run, I think theres an extremely good chance Sato would've won had he not spun.

See, but the draft played such a huge roll in everything. Dario couldn't check out because of the huge hole these cars punch in the air. Sato was in the draft the whole time. He couldn't sling shot by on the frontstrech so he did it instead in turn 1. He also very easily could have attempted the high side. That probably wouldn't have ended very well if Dario blocked him (in which case Dixon would be your winner because Dario would be penalized and Sato would have crashed anyway) and Sato would end up in the wall.

You really can't go any further here. It's all what if's. I personally don't believe that Sato was ready to win at Indy. And it sure showed. A more experienced OVAL driver would have waited or done something different.

Indy should not be won by underdogs. If you are one of the best IndyCar drivers in the world, your face is on the Borg-Warner Trophy. Enough said. You can argue that all you want, but you can't deny it. And notice I say IndyCar driver. So you can't argue that point with NASCAR, Formula 1, DTM, etc. drivers.

Enough with the "If there's a hole you take it". There's a giant hole being punched in the air. You can take that down the backstrech.

/rant

 

[dalejrgamer]

Rubens Barrichello is your ROTY for Indy.

yay

 

[moppenheimer]

See, but the draft played such a huge roll in everything. Dario couldn't check out because of the huge hole these cars punch in the air. Sato was in the draft the whole time. He couldn't sling shot by on the frontstrech so he did it instead in turn 1. He also very easily could have attempted the high side. That probably wouldn't have ended very well if Dario blocked him (in which case Dixon would be your winner because Dario would be penalized and Sato would have crashed anyway) and Sato would end up in the wall.

If the draft were that huge, Dixon could've won the race by passing both of them. It took Sato a whole lap to get to Dario after getting to second from Dixon. The draft was not as huge as people were saying. If he had squandered that run he had, it was game over. And while mention Dixon, you know what move Sato put on him for 2nd place? The EXACT same one he tried on Dario...only difference is Dixon gave him room.

Why should he have tried the high side? There was plenty of room where he put his car at the start of the corner, Dario just forced him down.

You really can't go any further here. It's all what if's. I personally don't believe that Sato was ready to win at Indy. And it sure showed. A more experienced OVAL driver would have waited or done something different.

Again, waited for what? A chance that may never come? Sato drove a hell of a race, he was up there all day, and thoroughly earned his shot at the win. And I'm pretty sure that all 33 of those drivers that strap in are ready to win Indy. They wouldn't be there otherwise.

Enough with the "If there's a hole you take it". There's a giant hole being punched in the air. You can take that down the backstrech.
/rant

How many passes for the lead did you see into Turn 3? The headwind was too strong to make it an option to throw all your cards at. Even if Sato could get a run into 3, Dario would've done the exact same thing...

Sato had the corner, he didn't dive in there super late and wash up and take them out, he was along side before turn-in , didn't run up the race track and hit Dario, it was a clean fair move. Dario just pinched him onto the white line, causing him to spin like countless others yesterday. (And again, I think Dario had every right to do so, do i think it was a little dirty, yeah, seeing as Dixon didn't just a lap before, but anything goes last lap)

 

[David24]

I thought Sato could even wait until the exit of turn 4. I saw that all day guys were making passes and completing them by the s/f line.

 

[MillsLayne]

Indy should not be won by underdogs./rant

Technically, last year's Indy was won by an underdog team. And why shouldn't Indy be won by underdogs? That's what makes the race so dramatic every year! That possibility of an "unknown" winning the biggest race in the world.

 

[Frigus5]

Technically, last year's Indy was won by an underdog team. And why shouldn't Indy be won by underdogs? That's what makes the race so dramatic every year! That possibility of an "unknown" winning the biggest race in the world.

By Underdog, I mean driver. Not team. Dan won last year because he was just an incredibly talented driver.

If the 500 was constantly won by underdogs, those underdogs would become immortalized. What would happen if say, Marty Roth or Milka Duno won the 500? Those drivers would be with the greatest drivers in the world for getting lucky. Or winning on fuel mileage. Not because they actually have talent. They would come back the year after and fail to meet any expectations.

Sure it's happened in the past, but where are they now? And what became of them after words? Let's look at Buddy Lazier for an example.

Buddy was the best driver in the IRL. Yes, the IRL was full of terrible drivers (minus Kenny Brack, but he came later) but Lazier was one of the best. But once he won the 500, what happened to him later? He still had a few good years left in him, but he just could not meet the expectations people had set for him. I haven't heard from him in a while or what he's up to. He's an Indy 500 champ isn't he though? He's one of the greatest in the world right?


This may be incredibly harsh, and let me say I actually like Buddy. He's a real nice guy, but I use him in this example to prove my point.

 

[GDP Racing]

If the 500 was constantly won by underdogs, those underdogs would become immortalized. What would happen if say, Marty Roth or Milka Duno won the 500? Those drivers would be with the greatest drivers in the world for getting lucky. Or winning on fuel mileage. Not because they actually have talent. They would come back the year after and fail to meet any expectations.

Look at Trevor Bayne, he's won the Daytona 500 by only being randomly at the right time not because of genuine talent and people (not me) consider him as one of the greatest all-time drivers in NASCAR because he's won the Daytona 500 on his first attempt and on his second race, which is BS.

 

[ayrwolf]

Not matter what your opinion of who won and who lost it was an exciting race...and they did it without DANICA! The IRL hasn't folded its tent because princess decided to leave.

 

[Janitor Dave]

Look at Trevor Bayne, he's won the Daytona 500 by only being randomly at the right time not because of genuine talent and people (not me) consider him as one of the greatest all-time drivers in NASCAR because he's won the Daytona 500 on his first attempt and on his second race, which is BS.

I hate to derail the Indy 500 discussion here, but I have to make a retort to this. I don't know a lot of people who consider him one of the greatest, but he definitely is no slouch either, given the right equipment. Trevor is different than most other drivers in that he actually knows how to drive a stock car competitively, he's just in junk equipment in Sprint Cup.

I can't say for sure what you're truly implying, but it sounds like you're just saying he sucks either way.

 

[theman_24]

Dan Wheldon....I can't believe your gone.

 

[dalejrgamer]

Oh, Wikipedia...

 

[Elio Lugaru]

LOL. That's Photoshopped.

I really wish they would've thrown the red after that last wreck with 15 to go or whatever it was. I dont get it. Its the damn Indy 500 inside of 20 to go and you're just going to waste laps like that? A 10-15 lap run to end it would've been alot better than 6. They need to invest in a red flag really bad. They'll run 40 laps under caution if they have to. They really should take a page out of NASCAR's book on that one.

Reminds me of last years Freedom 100, Why the hell did they not throw the red flag after that nasty crash? Now THERES a waste of laps.

 

[RP Motorsports]

Oh, Wikipedia...

Thats the most accurate I've ever seen the Wikipedia.