Starting with the Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500 and finishing 15+ hours later with the Coca Cola 600.

And these races have something for every economic class. From the 1% at Monaco, to middle class America at Indy, to redneck heaven at Charlotte.

The only problem is that I'm going to have to keep the clicker close for the finals in the World Hockey Championship, the Memorial Cup and the Rangers/Canadains.

Then tomorrow I'll celebrate with the American 1% and watch the NCAA lacrosse finals with Duke and Notre Dame.

Unfortunately, I have to work the graveshift, so I missed the MOnaco GP and Indy.. who won each? I was gonna sit up and watch all three (or as much as I could before I went to the office).

(05-25-2014 06:49 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  Unfortunately, I have to work the graveshift, so I missed the MOnaco GP and Indy.. who won each? I was gonna sit up and watch all three (or as much as I could before I went to the office).

Nico Rosberg won Monaco and Ryan Hunter-Reay won Indy.

I always appreciated the Indy 500 as a kid. Haven't watched one in about 5 years.

(05-25-2014 07:22 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  I always appreciated the Indy 500 as a kid. Haven't watched one in about 5 years.

You missed a great race. Hunter-Reay beat Helio Castroneves to the stripe by .06 seconds. Lots of passing for the lead as well.

Autoracing as a whole been uninteresting for me for a while. I've been to a couple of Daytona 500's but I just can't watch it on TV.

(05-25-2014 07:39 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  Autoracing as a whole been uninteresting for me for a while. I've been to a couple of Daytona 500's but I just can't watch it on TV.

Have you ever been to an Indy 500? I went a whole bunch of times, and I had a blast. Sightlines are terrible there, though.

the auto racing triple crown > horse racing triple crown

the fact that only one person has ever won it speaks volumes.

(05-25-2014 07:34 PM)DefCONNOne Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 07:22 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  I always appreciated the Indy 500 as a kid. Haven't watched one in about 5 years.

You missed a great race. Hunter-Reay beat Helio Castroneves to the stripe by .06 seconds. Lots of passing for the lead as well.

How about that double move to take Helio on the low side Ah. Maz. Ing.

(05-25-2014 09:10 PM)Brokeback Flamer Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 07:34 PM)DefCONNOne Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 07:22 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  I always appreciated the Indy 500 as a kid. Haven't watched one in about 5 years.

You missed a great race. Hunter-Reay beat Helio Castroneves to the stripe by .06 seconds. Lots of passing for the lead as well.

How about that double move to take Helio on the low side Ah. Maz. Ing.

You talking about that crazy move heading into turn 3? The final pass, though, definitely required brass cajones!

(05-25-2014 09:01 PM)john01992 Wrote:  the auto racing triple crown > horse racing triple crown

the fact that only one person has ever won it speaks volumes.

What preciously is the auto racing triple crown? Only two races come the mind and that's the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500. What's the other race that is on equal footing with those two?

(05-25-2014 10:34 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 09:01 PM)john01992 Wrote:  the auto racing triple crown > horse racing triple crown

the fact that only one person has ever won it speaks volumes.

What preciously is the auto racing triple crown? Only two races come the mind and that's the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500. What's the other race that is on equal footing with those two?

Monaco Grand Prix
Indy 500
24 Hours of Le Mans

(05-25-2014 10:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 10:34 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 09:01 PM)john01992 Wrote:  the auto racing triple crown > horse racing triple crown
the fact that only one person has ever won it speaks volumes.

What preciously is the auto racing triple crown? Only two races come the mind and that's the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500. What's the other race that is on equal footing with those two?

Monaco Grand Prix
Indy 500
24 Hours of Le Mans

Graham Hill is the only person to have won all three.

There's also the NASCAR-ized version, with Indy 500, Daytona 500, and Monaco or Le Mans. With Le Mans, the only one to have done those three is A. J. Foyt. But Foyt never won Monaco.

(05-25-2014 10:53 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 10:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 10:34 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 09:01 PM)john01992 Wrote:  the auto racing triple crown > horse racing triple crown
the fact that only one person has ever won it speaks volumes.

What preciously is the auto racing triple crown? Only two races come the mind and that's the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500. What's the other race that is on equal footing with those two?

Monaco Grand Prix
Indy 500
24 Hours of Le Mans

Graham Hill is the only person to have won all three.

There's also the NASCAR-ized version, with Indy 500, Daytona 500, and Monaco or Le Mans. With Le Mans, the only one to have done those three is A. J. Foyt. But Foyt never won Monaco.

What about Mario Andretti? He won Daytona ('67), and Indy ('69). I'm pretty sure I read somewhere he won at LeMans, and I'm almost positive that he won Monaco as well.

(05-25-2014 11:26 PM)DefCONNOne Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 10:53 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 10:43 PM)john01992 Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 10:34 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 09:01 PM)john01992 Wrote:  the auto racing triple crown > horse racing triple crown
the fact that only one person has ever won it speaks volumes.

What preciously is the auto racing triple crown? Only two races come the mind and that's the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500. What's the other race that is on equal footing with those two?

Monaco Grand Prix
Indy 500
24 Hours of Le Mans

Graham Hill is the only person to have won all three.

There's also the NASCAR-ized version, with Indy 500, Daytona 500, and Monaco or Le Mans. With Le Mans, the only one to have done those three is A. J. Foyt. But Foyt never won Monaco.

What about Mario Andretti? He won Daytona ('67), and Indy ('69). I'm pretty sure I read somewhere he won at LeMans, and I'm almost positive that he won Monaco as well.

He won his class (maybe the senior division) at Le Mans in 1995, but never won overall. And never won Monaco, although he did win other F1 races. I'd forgotten that he won Daytona, because he didn't run NASCAR as much as Foyt did.

I think Monaco is such a unique race that it would take a very special driver to be able to win it plus Indy, plus Daytona. Obviously couldn't win both Monaco and Indy in the same year. Three totally different styles. The guys who can win in multiple formats always impress me. Kind of like those tennis players who can win at Wimbledon, at Roland Garos, and the US and Australian titles on four different surfaces. Even the few drivers who can be competitive in multiple formats--like Foyt and Andretti--are very impressive. Juan Pablo Montoya has won Monaco and Indy, but was less successful in NASCAR. He could still return to NASCAR and win Daytona at some point.

(05-25-2014 11:35 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Juan Pablo Montoya has won Monaco and Indy, but was less successful in NASCAR. He could still return to NASCAR and win Daytona at some point.

Wont' happen... he po'd too many NASCAR teams when he left.

About the only American I think could pull off the triple crown would be Sam Hornish (IMO), but he'll never seem to get a decent NASCAR team.

As for the F1 drivers.. the only one I _really_ think could compete in NASCAR and Indy would be Lewis Hamilton. The kid impressed me from day 1 of stepping into a F1 car.

(05-26-2014 06:13 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 11:35 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Juan Pablo Montoya has won Monaco and Indy, but was less successful in NASCAR. He could still return to NASCAR and win Daytona at some point.

Wont' happen... he po'd too many NASCAR teams when he left.
About the only American I think could pull off the triple crown would be Sam Hornish (IMO), but he'll never seem to get a decent NASCAR team.
As for the F1 drivers.. the only one I _really_ think could compete in NASCAR and Indy would be Lewis Hamilton. The kid impressed me from day 1 of stepping into a F1 car.

It's really amazing what a hash Montoya made of NASCAR after being so successful everywhere else. Drove like crap and pissed everybody off. He'd have a hard time winning because he wouldn't get easy passes from guys that were ten laps down. I agree, at this point that's more a theoretical possibility than a realistic one.

I also agree that Hamilton could compete in NASCAR and Indy, not necessarily that he is the only one. I've heard rumors that NASCAR would sweeten the pot quite a bit to get him to have a go. I think he may be waiting for the right car. He's now at the age where probably needs to move soon to do it, particularly if he wants to win the 500 in addition to NASCAR. He has already won at Indy, just not the 500. Let him win the 500 and the Brickyard, and he'd have his own unique triple crown. And he has won Monaco and the drivers championship, although I don't think he has ever won at Le Mans. If he wins the drivers championship this year, and that's looking pretty much like a two-man race, might be a good time to move. Wouldn't have a whole lot left to conquer over there. He is certainly a unique talent.

I thought Michael Schumacher had the talent. Not sure how well he'd have gotten on with the good old boys at NASCAR, and camaraderie is at least part of the game there.

It takes a different type of driver skill set to compete in each code, and having the diverse skills at the necessary level to win in each is pretty rare. And the monetary rewards of being at the top of any code make it a huge risk to jump off into something that you may not do as well.

I wanted Will Power to win the Indy 500 for his name alone. No respect to 82-year-old Jim Nabors for singing Back Home In Indiana for the 36th and final time? Shazam.

(05-26-2014 06:59 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(05-26-2014 06:13 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  

(05-25-2014 11:35 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Juan Pablo Montoya has won Monaco and Indy, but was less successful in NASCAR. He could still return to NASCAR and win Daytona at some point.

Wont' happen... he po'd too many NASCAR teams when he left.
About the only American I think could pull off the triple crown would be Sam Hornish (IMO), but he'll never seem to get a decent NASCAR team.
As for the F1 drivers.. the only one I _really_ think could compete in NASCAR and Indy would be Lewis Hamilton. The kid impressed me from day 1 of stepping into a F1 car.

It's really amazing what a hash Montoya made of NASCAR after being so successful everywhere else. Drove like crap and pissed everybody off. He'd have a hard time winning because he wouldn't get easy passes from guys that were ten laps down. I agree, at this point that's more a theoretical possibility than a realistic one.

No, I mean the fact that as soon as he left, he started trashing his crew chiefs that he had and basically said that the owners don't want to spend money to win against the RCR's, Childress's, etc.

I loved JPM.. He was my favorite driver when he came over to NASCAR, win or lose, but then he started blaming everyone but himself for his struggles. Hell, you don't see Danica doing that, you never saw Stewart do that, even the Busch's don't do that.

Quote:I also agree that Hamilton could compete in NASCAR and Indy, not necessarily that he is the only one. I've heard rumors that NASCAR would sweeten the pot quite a bit to get him to have a go. I think he may be waiting for the right car. He's now at the age where probably needs to move soon to do it, particularly if he wants to win the 500 in addition to NASCAR. He has already won at Indy, just not the 500. Let him win the 500 and the Brickyard, and he'd have his own unique triple crown. And he has won Monaco and the drivers championship, although I don't think he has ever won at Le Mans.

I don't think he's ever competed at LeMans? (might have, don't recall). I'd be thrilled to see him make the jump to NASCAR though..

Quote:I thought Michael Schumacher had the talent. Not sure how well he'd have gotten on with the good old boys at NASCAR, and camaraderie is at least part of the game there.

Nah.. Schumacher himself said he'd never have done well at NASCAR. He said something about he'd have issues with the heavier cars. He wanted to do IROC one year, but never did it (back when Unser Jr was a regular on the IROC circuits).

They really do need to bring back a full IROC type racing system. Let the F1 drivers see how they'd do in a "nascar style layout" (providing it doesnt' become a NASCAR vs. IRL vs. Road Racers competition.. which ruined it during the last couple of IROC years.)

One Nascar driver, one F1 driver, one Indy racer, one F2, one Rally-cross drive, etc...

Foyt was an interesting case. Doing it his own way was more important to him than the money, and he probably left millions of sponsorship dollars on the table as a result. Not that he hasn't done pretty well as is.

He felt that competing in the different codes was important to validate his skills as a driver. I don't think most people are wired to put that ahead of the money. He won enough to place himself among the elite drivers both at Indy and in NASCAR.

From the Wikipedia page for Masten Gregory, "Gregory is in a distinct club of motorsport being only one of seventeen drivers to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown of Motorsport (Indianapolis 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix) and to have won at least one of those events. The others were Louis Chiron, Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Graham Hill (who won all 3), Dan Gurney, Jochen Rindt (who won 2), Mario Andretti, Mark Donohue, Jackie Stewart, Denny Hulme, Danny Sullivan, Vern Schuppan, Stefan Johansson, Michele Alboreto, Eddie Cheever and Jacques Villeneuve." Foyt is not on the list because he never ran at Monaco. He only ran a few F1 races, early in his career. I'm not sure how his style would have played in F1, but it would have been interesting and exciting and fun to find out.

Graham Hill was another who thought like Foyt that winning multiple codes enhanced his career. Because of the differing skill sets, I agree. Just as in another sport, I thought Agassi's career was more impressive than Sampras's because he won the French on clay. Or in golf the Hogan vs. Snead (no US Open) or Nicklaus vs. Palmer (no PGA) or Watson (no PGA) or Trevino (no Masters) comparisons--although there, the fact that you compare Nicklaus to three different people in different decades pretty much speaks volumes.