As IMSA, MotoGP and Formula 1 aren’t Afraid to race
when Football’s being played…
Who needs IndyCar during it’s El Stupidio 289
days Winter Slumber, Eh? When there’s a triumvirate of other motorsports series
to pay Attenzione too! And that doesn’t even include the RASSCAR’ Playoffs,
Gulp!
So much for the IndyCar Offseason, Eh? Which
started off ominously for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, when the FBI paid a
visit to their Zionsville race shop to investigate an alleged Intellectual
Property (IP) rights dispute with a former Andretti Global employee on
September 18th.
Having tune-in late to the day’s first race
being the MotoGP Emilia Romagna GP, where I caught just the last three-plus
laps. I was busy type-type-typing away on thoust keyboard when I said Oh shit!
Uhm, good thing we’re not monitored by the FIA
here upon thoust Isle ‘O Nofendersville, Righto Max?
AnyHoo, I realized that I was missing the IMSA
Battle On the Bricks race that was currently underway…
Tuning into IMSA Radio around 10:30AM Pacific,
le Hamburgular’, aka Sealmeister B’, nee Sebastien Bourdais was leading the
race in the #01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac. Although the field was running
behind the safety car. As apparently there had been a long caution period for
inclement weather, including a heavy downpour that left standing water
on-track.
As I’d timed it perfectly, with the safety
car’s lights being turned off, indicating going green next time round.
And although I listened to the majority of the
final four hours, other than flitting about my Bungalow by the Sea. Along with
taking a break for lunch, there simply was way too mucho nonstop action to try
rehashing it all. Like three Ferrari 296 GT3’s Hitting each other!
As several cars took turns leading, with the
#01 cycling back to the lead.
Yet as the weather changed and the sun came
out, it became obvious that it would now become a chess match regarding when to
switch over to slick tyres would be tantamount.
While I’ve also never heard of a whole gaggle
of cars, being the top eight LMP2 runners All being penalized a drive-thru
penalty for not restarting the race properly, Say What?
Or the bizarre dead-stick reboot on the front
straight by the championship points leading No. 7 Penske Porsche 963. When
apparently Felipe Nasr was instructed to pull over and recycle the Porsche’s
electronics to try correcting a power steering issue. With Nasr’s sudden stop
almost seeing Louie Deletraz in the WTR Andretti Acura ARC-06 crash into the
unexpected, stranded Porsche! Which Deletraz missed, but I wondered what His
Heart rate must have jumped too?
Yet it was all to no avail, as the reboot
didn’t cure the Porsche’s power steering issues, with the #7 ultimately
finishing ninth.
Oh yeah, totally forgot to mention how fun it
was listening to Romain Grosjean dragging His Lamborghini SP63 by the scruff of
its neck from P5. All the way into the lead, after giving Mathieu Jaminet a
“Love-tap” when passing for the lead! As it was the very first time ever that
Lamborghini had led an IMSA Sports Car race, which Romain conceded was
partially due to the wet weather conditions.
As it was funny hearing a joyful Grosjean being
interviewed by Shea Adam in pitlane, unaware that one of His teammates, Matteo
Cairoli had just been given a Drive-thru penalty. Which according to David Land
was for Lamborghini having too many people over the wall during their pitstop.
Whilst later on, the Lambo’ wouldn’t fare so
well, when tangling with the Proton Competition’s “Double Nickel” No. 55 ford
Mustang GT3. As Andrea Caldarelli broke the right rear suspension during the
collision, and the No. 63’s day was over. While sadly, late in the race, the
bright blue #55 Mustang trundled to it’s garage, retiring due to the damage
inflicted by Caldarelli…
But it was Philipp Eng in the #24 BMW M8 Hybrid
who made the pass of the day in Turn 13 with 47mins remaining, which is not
known for being a passing area on Mother Speedway’s 2.439 mile 14-turn
permanent road course. For which both Lead Announcer John Hindhaugh and Jeremey
Shaw were totally amazed by! Which would be the race’s winning pass.
As Hindhaugh mentioned at races end how it had
been a stellar week for BMW. First finishing runner-up in the FIA World
Endurance Championship’s (WEC) Six Hours of Fuji race. And then triumph at
Mother Speedway.
As the win was the BMW M8 Hybrid’s first
on-track victory, after they’d been given the 2023 Watkins Glen six hours W’
after Porsche Penske Motorsports was Disqualified in Post-race Tech for having
worn down it’s skid plate beyond minimum limits.
According to Shea Adam in pitlane at race’s
end. Not only was the No. 24 victorious, but it was the first time that the No.
24 had seen the chequered flag or won a race! After interview Jesse Krohn,
winning co-driver, who said He’d now won in every BMW racecar He’d driven
during His eleven years partnership.
With David Land also noting that the No. 24 hadn’t
won in any IMSA competition since 2021…
Even sweeter for BMW M Team RLL was that the
No. 24 led it’s Seester’ No. 25 home in a 1-2 sweep! With Jaminet in the No. 6
Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 third. Prior to it’s Post-race tech
violation…
And that was before the day’s racing nightcap,
being the encore presentation of the Singapore Grand Prix. Which I have to say
was totally anti-climatic.
As Lando Norris put a total beatdown on the
field leading wire-to-wire, and at one point holding a 24 second lead over
runner-up Max Verstappen! While Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri was a distant
third.
Although I found it funny how before the race I
actually kind of wanted Verstappen to win, just so He could tell the FIA it was
still Number One!
Although Sky sports lead Pundit Kroftie’ (David Kroft) apologized for some Salty language from Lando Norris in the “Green” Cooldown room prior to the podium celebrations…