-
Home
- TV Shows
- TV Schedule
- NASCAR
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
IndyCar
MILLER: Veterans Roll In ‘Bama
Rubens Barrichello and Sebastien Bourdais rolled In Alabama.
Rubens Barrichello brought the heat late in the Barber race, securing his first top 10 finish in only his second IndyCar Series start. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)
It was the essence of auto racing. Two accomplished veterans, racing for the thrill of competition and not a paycheck, spent the better part of two hours Sunday afternoon driving for all they were worth, which is a considerable amount for one of them.
They pushed, rubbed, slid, stalked, hung on for dear life at times, made some hard-core passes and extracted about all they could from their cars and situations.
Rubens Barrichello and Sebastien Bourdais finished eighth and ninth in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, which is hardly scrapbook material in their outstanding careers.
But, considering the obstacle course they’re both running right now, it was a damn fine exhibition of talent and tenacity.
`”I am just a kid--not bad for a kid who is learning in only his second race,’’ said the 39-year-old Barrichello with a grin after starting 14th in the BMC-Embrase Dallara-Chevy.
“That’s as hard as I can drive,’’ declared Bourdais, who charged from 17th to ninth in the under-powered Lotus car of Jay Penske.
Barrichello is one of the most refreshing stories to ever come to Indy car racing. After 19 years and 322 starts in Formula One, the personable Brazilian was cast aside by Frank Williams but wasn’t ready to quit.
He liked his first test in buddy Tony Kanaan’s car a couple months ago and loved the idea of coming to a series where a driver could make a difference. The coolest part is that a guy who’s said to have earned more than $150 million and drove for the top of the open wheel food chain (Ferrari) likely isn’t making a fraction of his F1 salary with KV Racing Technology.
And the best part is that he doesn’t care because this isn’t about money, this is about passion and being able to do what drives him. Unlike F1, where your finishing order is usually pre-ordained by your chassis or engine, IndyCar offers much more equal footing.
"I love this environment,’’ said Barrichello, who got bumped out of the second round of qualifying by four-thousandths of a second by teammate Kanaan. ``We all have the same cars and you know you have a chance before the race begins.
"My car wasn’t very good at the start and I fell back (to 20th) but we kept working with it and I started coming back through the field and by the end of the race I was one of the fastest cars on the track. That was so enjoyable for me.’’
Because of his skill and experience, some people expected the 11-time F1 winner and two-time runner-up in the world championship to come in and dominate.
“The expectations are crazy,’’ he continued. “Yes, I spent 19 years in Formula One but I am learning over there. I’m learning the car, these tracks, driving on cold tires, restarts and pit stops.
“I qualified 14th and I was not that unhappy. People might not understand but this is a very competitive series and I’m the new guy.’’
Sitting on the pit wall a few hundred yards away was Bourdais, whose result may have been the most impressive on a day that featured excellent racing and lots of overtaking.
Not only is the Lotus/Judd engine strapped for cash and shy on horsepower (by an estimated 50 compared to Honda and Chevrolet), it’s a rarity because right now there are only five of them for their five drivers.
The four-time Champ Car king had a few laps of pre-season testing prior to the season opener at St. Pete, where he was running sixth before the car simply stopped. It wouldn’t run Sunday morning either so he missed the 30-minute final practice.
That’s why his drive deserves its plaudits.
“I wasn’t very optimistic this morning because of our problem and I had no idea what my car would do on a long run or how the tires would react,’’ admitted the 33-year-old native of Le Mans, France. “And our car is so under-powered we get swallowed up in traffic.
“But our tires held up well, we passed a lot of people and it was good fun and a good result for this team. I’m glad because these guys worked their butt off.’’
They pushed, rubbed, slid, stalked, hung on for dear life at times, made some hard-core passes and extracted about all they could from their cars and situations.
Rubens Barrichello and Sebastien Bourdais finished eighth and ninth in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, which is hardly scrapbook material in their outstanding careers.
But, considering the obstacle course they’re both running right now, it was a damn fine exhibition of talent and tenacity.
`”I am just a kid--not bad for a kid who is learning in only his second race,’’ said the 39-year-old Barrichello with a grin after starting 14th in the BMC-Embrase Dallara-Chevy.
“That’s as hard as I can drive,’’ declared Bourdais, who charged from 17th to ninth in the under-powered Lotus car of Jay Penske.
Barrichello is one of the most refreshing stories to ever come to Indy car racing. After 19 years and 322 starts in Formula One, the personable Brazilian was cast aside by Frank Williams but wasn’t ready to quit.
He liked his first test in buddy Tony Kanaan’s car a couple months ago and loved the idea of coming to a series where a driver could make a difference. The coolest part is that a guy who’s said to have earned more than $150 million and drove for the top of the open wheel food chain (Ferrari) likely isn’t making a fraction of his F1 salary with KV Racing Technology.
And the best part is that he doesn’t care because this isn’t about money, this is about passion and being able to do what drives him. Unlike F1, where your finishing order is usually pre-ordained by your chassis or engine, IndyCar offers much more equal footing.
"I love this environment,’’ said Barrichello, who got bumped out of the second round of qualifying by four-thousandths of a second by teammate Kanaan. ``We all have the same cars and you know you have a chance before the race begins.
"My car wasn’t very good at the start and I fell back (to 20th) but we kept working with it and I started coming back through the field and by the end of the race I was one of the fastest cars on the track. That was so enjoyable for me.’’
Because of his skill and experience, some people expected the 11-time F1 winner and two-time runner-up in the world championship to come in and dominate.
“The expectations are crazy,’’ he continued. “Yes, I spent 19 years in Formula One but I am learning over there. I’m learning the car, these tracks, driving on cold tires, restarts and pit stops.
“I qualified 14th and I was not that unhappy. People might not understand but this is a very competitive series and I’m the new guy.’’
Sitting on the pit wall a few hundred yards away was Bourdais, whose result may have been the most impressive on a day that featured excellent racing and lots of overtaking.
Not only is the Lotus/Judd engine strapped for cash and shy on horsepower (by an estimated 50 compared to Honda and Chevrolet), it’s a rarity because right now there are only five of them for their five drivers.
The four-time Champ Car king had a few laps of pre-season testing prior to the season opener at St. Pete, where he was running sixth before the car simply stopped. It wouldn’t run Sunday morning either so he missed the 30-minute final practice.
That’s why his drive deserves its plaudits.
“I wasn’t very optimistic this morning because of our problem and I had no idea what my car would do on a long run or how the tires would react,’’ admitted the 33-year-old native of Le Mans, France. “And our car is so under-powered we get swallowed up in traffic.
“But our tires held up well, we passed a lot of people and it was good fun and a good result for this team. I’m glad because these guys worked their butt off.’’
INDYCAR BRAZIL
LATEST HEADLINES: AUTO-RACING
-
V8: Nissan Coming To Grips With New Altima
John Dagys explores Nissan's new factory venture in V8 Supercars… -
V8: COTA Saturday Notebook
John Dagys explores some of the storylines from Saturday’s… -
V8: Whincup Sweeps Saturday's Rounds At COTA
Red Bull Racing goes 1-2 in opening rounds of V8 Supercars at Circuit… -
ELMS: TDS Oreca-Nissan Wins Imola
Mathias Beche, Pierre Thiriet claim victory in second round of European… -
INDYCAR: Ed Carpenter Scores Shock Indy 500 Pole At 228.782 MPH
Carpenter had the Brickyard in a state of rapture as he knocked off… -
V8: Coulthard, Whincup On Top In Qualifying At COTA
Brad Jones Racing and Red Bull Racing Australia end up on top for… -
PHOTOS: V8 Supercars COTA Gallery
UPDATED: View more than 90 photos from Austin as V8 Supercar drivers… - More News
