Indy 500 rant

Why do they even bother with the 3-wide starts? I've been watching this race for 20 years and I can't remember one in which the field was even close to being in formation when they took the green.

tradition.

like carburetor day.

Very true. But I guess my point is to ask why racers of this caliber can't stay in formation until they're at least on the front stretch. The start of the race looks more like a cattle stampede than a professional race.

IMHO it is because they have guest starters that don't have any idea what a proper start should be. They just want to wave the flag and start it.

I came home in the middle of the race.

I saw 8 minutes (timed) of commercials in the first (wanna guess?) 8 minutes of viewing.

I'll stop before I get wound up . . . .

Helio by any standards jumped the start but IRL started the event anyway. They were in formation until turn 3 then....

I don't watch since it has become Spec-Honda.

I was a captive audience (visiting a sick friend). " Oh, there's Ashley judd!" (Takes up half the screen.) Pathetic, really.

I was shocked by the procedure that the EMS crew performed at the end of the race.

m

Indy 500?

They're still running that?

Will wrote: Why do they even bother with the 3-wide starts? I've been watching this race for 20 years and I can't remember one in which the field was even close to being in formation when they took the green.

"Why did you jump the start?" "Because they let me!!!"

Somebody needs to announce that they will wave off the start if not in alignment and then do it.

7pilot wrote: I was shocked by the procedure that the EMS crew performed at the end of the race. m

Missed that. What do you mean?

shadetree30 wrote:

7pilot wrote: I was shocked by the procedure that the EMS crew performed at the end of the race. m

Missed that. What do you mean?

Didn't want to get accused of being a spoiler, so I did not specify. Anyway, I have always thought that the rescue crews would leave the helmet/hans device on a stricken driver. This would minimize further injury/ paralysis, by not jostling the spinal column and by keeping the spinal column reasonably straight. I observed them tearing off the driver (m Conway) helmet. Later found out that he did have some injury to his spinal column. Maybe things have changed, or there was an extenuating circumstance...No respirations for example.

m

7pilot wrote:

shadetree30 wrote:

7pilot wrote: I was shocked by the procedure that the EMS crew performed at the end of the race. m

Missed that. What do you mean?

Didn't want to get accused of being a spoiler, so I did not specify. Anyway, I have always thought that the rescue crews would leave the helmet/hans device on a stricken driver. This would minimize further injury/ paralysis, by not jostling the spinal column and by keeping the spinal column reasonably straight. I observed them tearing off the driver (m Conway) helmet. Later found out that he did have some injury to his spinal column. Maybe things have changed, or there was an extenuating circumstance...No respirations for example. m

Conway suffered a broken leg; that's a bit lower than his spinal column.

Regarding how the rescue team performed its' duties, they were on the scene immediately and were very aware of the driver's condition. His helmet wasn't removed for minutes after the impact, giving the emergency crew enough time to assess the situation properly.

Conway suffered a broken leg; that's a bit lower than his spinal column.

Further news updates indicate he's got a broken back.

In reply to stroker:

That was a hard hit

In reply to oldsaw:

Does the IRL use those little inflatable bladders between the driver's head and the top of the helmet? They're supposed to allow the EMS crew to pop the helmet off the driver's head w/o putting any pressure on the spine.

I have to believe that the IRL/Speedway/whomever EMS people have to be very well trained in race specific crash response. I did not see the incident, but having observed how they handle things over past years I have great respect and belief in their abilities. Perhaps what the untrained eye is seeing may not take into account actual on-scene diagnosis.

Actually the race was very entertaining with drama right to the end. The fastest car won and no one was seriously hurt. Remember in auto racing serious is a little different term than when you play badminton. Try not to show your euro snob side, 3 wide starts are a tradition at indy(even though the drivers dont seem to do well at them ).Was a frightening crash though.

Where are people getting reports that Conway suffered injuries to his spinal column? And, are they reliable reports or speculative in nature?

The latest update (from today) on the IRL's website states Conway has fractures to his lower, left leg - nothing else.

http://www.indycar.com/news/archive/show/55-izod-indycar-series/37804-conway-hunter-reay-medical-update/

Reuters, among others is reporting it: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64U57I20100531

Conway underwent surgery on Sunday to repair fractures to his lower left leg and is expected to undergo another surgical procedure later this week.

The 26-year-old Briton also suffered a compression fracture of one of his thoracic vertebrae and will be fitted with a back brace for three months, Indy Racing League director of medical services Dr. Michael Olinger said in a statement.

I didn't see the EMS response to this accident, but as stated above, the CART/IRL medical team is among the best in the world. That Alex Zanardi is still alive is proof of their expertise.

I have to say I was glad to see Dario win it. He seems like a cool guy, and he was the class of the field all day long. Too bad McMurray couldn't pull it off in Charlotte to give Ganassi the double.

In reply to Will:

Yeah it's pretty sad. they look like a bunch of retards gassing it on the front straight.

Do like F1. A standing start. Too dangerous? Get another job crybaby.

+111,000,000,000 to the race EMS knowing what they are doing. Hell, even I was trained in helmet removal at 16 when I was back in EMS.

I went to the 500, my first time and will be my last. My buddy got 5 tickets through the National Guard, we got to meet Weldon, wander through the garage and pit area which was cool. But after gettign to our seats, and being in uniform sweating like mad, it got real boring real fast and we left about halfway through.

It was strange to me how much different it was than going to Mid Ohio to a race, but it is something I can check off of my list but that is one thing that is best enjoyed on TV in my opinion.