Kurt R

The replay is on Versus right now if you want to catch it.

Final restart - Helio takes an inside line into turn one. Will Power drives up outside of him going through one, and they both go a little wide. Dixon drives inside them both but can't get the power down, exits behind Castroneves but ahead of Power. The race staff penalizes Castroneves, and awards Dixon the win.

Watch the replay - have your say. I don't think he moved that far left entering turn one.

Speed Article

This isn't anything like what Helio was penalized for at Detroit in 2008.

mglobe

Helio won the race. Terrible call by IRL.

mrepka

+ eleventy billion

Circuit Motorsports

Terrible Rule. Call was by the rulebook.

Shocking that a rule that doesn't allow even a single defensive move to protect the line into the corner even exists in a top level motorsport.

Leigh2

Terrible call...I agree....
I drove in the sports car support race. Bumpy track but great race and lots of friendly fans....hope to repeat next year!

Wreck Me Otter

If the rule is that you can't even take an inside line unless attempting a pass, then do you pull in the entire inside column on the start of the races? Most of them will be on the inside of T1 without attempting a pass....

I think IRL rules meant for oval racing needs to be looked at and morons like Brainfart need to see that road course racing isn't the same as oval racing.

Way to ruin a good race Brainfart...

Kurt R

OK, it makes sense to me now that I've read the rule. It's not a racing series, it's a marketing exercise and the rule is there to promote passing and make the race more interesting to the fans. Someone just forgot to tell Helio.

Maybe it's time for the IRL to stop racing on airport tracks.

TheOtherEric

Terrible, terrible rule. A disgrace to racing.

2BWise

Maybe they should drop the street courses too. If you actually defend there will never be any passing. Stick with real race tracks and reduce the number of street courses.

In most cases on the last lap you'll now want to be in second. If you're close enough to make a pass the leader can't defend and therefore gifts you the victory. Similar to racing FV where sitting in second can be an advantage and you use the draft to take the lead when you want.

chris walrod

the call was correct as per the rule. Its the rule that I have problem with.

Erik@GBox

I seem to recall that the lead driver gets to chose their own line being in the rules somewhere too. Helio did not push his teammate to the outside, and in fact gave him plenty of room. I realize that the word for word interpretation of the rule says that Helio was guilty of blocking, but I think that the IRL missed the true intention the rule was meant to have.

Just my .02 cents

Erik Johnson

Kein_Ersatz

+eleventy billion to the eleventy billion power, let them race.

And what was the deal on the black flag penalty, but within 2 laps to take the penalty, yet he finished the race within 2 laps so he never pitted until after he won, which was still within 2 laps, so don't the rules say he won then?

chris walrod

One aspect that may or may not be known is that in the drivers meeting before the race it was reminded to all drivers that on the run down to turn one (being ultra-wide and a airport runway) that drivers are NOT to deviate from what their typical 'line' is. Well, all drivers except Milka.

Did anyone catch her spin and stall on the opening lap, by herself?

brendo

good point on the drover meeting.

and yes, i saw butter face spin. i was hoping it would knock off the top of her racing suit, but alas, she stayed buckled in.

Wreck Me Otter

I saw that too and chuckled. I also see that they pulled her again after a few laps, and again siting "handling" as the problem...I guess they didn't feel comfortable with listing it as "bad droving"...