Glory Days of CART

[Stuart Dickinson]

Was just reading some of the Hill/Schumacher comments about 1994 and in a roundabout way it reminded me how much I miss the 'glory days' of Indycar racing. The early 90's in particular - some incredible wheel to wheel racing, proper hairy-chested big HP cars with no driver assists. Current world champion in Nigel Mansell. Former WC's Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti, plus a host of other talented drivers. Paul Tracy - arguably the biggest wasted talent in North American racing. Jacques Villeneuve, Robby Gordon, Michael Andretti, Little Al, Bobby Rahal, Stefan Johannson, Eddie Cheever.

Some of the most entertaining racing I remember watching and some amazing street circuits and road courses. Paul Page and Derek Daly on the commentary. Fantastic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4iw9LCtrTQ

Love the 'old school' road circuits
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuur4JMt2fo&fea...

And the proper street circuits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TRIL_w91BM

The post '97 IRL years have paled in comparison.

[anonymous-user]

Yep, i remember it all very well, i was living in the USA in 93 when Mansell went over so had a lot of fun with the locals with that season. They were proper cars. I see Bobby Rahal quite a bit through my work now, he is as top a bloke as i thought he was from back then, super guy.

[T89 Callan]

Yep CART in the 90's was awesome. I started watching in '93 (Remeber "Nigel Mansells Indycar Racing on ITV?) and then carried on watching on Eurosport and Five when that ended.

The road and airfeild races were imense, Zanardi was king and the cars raw and powerful.

My favourite race ever was probably Portland '98 (IIRC) were Blundell won on the final straight by bugger all margin.

I'm glad I got to see the CART at Rockingham 2002, not a great race but a brilliant experience.

[Eric Mc]

T89 Callan said:

Yep CART in the 90's was awesome. I started watching in '93 (Remeber "Nigel Mansells Indycar Racing on ITV?) and then carried on watching on Eurosport and Five when that ended.

The road and airfeild races were imense, Zanardi was king and the cars raw and powerful.

My favourite race ever was probably Portland '98 (IIRC) were Blundell won on the final straight by bugger all margin.

I'm glad I got to see the CART at Rockingham 2002, not a great race but a brilliant experience.

I think Blundell's race was in 1997.

[T89 Callan]

Eric Mc said:

T89 Callan said:

Yep CART in the 90's was awesome. I started watching in '93 (Remeber "Nigel Mansells Indycar Racing on ITV?) and then carried on watching on Eurosport and Five when that ended.

The road and airfeild races were imense, Zanardi was king and the cars raw and powerful.

My favourite race ever was probably Portland '98 (IIRC) were Blundell won on the final straight by bugger all margin.

I'm glad I got to see the CART at Rockingham 2002, not a great race but a brilliant experience.

I think Blundell's race was in 1997.

Yep, thats why I added the IIRC (if I remember correctly, which I didn't)

[Eric Mc]

I'm not 100% sure either - that's why I said "I think"

[garycat]

Yeah great memories, but my favourite race is the 2000 Michighan where montoya & andretti were battling for the last 10 laps.

One of the most exciting race finishes I've ever seen both drivers trying to be in 2nd place into the last lap so they can get the draught and take the finish line first... but then a backmarker appears

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25bHlzCbLuA

Edited by garycat on Sunday 20th December 14:27

[The devil]

Stuart Dickinson said:

Was just reading some of the Hill/Schumacher comments about 1994 and in a roundabout way it reminded me how much I miss the 'glory days' of Indycar racing. The early 90's in particular - some incredible wheel to wheel racing, proper hairy-chested big HP cars with no driver assists. Current world champion in Nigel Mansell. Former WC's Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti, plus a host of other talented drivers. Paul Tracy - arguably the biggest wasted talent in North American racing. Jacques Villeneuve, Robby Gordon, Michael Andretti, Little Al, Bobby Rahal, Stefan Johannson, Eddie Cheever.

Some of the most entertaining racing I remember watching and some amazing street circuits and road courses. Paul Page and Derek Daly on the commentary. Fantastic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4iw9LCtrTQ

Love the 'old school' road circuits
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuur4JMt2fo&fea...

And the proper street circuits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TRIL_w91BM

The post '97 IRL years have paled in comparison.

Paul Tracy?? biggest maybe but he never really made it like some of the others did. he was a nearly man.

[RedexR]

Eric Mc said:

T89 Callan said:

Yep CART in the 90's was awesome. I started watching in '93 (Remeber "Nigel Mansells Indycar Racing on ITV?) and then carried on watching on Eurosport and Five when that ended.

The road and airfeild races were imense, Zanardi was king and the cars raw and powerful.

My favourite race ever was probably Portland '98 (IIRC) were Blundell won on the final straight by bugger all margin.

I'm glad I got to see the CART at Rockingham 2002, not a great race but a brilliant experience.

I think Blundell's race was in 1997.

Agreed , watching Mansell's then Blundell's wins were amazing , I also remember the race when Blundell and his teamate so nearly won but ran out of fuel on the last lap , they just cut it too fine , then Franchitti turned up on the scene with Team Green, some great racing then as well then the series split into two and has never held the same interest for us Brits although it was great to Dario win the Indy 500 (just like his hero Jim Clark did all those years ago)and then the championship , just great for us Brits. (Scottish/Italian whatever he's one of us !)

[HiRich]

garycat said:

Yeah great memories, but my favourite race is the 2000 Michighan where montoya & andretti were battling for the last 10 laps.

One of the most exciting race finishes I've ever seen both drivers trying to be in 2nd place into the last lap so they can get the draught and take the finish line first... but then a backmarker appears

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25bHlzCbLuA

Montoya later said he was committed to ramming the backmarker (Taso Marques?) id it came down to it, and I believe him.

Personally, the Zanardi/Montoya years were the true glory days, ably supported by Michael, Dario, Jimmy, Greg, etc.

[Mr_Yogi]

Early 90's was when I was most interested in Indycar, starting a year to two before Mansell went over there. The size of the grids seemed immense compared with Formula One (not sure if they actually were) and there seems to be quite a few competitive teams. In the year/ s before Mansell went over there wasn't Bobby Rahal driving his own car (Black with Kenwood sponsorship) and still finished well in many races? I lost interest when the number of teams decreased and there were 3 Marlboro sponsored cars (all the same team?).

I seem to recall a good race between Mansell and Fittipaldi on a track based on an airfield (Portland?) where they were swapping positions at what seemed like every other corner.

[hornet]

RedexR said:

Eric Mc said:

T89 Callan said:

Yep CART in the 90's was awesome. I started watching in '93 (Remeber "Nigel Mansells Indycar Racing on ITV?) and then carried on watching on Eurosport and Five when that ended.

The road and airfeild races were imense, Zanardi was king and the cars raw and powerful.

My favourite race ever was probably Portland '98 (IIRC) were Blundell won on the final straight by bugger all margin.

I'm glad I got to see the CART at Rockingham 2002, not a great race but a brilliant experience.

I think Blundell's race was in 1997.

Agreed , watching Mansell's then Blundell's wins were amazing , I also remember the race when Blundell and his teamate so nearly won but ran out of fuel on the last lap , they just cut it too fine

Detroit, if memory serves? Used to really enjoy CART, and still enjoy ICS to a degree, but that period from Mansell to Zanardi was just classic. Think it speaks volumes that nobody is mentioning the "Bourdais era".

[Stuart Dickinson]

HiRich said:

garycat said:

Yeah great memories, but my favourite race is the 2000 Michighan where montoya & andretti were battling for the last 10 laps.

One of the most exciting race finishes I've ever seen both drivers trying to be in 2nd place into the last lap so they can get the draught and take the finish line first... but then a backmarker appears

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25bHlzCbLuA

Montoya later said he was committed to ramming the backmarker (Taso Marques?) id it came down to it, and I believe him.

Personally, the Zanardi/Montoya years were the true glory days, ably supported by Michael, Dario, Jimmy, Greg, etc.

I was born and raised in Vancouver and it still cuts me up... a great driver who I believe had the potential to make it to F1, and if not, given his talent on ovals I'd say he would have won the 500 a few times and could have cleaned up in Nascar given the chance.

Hell of a nice guy as well. Universally well-liked. Real shame.

[Stuart Dickinson]

Mr_Yogi said:

I seem to recall a good race between Mansell and Fittipaldi on a track based on an airfield (Portland?) where they were swapping positions at what seemed like every other corner.

Click the first Youtube link in my OP

[Mojocvh]

Stuart Dickinson said:

HiRich said:

garycat said:

Yeah great memories, but my favourite race is the 2000 Michighan where montoya & andretti were battling for the last 10 laps.

One of the most exciting race finishes I've ever seen both drivers trying to be in 2nd place into the last lap so they can get the draught and take the finish line first... but then a backmarker appears

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25bHlzCbLuA

Montoya later said he was committed to ramming the backmarker (Taso Marques?) id it came down to it, and I believe him.

Personally, the Zanardi/Montoya years were the true glory days, ably supported by Michael, Dario, Jimmy, Greg, etc.

I was born and raised in Vancouver and it still cuts me up... a great driver who I believe had the potential to make it to F1, and if not, given his talent on ovals I'd say he would have won the 500 a few times and could have cleaned up in Nascar given the chance.

Hell of a nice guy as well. Universally well-liked. Real shame.

Ahh GodDamn; There I was getting into the thread yeah.
I watched the race live and when Greg's car skated across the "grass" then caught the slip road and flipped I was on my feet saying NONONONO............Terrible day.
Dario could/would have been Champ that year, but the "race" went out of the drivers for the last one I think.

MoJo.

[RedexR]

Some memorable incidents/falling outs as well , anyone remember Mansell and Fittipaldi coming together and the walk of shame also both together voicing their opinions along the way , also the race which caused Mario Andretti and Mansell to fall out big time , then when Vitola landed on Mansell's car ?

[amokwa]

Alex Zanardi overtaking Bryan Herta at Laguna Seca was simply awesome ! No love lost between them, you could see the move coming. Herta duly blocked Zanardi went rallying !

[eps]

amokwa said:

Alex Zanardi overtaking Bryan Herta at Laguna Seca was simply awesome ! No love lost between them, you could see the move coming. Herta duly blocked Zanardi went rallying !

Blocked?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBthxGThBkc

[Pkh72]

Mojocvh said:

Stuart Dickinson said:

HiRich said:

garycat said:

Yeah great memories, but my favourite race is the 2000 Michighan where montoya & andretti were battling for the last 10 laps.

One of the most exciting race finishes I've ever seen both drivers trying to be in 2nd place into the last lap so they can get the draught and take the finish line first... but then a backmarker appears

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25bHlzCbLuA

Montoya later said he was committed to ramming the backmarker (Taso Marques?) id it came down to it, and I believe him.

Personally, the Zanardi/Montoya years were the true glory days, ably supported by Michael, Dario, Jimmy, Greg, etc.

I was born and raised in Vancouver and it still cuts me up... a great driver who I believe had the potential to make it to F1, and if not, given his talent on ovals I'd say he would have won the 500 a few times and could have cleaned up in Nascar given the chance.

Hell of a nice guy as well. Universally well-liked. Real shame.

Ahh GodDamn; There I was getting into the thread yeah.
I watched the race live and when Greg's car skated across the "grass" then caught the slip road and flipped I was on my feet saying NONONONO............Terrible day.
Dario could/would have been Champ that year, but the "race" went out of the drivers for the last one I think.

MoJo.

I was going to post something about the late Greg Moore but i will just echo what you guys have said.
The crash was horrible to watch.
Such a shame we didn't get to see him develop further.

Another driver i liked was Gonzalo Rodriguez, it would have been interesting to see how he would have gone in that Penske.

[HiRich]

Pkh72 said:

Mojocvh said:

Ahh GodDamn; There I was getting into the thread yeah.
I watched the race live and when Greg's car skated across the "grass" then caught the slip road and flipped I was on my feet saying NONONONO............Terrible day.
Dario could/would have been Champ that year, but the "race" went out of the drivers for the last one I think.

MoJo.

I was going to post something about the late Greg Moore but i will just echo what you guys have said.
The crash was horrible to watch.
Such a shame we didn't get to see him develop further.

Another driver i liked was Gonzalo Rodriguez, it would have been interesting to see how he would have gone in that Penske.

Agree on Mojo's first point - knew immediately this was really bad. Pedantically on the latter, Dario and Juan did not know until the end of the race (and can you imagine that radio call, for either driver?) Dario even mentioned that he spotted the flags at half mast, and didn't make the connection.

And also Gonzo. Unlike many, I never thought he was cut out for F1. But seeing him in his Marlboro overalls, he looked born to be a Penske driver. I believe he'd still be there now.