how many cars/drivers on the grid at Motegi

[Ken]

all things being equal...we know there not....but for discussions sake..


how many take the grid in Motegi.....there were 16 at the homestead test....will that be the starting Grid?

[Jim Wilke]

Now you are just being silly.

How could the ex-CC teams be at the Homestead test when they hadn't received their cars?

I'm guessing 22 at Homestead and St. Pete, 24 at Motegi and Kansas and 38 make actual qualifying runs at Indy.

[rodneyh]

Now you are just being silly.

24 at Motegi

So who are the other 8 drivers at Motegi?

[badart]

So who are the other 8 drivers at Motegi?

I can guess a few. Sarah Fisher, Roger Yasakawa, maybe Tomas Scheckter and a few others and you're almost there.

[crsfulk]

Not sure which "How Many" thread to put this in, so I will here...

It was stated that the Champ Car teams must show up and race at LB, but does that mean with their Indycar driver or can the team show up to LB and bring thier main driver to Motegi? I know money will be brought up, but there are a few teams that can afford both for oval track time.

[Jakester]

Put my guess down for 18 at Motegi...and 16 at Long Beach.

[Ken]

Now you are just being silly.

How could the ex-CC teams be at the Homestead test when they hadn't received their cars?

I'm guessing 22 at Homestead and St. Pete, 24 at Motegi and Kansas and 38 make actual qualifying runs at Indy.

You expect more at motegi than st pete

[rodneyh]

I can guess a few. Sarah Fisher, Roger Yasakawa, maybe Tomas Scheckter and a few others and you're almost there.

Possible, but I would think an overseas race would be the last place, some of these partial season entries would show up, without some incentive.

[Jim Wilke]

You expect more at motegi than st pete

Look at the calendar. Report back.

[Ken]

what I missing here jim

we know some cc teams are making the switch to the irl .....but must show up at lb

Won't NHL walker and coyne run stpete and lb instead of motegi

[Seadog]

how many take the grid in Motegi.....

All of them.

[Mack Too]

They'll run 18 or more, they won't run less.

[Jim Wilke]

So who are the other 8 drivers at Motegi?

These 16 practiced in Homestead:


1 Danica Patrick
2 Ryan Briscoe
3 Dan Wheldon
4 Hideki Mutoh
5 Helio Castroneves
6 Tony Kanaan
7 Marco Andretti
8 Vitor Meira
9 Scott Dixon
10 Ed Carpenter
11 A.J. Foyt IV
12 Buddy Rice
13 Ryan Hunter-Reay
14 Milka Duno
15 Darren Manning
16 Marty Roth

Add:

Donoso Foyt
Howard Roth
Lloyd Ganassi/Vision

That's 19

These names are already up on indycar.com

Perera Conquest
G Rahal Haas
J Wilson

That's 22

I expect

Fisher D & R/Fisher
Servia KV

Possibles

Power KV2
Tracy? Walker
Y Minardi
Z Coyne
Z2 Coyne2

Oughta be able to get to 24 by Motegi pretty easily.

[Jim Wilke]

what I missing here jim

we know some cc teams are making the switch to the irl .....but must show up at lb

Won't NHL walker and coyne run stpete and lb instead of motegi

What you're missing is your question was about Motegi. My bet is that some teams won't be ready for Homestead and St. Pete that will be ready for Motegi. And they will choose to go to Motegi over Long Beach because the promoter, a Honda subsidiary, picks up the travel tab so the expenses, if anything are lower and these new ICS teams will need all the oval experience they can get leading up to Indy.

Just like in the US 500/Indy head to head, the teams will make a choice and send their "A" drivers and crews where they are needed the most and where they will learn the most and that's Motegi. Will Power and Justin Wilson will not learn one thing to help them in the ICS going forward by running a DP01 on a street course.

[Ken]

hen why even bother giving points for LB