So April 19th and 20th...

[athletics68]

Ought to be one of the oddest weekends in open wheel's recent history. They're going to temporarily resplit for one weekend. Run the CC's one last time at Long Beach (apparently with however many of the old CC teams make the jump to IRL which at this point is only 3 confirmed), and then reunify the next race.

I know that was the only solution on short notice, but damn that's going to be odd, espeically with both races counting toward points.

[ovalfan01]

So it also sounds like a few drivers will attempt the new "double". How will they award points then? Take the average? That would seem most fair. I suppose they could count the Montegi points and just not award points for LB (for the double drivers). But it did sound as if a few will try it.

[jdessar]

To me, the award for the most surreal race weekend will always be May 26, 1996.

U.S 500 vs. Indy 500.

[athletics68]

So it also sounds like a few drivers will attempt the new "double". How will they award points then? Take the average? That would seem most fair. I suppose they could count the Montegi points and just not award points for LB (for the double drivers). But it did sound as if a few will try it.

It'll probably be the latter. I can't see them awarding points twice too any drivers who want to try both races (as it would arguably be an unfair advantage to any former CC teams since it's unlike IRL drivers will drive the DP01).

[Vic Mackey]

I can't see anyone running both races. You won't get back from Motegi in time to get any practice or qualifying, you'd have to start at the back with no track time. Not a great idea.

[ovalfan01]

I can't see anyone running both races. You won't get back from Motegi in time to get any practice or qualifying, you'd have to start at the back with no track time. Not a great idea.

It's a street course. How hard could it be?

[racermike]

Its impossible, and wont happen

CART had a hard enough time with its teams, racing in Motegi, and then in Long Beach the week after.

Your talking about a 12-13 hour flight time easy, not counting any stops if its not a nonstop flight. (Motegi has no airfield nearby, and you have to drive out of the mountains back to Narita to get out)

[athletics68]

Still. How odd would it be if a few do it. On paper it would be back to back days of racing. Odder still would be if one of the drivers to do it was an IRL driver, say Danica, and she wins LB for her first win.

[Craigar1]

Its impossible, and wont happen

CART had a hard enough time with its teams, racing in Motegi, and then in Long Beach the week after.

Your talking about a 12-13 hour flight time easy, not counting any stops if its not a nonstop flight. (Motegi has no airfield nearby, and you have to drive out of the mountains back to Narita to get out)

Certainly difficult, but not impossible. Helicopter to chartered flight to Helicopter. Just a matter of $.

[racermike]

Its impossible . you can bet on it

Only thing I see happening is maybe a IndyPro or Atlantic team steps up to get a DP01 to do a one off at Long Beach (would be great for their sponsors)

[ovalfan01]

Its impossible, and wont happen

CART had a hard enough time with its teams, racing in Motegi, and then in Long Beach the week after.

Your talking about a 12-13 hour flight time easy, not counting any stops if its not a nonstop flight. (Motegi has no airfield nearby, and you have to drive out of the mountains back to Narita to get out)

Is it impossible? Follow along, I think this is right:

Motegi race is on Saturday around 1 p.m. local time Motegi. This is Friday at 8 p.m. LA time. If the Motegi race ends by 4 p.m., that is 11 p.m. on Friday in LA. The Champ Car race isn't until Sunday. Even if it took 12 hours to get from Motegi to LA, they could be there by noon the day before the race. At least I think that is right. Tokoyo is 17 hours ahead of LA.

I don't know when qualifications or practice are, but if the above is correct, they could easily make the race and have a nice long nap to boot.

[SportscarBruce]

The most surreal race weekend was the one where a young rookie female nearly pulled off a win followed by a marathon night race that went into midnight due to a disintegrating racing surface.

[dog-ring]

Private jets cut the time down..........I wouldn't look for too many if any to attempt it....How would they award points to someone who did it? Surely you couldn't get double the points..............could you ? That would cause some problems..................

[ovalfan01]

Private jets cut the time down..........I wouldn't look for too many if any to attempt it....How would they award points to someone who did it? Surely you couldn't get double the points..............could you ? That would cause some problems..................

I wondered the same thing. They could either take the average of the points, or only award points for one of the races for those who did both. I agree that I could not see how they could award points for both.

[SLKRR]

So it also sounds like a few drivers will attempt the new "double". How will they award points then? Take the average? That would seem most fair. I suppose they could count the Montegi points and just not award points for LB (for the double drivers).

How about the driver gets to keep the better finish and the worse one doesn't count? Then it still applies even if no one does the double - and it doesn't penalize anyone who doesn't.