Last night, track spectators, and IndyCar Series fans at home and across the world watched an unscheduled demolition derby during the Rainguard 600. What else could that spectacle be called? The night started with a full 22-car grid, by the time the race was over nine were left. Only six were on the lead lap. That begs the question, who was at fault?
Was it Chip Ganassi Racing’s Tony Kanaan, the man who was mentioned throughout the broadcast for the wrong reasons? Was it IndyCar Race Control for putting up two competition cautions? Or was it Texas Motor Speedway for resurfacing the track in March?
The answer is, all of the above. Although with varying degrees.
Yes, Tony Kanaan was blamed for the massive incident involving James Hinchcliffe by going three-wide, with only his boss, Chip Ganassi coming to his defense. Post-race, Kanaan admitted to being the guilty party. And yes, Kanaan escaped after the involvement with Alexander Rossi; being yelled at by Dale Coyne; and lucked out after Takuma Sato took out his team-mate with five to go, but Kanaan shares the least amount of blame. The Brazilian was just doing his job: racing. It was just unfortunate that his racing caused the pile-up behind him.
Twitter: “I race people clean & I want people to race me clean. It was definitely an honest mistake” – @TonyKanaan #INDYCAR https://t.co/cAPt5eFP9H (@IndyCar)
IndyCar Race Control officials dictated the race, far more than they should. After the red flag was lifted, race control handed out two competition cautions for safety reasons. This affected Josef Newgarden’s race after the first competition caution, as Newgarden had already pitted before the mandatory pit stop call—effectively neutralizing his race. When the second competition caution waved, it neutralized a fantastic battle between Sato and Scott Dixon; before their late-race contact.
By tempering the race, race control took the race out of the drivers hands. If safety was an issue—which officials reasoned, the more sensible solution would be to declare the race. While fans would have been upset, that way officials could justify the safety claims instead of letting the race continue only to stop it again. Race officials shouldn’t have been playing “red light, green light” with the race result. They deserve more of the blame.
Twitter: #INDYCAR #Rainguard600 Statement: https://t.co/DLThrdYnmT (@IndyCar)
Then there is Texas Motor Speedway. In March, TMS, IndyCar, and NASCAR officials unveiled the new race surface during a ceremonial first lap. While touting that the new surface will improve racing by making it more challenging, due to a reduction in the banking angles in T1 and T2.
However, when a full IndyCar grid tested TMS in April, the experience left many drivers and teams with more questions than answers. That displeasure was voiced prior to race day, in practice and in race meetings, where drivers were concerned with how the tyres and aero would fare on the new surface. As mentioned in the Notebook, IndyCar receive their tyre data from drivers and teams, unlike what Pirelli can do in Formula 1.
With so much unknown heading into the race, TMS officials should have pushed for more practice time by drivers. Or at least have a meeting with Firestone, the IndyCar tyre supplier, about the best operating pressures to get maximum grip on a repaved surface. Instead TMS stayed silent.
At least two incidents on Saturday night could be attributed to the tyres and the new surface. Helio Castroneves’ left-rear puncture and subsequent contact with the wall and Ed Carpenter’s recovery spin. Both incidents brought out cautions.
By staying mum about drivers concerns about the new surface, TMS let the debacle that was the Rainguard 600 happen. They are to blame for not taking every chance to make sure that the race was a safe one, they are to blame for not understanding that two series have different needs. That is ignorant of race organisers and downright dangerous.
