Originally Posted by B99:
Personally I don't know how he performed. Indy Lights cars are frankly underpowered, over downforced go-karts. You'd think many of the Indy Car set wouldn't be so judgmental after one event and their attitude has been if you want a ride go out and get the funding. I assume that's what he did.
Considering this iteration of car is faster than the last, 29 mph off the IndyCar pole, and 25 mph higher than anything NASCAR has ran there it's not quite the underpowered or over downforced go-kart you believe it to be. The rear end of those cars were jumping around in turn one and two all race long.
Considering the source of your link a lot of that is just trolling and left over residue from the split. TF is pretty much a POS site and one I don't go to if I want actual discussion on IndyCar. I can say the exact also same thing in reverse regarding this website based on somethings I've had slung my way by a few users regarding road/street courses and foreign drivers.
As pointed out above, this isn't the same car Clauson drove, nor like anything he's ever driven I would suspect. He was over 2 seconds off pole speed and competiting against guys that have been driving these type cars nearly their whole lives. If he wants to compete he's going to need considerable seat time.
FYI, next year IndyCar is pushing a good chunck of downforce production, well over 60% of it, to the undertray. According to Montoya the new aero will race much more like the old CART and ChampCar cars rather than the over downforced pack racing machines the IRL produced. He said they lowered the downforce on the short oval package and were getting the same times as the current aero. The difference was where they were making that time. The car was still accelerating in the straights causing them to lift considerably through the turns...something like a 20 mph difference rather than a 7 mph difference we are currently seeing. It's only going to get tougher considering the talent level currently populating that series.
I know from getting bashed here earlier this will not be a popular opinion but it's advice that should be taken. If any short tracker aspires to run in that world they need to first start placing their careers in their own hands and stop waiting for the rich guy with sponsorship to give them a call. It ain't happening. They need to have their own backing prepared and then, more importantley, they need to get their asses off the dirt and into a rear engine machines running road and street courses. Outside the occasional Clauson those one offs are going to go to guys with prior experience and backing and crossovers from Cup and F1. If the 500 is your goal you really need to consider working toward a full time ride and not relying on a one off.