The Year in Motorsports 2005

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JohnBM01

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GTPlanet, this thread is open to talk about some of the best and worst moments of 2005. It is also a time to celebrate champions, honor race winners, talk about some of the big and little names this year, and even remember the lives of racers this year. Care to contribute? I'll start.

GOOD MOMENTS My favorite story of 2005 has to be Tom Kristensen winning his seventh Le Mans outright victory. Come on now, people. You all in America can talk about NASCAR and all, but this is a great story. Kristensen had nine Le Mans starts, and he's won outright seven times, surpassing names like Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell. * One of the more interesting stories was of Danica Patrick of the IRL. A lot of criticism was given as she was talked about like she isn't as good of a racer as, say, Dale Earnhardt Jr. or whatever. Like D. Patrick is a sort of media princess. Her highest finish is 4th (twice), but she's proven she can race even if others bash her. And by the way, how did the Chase for the Cup go for Little E this year? Thought so. * Fernando Alonso got himself a championship. This young lion took advantage of Ferrari's struggles and got it done on the track.

BAD MOMENTS The remants of Hurricane Cindy ravaged Atlanta Motor Speedway, but the track itself seemed to be unaffected. * There was controversy with the Maserati MC12 competing in the ALMS, but not for points. It was an awesome car raced by Houston's own Risi Competizione. * No racing event was more controversial or more disappointing as this year's United States Grand Prix. While everyone else was crying their eyes and complaining, people were like "oh, blame the French!," "F1 sucks... thank goodness for NASCAR!" and all this. While it was a bad moment, I wasn't playing the blame game. Besides, Michelin was to blame.

HONORING CHAMPIONS, ETC Here are champions and race winners I'd like to honor. Dan Wheldon (Indy Racing Leauge), Valentino Rossi (MotoGP), Danica Patrick (Rookie of the Year 2005, Indy Racing Leauge), Champion Audi (American Le Mans/24 Hours of Le Mans), Tom Kristensen (24 Hours of Le Mans' 7-time winner)... and this is about as much as I know or heard of. More to come, of course.

Let's look back on a wild 2005, GTPlanet!
 
Yeah what a fantastic year it has been. I mostly follow Formula One so this year for me has been better than recent history.

For quite a few years now Ferrari/M.Schumacher have dominated the sport, but this year the guard has been handed over to Fernando Alonso who drove well throughout the year. What made this year interesting for me though was to see my team, Mclaren, finally come back to form by having the fastest car. Their major problem was the fact that their reliability wasn't as good as Fernando Alonso's Renault. Kimi Raikkonen had a fantastic year and walked away with 7 wins for the year which was the same number of wins as Alonso. But due to reliability problems the young Finn was unable to capitalise on Mclaren's fast pace. This year has set the standards for years to come. It also marks the end of an era for F1, as next year we will see F1 cars using V8's for the first time also Minardi, Jordan, Sauber and BAR will be changed next year to Red bull B team, Midland, BMW and Honda respectively. So F1 will be a changed place next year.

I dont follow other motorsports as closely as Formula One, but I am very keen to look at the A1GP over the "winter" (even though it is summer over here). This new format of racing seems quite appealing and promotes good racing with competitive driving and action.
 
Good moments for me was watching Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly coming second at the Sandown 500 and winning the Bathurst 1000. I also enjoyed watching Marcos Ambrose and Greg Murphy arguring after their crash.

Bad moments for me was not having Kimi Raikkonen win this years F1 championship, but its not bad seeing Fornando Alonso win, hes a good guy. Can't really think of any more.
Edit: Oh yes, the US GP, that was one hell of a race. :crazy:
 
Good:
- Matt Neal taking the BTCC after 14 years of hard graft.
- F1 exciting again!
- 4pm in June in a supermarket in France. Mobile phone goes. It's dad. "Hello?". No, it's not Dad, it's the Le Mans field streaming by. Awesome.
- The two hours before the start lights went out at F1's Indy race were some of the most exciting TV ever.
- Alex Zanardi wins on merit in WTCC.
- Jarno Trulli hammering Ralf Schumacher.
- GP2: what a great new series. Rosberg & Kovalainen stars of tomorrow.

Bad:
- Ferrari's F1 fall from grace. It wasn't good for them to be so far from the pace.
- Maserati MC12: Just build a legal car, FFS!
- Shame about the results, Danica.
- DTM/BTCC driving standards: Rubbing's Racing in tin tops. Punting is not.
- WTCC in Mexico: woeful circuit. No repeat please.
 
Good: New youngest champion and Ferrari and Schumacher not winning. :D
Loeb picks up second WRC drivers title.
The last few laps of Imola GP where some of the best F1 laps ever.

Bad: Wales rally GB, Michael Park killed in a high speed accident on the Margam stage.
Finland Rally, Rookie co-driver killed in accident.
Rally Japan, Sabotage on stage causing Solberg to have an accident as a result of suspenion steering and brakes all failing due too a large "placed" rock.
Indianapolis GP, nuff said.

The Funny: Takuma Sato
Loeb going flat out over a crest only to find a Bull on the road.
Tiago Monteiros podium celebrations at Indy.
Team Lebanons driver reaction during his crash at Brands Hatch, hands go on your chest not your helmet;).

The Champion drivers:
Sebastien Loeb (WRC), Fernando Alonso (Formula 1), Mark Higgins (British Rally Championship), Valentino Rossi (MotoGP), Matt Neal (BTCC).
 
Good:
Awesome Formula 1 race at Suzuka
Fernando Alonso winning the driver's championship
Renault winning the constructor's
ALMS finishing with the best race of the season (great great race at Laguna Seca)
C6-Rs get up to speed with the Astons

Bad:
Michael Park's death
Solberg not winning the Japan rally

Future Bad:
No Infineon for ALMS
 
Gah! I can't believe I forgot to mention Michael Park. I was thinking of him as I was typing as well.
 
Good:

Alonso winning the F1 championship in a Renault that wasn't the fastest car on the grid
Dan Wheldon winning the Indy 500 and the IRL championship
Monterio getting his podium at the US GP (he was faster than Narain and the Minardis, the other cars had tyre problems and had to retire - you may as well say Barichello shouldn't have been on the podium at the Nurburgring because Kimi had tyre problem and Reubens didn't), and his point in Spa
Matt Neal's championship win in the BTCC
Red Bull Racing's stunning debut in F1
Gronholm winning the Japanese WRC round, 2 weeks after...

Bad:
...Michael Park's death on the Wales Rally GB
Dan Wheldon being more or less ignored by the press and, as a result, everyone else, after doing a cracking job in America this year
Takuma Sato's whole season - his worst ever.
 
The good
  • Fernando Alonso put together a sensible and fast season and took the drivers crown
  • McLaren getting over their 2004 woes and comming back with the fastest car on the grid
  • David Coulthard showing us there’s still life in the old guy yet 👍
  • Turkish GP track – awesome circuit!
  • Paul Tracy lapping faster with half of a front wing than he was with an entire front wing (good to see those thousands of dollars spent on wind tunnel programs are paying off :D)
  • Loeb winning the WRC championship again
  • Rossi winning the MotoGP championship again
  • Oriol Servia for getting his first Champ Car win and getting a bundle of points while Bruno is out of the car

The bad
  • Ferrari’s fall from grace
  • The Chinese GP – how did you manage to hold a race more boring than Indianapolis?
  • Michael Park’s death
  • A.J. Allmendinger crashing/spinning in 3 consecutive races in the last few laps while in a podium position (once while leading)
  • Marcus Marshall qualifying last about 14 times this year :irked:

The ugly
  • Takuma Sato only getting 1 point all season
  • Takuma Sato making so many mistakes it’s not even funny (stalling on the warm up lap, crashing into Michael, crashing into Trulli, totalling his car is Australia etc. etc.)
  • Paul Tracy and Sebastion Bourdais constantly crashing into eachother
  • USGP

Blake
 
Well i have only really kept up with F1...


The oh so good: 👍
F1
Fernando Alonso beating Kimi Raikonnen
Renault beating McMerc
Matt Neal an independant BTCC champ!!
Katherine Legg!!! hee hee..
Tiago Monteiro finishing 18 out of 19 races, thats as good as Alonso. 👍

The terrifying bad: 👎
USGP
Micheal Park's death
Jenson Button blaming practially everything on the front wing of the BAR, commenting on the williams adventure, "Oh yeah we have been recieving understeer from the front wing ever since i can first remember, its not fair you know..."
Takuma Sato seeing other drivers as barriers
BAR getting involved in politics again..
 
This post is all about girl power, folks.

Katherine Legge and Danica Patrick have made some noise this year. Both the British and American (respectively) ladies have a bright future ahead whereever they go from here. I think we can refer to Ms. Patrick as Mrs. Danica Patrick.

I haven't seen much of Toyota Atlantic, so I can't seriously comment too much on Legge's great job of racing. All I can say is that she's done very well with the wins and finishes she's accumulated in her time.

I never really got into Danica Patrick until hearing about her at Indianapolis earlier this year. Sure, she didn't get a podium finish at all this season, but I still think she's a winner in my book. I think she deserved the Rookie of the Year honors. Why? She finishes races. She tries to stay in the fight. I'm sure Lyn St. James and Janet Guthrie and all can appreciate this young lady's efforts. I think Danica Patrick is out of Roscoe, IL. However, she's a Wisconsin girl. It would be really fitting if this Wisconsin race diva got to win the Indy 500 and drink the milk at Indy.

For the most part, I'd like to congratulate these two ladies on a great 2005. Keep up the good work, Legge. And Danica Patrick, keep up the great work. Push a little harder, race a little smarter, hopefully you'll get that one win to silence the critics.

Girl power in racing. This was a nice highlight for 2005 in racing.
 
Most everything else was said, but I'd like to point at Giles' post ... Alex Zanardi... just the fact that he's racing makes me happy. The fact that he's showing some speed is exhilirating. I know he'll probably never get back to that unbeatable form he had in CART, but it makes me happy whenever I see his name on a results sheet.

Sad moment for me in the WRC, besides Michael Park's death is the final retirement of Carlos Sainz. A legendary driver, and he's proven he's still got what it takes to hang with the new guys... he'll be sorely missed, again.
 
JohnBM01
This post is all about girl power, folks.

Katherine Legge and Danica Patrick have made some noise this year. Both the British and American (respectively) ladies have a bright future ahead whereever they go from here. I think we can refer to Ms. Patrick as Mrs. Danica Patrick.

I haven't seen much of Toyota Atlantic, so I can't seriously comment too much on Legge's great job of racing. All I can say is that she's done very well with the wins and finishes she's accumulated in her time.

I never really got into Danica Patrick until hearing about her at Indianapolis earlier this year. Sure, she didn't get a podium finish at all this season, but I still think she's a winner in my book. I think she deserved the Rookie of the Year honors. Why? She finishes races. She tries to stay in the fight. I'm sure Lyn St. James and Janet Guthrie and all can appreciate this young lady's efforts. I think Danica Patrick is out of Roscoe, IL. However, she's a Wisconsin girl. It would be really fitting if this Wisconsin race diva got to win the Indy 500 and drink the milk at Indy.

For the most part, I'd like to congratulate these two ladies on a great 2005. Keep up the good work, Legge. And Danica Patrick, keep up the great work. Push a little harder, race a little smarter, hopefully you'll get that one win to silence the critics.

Girl power in racing. This was a nice highlight for 2005 in racing.
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lets not forget Liz Halliday. she has been phenomenal behind the wheel ever since she joined intersport so all though she's not as big in the media as say Danica Patrick, she still has done a hell of a good job.
 
This isn't my "Women in Racing" topic, but Liz Halliday has done very well.

For those who didn't know that NASCAR is an actual motorsport, you may have known that Tony Stewart won his second crown by holding on at Homestead. I didn't really care much for the championship since Jeff Gordon wasn't in the Chase. Had a chance to close in, but didn't make it in. Also not in was the overrated Dale Earnhardt Jr. Before this makeshift playoff, he won a grand total of one race. I'm sad J. Gordon didn't make it, but congrats to Tony Stewart. I don't really like "Smoke," but if he could get these victories on the track and get into Victory Lane or into a podium spot, then he deserves some sort of congratulations.

I think it is time to bid the Audi R8 farewell as the next Audi LMP will likely make its debut next year or so. However, don't say goodbye unless you are a Tom Kristensen fan. I tell you. Nine Le Mans starts, won outright seven times. The man is simply amazing. I hated ANYONE who raced an Audi and dominated everyone, but when I seen my tape of Le Mans 2005 (second tape of 2), I just had this large amount of support and almost wanted to cry. Why? It was so beautiful. Jacky Ickx won the event six times outright. Kristensen won seven times. And if that's not good enough, he only lost twice. To me, someone may beat the seven straight record, but to win as frequently as he did at Le Mans, that is amazing. If you don't include him in your "World's Greatest Racers" list, then you're insane. Like I said, if you get the Le Mans invite, you win no matter where you place because you're into the greatest race in the world. To me, it is the Super Bowl of sportscar racing, maybe even like the March Madness of sportscar racing as well.

Wasn't there supposed to be a 24 Hour Silverstone race this year or next? Nothing but random racing talk as you're free to continue honoring racers, races, and such for 2005.
 
One thing that was sad about 2005 in racing was Todd Harris. He's the commentator for Indy races. To me, he seemed to be in love with Danica Patrick. I know D. Patrick (assuming that's her name, considering the maiden name deal) is a great talent, but he seemed to be in love talking about her. He even referred to the president of the Tournament of Roses parade as the Danica Patrick of the parade, or something like that during the Rose Bowl.
 
JohnBM01
* No racing event was more controversial or more disappointing as this year's United States Grand Prix. While everyone else was crying their eyes and complaining, people were like "oh, blame the French!," "F1 sucks... thank goodness for NASCAR!" and all this. While it was a bad moment, I wasn't playing the blame game. Besides, Michelin was to blame.
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Not playing the blame game but blaming Michelin eh? The reason people were saying "oh, blame the French!" is exactly the reason you blamed Michelin. Michelin = French.

So F the French.
 
KGB
Not playing the blame game but blaming Michelin eh? The reason people were saying "oh, blame the French!" is exactly the reason you blamed Michelin. Michelin = French.

So F the French.
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You do understand that he was joking, right?
 
f1 'f-you... How about the retirment of a 23 year vetern in NASCAR Rusty Wallace and how Penske hired that drunk Kurt Busch to replace him.....
 
I thought it was Shane Hmiel with drinking problems... I don't care too much for NASCAR, so I don't know many things. Rusty Wallace is still a staple of NASCAR.

I'm going to start my own thread for 2006, but do you realize that February 21(?), 2006, it will be the Fifth Anniversary of Dale Earnhardt's death? I'm sure NASCAR fans will still off their tributes to The Intimidator, and I'll even offer my deepest sympathies. He was a solid racer.
 

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