B&W at the Indy 500

Another interesting thing about open wheel vs. NASCAR is that while a NASCAR isn't as advanced with technology, there are a lot more changes to be made during a race to improve the cars handling. At Indy I saw a couple of wing adjustments, in Formula 1 nearly everything is electronic and they have to even require different tire compounds to make it interesting while NASCAR can adjust a ton of different things. Sometimes state of the art is limiting in actual practice.

One of the biggest things that the open wheel drivers have to learn in NASCAR is how to communicate what the car is doing to the crew chief for changes. This isn't required at the same level in open wheel where it's primarily a down force adjustment for speed or grip.

Open wheel racing hasn't been the same since the Indy League started and pushed CART out.

Is that why it takes at least 3 years for an indy driver to make the move to nascar? Ask Tony Stewart how long it took him to move completely. As for state of the art, why is nascar constantly adding restrictions to keep speeds down? And we're not talking about open wheeled, experimental chassis.

I'm telling ya', compared to what Indy used to be, it is just a small step up from wrestling. Even hockey draws more fans.

I think Indy takes a much smater driver and offes true state of the art machinery. To each their own, its just one big 200 mph advertisement either way.

Uh, Indy DID have a fan base almost as big as NASCAR. THEY screwed it up themselves with that IROC crap back in the 80's. Now the have to stoop to trickery ala Ms. Patrick to get noticed.

Part of the reason NASCAR has such a huge fan base is that it has always been a home grown sport compared to the world wide sport that Indy is. The old CART series was fun to watch, but ovals are only fun to watch when bumping is involved. The new Indy series only has a few road races and they are fun to watch, but the majority of the drivers really are not world class. Forumula One even got the the point that passing was so difficult that they went to the grooved tire to reduce traction.

I've been interested in watching the open wheel drivers take their shots in NASCAR. I'm a Juan Pablo Montoya fan and he's about the only one that's really been a success. AJ Almendinger (spelling?) is starting to be impressive as well. They are showing how difficult NASCAR really is. I do wish they had more road races.

Its a shame that Indy doesnt have fans like the hillbilly racers do. I will never get how driving a 4seat conversion car while bumping the rednecks around gets more fans than open wheel racers. Bumping and scraping is for children, real men race cars that if you touch, you might die! All the same good to see some AV sponsors, and yes the rookie has only himself to blame, lapped car was clearly staying clear.
Then the Coke race ends with JR. out of gas...yawns all around.

As far as I can tell from the pics I've seen the sponsorship was Bowers & Wilkins and Magnolia. So I gues B&W working along with Best Buy is working out quite well for both parties.

One car had Alex Tagliani who drove the #77 Bowers & Wilkins/ Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara Honda.

I felt bad for the rookie mistake, but the overall race was a sleeper. It reminded me why I only watch Indy about once a year. NASCAR is so much more exciting. I had to laugh when it was "news" when a car got passed in the 500.

Hildebrand is a ROOKIE, and made a ROOKIE'S mistake. He SHOULD have backed off, when he came up on Kimball, but didn't. He slid into the rough patch, on the top of that turn, and bought the wall. The inside of the turn, is where one is SUPPOSED to be. You don't, "get the hell out of the way" when you're taking a turn properly.

B&W must be making a few $$$$$

Along with Z-Line A/V racks......