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Chevy - Honda 500
BobJudy
Member Posts: 6,630 ✭✭✭✭
Also known as the Indy 500. Anyone else watch today?
I watched out of a sense of tradition. This was a big thing for my dad when I was growing up and I guess because of him I've continued the tradition. Back in the day it was a bit more exciting and you had a lot more brands racing. Today, nothing but Chevy's and Honda's. A Chevy won today but there didn't appear to be much of a difference in performance. The top ten finishers were split 5 each among the two brands.
Congrats to the winner, Newgarden, he ran a good race. Judy came home just as the race was ending and we both wondered if Newgarden was old enough to shave yet. I guess he is in his thirties but he looked like a teenager behind the wheel. Maybe I'm just getting old!😀 Bob
Comments
I was working at Honda when they started racing the indy circuit it was huge deal
They were big in formula racing for years
They would have the drivers and cars have greet and meet days at all the factories sign autograps photos and so on
Early one they had Sena (sp) at the time was the top driver at the plant I worked at
They taped off a don't cross line in the parking lot from the entrance i would guess just over a 1/8 mile give or take from the main road to the end of the drive way and the whole work force well day shift got to go out and watch
We went out and he blasted down the road all out just a few feet from us
It was fun but they never did it again
My guess some one or hundred lol realized having a formula car speeding in a huge crowd with any thing possibe may not have been a good idea
After that it was all static displays
The department I worked in had control of the docks so I got involved with a lot of the cars moving them around
Same with indy cars and drivers Danica came by a few times but I was never much of a fan of hers
Once I Even took a unofficial drive in a Honda civic rally race car in the parking lot . got a slight but chewing on that one
I Met old man Honda a couple times early on . By then just a old guy who got to see his company and fortune grow
I was always amazed he started putting surplus motors on bicycles after the war
And then went on to every thing from motorcycles . Cars . Boat motors , lawn mowers even jet planes. not to forget the robotics osimo it was like a early humanoid functiong Early AI
Sorry about the story but almost 26 yrs I was there
as for racing long gone in just about all racing the many company's that use to compete same with race teams not much chance for the little guys efforts its all big- big money now
Never got into the Indy cars. I love NASCAR, even today. I had a friend, whose brother was on Davey Allison's pit crew. We use to get free passes into the pit area, for the races. My favorites have always been Bill Elliot, Dale Sr. and Dale Jr. Davey was a great guy to hang around. It was very tragic when he passed. I still go to Dover, Pocono and Talladega. I really want to go to Martinsville and Bristol, to see the smash up derby races.
I spent the first 39 years of my life in Flint, Michigan. Birthplace of General Motors, and the home of Buick Town, A.C. Delco, Chevrolet and a host of suppliers. When I was just a lad the Japanese started to sell cars here in the states. The first ones were a joke, flimsy rust buckets that only lasted a couple of years. However, the engines seemed to hold up quite well compared to our domestic production. A ton of hastily arranged research went into what the secret was to their longevity. After months of poring over the designs and the engineering, they discovered the 2 secrets. The fastidious Japanese were doing a better job of final machining so that lessened the friction and wear was cut down. But the biggest factor was the cleanliness of the parts as they were assembled and the lack of contaminants in the finished engine. No metal shavings, no casting sand, no grit, no dirt, etc... In other words, nothing to scratch cylinders and any moving parts and nothing to plug up any oil or coolant passages.
In conclusion, you could say we owe Mr. Honda a thank you for making our domestic auto makers follow suit and by literally cleaning up their act, they now turn out longer lasting engines. Bob
Watched the race. Couple good wrecks. Congrats to Newgarden for the win.
trying to stay on subject
but just a fast add on
when I went to Japan as a "get to know your counterpart program " for about 4 to 6 weeks
one of the higher ups at another plant told me we Japanese invent very little, but what were good at is taking some ones idea or product and making it better and selling it back to them I think he was right on target
early on a lot of Japanese items were looked down on the same as we do China now and to me whats sad American car company's were on top the world then got complacent greedy ? and to me like they designed to fail or wear out cars in a few years forcing the public to buy another new one. but they were forced to up their game to compete with the imported cars later on
working at the engine plant I can attest the tolerances and materials and care that went into the engines is impressive.
the motorcycle engines were especially critical in all areas of fitment.
I have not watched a race in years I use to love to watch about all of it weekend I would be glued to the TV especially nascar and NHRA drag racing . but lost interest when more and more rules and constraints were placed on the cars and teams.
even back in the 1970's NASCAR had speeds of over 200 MPH recorded
I watched the Indy race.Are those Chevy engines in the Indy cars LS based engines?
It's a 2.2 liter twin turbo V6 with Double overhead cams and aluminum block and produces around 600hp. Bob
The same engines that the Chevette's had.......
Nah, the Chevette the was too heavy for a measly 600hp. They had to boost up the performance a bit -
1500hp in a little econo-box. This guy must have cast iron cojones!😮 Bob
What has amazed me, over the years, is the RPM that these engines can operate at. I think the Indy cars are limited to about 12,000rpm......although they are capable of more.
Astonishingly......F1 "power units",which are a 1.6 liter twin-turbo V6, are limited to 15,000rpm........but can exceed 20,000rpm. Horsepowers can range from 800 to 1000.
Amazing machines!😳🤯
It really is hard to fathom an engine turning that fast, especially when you think about how many things have to happen on each revolution.
I really respect Honda. The largest engine manufacturer in the world.
lawnmowers to private jets, they are good at building them.
This discussion sort of reminds me of the recent Nissan GT-R semi-super car.
Since it's modern inception ALL of the 3.8 liter V6 engines are assembled one at a time, under clean-room conditions...........by ONE, and only one, technician/specialist per engine. I think each engine plaque is signed by the assembler.
I've long lusted for one.......or an Audi R8-V10 6-speed........but have yet to pull the trigger. 😟
And........I'm run'in outta years.......😬
Looks like they are going to stop making the small gas powered engines.
https://opereviews.com/honda-stops-making-lawn-mowers-exits-market/
Probably just read the writing on the wall. The greenies will probably outlaw gas mowers in the near future. 😡Bob
I nominate you for the head moderator for the punbroker forums......
@austin20, it it good to be king?
😁Bob