Season 44 - 1955GP (Works) - Round 5 – Indianapolis
The fifth race in the 1955 Grand Prix series takes us to Indianapolis in the USA. Constructed in 1909, Indianapolis was the second purpose built banked oval racing circuit after Brooklands and the first to be called a 'speedway'. It has a permanent seating capacity of 257,325 with infield seating raising the grand total capacity to an approximate 400,000. It is the highest-capacity sports venue in the world. An estimated 80,000 spectators attended the first 500-mile (800 km) race on Memorial Day, May 30, 1911. Forty cars competed with Ray Harroun winning at an average speed of 74.602 miles per hour (120.060 km/h). The 500 mile race remained a regular event at the "brickyard" during the 20s, 30s and 40s. Eventually it became part of the Formula One World Championship between 1950 and 1960. None of the Indy drivers of that era raced in Formula One and only Ferrari's F1 driver, Alberto Ascari, raced in the 500 in 1952. The 1955 Indy 500 was won by Bob Sweikert in a Kurtis Kraft powered by an Offenhauser engine. However, the race is notable to many as the race in which Bill Vukovich was killed in a crash while seemingly on his way to winning an unprecedented third consecutive Indy 500. Five-time world champion Juan Fangio practiced at the speedway in 1958, but ultimately decided against racing there.

Please Note:  Brake fade is not usually a problem here, overheating tyres are normally the biggest difficulty. There is no need to get too close to the car in front unless you are overtaking , the slipstream is very strong. Being a little further back might give you the opportunity to avoid a spinning car.

Race list	=	iGOR
Server	=	UKGPL05_60fps
IP address	=	80.189.126.203:32666
Password	=	see above
GPL Mod	=	55GP
Damage model	=	PRO
60fps Patch	=	60fpsV2newmod
Track download	=	Indianapolis 1999
Track directory	=	ims
Qualifying starts	=	20:45 UK time - 45 minutes
Race starts	=	~ 21:30 UK time
Race length	=	43 laps
Replay	=	HERE

Please do NOT post chat messages during qualifying or racing until ALL drivers still qualifying or racing have crossed the line.

Driver lists and division specific rules can be found on the championship standings page.

Standing start

In reality unless the car ahead blows their engine on the line or makes a massively bad start it is probably best to play safe and stay in-line. There will be plenty of opportunity to pass here. The car ahead is a sitting duck on the straights, there is nothing to be gained from a lightning start that will give you a 30 metre gap that will disappear on the next straight.

Yes 

A good question from Syd, and a good response from Phil and Clive.

In addition I would add that ALL drivers need to be very aware as they leave the extended pitlane that they will not be up to full racing speed until they hit the S/F straight at the end of their outlap and are therefore likely to be "in the way" of cars already circulating.

Having said that, those bigger cars that are on a flying lap might well catch drivers in slower cars that are actually on their own banzai lap. If a driver is going as fast as he can and trying for his own best time, he is not obliged to abort just because the Merc SL in his mirror wants a clear road. That is the lottery of qualifying.
Also ..If you screw up an attempt at a fast lap for whatever reason and it is obvious that you will not be setting any PB's, please get right off the racing line or retire to the pits.
Indianapolis is a bit special in this regard as qualifying times are likely to be very, very close and a fractional lift in the wrong place can cost a driver 0.5 secs. with no possibility of pulling that time back through the rest of the lap.

Please be nice to each other 

Could I just emphasise that entering the track between T1 and T2 is an absolute no no. It puts you bang on the line of any car that has just started a flying lap.

Thanks for spotting that Clive. Fixed now (dynamic IP must have changed today).

Well, it was good while it lasted. Shame I didn't get to finish the race.