# Indianapolis 500



## bschuler2007 (Feb 25, 2007)

* It's probably too late to help anyone, but if you have a SEASON PASS for Indycar Racing, it will not pick up the Indianapolis 500. I found this out myself after missing 24 or so laps. 

*Item #510 on why I sometimes hate Tivo. Special events are often not labeled accurate enough for season passes to work. You would think SOMEONE at Tivo would watch for these things.


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

When I know that a once a year sporting event that I watch is coming up, I check for it under Sports - name of sport.  I looked this up the other day because someone I knew asked if anyone was having a viewing party. The dang thing started at 9 am?!


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## bschuler2007 (Feb 25, 2007)

Yeah, after years with Tivo, I usually remember that to Tivo, the Super Bowl isn't football, Indy500 isn't Indycar racing, etc.. but this time I forgot and got burnt. Could of been alot worse. Guess I got lazy having not missed anything good in awhile and took Tivo's scheduling for granted. I guess you really have to check the TO DO list weekly.

Kinda sucks having wishlists, yet having to check on them all the time though.


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

For special stuff I really want to watch, I don't trust Tivo. An SP order could kill a show. One year I missed a lot of House MD when it changed time causing a conflict I was unaware of so I check stuff regularily. For really special events such as the Superbowl etc. you also need to check if you are interested in the pre-game and post-game material. I don't watch racing so I was just surprised how early the event started in my timezone. Noon is a logical time for the race to start where it is held.


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## jsmeeker (Apr 2, 2001)

sieglinde said:


> For special stuff I really want to watch, I don't trust Tivo. An SP order could kill a show. One year I missed a lot of House MD when it changed time causing a conflict I was unaware of so I check stuff regularily. For really special events such as the Superbowl etc. you also need to check if you are interested in the pre-game and post-game material. I don't watch racing so I was just surprised how early the event started in my timezone. Noon is a logical time for the race to start where it is held.


I think this years' Indy 500 started at about the same time as it has over the past several years. One year, I was in Hawaii on that Sunday. It started REALLY early there. And of course, it used to be held on Memorial Day.


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## EvilMidniteBombr (May 25, 2006)

I got burned too. First, I forgot that the race wasn't actually on Memorial Day. Second, my ARWL for racing (formula 1, indycar, trophy truck, etc.) didn't catch it. 

I had no keywords that related to the Indy 500. Missed the whole thing. The one and only oval course race that I care to watch and it didn't record.

Thanks for the heads up. I just didn't see it in time.


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

I don't follow this but I had assumed it was on Monday until I was in a restaurant on Sunday and it was on the TV.


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## chocophile (Dec 27, 2007)

Bump. Same thing described in past years is true this year again. If you have a season pass for "IndyCar Racing," it will not record the "2013 Indianapolis 500."

Go Simona!


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

On Sunday


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## cheerdude (Feb 27, 2001)

I know that this has changed in years past... but can someone explain qualifying for the 500? Is it the same as with other IndyCar races ... and if not, what's different?


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## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

cheerdude said:


> I know that this has changed in years past... but can someone explain qualifying for the 500? Is it the same as with other IndyCar races ... and if not, what's different?


Here's the current version, as I understand it:

Each qualifying attempt is 4 laps, and it is the total time that determines where you qualify (not just the fastest lap). The driver's team has someone standing near the finish line and can "call off" the attempt at any time by waving a yellow flag.

The basic rule is this: the fastest 33 cars get in. Just because you had one of the fastest 22 times on the first day does not mean that you are guaranteed a spot; if you are 22nd and 12 drivers on the second day have better times, you are now 34th, which is not good in a 33-car field. The importance of qualifying on the first day is, everybody who qualified on the first day starts in front of everybody who qualified on the second day, even if the second day cars were faster.

Each car is allowed up to three qualifying attempts per day, but if you are "in the race" and decide to re-qualify the car because you think you can go faster, you have to give up your existing spot in the field.

Up until a few years ago, it was different; the three-attempt limit applied to the entire qualifying period, and once a car finished a qualifying attempt, it could not make any more attempts even if it was "bumped" from the race because there were 33 faster cars. There was a lot of wheeling and dealing by bumped drivers trying to get backup cars from other teams!


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## chocophile (Dec 27, 2007)

As That Don Guy said, qualifying runs are four laps. You can call it total time or average speed over the 4-laps, same thing. Qualifying runs are made on a clear track, no other cars present.

As I understand it, the first qualifying day sets the top 24 spots (8 rows). The first session sets places 10-24. The top nine then advance and make another qualifying run for the first three rows. Fastest driver in the second session is awarded the pole, and a big check. That's "pole day."

The next day, "bump day," sets the last nine positions. Any car that did not qualify in the top 24 now does 4-lap qualifying run(s). If there are more than 33 cars entered, a faster qualifying time bumps 33rd car out of the field. Teams are allowed to make up to three runs. When drivers aren't qualifying for the 24-33rd positions, any car is allowed on track to practice.

In 2011, Ryan Hunter Reay was bumped out of the field on bump day. He raced anyway, driving a car qualified by another driver, run by a different team (A. J. Foyt). I guess his sponsor paid off AJ to allow him to run. From wikipedia:



> he failed to qualify for the 500-mile race, having been bumped by the last car as time expired. Despite not qualifying, he ran the race anyway, replacing Bruno Junqueira in the #41 car for A. J. Foyt Enterprises, and finished 23rd.


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