#chevrolet racing team

[stone-cold-groove]

Stuck on you - a vintage Camaro 396 Cubic Inches Ed “Big Daddy” Roth decal.

[coloursteelsexappeal]

Mid Night Club

[psy4s]

History is what is in your heart and your mind. Your history ends with you. Only shared history lives on. Get your friends and family out of the house and create history together!

[viper-motorsports]

Pursued by their sister GTD Pro podium winner, The Heart of Racing team relished the run of their N°27 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 in the 2022 IMSA Chevrolet Grand Prix at Mosport ON CA to secure the champ GTD trophy.

[mrbig-15]

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1964 Chevrolet Cheetah

Also known as ‘Killer Cobra’

The 1964 Chevrolet Cheetah – a name that evokes both exhilaration and trepidation, whispered in hushed tones as “the Killer Cobra.” This ferocious feline wasn’t your average Corvette; it was a fire-breathing, lightweight monster built to slay Ford’s Shelby Cobra on the racetrack, and its story is as wild as its performance.

Born from Rivalry:

In the early 1960s, the Cobra was tearing up tracks and stealing headlines. Chevrolet couldn’t stand the sting of defeat, so they turned to Bill Thomas, a legendary Corvette expert with a reputation for tinkering. Thomas’ mandate was simple: build a car that could devour Cobras whole.

Unleashing the Beast:

The Cheetah was a radical departure from the curvy Corvette. Forget rounded fenders; this beast was all sharp angles and aerodynamic efficiency. A lightweight fiberglass body clothed a modified Corvette chassis, powered by a monstrous 375-horsepower small-block V8. Independent suspension and NASCAR-inspired brakes promised razor-sharp handling and brutal stopping power.

Taming the Cat:

But the Cheetah was a fickle beast. Its lightweight construction and raw power made it unforgiving at the limit. Steering was twitchy, and the unforgiving suspension demanded a skilled hand on the wheel. This wasn’t a car for Sunday drives; it was a high-wire act on four wheels, reserved for experienced racers with nerves of steel.

A Taste of Victory:

Despite its wild temperament, the Cheetah tasted victory. A few privateer teams managed to outmaneuver and outrun Cobras on smaller tracks, proving Thomas’ concept had merit. But factory support fizzled out due to high costs and safety concerns, and only 25 Cheetahs were ever built.

Leaving a Legacy:

The Cheetah’s life was short, but its impact is undeniable. It proved that American manufacturers could build serious race cars to rival the best Europe had to offer. It pushed the boundaries of design and performance, even if it wasn’t always easy to control. And it cemented Bill Thomas’ reputation as a master car builder with a penchant for the audacious.

More Than a Machine:

Today, the Chevrolet Cheetah is a coveted collector’s item, a piece of automotive history frozen in time. Owning one is like owning a piece of racing DNA, a reminder of a time when cars were raw, brutal, and exhilarating. The “Killer Cobra” might have a reputation for being untamable, but for those brave enough to handle it, it offers an unmatched experience, a chance to dance with a legend on four wheels.

So, the next time you hear the name “Cheetah,” remember it’s not just a car. It’s a roar of defiance, a testament to innovation, and a reminder that sometimes, the greatest rewards come from taming the wildest beasts. Remember, the Cheetah might be gone, but its spirit lives on, a fire-breathing phantom on the racetracks of our imagination.

[minkyungseokie]

Autosports

Stories of athletes in auto sports; Formula One, Indycar, Nascar, etc.. If you would like me to add anyone, just ask!

Includes team principals and certain wags

➤Max Verstappen; MV1

Belgian-Dutch Red Bull racing driver and three time world champion

➤Logan Sargeant; LS2

American Formula One driver for William

➤Daniel Ricciardo; DR3

Australian VCARB racing driver

➤Lando Norris; LN4

British-Belgian McLaren racing driver and Quadrant founder

➤Sebastian Vettel; SV5

German former F1 driver

➤Kimi Räikkönen; KR7

Finnish former F1 driver

➤Pierre Gasly; PG10

French Alpine driver

➤Sergio "Checo" Perez; SP11

Mexican Red Bull Racing driver

➤Fernando Alonso; FA14

Spanish Aston Martin driver

➤Charles Leclerc; CH16

Monégasque Ferrari driver

➤Lance Stroll; LS18

Canadian-Belgian Aston Martin driver

➤Mark Webber

Australian sports commentator

➤Jenson Button; JB22

British former F1 driver

➤Yuki Tsunoda; YT22

Japanese VCARB driver

➤Alex Albon; AA23

British-Thai Williams driver

➤Zhou Guanyu; ZG24

Chinese Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber driver

➤Estebon Ocon; EO31

French Alpine driver

➤Lewis Hamilton; LH44

British Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS and seven time world champion

➤Mick Schumacher; MS47

German Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS reserve driver

➤Carlos Sainz Jr; CS55

Spanish Ferrari driver

➤George Russell; GR63

British Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS driver

➤Oscar Piastri; OP81

Australian McLaren driver

➤James Vowels

British Williams Team Principal

➤Toto Wolff

Austrian Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Team Principal

Some of these arn not F2 drivers, but I'm using this category for the reserve drivers as well

➤Oliver Bearman; OB3/38

British Formula two racing driver, Ferrari reserve driver

➤Liam Lawson; LL36

Kiwi VCARB reserve driver

➤Felipe Drugovich; FD34

Brazilian-Italian Aston Martin reserve driver

➤Frederik Vesti; FV7

Danish Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS reserve driver

➤Pato O’Ward; PO5

Mexican McLaren Chevrolet IndyCar driver, reserve driver for McLaren

➤Arthur Leclerc; AL12

Monégasque French Ferrari development driver

➤Jack Doohan; JD14

Australian Alpine reserve driver

➤Robert Shwartzman; RS83

Russo-Israeli FIA World Endurance Championship and Ferrari reserve driver

➤Théo Pourchaire

French member of the Sauber Academy and test and reserve driver for Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.

Series

Driven by Destiny -Toto Wolff x Chinese-Australian Reader x Susie Wolff; ongoing

[coimbrabertone]

NASCAR Numerology: How NASCAR's Current Teams Got Their Numbers: Part Three.

Alright guys, we've done Trackhouse, Penske, Wood Brothers, RCR, and SHR, now we're gonna cover the numbers for Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, and Spire Motorsports. That's a grand total of nine cars to cover and some very historic numbers, so let's get on with the origins, the meaning, and some of the notable events in the history of some of the most significant numbers in modern day NASCAR.

We start with Hendrick Motorsports, which is a bit of a mess for two reasons:

The first is that Hendrick has like three different numbering schemes simultaneously: One built around the #5, one built around the #24, and a handful of car numbers that don't fit into either scheme.

The other is that Hendrick Motorsports has recently restructured, to the point where...the #5 is the #48, the #48 is the #88, the #9 is the #24, and the #24 is the #5.

Confused yet? Don't worry, I'll explain it all.

The Hendrick Motorsports story begins in 1984 with the All-Star Racing #5 of Geoff Bodine. This team initially had high aspirations, trying to sign the likes of Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Tim Richmond, but after sponsorship and co-ownership deals fell through, Rick Hendrick was left holding the bag alone, he and Geoff Bodine would need to make do with each other.

Well...they won Martinsville, Nashville Fairgrounds, and the season finale at Riverside.

This was enough to keep the #5 team alive, and for 1985, they returned, now properly under the Hendrick Motorsports banner. The #5 didn't win in 1985, but improved results throughout the season moved them up from 9th in the standings to 5th.

This was enough to finally win over Tim Richmond, who came over to start a second team with Folgers sponsorship - this was the #25, and Rick Hendrick's dad, Papa Joe, co-owning this entry.

Tim Richmond took seven wins in 1985 and finished 3rd in the standings, but unknown to everyone else...he was suffering from AIDS all this time. This would keep him out of the car for most of 1987 - with Benny Parsons running a Folgers #35 car in his place - but he would return midseason and immediately win two in a row at Pocono and Riverside.

Unfortunately, Richmond's return would only last eight races. Tim Richmond would attempt to return to NASCAR for 1988, but the medications he was taking to manage his illness conflicted with NASCAR's drug testing policy. Richmond would die from AIDS complications in August 1989.

Hendrick Motorsports at this point ran three numbers built around the #5 - the #5, the #25, and the #35.

They were also running the first non-scheme numbers in the form of the #17 with Darrell Waltrip, however, DW would take his team and his number in 1991 to start his own team, Darrell Waltrip Motorsports. The split was amicable, and Rick Hendrick actually helped DW get the team setup.

The next team - and the next numbering scheme - came in 1993, when Hendrick Motorsports hired Jeff Gordon to drive the #24. Initially, the team had intended to run the #46 - because for the movie Days of Thunder, Hendrick Motorsports provided the car and had Greg Sacks race at Phoenix 1989, Atlanta 1990, and Darlington 1990 to acquire footage.

The City Chevrolet sponsorship on the $46 Days of Thunder car is actually modeled on a real Chevrolet dealership that Rick Hendrick owns in Charlotte.

Unfortunately, issues with Paramount - who distributed Days of Thunder - prevented Hendrick Motorsports from running the #46 for real. So instead, they picked the #24, because it had relatively little history in NASCAR prior to Gordon, it was available, and it came right before #25. Thus began the most dominant partnership of the 1990s.

Jeff Gordon would win 93 times and would win championships in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001.

Terry Labonte in the #5 would add to Hendrick's 1990s domination with a 1996 championship.

Such was Jeff Gordon's success that, in 2001, Rick Hendrick allowed Jeff to become the co-owner of a new entry - the #48 of Jimmie Johnson. #48 was double #24, beginning the new numbering scheme. This would also see a part-time #84 car for Kyle Busch in 2004.

Jimmie would win the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2016 championships in the #48, equaling the 7 titles of Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.

Then we get the #88 car, which was set up in 2008 for Dale Earnhardt Jr. when he moved to Hendrick Motorsports. Why #88? Well, his DEI number was #8, Dale Jr. had a rabid fanbase, and a lot of people already had #8 merch and #8 tattoos. How to keep those people invested in Dale Jr.? Simple, make his new number two 8s, hence #88.

Thus, come 2017, Hendrick Motorsports has the #5 of Kasey Kahne, the #24 of Chase Elliott, the #48 of Jimmie Johnson, and the #88 of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Then everything started to change.

For 2018, Chase Elliott moved to the #9, taking the number most associated with his famous father, Bill Elliott. Bill had run the #9 at his own team from 1975-1981, then continued running it at Melling from 1982 to 1991, and then ran the #9 again at Evernham Motorsports in 2001, 2002, and 2003 as he spearheaded Dodge's return to NASCAR.

Chase was in the #9, but he took his #24 team with him. Hence my joke about the #9 really being the #24.

Meanwhile, Kasey Kahne dropped out of Hendrick due to chronic dehydration issues impacting his ability to race. Kahne's #5 team became the #24 team for rookie William Byron.

Also in 2018, Alex Bowman took over the #88 for Dale Jr.

Fast forward to 2021, and Hendrick Motorsports shuffles things around again.

Kyle Larson started the 2020 season win Chip Ganassi Racing, however, during the COVID-19 hiatus, Kyle Larson used a racial slur on a hot mic during an iRacing event. McDonalds, Credit One Bank, and Chevrolet dropped him that day. This left Chip Ganassi no choice but to fire Larson the next day.

Kyle Larson was highly rumored to replace Jimmie Johnson in the #48 for 2021, but after the n-bomb incident, sponsor Ally didn't want to touch him.

Nevertheless, Larson dominated in dirt racing in 2020, completed a racial sensitivity course, and made outreaches to black communities to apologize for his actions, including a visit to the George Floyd Memorial in Minneapolis.

All of this convinced Rick Hendrick that he should hire Kyle Larson after all, but he needed to shuffle things around to make it happen.

The flagship #5, Hendrick's original number, would return for the first time since 2017, with Kyle Larson running it, primarily sponsored by Hendrick Cars, but also Valvoline, Cincinnati Inc., and Tarlton. The team, however, would be the same as Jimmie Johnson's 2020 #48 team.

Alex Bowman's #88 team, however, would switch to the #48 plate and take on Ally as their sponsor.

Thus the #24 became the #9, the #5 became the #24, the #48 became the #5, and the #88 became the #48.

An awful lot for one team, huh?

Roush is thankfully a bit simpler.

The #6 is Roush's flagship car and has been ever since they were founded in 1988. Why the #6? Then sponsor Stroh's Light wanted a one-digit number to be instantly recognizable. Thus, Mark Martin's time with the #6 began.

Initially, Roush built around the #6 brand, with their second car being the #16 Family Channel Ford and them running the #60 Winn-Dixie car for Martin's Busch Series starts.

Their third car in in 1996 was the #99, which didn't really fit - other than the coincidental of 9 being 6 upside-down so #99 is kinda like two sixes, but Jack Roush says that was a coincidence. But Roush Racing went back to the sixes scheme in 1998 with the #26 car. They also bought the #97 John Deere Pontiac in 1997 and changed it over to a Ford for 1998, bringing it into the team for a five-car effort.

Roush had a couple of six car races in 1999 because Jack grew interested in Busch series racer Matt Kenseth, who was running a Chevrolet for Robbie Reiser. Jack didn't seem to mind too much, and by the time 2000 rolled around, he took Reiser, Kenseth, and their #17 car into the Cup series, running the DeWalt Ford.

Matt Kenseth won Roush's first Cup championship in 2003 with the DeWalt #17, and so in 2024, RFK Racing's two cars are the #6 and the #17.

The original Roush number, and their first championship winning number.

Now for Spire Motorsports real quick.

The #7 car in NASCAR became famous due to owner-driver Alan Kulwicki, who in the late 80s and early 90s, insisted on doing things himself even as NASCAR was starting to move towards bigger, multi-car teams. Alan winning the championship himself in his own equipment in 1992 would inspire a slew of drivers to follow his lead in this era, but for Alan himself...well, he died in a plane crash on the way to Bristol in 1993.

He never got the chance to defend his title.

The #7 AK Racing team was taken over by Geoff Bodine in 1993 - 'member him from Hendrick? - and ran as Geoff Bodine Racing for awhile, before selling to Ultra Motorsports for 2000. Ultra Motorsports and the #7 car of Jimmy Spencer had precisely one notable moment to their name.

At the 2003 MBNA America 300 at Dover International Speedway, the #7 Sirius Satellite Radio Dodge was a lap down when the caution came out, becoming the first car to benefit from NASCAR's new beneficiary rule - implemented to stop drivers from racing back to the line after the caution flag came out - which led to commentator Benny Parsons dubbing him the lucky dog.

Sirius' logo at this point included a little dog.

So yeah, that's where the term "Lucky Dog" in NASCAR comes from, the more you know.

The #7 then went through Robby Gordon Motorsports for awhile, followed by Tommy Baldwin Racing - in which Danica Patrick made her final NASCAR start in the 2018 Daytona 500 - before winding up at Spire Motorsports for the 2021 season.

Corey LaJoie has run the #7 from 2021 to 2024, accomplishing fuck all, and will be replaced for the 2025 season. It is currently unknown who will replace him. Justin Haley has been linked to the ride, and he actually won Spire's only Cup series victory in only his third start at a rain-shortened 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona.

Spire then built out their numbering scheme off the #7, with Carson Hocevar running the #77 and Zane Smith running the #71 - though he is due to be replaced by Michael McDowell for 2025.

So yeah, that's Hendrick, Roush, and Spire down. We've done #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, and #10 already, so next time we'll pick up with Joe Gibbs Racing and their #11 Toyota.

[tyresdeg]

ITS HERE AND ITS BEAUTIFUL

[seat-safety-switch]

Building a race car is a huge undertaking. You can start with a production vehicle, but as you race it, you'll slowly notice things deteriorating. Maybe you'll get lucky, and it will just be wheel bearings you have to replace prematurely. If you're really in the shit, or if you started adding a ton of power, you'll be seam-welding and buttressing parts of the body as they tear themselves apart under the repetitive, brutal forces. Things will break that make the dealership parts monkeys claim they "ain't never sold one of these before."

Anything that's successful on track, even a car that once ran on the street, is a melange of hacks, tears, and sleepless nights of re-engineering. And every major city has experts who can help you make things more reliable, for a price. For instance, did you know that old iron-block engines will slowly drift out of square the more you pound on them? After a couple years of hard use, they need to be re-bored, or they'll devour crankshaft bearings alive. That little bit of knowledge cost me (or at least my tax-deductible street racing team, Project Dodge, which, it is important, is legally distinct from myself and accepts all liability for its own actions or inactions) the approximate price of sending a conceptual artist to the International Space Station.

What this means is that, if you're sitting there in the stands cheering on the professional race car that looks like your car, you're actually cheering on some kind of futuristic jet fighter wearing the skin of your vehicle like Buffalo Bill. This, of course, should not discourage you from cheering on a professional race car. Cubic dollars have been spent on every inch of the car, developing it into a new kind of monster that is ready to do battle with all the others. Then thrown away, of course, because things wear out, and race car builders need to put food on the table, and races get more competitive every season.

Anyway, that's why I'm driving a Craftsman Truck Series racing truck to work these days. Those eggheads at NASCAR did a pretty good job on this thing, and our remarkably lax import laws don't blink an eye at a "Chevrolet pickup truck plus spares" driving across the border, even if it is at 120dB and fully sideways. And with my boring commute to work, chances are this thing's race-hardened might will never break.

[forgeline]

DXDT Racing took their pair of Forgeline-equipped Chevrolet C8 Corvette Z06 GT3.R race cars to Road America over the August 16-18 weekend for the fifth and sixth rounds of the Fanatec GT World Challenge America series, where they took back-to-back wins in the GT Pro class and scored their first victory of the 2024 season in the GT Pro-Am class. Congratulations to Tommy, Alec, Bryan, Bryson, and the entire DXDT Racing team, and thank you for the trust that you’ve placed in Forgeline! Learn more at: https://www.forgeline.com/blog/dxdt-racing-s-triple-win-at-road-america/31679

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[stone-cold-groove]

Stuck on you - a vintage Chevrolet Racing Team Ed “Big Daddy” Roth decal.

[things-about-cars-in-posts]

got any favorite cars from the 24 hours of lemons? (and perhaps some facts about them)

Sure, but not before explaining to the audience!

So, you know how, when you start your car, you turn the key and it starts, and you don't have to fiddle around trying to get the air/fuel mixture to make the damn thing run and stop embarrassing you? And how it has disc brakes, halogen lightbulbs if you've got the standard version and a wing if you've got the sporty one? Yeah, this is all thanks to the century-old 24 Hours of Le Mans, so coveted by manufacturers as to push them to develop all those innovations which would later trickle down into sportscars. They made two movies about it. It is, without question, the most prestigious, serious and expensive endurance race ever.

And this is the 24 Hours of Lemons - without question, the least prestigious, serious and expensive endurance race ever.

It is most famous for the rule that ensures that: to keep you from racing anything but a lemon, a beater, a crapcan, a piece of... well, by now even the unaware have figured out what lemon means in the car world, there is a budget cap. To be precise, $500. Yes, that includes both car and performance enhancing modifications - but notably exempt are safety equipment and decorations. I say notably because decorations are a key component of the Lemons atmosphere in a way I consider best conveyed by a "progressively gets worse" slideshow.

Yes, these are all real vehicles that raced. As you can imagine, regulations are pretty lax. And mostly vibe-based.

So, now that we're up to speed, my favorites!

Favorite as in greatest job from the team? Probably (although I am biased) the Eyesore Racing Miata.

And since you asked for some fun facts, I have a little treat for you that even the typically impeccable Donut Bumper (or lack thereof) to Bumper (or lack thereof) video about it missed out on:

The team won Lemons' coveted Best Use Of Dangerous Banned Automotive Technology award (yes that is a thing) by cleverly reusing the motor that used to drive the pop-up headlights!

Favorite as in coolest car used? That might be a tossup (i.e. I am not going to wait for the undoubtedly long list of cooler base cars to shower my mind so I will call it a tossup) between the Chrysler Conquest ran by multiple teams though Lemons' history (specifically the TSis for their sexy flared fenders)...

... and B-Team Racing's Lotus Elite (seen here in two of its many liveries) which, due to its newfound Chevy engine, earned it the name Chotus. Why yes there's a website.

Favorite as in most beautiful car used? That might be a tossup between French Foreign Legion Action Team's Peugeot 505...

...or the engine-swapped second generation Chevrolet Corvair Coupe of... wait, multiple teams?

Favorite in terms of most beautiful decorations? That might be a tossup between the Honda Accord of Stanford students team Buck Ferkeley...

...and SilverSleeve Racing's incredibly-engined frankensteined Wolseley Hornet (for when a Mini is just not coupe nor posh enough)

Favorite as in greatest combination? That might be a tossup between two incredibly different interpretations of sportscar + truck: the Boneyard Butchers' mix of Saturn Sky and Chevrolet Colorado -the more you look at it, the harder it goes-...

...or the Porsche Honkeys' outstanding take on the popular Porsche 944 + V8 recipe that came when they decided to use the rest of the Chevy C10 they got for the engine: the Mulletmobile.

Favorite as in the bravest, most heroic, most Lemons feat? Well, given Lemons started as a way to experience racing without the pressure and expectations of high-tier stuff and eternally heralds the notioon that a racecar is any car you race, how could I ever go with anything but the far-too-slow-for-any-steadiness-to-remedy, Cali-bought-and-roadtripped-to-Kansas Toyota motherfucking Chinook.

Favorite as in favorite team name? I doubt it, but here you go: Off To Gay Porn. They called themselves this to ensure everyone who beat them could proudly say they beat Off To Gay Porn! And as you could notice, yes, so many of them are this good.

Links in blue are posts of mine explaining the words in question - if you liked this post, you might like those!

[raapija]

hey I'm the last anon

as I said you introduce me to strollonso but nowadays I see you posting about Indy car

I wanna start watching Indy too but felt overwhelmed because it's so different from F1, so any tips?

love, AP

Hello again 🫶

I have just gotten into indycar this season myself, so I am a bit clueless as well still ! 😅

But it is a very different sport to F1. Under the cut are some of my observations...

The rules are 90% imaginary and I don't understand them at all

Oval races are confusing as hell

The qualifying format is insane (and changes depending on if it's an oval or a street course)

There are about 300 cars in each race

The car liveries make no sense (and change all the time)

There's 16 orange cars. (i don't understand why everyone wants to be orange. and the same SHADE of orange as well 😭)

Scott Dixon is the Fernando Alonso of the series (although Dixie is not a war criminal)

Teams can have up to four drivers and change them out willy nilly (looking at your Arrow McLaren.)

Races are usually pure chaos

Everyone hates Santino Ferrucci, and that's a fact. And it's okay, because he deserves it.

All the cars have their own name sponsor (example: Colton Herta drives the Gainbridge-Honda while his teammate Kyle Kirkwood drives the Autonation-Honda)

The cars are visually identical, but there are two engine manufacturers: Honda and Chevrolet. Very little changes to car setup can completely kill speed.

The driver's most trusted companion is their race strategist. (Bryan Herta is the best. He is Colton's dad and currently works with Kyle ❤️)

The cars are very sturdy and can take a proper beating

Pit stops are scary as fuck (also much slower than F1 but somehow a lot more hectic)

The drama is crazy. The drivers are such divas.

Pato O'Ward carries the whole sport on his shoulders.

The margins are non-existent. The fights are insane. You never know who is gonna win. But somehow Alex Palou always comes out on top.

Bus Bros are the Brocedes of indycar

Races can get wild. There is a vastly different kind of caution system than in F1 and it can be SCARY at first

I will never learn the different team names. I can barely remember my fave drivers' numbers 😭😭😭😭

I think Penske and Andretti are the best teams ?????? But pretty much anyone can win a race

They introduced the hybrid system only this year. MID SEASON.

They usually travel by bus and everyone has their own bus they stay in. And there are often barbeques and parties at the bus lot 👀

So... That's some info... Sorry if this is a complete mess and overwhelms you even more 😭 Today is the last race of the season, which sucks, but at least you'll have some time to prepare for the next season !! The indycar fandom is much smaller than F1 and in my opinion, much more chill. There are not many insane fans here and everyone is pretty nice 😇❤️

And also, here are my favorite boys 😘:

Andretti Global: Kyle, Marcus and Colton ❤️

They slay ✨

[red-n-ded]

Since so many liked my Reverse AU, I figured I would write some more

I have 3 more ideas but I can't choose which one to finish first

(All choices will be posted one day. This is just to tell me which one should go first)

ps. all are oneshots so expect 10k words or more

The World According to Kris

K-008, Kritical or Kris to family and friends, suffers from Black Rust Disease, which is an almost-untreatable infection that makes him rot from the inside.

Kris knows how much his family sacrificed for him and just wants to stop being a burden for once. He’s given that chance when he and his brother team up with humans to get their ticket back home. Maybe now, he can finally be the hero he always wanted to be.

Or

Reverse Roles AU and basically Kris takes Bee’s place in RotB but overhears Noah's grief and development throughout the entire movie, followed by flashbacks on Noah’s and Kris’ life before the crash that sent hundreds of Cybertronians to Earth.

mirnoah??

Why the Caged Bird Sings

Ava Yeng, a heavily independent Malaysian-Peruvian history teacher from NYU, teams up with Optimus and his Freedom Racers to save the world from UniCorp and an evil mind-controlling plan.

On the way, learns through the beautiful voice of a nightingale Maximal named Elena on how to push through the obstacles of grief and sacrifice by learning how to accept the help of others.

Or

Reverse Roles AU of Airazor and Elena interactions in RotB because my lesbians needed more screen time and I want justice for my favorite sapphic peregrine falcon.

airlena??

Little Red Corvette (Feat. The Beatles)

Benjamin O’Brien is living in Brighton Falls, California as a mechanic, trying to escape the trauma from a protest New York that caused him to lose his voice.

When his roommate signs him up for a street race for his 18th birthday, he buys a beautiful red Chevrolet Corvette unaware that under all its red paint lies a stubborn but gentle Autobot from outer space with no memory and a shared love for 80's music.

or

Reverse Roles AU of Bee and Charlie meeting and giving each other their names through the magic of music and insect posters. (And yes, Bee is a fan of the Beatles)

charbee??

[ca77um-ilo77]

alright you have me convinced!! what should i know before i watch indycar next season??

yooo i'm so glad i convinced you!! this is a pretty long post, and is kind of all-over the place. i tried to break it up by general topic, but i'm adding randomly as i think, so just a warning. i'll add some info links i like at the bottom. (if you or anyone wants to talk indy or f1, asks or dms are so very welcome, i love making friends <3)

one thing about indy is unlike in basically every else, many cars look very different even when on the same team as well as special liveries that are nothing like their normal ones, so i'd recommend getting the indycar app (it's free and user friendly once you figure out the weird layout) as it has a spotter's guide. it also has onboard cameras and radios for free (!!!!).

indycar is (usually) a pretty friendly sport, but as is the case with american sports, we like chaos, so the drivers can pretty much say anything except swear words lol. there's a few different clips of drivers threatening each other, which is great. id say most drivers are friends or at least acquaintances, expect santino ferrucci (huge bigot, pay driver, got kicked out of f2 for extremely dirty driving, and i personally hate his hair) and often romain grosjean as he hits people a lot. as for 2024 rookies, kyffin simpson's dad bought him his seat, and kyle larson saying the n-word in 2020 means he has some really, really racist fans.

the safety rules are strict and the cars are very durable which is good for high-speed crashes. the safety people (shoutout amr indycar safety team i love y'all, amr the company i hate you more than i hate the fia) travel with the races and have extensive training. they are also stationed in places that allow quick access to any location on a track. this is most apparent at ovals as they are much faster and more dangerous. at the other races, they are stationed where there is higher likelihood for a more dangerous crash that needs faster reactions. they take trucks to the site that are full of basically anything that might be needed. this is especially important as indycar refuels and are at high risk of combustion compared to f1. the calling yellow flags is also a lot more liberal which is nice. during longer yellows, and reds at ovals they'll run a sweeper truck to clean the racing line so people don't slide into walls.

for flag code info, as i don't have the patience to write it out, it is is section 7.2 of the rule book (page 27). i've linked it at the bottom of the post.

with the cars, they're all required to have the same chassis and aren't allowed to change a huge amount, so the racing is mostly down to skill, though andretti, ganassi, penske, and mclaren are better as they have more money. there are two engine suppliers, honda and chevrolet, iirc (don't quote me here) chevy is a bit more powerful, but honda is a bit more handleable. fast pit stops are usually about 7 seconds due to smaller pit crews (7 people maximum) and refueling. each car also has it's own pit box as teams have variable car numbers based on what they can afford. firestone provides tires, and there are two compounds, primary and alternate, as well as a wet tire. primaries are the harder compound and have a black sidewall. alternates are softer and have a red sidewall, except at street circuits where it's green to signify all natural rubber. use of both compounds are required. on broadcast you'll hear them mention "sticker reds" which are just the brand new ones.

more tire info in section 15 of the rulebook (page 84). there's some complex rules if you like tires.

the biggest difference between indy cars and f1 is f1 has power steering, indy doesn't. if you watch onboards, the drivers are wrestling the car the whole time, and most of the racing comes down to skill. the actual racing is often chaotic (indycar app helps with this. i keep it open always) and since there are many pit stops in a race (the cars use a lot of fuel) the leaderboard will change a lot.

the points system is very different, i'll try to cover it as succinctly as i can but i'm going to put a link for the wiki on it at the bottom anyway. (this is going to be formatted real weird, but i want to be brief). p1 50; p2 40; p3 35; p4 32; 4th-10th decreases by 2; p10 20; 10th-25th decreases by 1; everything p25 down is 5 points. drivers get points for finishing the race, basically. (unless there's more than 33 finishers, then 34 down get nothing, but that doesn't really happen). there's some bonus points also, 1 for leading a lap, 2 for most laps led, and 1 for pole position. the final bonus is for indy 500 qualifying. top 12 get points from p1 getting 12, descending by 1, to p12 getting 1.

as for the circuits there's three types: ovals (6 races, 4 tracks), roads (6 races, +1 non-championship race), and street (5 races). ovals are very high speed with little to no breaking. road courses are just your average circuit made for racing, the roads tend to be a bit rougher than f1's but that's kinda just how american tracks are. street circuits are, well, on the street. american roads suck major dick. the smoothest indycar street circuit is comparable to the worst of f1's. very bumpy, usually some good crashes (watch 2023 st. petersburg start. shit was insane).

as a fan, i cannot recommend irl indy more. some races are busier than others, obviously, but it's cheap considering it's a big racing category. 3 day entry for the less major races is usually $60-ish, and paddock passes are an additional $120-ish. not 100% on the price for pit access, but that is a bundle with three day tickets usually. the races aren't super crowded and there isn't assigned seats which is nice. the paddock is super open (check my "fenrir indycar" tag, quick access on my pinned) and you are able to walk up to and touch the cars if you really want (i wouldn't) as well as have conversation with engineers if they're not busy. if you have pit access the drivers are usually just wandering around and are often happy to stop and talk/sign something when not busy. there's also a high risk of nearly getting run over by drivers on their scooters. will power is notorious for this.

for my non-americans, (love y'all) we are very happy to have a conversation with strangers. the indy fans are often thrilled to talk about their favorite drivers and thoughts with anyone. when i went id say the only bad experiences i had was getting overwhelmed (my fault, i went to a place that i knew would cause a meltdown) and my dad getting hit twice by a man in a golf cart twice (same guy, not my dad's fault, the cunt didn't try to move, warn him, or apologize, just hit him, let my dad stumble, hit him again. i'm still mad). the seats are usually right on the track, so it's extremely loud and smelly. 10/10 can not recommend irl indy enough. i am biased to the pnw and it's the only race i've been to, but the portland race is great. it's not got masses of people, you can walk right up to the track to watch with the only thing between you and the cars being a concrete wall and a fence, and as it's a smaller race with less fans compared to the east coast and mid-west races, it's cheaper. biggest con is its built on a swamp, so super humid. (another pro, i'll be there <3 [joke.])

any questions you've got or clarification needed, my notifications are on and i'll respond to relevant stuff as soon as i see it.

LINKS:

rule book (clicking on a section of the table of contents will take you there)

points format wiki

schedule (tickets can be bought here)

app link

2024 series wiki (so helpful)