Knackered

Posted by Iannucci | 6/25/2008 | 5 comments »
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Suppose you drive for SuperTex and you find yourself fatigued after driving for only a fraction of the race. Do you keep going until you finally lose control, or do you park the car, admit your shortcomings, and suffer the wrath of AJ Foyt?

Darren Manning chose the latter.

The initial start didn’t go well as he lost two positions but then gained them back and then some in the next couple laps. However by lap 15 he’d lost them again. I asked him what was wrong and he radioed in that he was ‘knackered already’ from the steering being too heavy.

Say what?

He hung on until the first pit stop around lap 39 and we made an adjustment with the front wing but there wasn’t any way to really correct the problem without taking it back to the garage. After 95 laps he parked it. I was not happy. I said some things in anger about his fitness but looking back, something else was going on.

(MORE from Foyt Racing)
In the article AJ goes on to say the problem may have been due to seat positioning, but it probably didn’t help Manning’s case that while he was retiring from the race Foyt’s grandson was driving his tail off to a Top 5 finish with a huge blister on his hand. In case you are interested, physically fit(ter) drivers can take a chance by sending resumes to:
Foyt Racing
19480 Stokes Road
Waller, TX 77484


(Thanks to reader J E Clerk for the link)

5 comments

  1. Carrie // June 25, 2008 1:09 PM  

    DM has never been one to put up with a crap car. Whether he's too afraid to say as much to AJ, I dunno, but he's not exactly driving championship winning cars there.

    That said, Chip made a comment about D not being on his game (after the Chicagoland, I think, wreck with Rice) when he booted him from the 10. Maybe D's lost his balls when it comes to driving a car on the edge...

  2. Anonymous // June 25, 2008 9:13 PM  

    hmmm sounds like sports cars are calling mannings name however i think foyt has a soft spot for the brit and see a few indy one offs in his future

  3. Nancy // June 25, 2008 9:20 PM  

    Ok, if this was the first time, I’d buy AJ’s rationalization, but please, this is becoming down right embarrassing! At my house, we’ve been making fun of Danger Mouse since last year’s St. Pete race because he was complaining of spaghetti arms at the end of the race. After more than a year, you’d think he might have gotten directions from the Pub to the Gym. Two words, Danger Mouse…Wii Fit! I don’t think running away from the AJ whack is giving you a comprehensive training regime. With that said, I do to agree with Carrie, and concede that he's not driving top notch equipment there…but still… Thanks for the laugh John and Jeff, it made my day :-)

  4. ganassiboy // June 25, 2008 9:45 PM  

    With comments like that coming from Darren, I don't think he's going to find another team that is going to be too interested in him. Also....note to A.J. - MOVE YOUR TEAM OUT OF THE TUMBLEWEEDS OF TEXAS & COME TO INDY. Maybe some members of other teams would be more willing to come aboard if they didn't have to move to the cow pastures.

  5. Anonymous // June 26, 2008 3:44 PM  

    AJ is as likely to move out of Houston as the Pope out of the Vatican. =)