Why mix Football/Soccer and IndyCar? Because both have international participants and this is just for fun. IndyCar has had a lot of great European drivers and with the European Football Championships beginning Friday I have decided to take the best driver from the sixteen participating nations to represent their respective nation in a simulation of the upcoming tournament. Each driver will go head-to-head against one another to decide which country moves on. I would like to thank our friends at champcarstats.com for being my source for some of the drivers and their information. Let me stress this is just for fun.
Group A contains co-host Poland, Czech Republic, Russia and Greece. Not a flashy group of drivers here.
Poland: Driver: Louis Zborowski- Ran one race, the 1923 Indianapolis 500. Started 5th, finished 20th in a race with only 24 cars.
Czech Republic: Driver: Tomas Enge- Ran 17 races between 2004-2006 in the IRL. Best finish was a 5th at Sonoma in 2005. It is his only career top 5 and he had 3 top 10s. Best start was 2nd at Texas in 2005.
Russia: Driver: Baron de Rachewsky- Had one start in 1926 at Atlantic City. Started and finished 15th after only 11 laps.
Greece: Driver: George Buzane- Born in Athens, Greece, raced as an American but will represent Greece on this occasion. Made 14 starts between 1915 and 1919. Buzane did have 7 career top 10s.
Group A results: Matchday 1: Greece def. Poland 3-0; Czech Republic def. Russia 3-0 Matchday 2: Czech Republic def. Greece 1-0; Poland draw Russia 0-0 Matchday 3: Czech Republic def. Poland 4-0; Greece def. Russia 3-1.
It is really isn't close. Tomas Enge has the upper hand but you can argue for Buzane in that second match up, however I have Enge edging Buzane. Zborowski and de Rachewsky are equal and neither make it to the knockout stages.
Group B is the group of death for the actual Euro but here it isn't as scary and unpredictable.
Netherlands: Driver: Arie Luyendyk- Won the 1990 and 1997 Indianapolis 500. Won 7 races in his career, five poles, fastest lap and qualification run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 35 career top 5s.
Denmark: Driver: Ronnie Bremer- Started 12 races in the 2005 ChampCar season. Best start 8th, finish 6th.
Germany: Driver: Bernd Rosemeyer- Won his one and only race in 1937, the Vanderbilt Cup after starting second on the grid. He was also the 1936 European Grand Prix Champion.
Portugal: Driver: Tiago Monteiro- Started 17 races in the 2003 CART season. Best start 2nd, finish 6th, both at Mexico City. Monteiro also scored a podium in the 2005 United States Grand Prix, a 3rd with Jordan, a race where only the six cars on Bridgestone tires started.
Group B results: Matchday 1: Netherlands def. Denmark 3-0; Germany def. Portugal 1-0 Matchday 2: Portugal def. Denmark 2-1; Netherlands def. Germany 2-1 Matchday 3: Netherlands def. Portugal 3-0; Germany def. Denmark 2-0
Luyendyk scores nine points with his three wins. Rosemeyer advances with six points and Monteiro falls short with three points.
Group C is a little interesting and I think I may get the most people talking with this group.
Spain: Driver: Oriol Servia- Only Spaniard to win in American open-wheel racing, 2005 at Montreal. Scored one pole, Surfers Paradise in 2005. 46 career top 5s.
Italy: Driver: Alex Zanardi- The 1997 and 1998 CART champion, 15 career wins, 10 career poles, 35 career top 5s, however he never finished fifth in his career. All his top 5's are either 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th place finishes.
Republic of Ireland: Driver: Derek Daly- Best finish was 3rd at Milwaukee in 1987. 5 career top 5s. Best start was 2nd on occasions.
Croatia: Driver: Mario Andretti- I know he is Italian-American and was born in what was Italy atthe time, but his birthplace is now known as Motovun, Croatia. Besides this is only for fun, who minds Mario being involved? Second in all-time wins with 52, 65 career poles, 4 time champion, 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Group C results: Matchday 1: Italy def. Spain 2-0; Croatia def. Republic of Ireland 3-1 Matchday 2: Italy draws Croatia 4-4; Spain def. Republic of Ireland 2-1 Matchday 3: Croatia def. Spain 3-1; Italy def. Republic of Ireland 2-0.
Zanardi and Andretti advance with 7 points each both are tied on goal differential (+4) but Andretti takes it on goals for with 10 to Zanardi's 8. Defending champions Spain and Oriol Servia go no further than the group stages.
Group D makes a great case for being the the group of death in Euro 2012 IndyCar edition.
Ukraine: Driver: Ben Brandfon- The other co-host, never even started a race and had three DNS/DNQs. He was the best I could do. Sorry folks, it is tough to find a Ukrainian driver.
Sweden: Driver: Kenny Bräck- 1999 Indianapolis 500 winner, 9 race wins, 1998 IRL champion, finished 2nd in the 1999 IRL season and the 2001 CART season.
France: Driver: Sebastien Bourdais- 31 career wins, tied for most among active drivers, four time champion, 32 career poles.
England: Driver: Dan Wheldon- Dan is the top Englishmen (Dario Franchitti is Scottish). 16 career wins, 2005 and 2011 Indianapolis 500 winner, 2005 IRL champion, 5 career poles, 62 career top 5s.
Group D results: Matchday 1: France draws England 2-2; Sweden def. Ukraine 6-0 Matchday 2: France def. Ukraine 12-0; England def. Sweden 1-0 Matchday 3: England def. Ukraine 5-0; France def. Sweden 2-1
France and England advances with 7 points, France wins the group with a goal differential of +13.
Knockout Stages
Quarterfinals
Czech Republic (Tomas Enge) v. Germany (Bernd Rosemeyer) Result: Germany def. Czech Republic 2-0
Croatia (Mario Andretti) v. England (Dan Wheldon) Result: England def. Croatia 1-0 (a.e.t)
Netherlands (Arie Luyendyk) v. Greece (George Buzane) Result: Netherlands def. Greece 4-0
France (Sebastien Bourdais) v. Italy (Alex Zanardi) Result: France draws Italy 2-2 (a.e.t, France wins 4-3 on penalties)
Summary: Rosemeyer edges Enge. You must be thinking, "how can Wheldon defeat the man with the second most wins in American open-wheel history, not to mention a former World Drivers' Champion?" Well, it was close, it went to extra time and Wheldon sneaks to victory, just like he did on May 29, 2011. What can I say, upsets happen. Luyendyk easily handles Buzane. Bourdais and Zanardi may be the worst possible quarterfinal match possible. It could have gone either way, but Bourdais bests Zanardi in penalties in a match fit for a final.
Semifinals
Germany (Bernd Rosemeyer) v. England (Dan Wheldon) Result: England def. Germany 2-0.
Netherlands (Arie Luyendyk) v. France (Sebastien Bourdais) Result: France def. Netherlands 3-1 (a.e.t)
Summary: Wheldon clearly beats Rosemeyer. Luyendyk forces extra time late but he can't hold off Bourdais as he adds two in extra time to advance to the finals.
Finals
England (Dan Wheldon) v. France (Sebastien Bourdais) Result: France def. England 2-1 (a.e.t)
Summary: In the rematch of their group meeting, Bourdais has to go 120 minutes for a third straight
match. Both are each others equal until the dying minutes of extra time. Bourdais puts away the game-winning goal and avoids penalty kicks. Wheldon can't get an equalizer and Sebastien Bourdais take IndyCar Euro 2012.
Note: This is all just for fun and there is no deeper meaning to this post.
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