It's May!
Yes, I'm a little late. 500 travel preparations are in full swing at the Flat Into One house, and they unfortunately coincide with family visits, nice-weather projects, and other obligations so, sadly, sometimes the blog gets shuffled down the priority list.
I did watch the Grand Prix of Indianapolis: Great race!
(Yes, a 2-word review is a cop-out. This is going to be a short post)
I also watched the Fast Nine qualifying shootout. More good stuff. Congrats to Ed Carpenter on his second pole position. You may have noticed the interloper in the booth humiliating Eddie Cheever. That would have been Flat Into One favorite, Dario Franchitti.
Dario may have been the best motorsport analyst I've ever heard/seen on TV. Bold statement, yes, but contrast him to Cheever-Dario has first hand knowledge of the cars being discussed. Dario has driven a car in anger within the past decade. He also has charisma and a personality that comes across on TV. The best part was the sheer depth of detail he added. For instance, during Simon Pagenaud's run, Dario pointed out Simon's body language and noted that it was the stress of running flat-out at Indianapolis, not necessarily any exceptional physical exertion. Stuff like this is fantastic.
Other websites have hyped two new books on historically important events at the Indianapolis 500. One covers the horrific crash that came shortly after the start of the 1964 race. I'm sure it's good reading and will make time to read it through. In the meantime, here is another account of those events.
The second new book covers the Penske Racing domination of the 1994 race with a purpose-built pushrod engine. This series covers the story of that engine and the events that surrounded it (including what happened to the Penskes in 1995, the formation of the IRL, etc). It's packed full of information, analysis, and tangential asides-just the way I like it!
By the way, if you're as big a race fan as I am, it might not be a good idea to visit the home website of the above links without several hours to killl...
Anyway, there are a couple of things I wanted to get off my chest. If I don't get another entry posted, then I hope to see you somewhere in Indianapolis this weekend!
Racing Opinions and Commentary!
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
The Grand Prix of Indianapolis
The early phase of the Indycar season is complete. If the three races run so far are any indication of the rest of the year, this will be another great season! Three different pole winners, three different race winners, old favorites on top, and validation of some tough choices.
Next up is the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, when Indycar will run on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. At first, I was opposed to running this race in May. I accepted that maybe a road race at the Speedway wasn't such a bad idea, but should be run at a completely separate time. As the season finale, for example-especially if the season will end by September, when good weather is still the norm in Indiana.
My problem wasn't the track layout or using the facility for something other than the 500. Personally, I thought that the Mickey Mouse track configuration used during Formula 1 races was less important than the fact that there were Formula 1 races held there. And I can't really complain about the use of the track-it's also hosted Stock Cars, minor-league stock cars, motorcycles, a lesser sports car series, showroom stock sedans, autocrosses, and bracket racing. Ok, maybe not the last two. Yet.
I didn't think that the Month of May should suffer the distraction of another points-paying Indycar race. The focus, I believed, should be on preparations for the World's Greatest Race. My opinion has turned around 180 degrees. Leadership at the track and at Indycar seem determined to bring back the luster and the glory (and viewership) of the 500. They are doing this not with 3 weeks of practice and time trials of interest only to the most dedicated racing nerds (yes, you), but with events that have real stakes to the participants and the fans: A full points-paying Indycar series race on the road course on May 10 and a day of qualifying that sets not only the starting order for the 500, but pays out even more championship points. I think these are very important things.
Personally, the more Indycar and Indianapolis 500 stuff I consume, the more excited for the race I get. Trouble is (and I can't believe I'm alone), my time is limited. It's easy to sneak in the Trackside and Talk of Gasoline Alley podcasts while commuting, working, eating, etc, but sitting down in front of the TV to watch hours of practice is hard to justify. My free time is limited after work, my wife, my small children, side businesses, and the regular chores. Add in the first good weather since October here in the upper midwest, and watching part-time backmarkers scuff tires gets really hard to justify. I do make time, however, to watch every race live. If it's an Indycar event that has racing and actual championship consequences, watching becomes easy.
The Grand Prix of Indianapolis gives fans a real reason to watch more Indycar, and get more excited for the Big Race. Awarding points on qualifying weekend does the same thing. The result is one continuous, weeks-long festival with the 500 as the climax, where everyone at the track and at home is more excited for the race and the series. I know I'm looking forward to it!
Next up is the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, when Indycar will run on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. At first, I was opposed to running this race in May. I accepted that maybe a road race at the Speedway wasn't such a bad idea, but should be run at a completely separate time. As the season finale, for example-especially if the season will end by September, when good weather is still the norm in Indiana.
My problem wasn't the track layout or using the facility for something other than the 500. Personally, I thought that the Mickey Mouse track configuration used during Formula 1 races was less important than the fact that there were Formula 1 races held there. And I can't really complain about the use of the track-it's also hosted Stock Cars, minor-league stock cars, motorcycles, a lesser sports car series, showroom stock sedans, autocrosses, and bracket racing. Ok, maybe not the last two. Yet.
I didn't think that the Month of May should suffer the distraction of another points-paying Indycar race. The focus, I believed, should be on preparations for the World's Greatest Race. My opinion has turned around 180 degrees. Leadership at the track and at Indycar seem determined to bring back the luster and the glory (and viewership) of the 500. They are doing this not with 3 weeks of practice and time trials of interest only to the most dedicated racing nerds (yes, you), but with events that have real stakes to the participants and the fans: A full points-paying Indycar series race on the road course on May 10 and a day of qualifying that sets not only the starting order for the 500, but pays out even more championship points. I think these are very important things.
Personally, the more Indycar and Indianapolis 500 stuff I consume, the more excited for the race I get. Trouble is (and I can't believe I'm alone), my time is limited. It's easy to sneak in the Trackside and Talk of Gasoline Alley podcasts while commuting, working, eating, etc, but sitting down in front of the TV to watch hours of practice is hard to justify. My free time is limited after work, my wife, my small children, side businesses, and the regular chores. Add in the first good weather since October here in the upper midwest, and watching part-time backmarkers scuff tires gets really hard to justify. I do make time, however, to watch every race live. If it's an Indycar event that has racing and actual championship consequences, watching becomes easy.
The Grand Prix of Indianapolis gives fans a real reason to watch more Indycar, and get more excited for the Big Race. Awarding points on qualifying weekend does the same thing. The result is one continuous, weeks-long festival with the 500 as the climax, where everyone at the track and at home is more excited for the race and the series. I know I'm looking forward to it!
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