With just over three days remaining until Jack Nicholson drops the green flag on the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500, we continue with part II of our look at the 500 field. Today, we look at the middle of the starting grid. (for part I, click here)
26 May 2010
Moving Through the 500 Field, 23-33
Now that the IZOD IndyCar Series has taken the field of 33 through an east-coast media blitz, it's to refocus on the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500, and breaking down just who can come away with the Borg-Warner Trophy. Over the next three days, we'll move through the field, breaking down the chances (or lack thereof) of each driver. Today, we look at the last 11 drivers in the 500.
25 May 2010
Want 500 Tickets?
I have four extra tickets to the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500. They are located in Paddock, Section 9, Row DD.
You are just south of the start/finish line, with views of the Pagoda, multiple pits, driver introductions, pre-race ceremonies, etc.
If you're interested, just shoot me an email via the link on the right-hand side.
You are just south of the start/finish line, with views of the Pagoda, multiple pits, driver introductions, pre-race ceremonies, etc.
If you're interested, just shoot me an email via the link on the right-hand side.
24 May 2010
Exhaustion (and how Paul Tracy Helps Legitimize Indianapolis)
I turned zero laps over the weekend. But, like any strong competitor, I tuned up my body for May 30 and the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500. Mainly by sitting at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for nearly eight hours over Saturday and Sunday with a box lunch and a beer or two.
There was zero tracking down of interviews, or autographs (until late Sunday). Just venturing to Box 13 in the Paddock and catching some sun, playing "I am Indy," and enjoying the sights and sounds of IMS.
When Robin Miller says the Pole Day crowd was the largest he had seen since 1995, I'm inclined to believe him; turn 1 was nearly full, while the portions of the infield stands and paddock that were open we full of people. 40,000 (Curt Cavin's estimate) sounds about right. The combination of great weather and an exciting new format seemed to bring more people to the track; around 4:15, it seemed like more people showed up prior to the "Pole Day Shootout," though they could have been arriving from the Eddie Money concert, too.
(Quick aside: the Money Man has some hits. Don't sleep on that guy for a go-to 80's hit.)
More proof that fans want to see the big speeds return to IMS: the biggest cheer of the day was when Dave Calabro announced Helio's first lap at more than 228 mph. An audible gasp went through the crowd as Helio figuratively gave the finger to the other eight competitors when dominating.
After Helio gave the shootout and Pole Day the much sought-after boost, Tony Kanaan did his level best to spice up Bump Day.
The Sunday crowd was definitely down from Saturday, though to be honest, the 90-degree temperatures might have played a small role in that. Saturday saw plenty of people using the paddock boxes in which to catch some sun; Sunday saw virtually everyone in the shadows as the temperatures climbed.
The crowd was given a few things to cheer about early - local favorite John Andretti (the man is so down to earth, he shuns the golf cart to walk down pit road, helmet in hand) qualified early, while the Junk Man dropped a massive qualifying effort after just seven practice laps (he is a serious dark horse candidate, in my opinion).
Now, I'm a Kanaan guy - the hat and koozie reflect that - and it seemed like most, if not all of the crowd was pulling for the nine-time starter. As the day crept along, Kanaan did not have the speed to get into the 500; my wife was pretty sure TK would not be in the race. Bob Kravitz had the same thought in The Indianapolis Star today. But the crowd would not be denied, as their biggest cheers of the late afternoon came for Kanaan whenever his car went down pit road.
However, by 5:00, Kanaan had found some speed as he turned a few laps in the high 224s. He immediately put the car into line and qualified it. Still, he was on the outside of row 10, and after Takuma Sato qualified his Lotus ahead of him, it appeared that TK might eventually be on the bubble.
By the end, both Paul Tracy and Jay Howard attempted to decide their own fates, with neither achieving their desired result. And since I was critical of Alex Tagliani last year for sitting on his hands and not doing anything to defend his bubble spot in 2009, I can't fault Tracy nor Howard.
The tweets began pouring in shortly after 6 p.m., talking about Paul Tracy's emotional press conference. And it's good to see just how much Indianapolis means to Tracy. In an odd way, his not making the field of 33 helps further legitimize the race. In 1996, the 500 was mocked for its field, versus the US 500's field (though that opening lap crash looked fairly silly for CART); as teams gradually came back to Indianapolis, the complaints about the field quality diminished, but grumblings about the 2002 500 remained among loyalists of one series or another.
And now, the face of the old guard, Paul Tracy, can't make the 500. It's one of those shocking misses, not on the 1995 Penske level, but a big enough name that reminds everyone that Indianapolis cannot be taken for granted (not that Tracy did). No gimmicks, amount of owners points, top 35 rules or anything like that can get you into the Field of 33. It's pure speed, the way God intended it.
There was zero tracking down of interviews, or autographs (until late Sunday). Just venturing to Box 13 in the Paddock and catching some sun, playing "I am Indy," and enjoying the sights and sounds of IMS.
When Robin Miller says the Pole Day crowd was the largest he had seen since 1995, I'm inclined to believe him; turn 1 was nearly full, while the portions of the infield stands and paddock that were open we full of people. 40,000 (Curt Cavin's estimate) sounds about right. The combination of great weather and an exciting new format seemed to bring more people to the track; around 4:15, it seemed like more people showed up prior to the "Pole Day Shootout," though they could have been arriving from the Eddie Money concert, too.
(Quick aside: the Money Man has some hits. Don't sleep on that guy for a go-to 80's hit.)
More proof that fans want to see the big speeds return to IMS: the biggest cheer of the day was when Dave Calabro announced Helio's first lap at more than 228 mph. An audible gasp went through the crowd as Helio figuratively gave the finger to the other eight competitors when dominating.
After Helio gave the shootout and Pole Day the much sought-after boost, Tony Kanaan did his level best to spice up Bump Day.
The Sunday crowd was definitely down from Saturday, though to be honest, the 90-degree temperatures might have played a small role in that. Saturday saw plenty of people using the paddock boxes in which to catch some sun; Sunday saw virtually everyone in the shadows as the temperatures climbed.
The crowd was given a few things to cheer about early - local favorite John Andretti (the man is so down to earth, he shuns the golf cart to walk down pit road, helmet in hand) qualified early, while the Junk Man dropped a massive qualifying effort after just seven practice laps (he is a serious dark horse candidate, in my opinion).
Now, I'm a Kanaan guy - the hat and koozie reflect that - and it seemed like most, if not all of the crowd was pulling for the nine-time starter. As the day crept along, Kanaan did not have the speed to get into the 500; my wife was pretty sure TK would not be in the race. Bob Kravitz had the same thought in The Indianapolis Star today. But the crowd would not be denied, as their biggest cheers of the late afternoon came for Kanaan whenever his car went down pit road.
However, by 5:00, Kanaan had found some speed as he turned a few laps in the high 224s. He immediately put the car into line and qualified it. Still, he was on the outside of row 10, and after Takuma Sato qualified his Lotus ahead of him, it appeared that TK might eventually be on the bubble.
By the end, both Paul Tracy and Jay Howard attempted to decide their own fates, with neither achieving their desired result. And since I was critical of Alex Tagliani last year for sitting on his hands and not doing anything to defend his bubble spot in 2009, I can't fault Tracy nor Howard.
The tweets began pouring in shortly after 6 p.m., talking about Paul Tracy's emotional press conference. And it's good to see just how much Indianapolis means to Tracy. In an odd way, his not making the field of 33 helps further legitimize the race. In 1996, the 500 was mocked for its field, versus the US 500's field (though that opening lap crash looked fairly silly for CART); as teams gradually came back to Indianapolis, the complaints about the field quality diminished, but grumblings about the 2002 500 remained among loyalists of one series or another.
And now, the face of the old guard, Paul Tracy, can't make the 500. It's one of those shocking misses, not on the 1995 Penske level, but a big enough name that reminds everyone that Indianapolis cannot be taken for granted (not that Tracy did). No gimmicks, amount of owners points, top 35 rules or anything like that can get you into the Field of 33. It's pure speed, the way God intended it.
20 May 2010
A Qualifications Primer
Until the 500/600 $20 Million Double occurs (and SI.com's Tim Tuttle nails most of it here), the biggest change to hit the Indianapolis 500 was the overhaul of the schedule for the month of May. With a schedule closer to that of the 1998 500, teams have been prepping all week for the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500 and stand to do their qualifying trim on Thursday.
Saturday will mark the biggest changes to the qualifying format - no, Brian Barnhardt will still talk to the drivers momentarily before the head out for their qualifying effort - with a "Pole Day Shootout" scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m..
From noon-4, the first 24 slots will be filled, based on speed. After a half-hour break, the top nine speeds will then have a window in which to attempt to qualify for the pole.
The new format blends a bit of the "Firestone Fast Six" road/street qualifying format that fans have enthusiastically endorsed with the tradition of late-day pole runs at Indianapolis.
Now, whether or not this draws fans back to Pole Day remains to be seen. While I don't see the massive crowds returning for qualifications until drivers are pushing 240-250 mph, last year's crowd appeared to be up from the previous year. For the most part, the qualifying was good, albeit too spread out, as Alex Lloyd put together a late run to qualify in the top 11 in his Sam Schmidt/Ganassi car.
With two Ganassi machines (and a third in Townsend Bell's Schmidt/Ganassi effort), at least one quality KV machine (Mario Moraes), three solid Penske cars, two-five Andretti Autosport efforts (Marco Andretti and Tony Kanaan have shown the most speed) and a Tagliani (he's been surprisingly quick in practice), some quality drivers are going to be left out, leaving some to scramble around 3:30 to try and make a run into the first three rows of the 500 field.
In any case, it should make for a more interesting Pole Day, with track activity guaranteed far more than in the past.
As for Bump Day, filling the final nine spots in the field should take little time, provided the weather cooperates. And unlike past years, we won't see Jimmy Kite and P.J. Jones as the only cars attempting to bump their way into the field (now, after experiencing a two-seater ride, I have an immense amount of respect for any of those drivers, especially the ones trying to bump their way in with an ill-handling machine).
Based on the speed charts thus far, it looks like everyone's favorite driver, Milka Duno (hey, she is great with the fans, I'll credit her that), will be squarely on the bubble come Sunday. And if that happens, keep a close eye on the AJ Foyt Racing garage, where I wouldn't be surprised to see another car prepared if Milka was sitting on the bubble late in the day.
Saturday will mark the biggest changes to the qualifying format - no, Brian Barnhardt will still talk to the drivers momentarily before the head out for their qualifying effort - with a "Pole Day Shootout" scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m..
From noon-4, the first 24 slots will be filled, based on speed. After a half-hour break, the top nine speeds will then have a window in which to attempt to qualify for the pole.
The new format blends a bit of the "Firestone Fast Six" road/street qualifying format that fans have enthusiastically endorsed with the tradition of late-day pole runs at Indianapolis.
Now, whether or not this draws fans back to Pole Day remains to be seen. While I don't see the massive crowds returning for qualifications until drivers are pushing 240-250 mph, last year's crowd appeared to be up from the previous year. For the most part, the qualifying was good, albeit too spread out, as Alex Lloyd put together a late run to qualify in the top 11 in his Sam Schmidt/Ganassi car.
With two Ganassi machines (and a third in Townsend Bell's Schmidt/Ganassi effort), at least one quality KV machine (Mario Moraes), three solid Penske cars, two-five Andretti Autosport efforts (Marco Andretti and Tony Kanaan have shown the most speed) and a Tagliani (he's been surprisingly quick in practice), some quality drivers are going to be left out, leaving some to scramble around 3:30 to try and make a run into the first three rows of the 500 field.
In any case, it should make for a more interesting Pole Day, with track activity guaranteed far more than in the past.
As for Bump Day, filling the final nine spots in the field should take little time, provided the weather cooperates. And unlike past years, we won't see Jimmy Kite and P.J. Jones as the only cars attempting to bump their way into the field (now, after experiencing a two-seater ride, I have an immense amount of respect for any of those drivers, especially the ones trying to bump their way in with an ill-handling machine).
Based on the speed charts thus far, it looks like everyone's favorite driver, Milka Duno (hey, she is great with the fans, I'll credit her that), will be squarely on the bubble come Sunday. And if that happens, keep a close eye on the AJ Foyt Racing garage, where I wouldn't be surprised to see another car prepared if Milka was sitting on the bubble late in the day.
19 May 2010
It's Not the Month of May Until Ed Hinton Criticizes Indianapolis
Each May, it seems like Ed Hinton uses his ESPN.com pulpit to announce to the masses, "the Indianapolis 500 is not what it used to be."
Frankly, he's been at this for nearly 13 years now (see a similar article from the June 2, 1997, Sports Illustrated), and to a fan of the race, it's getting pretty damn old.
I wrote about a column of his a year ago (from the Andretti-Petty alliance at Indianapolis), and unfortunately, I'm writing about another salvo he's firing at the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500 this time, too.
In preparation for this year's Indianapolis 500, IndyCar fans are treated to a four-part series from Mr. Hinton (the only time of the year he writes about the IZOD IndyCar Series), recounting The Split from a man who was Sports Illustrated's auto-racing journalist at the time, and who now shills for NASCAR on a weekly basis. And while these articles are informative (this one has some good nuggets and background leading up to 1996), the timing of it strikes me as odd (and his comparison to the American Civil War is ridiculous).
Call me crazy, but you'd think that ABC would want to promote the hell out of the positives of Indianapolis and ESPN.com would reflect this. You know, since screaming "this race isn't what it was" really drives eyeballs to the TV sets, among other reasons.
I'm not going to bore anyone with the details; the split happened when I was 13; the warring factions have reunited and are building a strong, competitive series. If Ed Hinton wants to look back and wax poetic about the days of CART and how NASCAR became "America's true racing circuit" (my quotes, not his), that's his business.
But let's not re-examine The Split two-and-a-half years after reunification (May of 2008 might have been a better time for this to run). And let's not perpetuate the myth of NASCAR as the "great American sport;" it's not - Indianapolis and IndyCar racing was around well before the moonshiners in the South ever got together.
Furthermore, can we end the falsehoods that the Indianapolis 500 has been irreparably scarred by The Split? Yes, the 500 had some lean years (I know, I was there). But, let's acknowledge that the 500 (and IndyCar racing) have been trending upward of late. Attendance is coming back. Sponsorships are (slowly) growing; with an economic turnaround, I would expect more sponsorships and more full fields.
The spark behind IMS is still there. Are the days of massive crowds on qualifications behind us? Probably. But I know I'll be there, with some folks who have never attending qualifications before, so it's a start. Lost in the whole "attendance" debate is this: just as the series suffered due to the retirements of Mears, Rutherford, Unser, Sullivan, Rahal, etc., a new generation of fan was growing up. This generation didn't have the money required to attend races.
Now that generation has some pocket change (I know, I'm one of them), allowing them to make it to the track(s).
Give it some time, Mr. Hinton. Stop worrying about events that took place in 1995 and 1996. Look at the present and the future. People have stopped watching cars travel in circles non-stop. The series you cover has encouraged drivers to wreck each other in an effort keep eyes on the TV, but can't put butts in seats right now.
Meanwhile, attendance for the IZOD IndyCar Series has been strong (Kansas excepted). 250,000-plus will pack IMS on May 30 - a crowd that NASCAR would kill for. Fans are excited to watch cars topping 225 mph going wheel-to-wheel with danger lurking at every corner (as opposed to bumper cars). Speed and glamor are coming back into vogue, with the help of IZOD, a committed title sponsor.
The Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series are on the way back; they've been on the way back since early 2009 (the 500 since before then). Now if you'd stop looking to the past for your articles, you might notice this.
UPDATE (May 21, 10:30 a.m.): Having gotten around to reading Part II of Hinton's four-part series on The Split, I must say that this portion is worth reading. Look, I still disagree with the timing of it, and how this is rehashed by the same author every May, but Part II is informative in nature, and generally well-written.
Frankly, he's been at this for nearly 13 years now (see a similar article from the June 2, 1997, Sports Illustrated), and to a fan of the race, it's getting pretty damn old.
I wrote about a column of his a year ago (from the Andretti-Petty alliance at Indianapolis), and unfortunately, I'm writing about another salvo he's firing at the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500 this time, too.
In preparation for this year's Indianapolis 500, IndyCar fans are treated to a four-part series from Mr. Hinton (the only time of the year he writes about the IZOD IndyCar Series), recounting The Split from a man who was Sports Illustrated's auto-racing journalist at the time, and who now shills for NASCAR on a weekly basis. And while these articles are informative (this one has some good nuggets and background leading up to 1996), the timing of it strikes me as odd (and his comparison to the American Civil War is ridiculous).
Call me crazy, but you'd think that ABC would want to promote the hell out of the positives of Indianapolis and ESPN.com would reflect this. You know, since screaming "this race isn't what it was" really drives eyeballs to the TV sets, among other reasons.
I'm not going to bore anyone with the details; the split happened when I was 13; the warring factions have reunited and are building a strong, competitive series. If Ed Hinton wants to look back and wax poetic about the days of CART and how NASCAR became "America's true racing circuit" (my quotes, not his), that's his business.
But let's not re-examine The Split two-and-a-half years after reunification (May of 2008 might have been a better time for this to run). And let's not perpetuate the myth of NASCAR as the "great American sport;" it's not - Indianapolis and IndyCar racing was around well before the moonshiners in the South ever got together.
Furthermore, can we end the falsehoods that the Indianapolis 500 has been irreparably scarred by The Split? Yes, the 500 had some lean years (I know, I was there). But, let's acknowledge that the 500 (and IndyCar racing) have been trending upward of late. Attendance is coming back. Sponsorships are (slowly) growing; with an economic turnaround, I would expect more sponsorships and more full fields.
The spark behind IMS is still there. Are the days of massive crowds on qualifications behind us? Probably. But I know I'll be there, with some folks who have never attending qualifications before, so it's a start. Lost in the whole "attendance" debate is this: just as the series suffered due to the retirements of Mears, Rutherford, Unser, Sullivan, Rahal, etc., a new generation of fan was growing up. This generation didn't have the money required to attend races.
Now that generation has some pocket change (I know, I'm one of them), allowing them to make it to the track(s).
Give it some time, Mr. Hinton. Stop worrying about events that took place in 1995 and 1996. Look at the present and the future. People have stopped watching cars travel in circles non-stop. The series you cover has encouraged drivers to wreck each other in an effort keep eyes on the TV, but can't put butts in seats right now.
Meanwhile, attendance for the IZOD IndyCar Series has been strong (Kansas excepted). 250,000-plus will pack IMS on May 30 - a crowd that NASCAR would kill for. Fans are excited to watch cars topping 225 mph going wheel-to-wheel with danger lurking at every corner (as opposed to bumper cars). Speed and glamor are coming back into vogue, with the help of IZOD, a committed title sponsor.
The Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series are on the way back; they've been on the way back since early 2009 (the 500 since before then). Now if you'd stop looking to the past for your articles, you might notice this.
UPDATE (May 21, 10:30 a.m.): Having gotten around to reading Part II of Hinton's four-part series on The Split, I must say that this portion is worth reading. Look, I still disagree with the timing of it, and how this is rehashed by the same author every May, but Part II is informative in nature, and generally well-written.
17 May 2010
The Last Bastion
Free of any obligations on Sunday, I figured it would be a good time to head over to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to take in some practice. These sessions aren't only for the drivers - fans need to be working on a few things during this time, as well:
Not at Indianapolis. You want to light up? Feel free to do so anywhere. Hell, I even saw a Team Penske crew member doing so along the catch fence that separates the crowds from pit lane.
You want to bring your own cooler full of sandwiches, beverages and Pringles? Come right in, says IMS. Try doing that at the next professional sporting event you attend.
While the crowd yesterday was on the smaller side (rain forecasts didn't help), a $5 ticket to attend practice and walk just about anywhere you'd like, is still one of the best deals in American sports. And with $10 qualification tickets and $20 general admission tickets to the 500, IMS manages to keep the facility affordable for just about everyone, which is what sports used to be about.
The Speedway hearkens back to a simpler time in many ways, for both positive and negative. But as the on-track product looks towards the future (thankfully), IMS holds steady as one of America's oldest and grandest giants, welcoming all in the same manner she did 100 years earlier.
- If you have tickets, find your seats, or their approximate location. It will come in handy on race day, especially if you've never been to IMS.
- Bladder control. This goes hand-in-hand with diguring the quickest way from those seats to the nearest restroom. Another hint that will come in handy on May 30. (Though with the length of yellow flags these days, you should be able to make it there and back and miss just a few pit stops.)
- Car identification. Train those eyes to pick up the subtle differences in the Target cars, now. You don't want to be the one who figures out that it's Dario Franchitti leading at lap 123, when you thought it was Dixon the whole time.
- Ear training. If you haven't been to a recent IndyCar race, the roar (whine?) of the engines will startle your ears. I've never been an earplugs guy, but you might want to see if you should invest in some for race day by experiencing a day at the track prior to May 30.
- Driver/wife spotting. Because it's fun to notice that Dario Franchitti is moving dangerously close to mullet territory with those flowing locks, or that Alex Lloyd's wife appeared to be concerned that her husband would slip off the team's cart, judging from the grip she had around his waist. It's these little tidbits that come in handy throughout the month, especially when choosing a driver to root for (if you haven't already).
- Autograph seeking. Yes, the drivers will sign. But probably not a lot, especially if they're just wrapping up a practice run. And it would be easier with a bronze badge. Even Marco (I witnessed it with my own two eyes).
Not at Indianapolis. You want to light up? Feel free to do so anywhere. Hell, I even saw a Team Penske crew member doing so along the catch fence that separates the crowds from pit lane.
You want to bring your own cooler full of sandwiches, beverages and Pringles? Come right in, says IMS. Try doing that at the next professional sporting event you attend.
While the crowd yesterday was on the smaller side (rain forecasts didn't help), a $5 ticket to attend practice and walk just about anywhere you'd like, is still one of the best deals in American sports. And with $10 qualification tickets and $20 general admission tickets to the 500, IMS manages to keep the facility affordable for just about everyone, which is what sports used to be about.
The Speedway hearkens back to a simpler time in many ways, for both positive and negative. But as the on-track product looks towards the future (thankfully), IMS holds steady as one of America's oldest and grandest giants, welcoming all in the same manner she did 100 years earlier.
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