It's May again, and here we are on the eve of the Indianapolis 500, my favorite day of the year. For the uninitiated, I attended the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" virtually every year of my misspent youth, beginning in 1971 and only missing 1972 (while I was attending college in Atlanta,) 1982 (when my second tour through college and finals intervened), and 1986 (when the weather forced the race to a second weekend and work was inescapable.)
In that span, I saw more than my share of triumph (A. J. Foyt's fourth win,) tragedy (the death of popular race driver Art Pollard,) near misses (Tom Sneva's incredible crash in turn two from which he walked away,) and various and sundry acts of drunkenness and debauchery.
After 1987, when I saw my second four-time winner (Al Unser, Sr.) crowned, I moved away from Indianapolis and discovered that I had a much better seat in my living room recliner. This was a far more comforatble seat, from which I could easily acquire my beverage of choice, (generally Crown Royal,) have whatever food my heart desired (not just fried chicken,) and have a short walk to a restroom (my own) that didn't stink (well, not usually, anyway.) The advent of HDTV only solidified that belief, although I have to confess, I did miss being part of the crowd and tumult of the opening ceremonies.
Through those years, I have sat in almost every corner of the famed brickyard, including the now-gone-but always-to-be-remembered first turn "Snakepit." Now for those of you under 40, the third turn "Snakepit" is but a shadow of the small city that used to gather in turn one. The Speedway now provides entertainment there, in the form of concerts, Euro-electronic DJ's, alcoholic beverage sales, and other such conveniences that were never considered in the days of turn one.
In its day, the first turn Snakepit was either the 5th or 6th largest "city" in the State of Indiana. For entertainment, there were often "streakers" (again, those of you under 40, ask you parents about them,) topless (and sometimes naked) blanket toss, collapsed pup tents going up and down (use your imagination,) "beer can golf," which generally involved motorcycle riders heaving empty beer cans in the general direction of the trash cans along the fence after yelling, "FORE," and other such pursuits. Concerts? We didn't need no stinking concerts. We WERE the concert. Many vans, motor homes, and other conveyances moved speakers onto their roofs to blare out their particular flavor of music from country, to top 40, to metal, to acid rock, to Sid Collins and the IMS Network broadcast, depending on the occupants' tastes.
Last year, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Speedway, my wife and I made the pilgrimage back to the corner of 16th and Georgetown, my first trip back since 1987. My how things had changed. In our advancing youth, (our late 50's,) we opted to take the public transport from downtown, arriving at IMS between 8:30 and 9 am. Because some bureaucrat decided that it was unethical for IndyGo to actually MAKE money for something, this transport has been privatized. The problem with that is that while METRO, and IndyGo had perarranged routes with the Indianapolis Police Department, the private contractors did not. Hence the trip away from the track particularly, was MUCH longer than it was in the old days. This made me ALMOST wish we had opted to drive out to 16th and Georgetown. Almost, but not quite.
The first thing I noticed was the paucity of alcoholic beverages being consumed. It seemed as though we saw far more Aqua Fina than Budweiser, although there were vendor stands selling bloody marys and screwdrivers, something I NEVER saw in the old days. The second thing that hit me was the presence of misting stations underneath the main grandstands. KUDOS to IMS for this innovation. I can't tell you how many times we saw people being rushed to the infield care center in days gone by suffering from heat exhaustion.
Unforutnately, progress also has its drawbacks. As I have posted to several other folks' blogs, the top level lower deck grandstand seats which had served me well back in the 80's now have lost about 50% of their sighlines thanks to the reconstruction of the former Tower Terrace. I guess I have Sir Bernie the fickle to thank for that one.
The other thing that was noteworthy was that the track PA system has probably not been replaced since Mr. Carnegie last intoned, "ITTT'SSS A NEEEWWWWW TRAAAACCCKK RECCORDDD!!! During the melee that was the final lap, the only way we had any clue what had happened and who had won was the scoring boards in the grandstand. We saw J. R. Hildebrand slide in front of us with wheels askew, but we had NO IDEA if he or someone else had won until it was posted in the scoreboard.
On the whole, it was a great experience, but due to my wife's infirmities, it's probably not an experiece that we will repeat.
Above and beyond that, the best seat in the house is still the one in front of the TV, despite my disagreements with ABC's ever-diminishing coverage of the 500. That's where I'll be watching tomorrow. I'll add one positive note to the ABC coverage. Marty Reid, of whom I have been no great fan, earned my eternal respect during the telecast from Las Vegas and the tragedy that occurred there. On that occasion, Mr Reid, whom I have often felt would rather be doing NASCAR Nationwide Racing than IndyCar, must have been channelling his inner Sid Collins. He handled the broadcast and its tragic conclusion with all the grace one could muster in a trying situation.
So, here we are, full circle, back again to May. Forgive me the homage to days gone by for those of you wanting to find out how Uncle Skip's Sportsbook and Casino is handicapping this years race. For those who may have forgotten, we brought home the cake last year with a little 20-1 play on Dan Wheldon, so we are on a bit of a roll. This year's polesitter, Ryan Briscoe, headlnes a Penske comeback of sorts. The Captain had an AWFUL year last year with pit snafus and cars that weren't competitive all day. Unfortunately, Mr. Briscoe goes off at 4-1. If he were head and shoulders faster than anyone, maybe, but a non-winner who has not had the best of luck here (remember the year Danica stormed after him in the pits after a screwup on his part only to be stopped by Charles Burns?) Think I'll pass.
On the other hand, Helio Castroneves, a three time winner who nows how to negotiate a "greasy" racetrack is a much better play at 5-1. Is your one unit bet gonna bring rain? No, but a win there pays for 4 other plays that aren't so lucky. (Besides, you don't have to tell the folks around the water cooler on Tuesday that you broke slick, do you? You just cashed a winning ticket on the Indy 500!) The other factor that NO ONE is talking about is fuel mileage. We have no clue whether Honda or Chevy has the fuel consumption equation figured out, but what we do know is that these new cars travel well in packs. This could be a race similar to what we see every summer in Texas, and a stupid mistake could have dramatic consequences.
Now here's a little USSBC secret: Will Power has been competitive in almost everything. Problem has been, he's so strong on road and street courses that you cannot afford to put a unit on him, as there's just too little payout. In some races hes actually been a -125, which means you have to put a hundie and a quarter on him to win a hundie. With Power at 6-1, I'm in for a unit.
I know, James Hinchcliffe is a newcomer to the GoDaddy seat, but he has been very fast all month, narrowly missing the pole. A front row guy at 8-1 is well worth a swing here. If he can bring this one home, a lot of people will be saying "Danica who?" Put me down for a unit.
Now, can someone tell me how a guy on the outside of the front row, a spot from which there have been numerous winners, goes off at 12-1? Andretti Autosport, much like Penske, has had a huge comeback year, with their top three mounts in the front of the field, and even Ana Beatriz, who's not on the board, has been pretty fast. Ryan Hunter Reay goes from the third spot at 12-1. Ditto for one here.
On the basis of yesterday when Scott Dixon was fastest in Carb Day practice, I'm putting a unit on him. If any of the Hondas are going to have a chance, you gotta figure that Dixie will be right there.Why? One, I didn't want to lay all my coin on Chevy power: If they start going off like grenades, you need a backup plan, and two, I'm just not sure Dario Franchitti's head is all the way in the game. Getting Dixon at 10-1 is not too bad either.
I'm also throwing a unit at Tony Kanaan at 12-1. This is, for me, a "heart" play and not one I would recommend, but TK has done well here an awful lot of times without tasting the milk. I'd love to see him get one before he hangs it up and he has stayed WAY under the radar this year. Those of you who are faint of heart can leave this one alone: I'll go solo.
That leaves us with TWO potentially HUGE paydays. With new engines and cars, you can go just about anywhere you want and find a possible. But consider this: Panther Racing has been second the last THREE races at Indy, and came within one corner of winning the WHOLE deal a year ago. J. R. Hildebrand at 40-1 is looking for redemption and we all know that John Barnes can get his car to the finish. So, for 40-1 odds you can get the second place finisher from last year.
And guess what. You can get last year's THIRD place finsher, Graham Rahal, at 40-1 also. Normally those odds are reserved for folks who don't have much of a chance, but we're looking at two of the real "young guns" of this series and a race about which we don't know much. Engines are variable, the track will be greasy, and we don't know a lot about fuel mileage,so why not take a swing at a couple of big paydays. I had one back in 1990 with Kenny Brack tht see4med far less possible than this pair.
I can hear a lot of you crying about so many picks. I completely understand. When we get around to next year and we have a little better idea about how these cars will handle 500 miles, I'll probably return to my normal 4 or 5 plays. But this year, first for the new cars and engines, there are just too many variables, hence, I'm covering almost a quarter of the field. (And, bear in mind, Josef Newgarden, another serious dark horse, is not even on the board in the Islands where I place my stuff. A Newgarden win would be EXCEPTIONALLY popular for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing, and don't forget they won the last oval race completed.)
Wherever you are watching the race, please be safe, and take a moment to remember the reason for the weekend. God Bless our Troops and God Bless America.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Going Forward, Part II
Since my last post we have had some developments.
First, we have Ed Carpenter's announcement of his own race team, Ed Carpenter Racing, with a primary sponsor of Fuzzy's Premium Vodka. Co-owner of Ed's team is his stepdad, Tony George. That in and of itself is likely to cause some among George's "Legion of the Miserable," some level of apoplexy. More on those folks later.
Ed is no dummy. With a three year committment from Fuzzy and the help of whatever dollars TG brings to the table as co-owner, (and let's face it, like him or not, TG still has a pretty substantial fortune,) this is his opportunity of lifetime to really go racing. Full time. He's popular which makes him good for the series in a time when the series NEEDS good things to happen. Adding Derrick Walker to the equation adds another plus. The big question remains road and street courses, where Ed has never been strong.
Of course, with the good comes the bad. Having just won a race, Sarah Fisher Racing loses not only a sponsor, but a driver as well. As Trackside's Curt and Kevin have said, this probably puts Sarah in the position of needing a driver to bring dollars in terms of sponsorship to the team. There have been some rumblings that such a program might fit with Ana Beatriz, but this one stays in the "to be continued" category.
In the category of "OK that's settled," Penske Racing re-signed all three drivers. The more I've thought about it, the more unsurprising this is. In the final analysis, the only mystery was whether Roger was going to scale back to two cars, but with all new equipment, obviously, the more input the better. Consequently, a whole series of dominoes that were tottering, just got stable.
First, we have Ed Carpenter's announcement of his own race team, Ed Carpenter Racing, with a primary sponsor of Fuzzy's Premium Vodka. Co-owner of Ed's team is his stepdad, Tony George. That in and of itself is likely to cause some among George's "Legion of the Miserable," some level of apoplexy. More on those folks later.
Ed is no dummy. With a three year committment from Fuzzy and the help of whatever dollars TG brings to the table as co-owner, (and let's face it, like him or not, TG still has a pretty substantial fortune,) this is his opportunity of lifetime to really go racing. Full time. He's popular which makes him good for the series in a time when the series NEEDS good things to happen. Adding Derrick Walker to the equation adds another plus. The big question remains road and street courses, where Ed has never been strong.
Of course, with the good comes the bad. Having just won a race, Sarah Fisher Racing loses not only a sponsor, but a driver as well. As Trackside's Curt and Kevin have said, this probably puts Sarah in the position of needing a driver to bring dollars in terms of sponsorship to the team. There have been some rumblings that such a program might fit with Ana Beatriz, but this one stays in the "to be continued" category.
In the category of "OK that's settled," Penske Racing re-signed all three drivers. The more I've thought about it, the more unsurprising this is. In the final analysis, the only mystery was whether Roger was going to scale back to two cars, but with all new equipment, obviously, the more input the better. Consequently, a whole series of dominoes that were tottering, just got stable.
It has been decreed that we're going racing in China. I hope that INDYCAR is getting a pretty substantial fee for this endeavor, since the series ditched Motegi because it was a logistical nightmare. (And China isn't?) Look, I am all for developing new places to race and new INDYCAR fans, the more the merrier. I have no idea how they're going to do this so that you don't have the same dilemma of a race that is "none of your business" unless you want to watch it in the middle of the night. And, it's supposedly going to be a 3.6 mile (or so) street course. I know I am going to piss a few people off by saying this, but someone is kidding themselves if they think ANYONE on this side of the Pacific is going to stay up after midnight to watch another street parade.
It all gets down to money, in the final analysis.
Speaking of the green that makes the wheels go 'round, let's talk for a minute about Robin Miller's latest missive on the mystery of why the 2012 car isn't fast on the Speedway. Apparently, the new ride was lapping Indy at between 208 and 216 mph, hardly the rocketsled everyone thought we were getting. It also mentioned handling issues, unspoken up to this time. We all knew this was going to take some time to get dialed in to high speed ovals. According to Miller's piece, Dan Wheldon reported the car to be "wicked loose going into turn 1 and pushing badly exiting." Apparently he conveyed this information to Dario and TK prior to the Vegas race.
The fact that the new car is having some handling issues doesn't bother me too much: I figured it was going to take more time and development on real tracks rather than sim time. What floored me however, was the sheer number of posters who commented on Miller's piece about how typical this is of INDYCAR that they've produced another "crap" product, and we're in for more "spec racing," the usual CART-centric garbage that everyone is used to hearing.
What none of the computer critics and RAM rocket scientists seem to remember is that all this development costs money. Back in their "golden age," there was more money than sense tossed all around racing. Well, I hate to tell ya' fellas, but this is 2012 we're coming into, not 1995. There are not sponsors willing to throw around gazillions of dollars so we can all have the latest thing. Hell, the way some of the owners wanted it, we might have been driving '03 Dallaras for another couple of years. If you're not Penske, Ganassi, KV, or Andretti, just buying enough cars to start is a major expenditure. Even with Dallara helping, teams are going to have development costs.
Frankly, the old business model just won't work in the current economy. There are not the dollars coming in for teams to develop their own chassis or engines, nor are there the unlimited fountains of money that were available back in the heyday. Everyone can see exposed tin at places where we used to see fans and the tv ratings are laughable. Both of these situations need to be turned around before the coffers of others will open.
As a result, if you're going to move forward, you're going to have to do it differently, in small steps, careful not to turn these machines into F-1-esque "money gobblers."
Give Randy Bernard credit: He's trying anything and everything he can think of to regain the fanbase, but it isn't going to happen overnight. We're hearing murmurs about Phoenix, we're "offically" going back to Fontana, but it's going to take time. The series spent too many years on the Hulman-George teat, and now, with the new cars, we have what will, given development, be a more up-to-date and safer car. But, if you think we're going to see Reynards and Panozes, and Marches, and Lolas, well, you'd better go find yourself a few billion (with a "b") dollars to make that happen on a faster schedule.
In the meantime, the "Legions of the Miserable" need to relax. We have young drivers, lots of them trying to make "new" history. J. R. Hildebrand, Justin Wilson, Simona DiSilvestro, Graham Rahal, Josef Newgarden, and who knows, in another year or so, perhaps Katherine Legge or Conor Daly, ALL have the potential to be leaders of this series going forward.
We have a new car. Next year (2013) we'll have more variations of the new car.
We have two engines, maybe three if you count the "Lotudd." We have turbochargers back again, along with the possibility of (gasp) engine failure.
At least to me, that's not a bad start.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Just Another Guy Who Doesn't Get It...
If you happen to be a subscriber to Sports Illustrated, as I have been since high school, you probably came across a piece in this week's issue by Lars Anderson, staff writer and resident motorsports "expert," entitled "Up Against the Wall."
The piece details the horrific accident in Vegas and its aftermath, along with some opinions, I assume the writer's, on what needs to be done to improve ("save?") INDYCAR. Without getting into too much detail about Mr. Anderson's conclusions, (I'll touch on those later,) the one thing that the piece is missing is any input from anyone associated with INDYCAR. In fact, the only person cited in the piece REMOTELY connected with INDYCAR is Texas Motor Speedway's uber-promoter, Eddie Gossage.
What I saw were quotes from Jimmie Johnson, not the "revised" quotes he gave out after feeling the wrath of many INDYCAR fans, but the original quotes that got Mr. Johnson into the "doghouse" to begin with. Also quoted was that preeminent INDYCAR sage, Jack Roush, who noted that INDYCAR had just had its "Dale Earnhardt moment." (Of course, what was NOT mentioned was that if Dale, Sr. had hit a SAFER wall and been wearing a HANS device, BOTH pioneered by INDYCAR, he'd probably still be with us.) And, of course, there was a quote from the prodigal son, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
My initial reaction was to just write thie piece off as a typical NASCAR-slanted "hit" piece. Then I Googled "Lars Anderson." Most of the early listings about Mr. Anderson pertained to baseball. Then I saw a couple about NASCAR, so I did a little digging. As it happens, Lars Anderson has an extensive history on SI.com, most of it dealing with NASCAR. There was, however, one story that caught my eye. Dated May of 2011, was a tome entitled "Why the Indy 500 is My Favorite Sporting Event of the Year."
(http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/lars_anderson/05/24/Indy.500/index.html?xid=shareFB)
To give you the "Cliff's Notes" version, Mr. Anderson makes a case about his exposure to the Indianapolis 500, his first attendance being in 2003. He, like many of us who have been there, describes the emotions, the traditions, the rush of the race itself, acknowledging that even NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, Sam Hornish, Jr., and Robby Gordon consider Indy the preeminent race in the world. (Of course, what would they know: They just raced there and two of them won the 500, with a third coming within a lap of so doing.)
Okay, I understand that Lars' primary occupation is covering NASCAR for SI. But to propose ways to "fix" INDYCAR following the suggestions of NASCAR people is almost akin to asking the fox how to fix the henhouse problem.
Don't get me wrong: some of the things listed there are things that I am sure will be looked at. Suggestion one, however, gives you the skinny: Stay off of high banked ovals. (Again, this was at the behest of that famous INDYCAR expert, one Jimmie Johnson.)
Number two: Reduce the speeds. On this one, I'm kinda scratching the ol' melon. We just finished using cars that are significantly slower than the ones we raced back in the 90's (with turbochargers.) One of the results of this was that everyone was going about the same speed. Up until Kentucky a couple of years back, what did we have? Parades, that's what. No passing, no excitement, pit strategy races that NO ONE cared about. So, after that, we loosened up a little on the aerodynamic limitations and the racing got exciting, at least on the ovals. Now, assuming what we're talking about is reducing the downforce while adding back the turbos, that's fine. When the racing is boring, who's going to watch? (And, of course, sooner or later the engineers will find other wqys to make the cars go fast.)
Number 3: End the double file restarts. On street circuits, why bother? The drivers aren't abiding by them anyway. If we get three rows of two lined up at the "go" cone, we're lucky and we're going green. At Indy this year, they changed the rules to allow the cars to accelerate in the north chute. I was sitting at the end of the main straightaway, and I can tell you they were STILL going two and sometimes three wide going through turn 1. It is, after all, called racing.
Number 4: Raise the SAFER walls. At some tracks this might work. This was mentioned on "Trackside," this week. I'd sure want to look at the sight lines before going there, however, as Curt Cavin suggested. One of the great things about some of the mile and a half tracks is that you can follow the cars all the way around. Take that away at your own peril. We already have attendance issues.
Number 5: Cover the back wheels. Okay, this one is, assuming no changes in the DW12 design, going to happen, at least partially. While a lot of purists did not like that aspect of the design, most have acquiesced after the Vegas accident. If the new design keeps the cars on the ground, this will allow the SAFER barriers to do their assigned task of energy absorption and keep the cars out of the catch fencing.
Look, Mr. Anderson's suggestions are not without merit. What I don't agree with is his dependence on NASCAR drivers to make put forth these ideas. Why wasn't he talking to Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi, A. J. Foyt, or Mario Andretti? I saw no indication that he did in this piece. Seems to me, if he wanted to get the straight dope about INDYCAR, he should have talked to INDYCAR engineers or drivers. Therein lies the problem.
A lot of us who have followed this series were overjoyed when Randy Bernard talked about breaking the decade-old speed records at Indianapolis. We can do that, given the qualifiying format at Indy and the addition of the turbos. When the engineers can really "trim" the cars out (because they're going around the Speedway solo,) I think this is very possible. Dealing with the turbulence of running with 32 other cars, however, those same engineers are going to seek stability, at least if they want to be around at the finish.
I have maintained that since Indianapolis will be the first exposure of the new cars to an oval track, there should be some extended multi-car testing before we get to the "15 days of May." Failing that, perhaps the Speedway should consider extending practice for this year only. We all know the havoc that weather can play with Indy's schedule. Wouldn't it be wise that all drivers get as much exposure to the conditions there as possible?
The piece details the horrific accident in Vegas and its aftermath, along with some opinions, I assume the writer's, on what needs to be done to improve ("save?") INDYCAR. Without getting into too much detail about Mr. Anderson's conclusions, (I'll touch on those later,) the one thing that the piece is missing is any input from anyone associated with INDYCAR. In fact, the only person cited in the piece REMOTELY connected with INDYCAR is Texas Motor Speedway's uber-promoter, Eddie Gossage.
What I saw were quotes from Jimmie Johnson, not the "revised" quotes he gave out after feeling the wrath of many INDYCAR fans, but the original quotes that got Mr. Johnson into the "doghouse" to begin with. Also quoted was that preeminent INDYCAR sage, Jack Roush, who noted that INDYCAR had just had its "Dale Earnhardt moment." (Of course, what was NOT mentioned was that if Dale, Sr. had hit a SAFER wall and been wearing a HANS device, BOTH pioneered by INDYCAR, he'd probably still be with us.) And, of course, there was a quote from the prodigal son, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
My initial reaction was to just write thie piece off as a typical NASCAR-slanted "hit" piece. Then I Googled "Lars Anderson." Most of the early listings about Mr. Anderson pertained to baseball. Then I saw a couple about NASCAR, so I did a little digging. As it happens, Lars Anderson has an extensive history on SI.com, most of it dealing with NASCAR. There was, however, one story that caught my eye. Dated May of 2011, was a tome entitled "Why the Indy 500 is My Favorite Sporting Event of the Year."
(http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/lars_anderson/05/24/Indy.500/index.html?xid=shareFB)
To give you the "Cliff's Notes" version, Mr. Anderson makes a case about his exposure to the Indianapolis 500, his first attendance being in 2003. He, like many of us who have been there, describes the emotions, the traditions, the rush of the race itself, acknowledging that even NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, Sam Hornish, Jr., and Robby Gordon consider Indy the preeminent race in the world. (Of course, what would they know: They just raced there and two of them won the 500, with a third coming within a lap of so doing.)
Okay, I understand that Lars' primary occupation is covering NASCAR for SI. But to propose ways to "fix" INDYCAR following the suggestions of NASCAR people is almost akin to asking the fox how to fix the henhouse problem.
Don't get me wrong: some of the things listed there are things that I am sure will be looked at. Suggestion one, however, gives you the skinny: Stay off of high banked ovals. (Again, this was at the behest of that famous INDYCAR expert, one Jimmie Johnson.)
Number two: Reduce the speeds. On this one, I'm kinda scratching the ol' melon. We just finished using cars that are significantly slower than the ones we raced back in the 90's (with turbochargers.) One of the results of this was that everyone was going about the same speed. Up until Kentucky a couple of years back, what did we have? Parades, that's what. No passing, no excitement, pit strategy races that NO ONE cared about. So, after that, we loosened up a little on the aerodynamic limitations and the racing got exciting, at least on the ovals. Now, assuming what we're talking about is reducing the downforce while adding back the turbos, that's fine. When the racing is boring, who's going to watch? (And, of course, sooner or later the engineers will find other wqys to make the cars go fast.)
Number 3: End the double file restarts. On street circuits, why bother? The drivers aren't abiding by them anyway. If we get three rows of two lined up at the "go" cone, we're lucky and we're going green. At Indy this year, they changed the rules to allow the cars to accelerate in the north chute. I was sitting at the end of the main straightaway, and I can tell you they were STILL going two and sometimes three wide going through turn 1. It is, after all, called racing.
Number 4: Raise the SAFER walls. At some tracks this might work. This was mentioned on "Trackside," this week. I'd sure want to look at the sight lines before going there, however, as Curt Cavin suggested. One of the great things about some of the mile and a half tracks is that you can follow the cars all the way around. Take that away at your own peril. We already have attendance issues.
Number 5: Cover the back wheels. Okay, this one is, assuming no changes in the DW12 design, going to happen, at least partially. While a lot of purists did not like that aspect of the design, most have acquiesced after the Vegas accident. If the new design keeps the cars on the ground, this will allow the SAFER barriers to do their assigned task of energy absorption and keep the cars out of the catch fencing.
Look, Mr. Anderson's suggestions are not without merit. What I don't agree with is his dependence on NASCAR drivers to make put forth these ideas. Why wasn't he talking to Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi, A. J. Foyt, or Mario Andretti? I saw no indication that he did in this piece. Seems to me, if he wanted to get the straight dope about INDYCAR, he should have talked to INDYCAR engineers or drivers. Therein lies the problem.
A lot of us who have followed this series were overjoyed when Randy Bernard talked about breaking the decade-old speed records at Indianapolis. We can do that, given the qualifiying format at Indy and the addition of the turbos. When the engineers can really "trim" the cars out (because they're going around the Speedway solo,) I think this is very possible. Dealing with the turbulence of running with 32 other cars, however, those same engineers are going to seek stability, at least if they want to be around at the finish.
I have maintained that since Indianapolis will be the first exposure of the new cars to an oval track, there should be some extended multi-car testing before we get to the "15 days of May." Failing that, perhaps the Speedway should consider extending practice for this year only. We all know the havoc that weather can play with Indy's schedule. Wouldn't it be wise that all drivers get as much exposure to the conditions there as possible?
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Going Forward, Part I
This will be part one of a two (or maybe three) part blog on going forward. I've made it perfectly clear, I am no journalist, just a fan who loves to write, particularly about INDYCAR racing. Good thing, because as a journalist, I missed an information avenue (or at least the first half of it,) by missing part of "Trackside" this evening. I'll probably listen to the podcast tomorrow morning to catch the first hour.
I'm going to, over the next two or three posts, cover a lot of areas in brief. Much of it will be opinion, and some will be things that will work themselves out over the next few months. Some of it will be fact based and some will be purely speculative "wishful thinking."
First, I'm going to climb on my soapbox for a minute. I have made it no secret in postings to OPB's (other people's blogs) that INDYCAR needs to do some serious, mutli-car, multi-venue testing before the upcoming season. Let's face it: what Dan Wheldon told us from stage one testing of the new chassis is that the new car is stable, but do we know how they'll handle in packs? Engine performance will offer a potential variable in speeds, but, particualrly as it pertains to ovals, everyone is going to be a proverbial "rookie" in this chassis.
When you consider that a number of the drivers in this series are limited in their oval experience, their next "shot" at an oval will be at Indianapolis, and you add in the usual number of one-offs, let's just say, the more experience, the merrier. These guys need to be as comfortable as possible with all the characteristics of the new cars. Anyone who has followed the Indianapolis 500 for any length of time knows the propensity for things to go wrong at the start.
2012 is one year that that simply must not happen, especially since that will be the first exposure to a large number of potential fans subsequent to Las Vegas.
Speaking of that new car, I have found it amazing how a lot of the controversy about the wheel enclosures and the rear "bumpers" has quieted since the accident. Before, there were many who felt that these features were an unwelcome addition to the car; Now, I suspect almost everyone gets that they are there for a reason.
One thing about which I heard Curt and Kevin speculating tonight on the tail end of "Trackside" was who will end up in the #7 GoDaddy ride. Obviously, GoDaddy is an important stack of sponsor dollars, dollars which this series needs to keep involved. With that ride goes a lot of marketing responsibility, so it's not for just anyone. A listener had suggested that it might be Conor Daly, but both Kevin and Curt think young Mr. Daly is a year away, at least. I'm not entirely certain that Conor doesn't have more F-1 leanings than INDYCAR, but maybe next summer, if he runs a full season of Lights, we'll know more.
If Michael Andretti does NOT go outside the "family," maybe either Ryan Hunter Reay or Marco wind up in the ride; More likely, in my opinion, is that Michael holds off until Penske makes a move as to his stable. If Penske should cut a driver loose, (presumably Ryan Briscoe,) then you have a whole "domino effect" to look at. That's all speculation for a few months down the road. And there's lots of time for "Silly Season."
The one part of this off season that is not going to be silly is the investigation of the accident at LVMS. As that investigation continues, my hope is that it will be thorough and open. While I, for one, have no desire to see all the gruesome photos, it is important that this investigation not be in any way "swept under the rug." The more we, and more importantly IICS officials know about what happened, the more steps that can be taken to avoid a recurrence.
And finally, I ask that everyone consider this: INDYCAR has come a long way in the pursuit of safety. Some of the "old guard" of fans, (of whom I consider myself one,) remember when this sport was much less safe than it is now, and the lessons learned under tragic circumstances, often serve to bring about more innovations in the area of safety. Whether that innovation comes in the form of improved catch fencing, changes in the cars, or in some other area, this is racing and it will never be 100% safe.
We as fans and followers have become complaisant, lulled to "sleep" by watching seemingly horrific crashes from which our heroes walked away or recovered. This has been a wake-up call for all of us. I have used the analogy of Indianapolis after the ill-fated 1973 race. Two driver deaths and one critical injury in one month of May (that everyone except Gordon Johncock would like to forget,) led to some innovations that, while bringing the speeds down significantly, led to one of the safest months of May in Speedway history the following year.
Let's hope that we can write a similar story this time next year.
I'm going to, over the next two or three posts, cover a lot of areas in brief. Much of it will be opinion, and some will be things that will work themselves out over the next few months. Some of it will be fact based and some will be purely speculative "wishful thinking."
First, I'm going to climb on my soapbox for a minute. I have made it no secret in postings to OPB's (other people's blogs) that INDYCAR needs to do some serious, mutli-car, multi-venue testing before the upcoming season. Let's face it: what Dan Wheldon told us from stage one testing of the new chassis is that the new car is stable, but do we know how they'll handle in packs? Engine performance will offer a potential variable in speeds, but, particualrly as it pertains to ovals, everyone is going to be a proverbial "rookie" in this chassis.
When you consider that a number of the drivers in this series are limited in their oval experience, their next "shot" at an oval will be at Indianapolis, and you add in the usual number of one-offs, let's just say, the more experience, the merrier. These guys need to be as comfortable as possible with all the characteristics of the new cars. Anyone who has followed the Indianapolis 500 for any length of time knows the propensity for things to go wrong at the start.
2012 is one year that that simply must not happen, especially since that will be the first exposure to a large number of potential fans subsequent to Las Vegas.
Speaking of that new car, I have found it amazing how a lot of the controversy about the wheel enclosures and the rear "bumpers" has quieted since the accident. Before, there were many who felt that these features were an unwelcome addition to the car; Now, I suspect almost everyone gets that they are there for a reason.
One thing about which I heard Curt and Kevin speculating tonight on the tail end of "Trackside" was who will end up in the #7 GoDaddy ride. Obviously, GoDaddy is an important stack of sponsor dollars, dollars which this series needs to keep involved. With that ride goes a lot of marketing responsibility, so it's not for just anyone. A listener had suggested that it might be Conor Daly, but both Kevin and Curt think young Mr. Daly is a year away, at least. I'm not entirely certain that Conor doesn't have more F-1 leanings than INDYCAR, but maybe next summer, if he runs a full season of Lights, we'll know more.
If Michael Andretti does NOT go outside the "family," maybe either Ryan Hunter Reay or Marco wind up in the ride; More likely, in my opinion, is that Michael holds off until Penske makes a move as to his stable. If Penske should cut a driver loose, (presumably Ryan Briscoe,) then you have a whole "domino effect" to look at. That's all speculation for a few months down the road. And there's lots of time for "Silly Season."
The one part of this off season that is not going to be silly is the investigation of the accident at LVMS. As that investigation continues, my hope is that it will be thorough and open. While I, for one, have no desire to see all the gruesome photos, it is important that this investigation not be in any way "swept under the rug." The more we, and more importantly IICS officials know about what happened, the more steps that can be taken to avoid a recurrence.
And finally, I ask that everyone consider this: INDYCAR has come a long way in the pursuit of safety. Some of the "old guard" of fans, (of whom I consider myself one,) remember when this sport was much less safe than it is now, and the lessons learned under tragic circumstances, often serve to bring about more innovations in the area of safety. Whether that innovation comes in the form of improved catch fencing, changes in the cars, or in some other area, this is racing and it will never be 100% safe.
We as fans and followers have become complaisant, lulled to "sleep" by watching seemingly horrific crashes from which our heroes walked away or recovered. This has been a wake-up call for all of us. I have used the analogy of Indianapolis after the ill-fated 1973 race. Two driver deaths and one critical injury in one month of May (that everyone except Gordon Johncock would like to forget,) led to some innovations that, while bringing the speeds down significantly, led to one of the safest months of May in Speedway history the following year.
Let's hope that we can write a similar story this time next year.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
To Tomorrow and Beyond
Tomorrow we will say our public goodbyes to Dan Wheldon. Everyone who follows IndyCar racing has had some time to remember, looking back fondly, cherishing our "family," and pouring out our sympathies to Susie, Sebastian, and Oliver; Dan's parents and brothers.
The family serivces today, as covered by USA Today ( http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/indycar/story/2011-10-22/dan-wheldon-funeral/50869962/1) are available here.
Most of my fellow bloggers have had beautifully written pieces talking about our grief, sense of loss, and personal thoughts. I strongly recommend the piece written by "The Ragin' Canadian," Meesh, (http://meeshbeer.wordpress.com/) normally an R-rated (for language) blogger who's not ever afraid to express an opinion. Her very personal take on feelings at this time I found very moving. Ditto for George Phillips at Oilpressure.com.
Personally I want to thank several of our friends in NASCAR for the condoleneces and gestures during this period of loss. They too, lost a brother driver, and I noticed in Talledega qualifying that many were subdued, effected by racing's loss.
Looking forward, perhaps Dan's greatest legacy will be the new chassis, which will bear his name in some form or fashion. Much work was done in the design phase of that chassis to lessen the potential for just the type of accident that we saw last Sunday. It is my sincere hope that The IZOD IndyCar Series will go forward with some sort of group testing of the new chassis, before we go racing again to understand what the traffic characteristics of this new chassis will be. This will allow time for any "tweaks" needed to ensure as much stability in the chassis as we can find.
While next year's schedule is still not finalized, it is apparent that all of our racing prior to Indianapolis will be on road or street circuits. Before we approach the month of May and the speeds of Indy, we need to know how these cars will operate together. In addition, because we have a significant number of drivers with limited oval experience, it might be wise to expand practice for Indy somewhat.
Please, let's make sure before we're going three wide down the main straightaway toward the green flag on Memorial Day Sunday that everyone is as comfortable as possible with that new chassis and engine. We all know how fast the start at the Speedway can go wrong, particualrly when there are some drivers who try to win the 500 on the first lap. To many who do not follow our series regularly, that first lap at Indianapolis will be the first INDYCAR race they have seen since the tragedy of last weekend. It is imperative that it be safe.
Finally, several have pointed out that there has been a significant amount of irresponsible journalism during the period following last Sunday. I suspect that in the coming weeks, a few of those who put their names to such pieces are going to be called out and I know at least a couple of my fellow bloggers who have withheld their viewpoints until the immediate shock of this has mitigated, at least to some degree. As many blogger-friends have expressed, this has NOT been the week to forward an agenda: time will come for that. And frankly, some of the folks who will be singled out just flat did not do any homework before spouting their bile. (Hint: If you call it the IRL, you've been asleep for two years.)
The next few months should be interesting....
The family serivces today, as covered by USA Today ( http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/indycar/story/2011-10-22/dan-wheldon-funeral/50869962/1) are available here.
Most of my fellow bloggers have had beautifully written pieces talking about our grief, sense of loss, and personal thoughts. I strongly recommend the piece written by "The Ragin' Canadian," Meesh, (http://meeshbeer.wordpress.com/) normally an R-rated (for language) blogger who's not ever afraid to express an opinion. Her very personal take on feelings at this time I found very moving. Ditto for George Phillips at Oilpressure.com.
Personally I want to thank several of our friends in NASCAR for the condoleneces and gestures during this period of loss. They too, lost a brother driver, and I noticed in Talledega qualifying that many were subdued, effected by racing's loss.
Looking forward, perhaps Dan's greatest legacy will be the new chassis, which will bear his name in some form or fashion. Much work was done in the design phase of that chassis to lessen the potential for just the type of accident that we saw last Sunday. It is my sincere hope that The IZOD IndyCar Series will go forward with some sort of group testing of the new chassis, before we go racing again to understand what the traffic characteristics of this new chassis will be. This will allow time for any "tweaks" needed to ensure as much stability in the chassis as we can find.
While next year's schedule is still not finalized, it is apparent that all of our racing prior to Indianapolis will be on road or street circuits. Before we approach the month of May and the speeds of Indy, we need to know how these cars will operate together. In addition, because we have a significant number of drivers with limited oval experience, it might be wise to expand practice for Indy somewhat.
Please, let's make sure before we're going three wide down the main straightaway toward the green flag on Memorial Day Sunday that everyone is as comfortable as possible with that new chassis and engine. We all know how fast the start at the Speedway can go wrong, particualrly when there are some drivers who try to win the 500 on the first lap. To many who do not follow our series regularly, that first lap at Indianapolis will be the first INDYCAR race they have seen since the tragedy of last weekend. It is imperative that it be safe.
Finally, several have pointed out that there has been a significant amount of irresponsible journalism during the period following last Sunday. I suspect that in the coming weeks, a few of those who put their names to such pieces are going to be called out and I know at least a couple of my fellow bloggers who have withheld their viewpoints until the immediate shock of this has mitigated, at least to some degree. As many blogger-friends have expressed, this has NOT been the week to forward an agenda: time will come for that. And frankly, some of the folks who will be singled out just flat did not do any homework before spouting their bile. (Hint: If you call it the IRL, you've been asleep for two years.)
The next few months should be interesting....
Monday, October 17, 2011
Requiem
It's been a little over 30 hours since the tragedy in Las Vegas that took the life of Dan Wheldon. Many of my fellow bloggers have come up with beautifully worded tributes, far better than I can express.
Personally, I feel for everyone in the INDYCAR family. Obviously, Dan's widow and children top that list along with his immediate family. Deeper than that, it was clear to me in watching yesterday that our sport IS a family. The pictures of Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti, Danica Patrick, and Sarah Fisher in obvious emotional distress are burned into my mind. My heart goes out to all who mourn this loss, be they fans, drivers, crew members, owners, or media.
I sensed from the hushed tones of the announcers early on during the red flag yesterday that the result was not going to be good. I've often been highly critical of Marty Reid as the lead announcer for the ABC/ESPN coverage. Yesterday, however, Marty must have been channelling his inner Sid Collins, as his words were very reminiscent of Sid's impromptu eulogy of Eddie Sachs during the red flag of the 1964 Indianapolis 500. In fact, the entire ABC crew deserves credit for their respect to the gravity of the situation. Very well done, gentlemen and ladies.
The five lap tribute was heart wrenching. I was dealing with the whole of the reality fairly well until I heard "Amazing Grace" being played over the PA. I'm not ashamed to admit, that was the end of my composure for the day. Most of last night was spent reading tributes, many from media sources, others from the bloggers I follow. I even tried to write my own last night, but when I pulled up my blog, all I could see was my earlier post (that never got published) about the great anticipation of the race to come. After that emotional downdraft, there was no way I was going to be able to put coherent thoughts together. Again, my hat is off to those who could and did.
Those who have been a fan of racing as long as I have, have experienced this before. Back in the 60's and early 70's, death was a far more common visitor to our sport. Perhaps because of the advances in safety and medicine, we have recently become accustomed to horrible looking accidents from which drivers walk away or, at the very least, recover. Only the night before, there was an accident in the NASCAR race in Charlotte that was eerily similar to the one that took the life of Dale Earnhardt. Big impact, but thanks to the SAFER barrier and the HANS device, no serious injury.
The irony is lost on no one that Dan Wheldon spent this summer testing the 2012 Dallara, a car designed to lessen the likelihood of the car getting airborne. That initial testing program will be a legacy for which he will be remembered as 2011 becomes 2012 and beyond. More than that we will remember the joy of this May past, when he captured his second win at Indianapolis by leading about 1/8th of one lap.
Rest well, kind soul.
Personally, I feel for everyone in the INDYCAR family. Obviously, Dan's widow and children top that list along with his immediate family. Deeper than that, it was clear to me in watching yesterday that our sport IS a family. The pictures of Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti, Danica Patrick, and Sarah Fisher in obvious emotional distress are burned into my mind. My heart goes out to all who mourn this loss, be they fans, drivers, crew members, owners, or media.
I sensed from the hushed tones of the announcers early on during the red flag yesterday that the result was not going to be good. I've often been highly critical of Marty Reid as the lead announcer for the ABC/ESPN coverage. Yesterday, however, Marty must have been channelling his inner Sid Collins, as his words were very reminiscent of Sid's impromptu eulogy of Eddie Sachs during the red flag of the 1964 Indianapolis 500. In fact, the entire ABC crew deserves credit for their respect to the gravity of the situation. Very well done, gentlemen and ladies.
The five lap tribute was heart wrenching. I was dealing with the whole of the reality fairly well until I heard "Amazing Grace" being played over the PA. I'm not ashamed to admit, that was the end of my composure for the day. Most of last night was spent reading tributes, many from media sources, others from the bloggers I follow. I even tried to write my own last night, but when I pulled up my blog, all I could see was my earlier post (that never got published) about the great anticipation of the race to come. After that emotional downdraft, there was no way I was going to be able to put coherent thoughts together. Again, my hat is off to those who could and did.
Those who have been a fan of racing as long as I have, have experienced this before. Back in the 60's and early 70's, death was a far more common visitor to our sport. Perhaps because of the advances in safety and medicine, we have recently become accustomed to horrible looking accidents from which drivers walk away or, at the very least, recover. Only the night before, there was an accident in the NASCAR race in Charlotte that was eerily similar to the one that took the life of Dale Earnhardt. Big impact, but thanks to the SAFER barrier and the HANS device, no serious injury.
The irony is lost on no one that Dan Wheldon spent this summer testing the 2012 Dallara, a car designed to lessen the likelihood of the car getting airborne. That initial testing program will be a legacy for which he will be remembered as 2011 becomes 2012 and beyond. More than that we will remember the joy of this May past, when he captured his second win at Indianapolis by leading about 1/8th of one lap.
Rest well, kind soul.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Al Unser, Jr.
In the news tonight, it was disclosed that INDYCAR official and ex-driver Al Unser Jr. has slipped off the sobriety wagon again. Apparently, in the haze of his inebriation, Mr. Unser thought it would be a good idea to have a drag race with another motorist at speeds in excess of 100 mph, all of which while having a blood alcohol content of .16, twice the legal limit in New Mexico.
I know Mr. Unser's demon: It is one I face every day. I make no judgements about Al, Jr.'s relapse: They happen all too frequently for all too many alcoholics. Recently, Al had said in several interviews that he had beaten his problem. That very statement should have set off warning bells for any member of his family or friends. This is not a disease that is EVER beaten; rather it is held at bay on a day to day basis.
Each day that goes by that I remain sober, I consider it a personal victory. And, to be sure, when the stresses of business or personal setbacks take hold, it is a serious temptation to grab a beverage. Fortunately, my personal record is 486 and 0. (486 days, no slips.) There is, however, no such thing as 486 and 1. Any "loss" on this won-loss record returns the "win" side to zero.
Medical and psychological professionals can all tell you the gory bad news about this disease: It gradually kills the liver, degrades mental capabilities, and ruins family relationships, just to name a few. And, to be sure, we ALL know the statistics about the mixture of alcohol and driving.
This isn't "Little Al's" first rodeo with drinking and driving. Regardless of how well he could control a vehicle at 100+ mph on a city street, even drunk, to engage in a drag race against another driver is an invitation to a tragedy. But then, there's an old saying: "God looks after fools and drunks." Apparently, in this case, He did.
For its part, INDYCAR immediately suspended Mr. Unser and relieved him of his duties. But the loss of his job is only the beginning of his battle now rejoined. We have all seen success stories from these periodic battles, as well as failures. Only Al, Jr. can determine how his story will be told going forward.
I know Mr. Unser's demon: It is one I face every day. I make no judgements about Al, Jr.'s relapse: They happen all too frequently for all too many alcoholics. Recently, Al had said in several interviews that he had beaten his problem. That very statement should have set off warning bells for any member of his family or friends. This is not a disease that is EVER beaten; rather it is held at bay on a day to day basis.
Each day that goes by that I remain sober, I consider it a personal victory. And, to be sure, when the stresses of business or personal setbacks take hold, it is a serious temptation to grab a beverage. Fortunately, my personal record is 486 and 0. (486 days, no slips.) There is, however, no such thing as 486 and 1. Any "loss" on this won-loss record returns the "win" side to zero.
Medical and psychological professionals can all tell you the gory bad news about this disease: It gradually kills the liver, degrades mental capabilities, and ruins family relationships, just to name a few. And, to be sure, we ALL know the statistics about the mixture of alcohol and driving.
This isn't "Little Al's" first rodeo with drinking and driving. Regardless of how well he could control a vehicle at 100+ mph on a city street, even drunk, to engage in a drag race against another driver is an invitation to a tragedy. But then, there's an old saying: "God looks after fools and drunks." Apparently, in this case, He did.
For its part, INDYCAR immediately suspended Mr. Unser and relieved him of his duties. But the loss of his job is only the beginning of his battle now rejoined. We have all seen success stories from these periodic battles, as well as failures. Only Al, Jr. can determine how his story will be told going forward.
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