What a difference a couple of weeks makes. The lasting visual memory of the St. Pete race, for me, will be JR Hildebrand driving over Will Power's tires, and the memorable image of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama will be poor James Hinchcliffe stuck in his car in a corner of the race track, unable to get out or move. Hinch regrettably went from finishing first in the opening race of the season to finishing last in the next race. Luckily he has a sense of humor so I'm sure he managed to enjoy himself while being stuck. It's unfortunate that he wasn't able to get off the track, and I'm still a little perplexed as to why they didn't extend the caution to get him out of that corner.
All in all, though, Barber presented a good race for the second year in a row. Ryan Hunter-Reay had a great move to pass Helio Castroneves and take the lead for good. It's amazing that his tires smoked but he was still able to control the car and keep the tires in check for the rest of the race. He and Andretti Autosport have demonstrated their talent loud and clear. The Penske three-year Barber winning streak has come to an end, and perhaps a new era of dominance is on the horizon.
Two other young (and American!) drivers deserve congratulations and recognition. First, Charlie Kimball drove well all weekend, earning a spot in the Firestone Fast Six and ultimately a fourth-place finish with a daring pass of Will Power. He mentioned several times in interviews that they learned a lot in testing at the track, and it showed. Second, Josef Newgarden deserves major kudos for his first top ten finish. I was disappointed he wasn't interviewed after the race, because this is a terrific accomplishment for him and the Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing team. Hopefully he and the team will build on this result--it would be great to see Newgarden on the podium this season.
If anyone thinks that race car driving does not require fitness or skill, they should try driving 80+ laps under green like these drivers did. This track has to be so physically demanding, with all of its twists and turns, and those demands become even tougher when you're trying to fight off intense competition that keeps getting closer in your rear view mirror. Ryan Hunter-Reay appeared exhausted after the race, and I'll bet many of the drivers wake up a little sore tomorrow. That was impressive.
I had not noticed this when the schedule first came out, but now we have to wait another two weeks for the next race. And then two more weeks after that for Brazil. It's difficult to grow a fan base without a consistent product to watch week in and week out, especially at the beginning of the season. TV shows that go on hiatus often lose a lot of viewers because people forget about the show or find interest in something else. I hope schedule changes are made for next year to allow for more weekly racing. On a positive note, it is very good news that IndyCar has reached an agreement to continue racing at Barber until 2016. That consistency will help ensure strong attendance like this year's race. Looks like a beautiful track; hopefully I'll have the good fortune to attend one day.
No comments:
Post a Comment