Reflections on Iowa

Iowa: the state of corn, riverboats, Adventureland, and exciting racing action. I used to live in Iowa and I regret that I never made it to the Iowa Speedway, because I think that is my favorite IndyCar track. The short oval provides nonstop action, and Sunday's race was no exception.

True, James Hinchcliffe drove away with the victory, leading almost every lap in a dominating performance. But there was plenty of other action behind him. It was even more fitting that Hinch's third win of the year happened to be in his sponsor's hometown. After RHR's win in DHL Victory Circle last week, you have to wonder if these results are scripted (just kidding, I'm not that big of a conspiracy theorist!). The truth is that Andretti Autosport owns Iowa Speedway--not literally, although they may want to reconsider that, since they've won there the past four years. Their string of success at Iowa is unmatched by any other team. You have to wonder what might have been for Hinch--were it not for those two DNF's at Barber and at Long Beach, he might be leading the championship standings right now. As it is, his win at Iowa brings him back into the conversation, and he has more wins than any other driver this year, so the wind is definitely blowing his way.

Are we ready to declare Andretti Autosport the new Penske/Ganassi? They have been the top team this year, and I would argue that if you polled the drivers, many would say they would love to join their team. They have to be the envy of the paddock, because they consistently put up impressive performances. As I noted in a previous blog, Andretti Autosport understands what it means to work together as a team, and I think their success is a direct result of their chemistry.

The most impressive drive of the day belonged to another Andretti driver, Ryan Hunter-Reay. After contact with Graham Rahal earlier in the race, he fell back to 21st place but was able to charge all the way back up to the front and finish second. His podium finish definitely helped his points standings, and you can tell he is hungry to repeat his title. His performance in the race was a nice comeback after a dismal qualifying effort where he didn't even make it out of his heat. RHR expressed some displeasure with a certain driver who he was trying to pass late in the race to catch up to Hinch, but more on that later.

Speaking of Graham Rahal, his top-five finish was much needed and well-earned. You knew after he won his heat race in qualifying that the car had something special. Rahal was able to handle the high line better than the other drivers it seemed, and it's good to see him, maybe, finally getting back on track. When Rahal drives aggressively (but not too aggressively), almost like he's angry, he seems to be at his best (see: Long Beach). So perhaps more of the media and blogosphere should criticize his underachievements?

While Hinch and Rahal seem to be back on track, Simona De Silvestro appears to be moving in the wrong direction. She was doing well at Texas before a penalty cost her a chance at a top-ten finish, but other than that it's been disaster city for her: DNF's at Detroit race 2 and Milwaukee, and a slow performance at Iowa right from the start. RHR was just one driver who expressed some frustration with her, although not by name. In his post-race interview, RHR said it's fine if you're one lap down, but if you're five laps down, get the hell out of the way so the leaders can battle with each other! (Actually, Simona finished seven laps down.) This was supposed to be Simona's year to show what she could do with a non-Lotus engine, but it hasn't happened yet. Is it because of the driver, or the team? Given her teammate TK's success this year, particularly on ovals, you have to wonder.

I also have to wonder if Chip Ganassi will be leading the picket lines in front of Honda's offices after another underwhelming performance. Hondas have had some success this year, with victories at Long Beach and Detroit, but for the most part, Chevy has dominated the top spots. Are Ganassi's woes all engine-related, though? Time will tell.

Finally, I have to give a small shout-out to ABC, whose coverage was actually pretty decent this past week. I wasn't yelling at the TV like I usually am, and I was pleased that they showed passing in the back of the pack rather than focusing solely on the leader like they tend to do. The announcers seemed to have a bit more enthusiasm, too, so maybe, just maybe, they're listening to the feedback.

The schedule gets a much-needed break now after a fast and furious dash through the months of May and June. I will hopefully be at the Pocono race on July 7th, although that's still a little up in the air because of some family issues. I hope to bring my parents to the race and turn them into IndyCar fans, too!