Grand Prix of Houston

I was fortunate to attend the first race of the Grand Prix of Houston doubleheader last weekend. It was the first non-oval motorsports race I have ever attended, and like most sporting events, there were things I liked and things I didn't like. Before I discuss the fan perspective though, let's recap the race itself.

Sorry to be a teacher for a moment, but Primary-Recency Theory argues that audiences will remember the first thing that you say and the last thing that you say more than anything in the middle. I think this theory proved its merit in Houston since the weekend of course will be remembered for how it started and how it ended. The event did not start well, with some track issues that were overlooked because it was assembled so hastily (out of necessity). Crews worked feverishly overnight to repair the bumpy track, but it still looked tough on both drivers and cars. After they postponed qualifying, negative criticism about IndyCar permeated various media sources, and I worried that the first race would be a disaster. I'm happy that I was wrong. Both races were action-packed, with tons of passing, especially in turn 2, which was right in my vantage point.

But what a weekend to forget for Helio Castroneves. We all knew Scott Dixon was on a roll, and that he had an excellent chance to close the gap by the time the weekend was over, but I doubt any of us could have predicted the huge points swing we did see. A 49-point lead evaporated into a 25-point deficit because of mechanical issues. I'm rooting for Helio to win his first championship, but let's face it, it's going to be very difficult now. I feel for him, and it was a crushing blow to exit the second race so early, especially after sitting on the pole. Critics will point to how conservatively Helio has driven over the past few races, staying out of trouble instead of going for the win. And Dixon has driven like a champion this year, with four victories, so if he hangs on to win it, it will definitely be deserved. But what a bummer for Helio and Team Penske. At least the championship is going down to the wire and the final race. Again. Gotta love that.

I have now read mixed reviews of standing starts, but when they were first tried in Toronto, fans demanded them and loved them. I still do not understand the appeal. They didn't work at either race in Houston so can we finally admit they're not that great? They just make IndyCar and its drivers look incompetent, which they are not. I will say, though, that witnessing them in person and hearing the engines revving is pretty cool and far more exciting than watching them on TV. But kudos to IndyCar for trying them again, even after an aborted start, because that's what the fans claimed they wanted. This fan, however, could do just fine without them.

I don't think you could find anyone who wasn't happy for Simona DeSilvestro earning her first IndyCar podium on Saturday. She has really salvaged her year with some strong performances lately, and she has to be optimistic about next year. Hopefully she'll have a good teammate to work with.

Though it's been an un-Will-Power-like season, he showed he still has the racing chops this weekend by winning the second race and staying in contention most of Saturday. But what was with that pit strategy in the first race? Stay out a little longer while the leaders come in to pit? That strategy definitely backfired, and you could see how difficult it was for Power to pull away from Dixon, who was on fresh tires. I thought that was a poor call by Tim Cindric, especially when it involved Helio's teammate and his main championship rival. I realize they got burned a little by the caution flag, but I think they would have had a difficult time hanging onto the lead even without the caution. (UPDATE: After watching the video of Race 1, I now understand this pit strategy was to help Power lead the most laps so they could take a bonus point away from Dixon. Makes more sense now!)

For all the good news the weekend brought, unfortunately it ended on a somber, scary note. Dario Franchitti's last-lap crash took my breath away. It was the first big wreck we've had in IndyCar since 2011, which tells you something about the safety of the DW12 and the skill of these drivers. (Yes, we've had some bad crashes, such as Josef Newgarden and Sebastien Bourdais's at Sonoma last year, but it didn't evoke memories of Las Vegas like this one did.) The crash has been analyzed extensively by individuals with more technical knowledge than me (and frustratingly, also by so-called "experts" who know nothing about IndyCar, but don't get me started on that!) so I will just say two things: Thank goodness no one was seriously hurt. Dario will be in pain for awhile but it could have been much worse, and I know we're all thankful that it wasn't. And second, let's be careful with our accusations of blame here. It was an unfortunate racing incident, but we don't know that the track caused the crash. The catch fencing did its job, it kept the car on the track. Maybe the stands shouldn't have been so close to such a high-speed area, and maybe we can make these tracks even safer. But the bottom line is that these kinds of crashes can occur anywhere, because open-wheel racing is dangerous. We should never think it is immune from incident. Race car driving is risky business, but the biggest risk of all is complacency.

As for the event, I am left with mostly positive feelings, though there's certainly room for improvement at the Grand Prix. First off, the pros: I was very impressed with the layout of the track and the surrounding activities (such as games and an arena filled with display booths), and even more impressed with how much racing fans could see over the course of three days. Indy Lights, Mazda Road to Indy, USF2000, Pirelli World Challenge...it was a racing fan's dream come true. The crowd was great, and it was nice to see such a large turnout. I've already mentioned in a previous blog how thrilling it was to walk across the pedestrian bridge while cars sped past beneath my feet. There were plenty of things to do and see, and I understand why street races are so popular. I would attend again, but...

Not in such hot temperatures. Saturday was miserably hot, and all of the fans were dripping in sweat from the heat and high humidity. Now this weather would be a little more tolerable if there were shady places where fans could escape to, or if we were allowed to bring in our own water instead of paying $4.25 for a 20-oz. bottle of it. And with that heat, I had to purchase a lot of water. Ridiculous, and not fan-friendly at all. Like I said, this was the first street race I have attended so I'm not sure if this is typical or not, but at the oval speedways I've visited you can bring in a cooler-with some restrictions of course. I really hope Houston revisits this policy, especially if the race is in June next year as it's rumored to be. I understand if you don't want fans bringing alcohol, but at least let them have water, sheesh. The area behind Grandstand 1 was also inexplicably devoid of shade, activities, and picnic tables or places to sit and eat. It was like a mini ghost town (but with plenty of fans milling around). Grandstand 1 had the most expensive seats, so I would think you'd give that location a little extra attention.

It was also strange to not be able to see the whole track. I'm used to ovals, where it's easier to see all the cars. But the promoters did a good job displaying all the necessary information and passing on the video screens, so I can't complain. I eventually got used to it, but it was a different experience. I'm glad I recorded the races so I could get a more complete picture of the track.

All in all I had a great time at the Grand Prix of Houston, and I hope to return. I hope other fans will as well, and won't be too scared off by what happened on Sunday. There were so many races run on that track over the weekend, it's actually pretty remarkable that we only had one incident, albeit a big one. I know the track organizers and promoters will continue to make this event an improved, enjoyable experience for all. Get well soon, Dario and fans.