Never count out the Iceman.
If anyone could come from behind and win a championship, it's Scott Dixon. The Target Chip Ganassi driver now has four IndyCar series titles to go with his 2008 Indy 500 win. Dixon was 47 points behind leader Juan Pablo Montoya. He wasn't even in second place--he sat behind Graham Rahal in third place. But I'm not surprised he pulled it off. He is an IndyCar legend.
I had my doubts about having the finale at Sonoma, but IndyCar put on a good show. Sonoma is a tough track, and not one where you can expect a lot of passing. So I felt for sure there would be no drama. Boy was I wrong! A series of events conspired to make this a highly entertaining, intense race that went down to the final lap. First JPM punted his teammate Will Power, causing damage to both cars. Various cautions bunched up the field. Sebastien Bourdais got into the back of Graham Rahal, effectively ending his season. But when Bourdais was rightfully given a drive-through penalty, JPM needed only to pass Ryan Briscoe to claim the championship. He never got close enough. I am a Ryan Briscoe fan as you know but I don't think I've ever cheered louder for a driver to finish fifth than I did in those closing laps. I stood up and rooted for Briscoe, getting nervous when it seemed JPM had closed the gap. I did NOT want Montoya to win, and his comments in the post-race press conference further confirmed why so many people find it hard to like him.
Montoya said Dixon had a--pardon the language--"shit season" and only had "one good race." He also blamed the double points for handing Dixon the Astor Cup. Seriously, Juan Pablo? First of all, YOU got double points for winning the Indy 500, so you can't say you hate double points but still want to keep them from a previous race. And did you know that you and Dixon actually tied for the championship, but Dixon won because he won more races? That doesn't sound like a "shit season" to me. It sounds like a terrific year by a terrific driver. Show some class and respect, geez.
His teammate Will Power wasn't any better. Will's comment was "we need to decide if we're running a sport or a casino," because only a handful of races had been won on merit rather than luck. True, I think a few races came down to luck. But Dixon won this race and this title. Dixon is the best driver of his generation, and is certainly in the conversation for best IndyCar drivers of all-time. And luck is part of racing. Power has gotten lucky in his career, too. Sometimes it happens, but that doesn't discount what Dixon has accomplished. He is a true champion, and he earned it this year.
Graham Rahal can hold his head high. He had a great year, and he will be a serious title contender next year. Sonoma runner-up Ryan Hunter-Reay also ended the year strong, and I expect he'll be back in contention next year as well.
The race began with some touching tributes to Justin Wilson, and it ended with a spirited drive by Oriol Servia. You have to think JW was riding along with Servia on Sunday, pushing him to a good 12th place finish. For someone who hadn't worked out and hadn't been in an IndyCar since May, his result was admirable. I am glad the race went on, and I think JW enjoyed it from above. The IndyCar community came together for each other before dispersing into the off-season. This finale was just what we all needed.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Monday, August 24, 2015
RIP Justin Wilson
This is a blog I was hoping I'd never have to write. Yet deep down I've always known this day would come again.
I started this blog in 2012 after Dan Wheldon's passing, because it affected me so tremendously and I needed an outlet for my sadness. I'm glad I did, because I've been introduced to a community, a family, that I never expected. And right now that family is mourning once again and leaning on one another for support.
We lost another good one, and it's both saddening and maddening. By all accounts Justin Wilson was a genuine, likable, selfless gentleman. He fought to bring awareness and education about dyslexia, which he had himself. While with Dale Coyne Racing, he was an avid supporter of the Boy Scouts. He frequently visited with sick children in hospitals. The "gentle giant" seemed to always have a smile on his face, and was one of the most liked drivers in the paddock--and in an era of #IndyRivals, that's saying something. Why did we have to lose such a good person? Why??
I see too many similarities between Wilson's death and Wheldon's. They were both popular, charismatic drivers who were inexplicably only racing part-time. They both suffered head injuries while driving on a fast oval. And the saddest similarity of all--they both left behind two young children. If you believe in fate or God's will, then you might see some more parallels. God allowed Dan Wheldon to have one final victory--the Indy 500. He also allowed Justin Wilson to stand on the podium one final time--at Mid-Ohio mere weeks ago. Now, I'm sure they are racing together once more.
Because of all these similarities, and the fact that we have experienced another IndyCar tragedy only four years after the last one, the mainstream media will call for change. They have already begun discussing closed cockpits, a conversation that began after that fateful day in Las Vegas, but soon quieted down. And yes, part of me wonders if we didn't do enough to improve safety. Those conversations will continue, but now is not the time to get into that. Right now it is time to reflect on a life well-lived and a family left behind.
My heart aches for the Wilson family. Yes, racers say they know the risks and that death is always a possibility. Wilson himself even admitted discussing this very grave situation with his wife. But the speculation never matches the cold harsh reality when it finally happens. Those two girls need to know what a courageous, kindhearted person their father was. I hope all of us in the IndyCar family constantly remind them of that.
Rest in peace, Justin, and may your family find strength and comfort in this difficult time.
I started this blog in 2012 after Dan Wheldon's passing, because it affected me so tremendously and I needed an outlet for my sadness. I'm glad I did, because I've been introduced to a community, a family, that I never expected. And right now that family is mourning once again and leaning on one another for support.
We lost another good one, and it's both saddening and maddening. By all accounts Justin Wilson was a genuine, likable, selfless gentleman. He fought to bring awareness and education about dyslexia, which he had himself. While with Dale Coyne Racing, he was an avid supporter of the Boy Scouts. He frequently visited with sick children in hospitals. The "gentle giant" seemed to always have a smile on his face, and was one of the most liked drivers in the paddock--and in an era of #IndyRivals, that's saying something. Why did we have to lose such a good person? Why??
I see too many similarities between Wilson's death and Wheldon's. They were both popular, charismatic drivers who were inexplicably only racing part-time. They both suffered head injuries while driving on a fast oval. And the saddest similarity of all--they both left behind two young children. If you believe in fate or God's will, then you might see some more parallels. God allowed Dan Wheldon to have one final victory--the Indy 500. He also allowed Justin Wilson to stand on the podium one final time--at Mid-Ohio mere weeks ago. Now, I'm sure they are racing together once more.
Because of all these similarities, and the fact that we have experienced another IndyCar tragedy only four years after the last one, the mainstream media will call for change. They have already begun discussing closed cockpits, a conversation that began after that fateful day in Las Vegas, but soon quieted down. And yes, part of me wonders if we didn't do enough to improve safety. Those conversations will continue, but now is not the time to get into that. Right now it is time to reflect on a life well-lived and a family left behind.
My heart aches for the Wilson family. Yes, racers say they know the risks and that death is always a possibility. Wilson himself even admitted discussing this very grave situation with his wife. But the speculation never matches the cold harsh reality when it finally happens. Those two girls need to know what a courageous, kindhearted person their father was. I hope all of us in the IndyCar family constantly remind them of that.
Rest in peace, Justin, and may your family find strength and comfort in this difficult time.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Pack Racing
So, it's been awhile. Not just awhile since I've written, but it's also been awhile since we witnessed the kind of pack racing that occurred at Fontana this past weekend. Everyone seems to have an opinion on the subject, so let me weigh in with a few thoughts. Although I must preface this by saying my opinion can be summed up with "I don't know." Indecisive maybe, but also able to understand both sides of this issue.
I did not get to watch the race live because I was traveling (well, I did catch a few laps on the NBC Sports Live Extra app but that was early in the race). However, I followed along on Twitter and Timing & Scoring, so I knew what was happening. I also knew the race results and who had crashed. I was just too curious to stay away. So when I sat down to watch the race on Sunday night, I was prepared. Or so I thought. Even though I knew the race outcome and the conflicting opinions about the racing, I still found myself riveted and edgy. My stomach was in knots a few times, particularly in those closing laps after a restart.
It was indeed an entertaining race, but I'd stop short of calling it the "best race I've ever seen." For one, it made me extremely nervous, and I could not believe some of the crazy moves the drivers were making--Tony Kanaan in particular. I saw cars swerving and darting all over the race track, with no one seemingly able to hold a line. There were a record number of lead changes, though no one really held a lead for long. Instead it was wheel-to-wheel, side-by-side action, which is also thrilling I admit. I may be more likely to call it the best had I watched it live, I don't know. I didn't have the surprise element going for me unfortunately.
Now the drivers and teams are clearly divided. In one corner you have Will Power, Juan Pablo Montoya, Tony Kanaan, and Scott Dixon, who were not fans of that type of racing. (And all of those guys race for the top two owners, Penske & Ganassi. Hmm...coincidence?) In the other corner you have Ed Carpenter, Ryan Briscoe, Marco Andretti, and AJ Foyt, who support this kind of racing and even call it "fun." Briscoe's opinion should matter the most, because he experienced the most frightening crash of all. More on him in a moment. After I read tweets about Will's comments, I was expecting to hear whiny, misguided comments when I finally watched the telecast. But I don't think Will sounded whiny. I thought he sounded passionate. He was merely asking, "what are we doing?" And "should we be doing this?" We have to remember that Will was also severely injured in that Vegas pileup, and I'm sure that's in his mind when he's force to race in these conditions. I think those are good questions to ask, and good points for IndyCar to consider.
I'm not a fan of being reactionary and saying well, nothing happened this time, so everyone just relax. That kind of complacency often leads to trouble, and we see it all the time in business and politics. Each time NASCAR hosts a race at Talledega or Daytona, they worry about "the big one," and there have been some "big ones" in the past few years. I do think that if IndyCar keeps up the Fontana style of racing, we will see a "big one," and it won't be pretty. Yes, we were fortunate that the only accidents were single- or dual-car wrecks. And it was awe-inspiring to see these drivers go three-, four-, or five-wide (!) for so long without bumping into each other. But IndyCar should try to be proactive as much as it can and listen to drivers' concerns. We must also realize that Fontana is not Vegas. It's a bigger, wider track with less banking, and there's no one at the back of the field driving for a $5 million bonus. It's a perfect IndyCar oval track, and I hope it stays on the schedule. The bottom line is that we need to find a happy medium. Something that doesn't bore fans like a single-file parade, but something that doesn't lead to "the big one," either.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, Saturday's race at Fontana got noticed. NASCAR drivers were tweeting about it. Casual fans dropped what they were doing to watch the last 20-50 laps. It even got mentioned on SportsCenter, which is truly miraculous. This is the kind of race IndyCar needs, even if they may not want it. The element of danger and the action-packed racing bring eyeballs to the TV and bodies to the race track. Sure, the crowd was extremely thin at Auto Club Speedway this year. (The June date, coupled with a NASCAR race in Sonoma on the same weekend, likely contributed to that.) But people are talking about IndyCar in late June. When's the last time we can say that happened?
A few other thoughts: one, if I read between the lines of TK's comments, I would say he is seriously contemplating retirement. I sort of heard him thinking out loud about whether or not he wants to do this anymore, especially with a young child. He just sounded resigned, and who can blame him? As he said, he did lose one of his best friends, and saw the career of another close friend in Dario Franchitti end with a violent crash. He has the elusive Indy 500 win now, so it would certainly be understandable if he decided to call it a career.
Two, I continue to be amazed and impressed by Ryan Briscoe. I've liked him ever since I met him at Texas a few years ago and discovered he is incredibly sincere and nice. He put on a show at Texas this year, and I was fascinated. It's one of the reasons I didn't find the Texas race as boring as others did, because I simply watched him the entire night. He has had some questionable drives in the past, but this year he's really showing his skill and why he deserves a full-time ride. And he was so calm and jovial after the race! He even took part in a funny post-race video where he returned to the scene of his accident. It's the disappointing reality of racing now, though, that you can't just get a ride based on merit and charisma alone. You have to bring money, especially in IndyCar. If I had money to start an IndyCar team, Briscoe would be at the top of my driver list. I can only hope his temporary driving this year impresses other teams enough to give him a shot next year.
Lost in all of this pack racing debate is that Graham Rahal ended a long winless drought and drove one heck of a race. Yes, there was the issue with the fuel hose. That doesn't bother me because I liked seeing a different winner. (Had it happened to Montoya, I'd be much more upset.) The ill-advised decision to re-insert the fuel hose wasn't Graham's fault, and it shouldn't overshadow a terrific drive. We're seeing a new and improved Rahal this year, and it's been fun to watch.
Two weeks off now, then Milwaukee IndyFest. What new adventures will we see there? I can't wait to find out!
I did not get to watch the race live because I was traveling (well, I did catch a few laps on the NBC Sports Live Extra app but that was early in the race). However, I followed along on Twitter and Timing & Scoring, so I knew what was happening. I also knew the race results and who had crashed. I was just too curious to stay away. So when I sat down to watch the race on Sunday night, I was prepared. Or so I thought. Even though I knew the race outcome and the conflicting opinions about the racing, I still found myself riveted and edgy. My stomach was in knots a few times, particularly in those closing laps after a restart.
It was indeed an entertaining race, but I'd stop short of calling it the "best race I've ever seen." For one, it made me extremely nervous, and I could not believe some of the crazy moves the drivers were making--Tony Kanaan in particular. I saw cars swerving and darting all over the race track, with no one seemingly able to hold a line. There were a record number of lead changes, though no one really held a lead for long. Instead it was wheel-to-wheel, side-by-side action, which is also thrilling I admit. I may be more likely to call it the best had I watched it live, I don't know. I didn't have the surprise element going for me unfortunately.
Now the drivers and teams are clearly divided. In one corner you have Will Power, Juan Pablo Montoya, Tony Kanaan, and Scott Dixon, who were not fans of that type of racing. (And all of those guys race for the top two owners, Penske & Ganassi. Hmm...coincidence?) In the other corner you have Ed Carpenter, Ryan Briscoe, Marco Andretti, and AJ Foyt, who support this kind of racing and even call it "fun." Briscoe's opinion should matter the most, because he experienced the most frightening crash of all. More on him in a moment. After I read tweets about Will's comments, I was expecting to hear whiny, misguided comments when I finally watched the telecast. But I don't think Will sounded whiny. I thought he sounded passionate. He was merely asking, "what are we doing?" And "should we be doing this?" We have to remember that Will was also severely injured in that Vegas pileup, and I'm sure that's in his mind when he's force to race in these conditions. I think those are good questions to ask, and good points for IndyCar to consider.
I'm not a fan of being reactionary and saying well, nothing happened this time, so everyone just relax. That kind of complacency often leads to trouble, and we see it all the time in business and politics. Each time NASCAR hosts a race at Talledega or Daytona, they worry about "the big one," and there have been some "big ones" in the past few years. I do think that if IndyCar keeps up the Fontana style of racing, we will see a "big one," and it won't be pretty. Yes, we were fortunate that the only accidents were single- or dual-car wrecks. And it was awe-inspiring to see these drivers go three-, four-, or five-wide (!) for so long without bumping into each other. But IndyCar should try to be proactive as much as it can and listen to drivers' concerns. We must also realize that Fontana is not Vegas. It's a bigger, wider track with less banking, and there's no one at the back of the field driving for a $5 million bonus. It's a perfect IndyCar oval track, and I hope it stays on the schedule. The bottom line is that we need to find a happy medium. Something that doesn't bore fans like a single-file parade, but something that doesn't lead to "the big one," either.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, Saturday's race at Fontana got noticed. NASCAR drivers were tweeting about it. Casual fans dropped what they were doing to watch the last 20-50 laps. It even got mentioned on SportsCenter, which is truly miraculous. This is the kind of race IndyCar needs, even if they may not want it. The element of danger and the action-packed racing bring eyeballs to the TV and bodies to the race track. Sure, the crowd was extremely thin at Auto Club Speedway this year. (The June date, coupled with a NASCAR race in Sonoma on the same weekend, likely contributed to that.) But people are talking about IndyCar in late June. When's the last time we can say that happened?
A few other thoughts: one, if I read between the lines of TK's comments, I would say he is seriously contemplating retirement. I sort of heard him thinking out loud about whether or not he wants to do this anymore, especially with a young child. He just sounded resigned, and who can blame him? As he said, he did lose one of his best friends, and saw the career of another close friend in Dario Franchitti end with a violent crash. He has the elusive Indy 500 win now, so it would certainly be understandable if he decided to call it a career.
Two, I continue to be amazed and impressed by Ryan Briscoe. I've liked him ever since I met him at Texas a few years ago and discovered he is incredibly sincere and nice. He put on a show at Texas this year, and I was fascinated. It's one of the reasons I didn't find the Texas race as boring as others did, because I simply watched him the entire night. He has had some questionable drives in the past, but this year he's really showing his skill and why he deserves a full-time ride. And he was so calm and jovial after the race! He even took part in a funny post-race video where he returned to the scene of his accident. It's the disappointing reality of racing now, though, that you can't just get a ride based on merit and charisma alone. You have to bring money, especially in IndyCar. If I had money to start an IndyCar team, Briscoe would be at the top of my driver list. I can only hope his temporary driving this year impresses other teams enough to give him a shot next year.
Lost in all of this pack racing debate is that Graham Rahal ended a long winless drought and drove one heck of a race. Yes, there was the issue with the fuel hose. That doesn't bother me because I liked seeing a different winner. (Had it happened to Montoya, I'd be much more upset.) The ill-advised decision to re-insert the fuel hose wasn't Graham's fault, and it shouldn't overshadow a terrific drive. We're seeing a new and improved Rahal this year, and it's been fun to watch.
Two weeks off now, then Milwaukee IndyFest. What new adventures will we see there? I can't wait to find out!
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Pre-Indy 500 Thoughts
As I sit here on Christmas morning (otherwise known as Indy 500 Day), a thought-provoking question entered my mind. This year's race, like others, is full of storylines to follow: how will the aero kits hold up, can Honda compete with Chevy, will Helio finally join the 4-time winner club....just to name a few. But I got to wondering, what would be the biggest story on Monday? What would receive the most national attention and spark conversation among everyone, even non-race fans? I'm thinking positive stories here, not massive crashes or fatalities, which I know would unfortunately capture the interest of a national audience. I don't have a definitive answer, but I think that a woman winning the Indy 500 would be a huge news story.
For IndyCar fans, the biggest story might be Helio winning #4. For local Indy fans, it might be Ed Carpenter in Victory Lane. Graham Rahal winning would be a feel-good story, especially in honor of David Letterman's retirement. Ryan Briscoe winning in James Hinchcliffe's car would be an interesting, touching story too. But I think a woman winning the world's biggest race would be so unexpected and unique that the world would take notice. I became a full-fledged IndyCar fan in 1992, which was a thrilling finish. But one of the things that drew me to the sport was the fact that women like Lyn St. James, who was a rookie that year, could compete on the same level as the men. We see how excited announcers and fans get when Danica Patrick leads a lap in a NASCAR race. In NHRA, so many women have won that it's not even really talked about anymore. A woman winning the Indy 500 would be a fantastic story, and I hope I see it sometime in my lifetime. The two women in this year's race are also enormously popular drivers, so you'd likely hear a TK-like crowd roar of one of them crossed the bricks first.
So no pressure, Simona DeSilvestro and Pippa Mann, but this story is yours to finish.😉
For IndyCar fans, the biggest story might be Helio winning #4. For local Indy fans, it might be Ed Carpenter in Victory Lane. Graham Rahal winning would be a feel-good story, especially in honor of David Letterman's retirement. Ryan Briscoe winning in James Hinchcliffe's car would be an interesting, touching story too. But I think a woman winning the world's biggest race would be so unexpected and unique that the world would take notice. I became a full-fledged IndyCar fan in 1992, which was a thrilling finish. But one of the things that drew me to the sport was the fact that women like Lyn St. James, who was a rookie that year, could compete on the same level as the men. We see how excited announcers and fans get when Danica Patrick leads a lap in a NASCAR race. In NHRA, so many women have won that it's not even really talked about anymore. A woman winning the Indy 500 would be a fantastic story, and I hope I see it sometime in my lifetime. The two women in this year's race are also enormously popular drivers, so you'd likely hear a TK-like crowd roar of one of them crossed the bricks first.
So no pressure, Simona DeSilvestro and Pippa Mann, but this story is yours to finish.😉
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