IndyCar:The Next Generation

Well, its official. This whole season is one big conspiracy created by Tony George and Gene Simmons. Void.. I apologize for mocking your crazy conspiracy theories. As I was sitting in the stands at the Milwaukee Mile, watching qualifying for tommorows running of the AJ Foyt 225, I witnessed something unbelievable. Something that even the writers of Lost couldn't come up with. Graham Rahal... a rookie and member of a transitional team.. almost took pole on an oval. Only to be stolen away by last minute qualifier Marco Andretti. This must be a conspiracy, because things like this do not just happen. I am just waiting for the WWE style coverage to begin. It makes sense, they are already dressing Marco up in costumes...

So, one week after Indy... the excitement is back. The turnout was excellent, and I hope its a sign of things to come tomorrow. Aside from the two big names in the front, there were some other surprises:

- All morning Will Power was running some serious fast laps. He ended up qualifying 4th, which was surprising since I thought he was going to qualify higher. In all, four transitional teams qualified in the top ten.

- Marty Roth destroyed his car in a morning practice session. Surprising, because I bet that he would destroy it while hauling it out of storage yesterday.

- Justin Wilson... what happened?

- Vitor.... what happened?

- I was surprised that there were not more pit incidents, considering the limited space. I am guessing these guys are more alert than ever this weekend. I wish these guys a safe race tomorrow.


So, I am in the final stretch of my two week IndyCar binge. And tomorrow's grand finale might just make me a conspiracy believer yet. Check out my pics below...

2008 IRL Milwaukee Qualifying

If We Had An Official Video Game...

This would be the one:

Codemasters' GRID (AKA Race Driver: GRID) has a little something for every racing fan to drool over. From formula cars to drifting competitions, from big American muscle to high-tech European exotics, there doesn't seem to be a style of racing that has been left out. And it's all presented with some of the best visuals ever seen in a driving game. But don't think it's just another pretty face. The game has an extensive damage modeling system that (finally) makes a 150 mph crash have the look and feel it would in the real world.

But there is one thing that really puts this game over the top for us here at The Starting Grid. And it's something that ties in very well with our upcoming month of June coverage. GRID is the first major video game (that I am aware of anyway) to feature the Circuit de la Sarthe - world famous venue for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We can't wait to storm down the Mulsanne Straight in an Audi R10 TDI when the game becomes available this June 3rd. It's sure to get us even more stoked for the 24 hour race taking place on June 14-15.

Briscoe Thankful For IMS Security

Qualifying begins tomorrow at the Milwaukee Mile for the AJ Foyt 225. They will be using the 4 lap qualifying format, which is a first for the track. Kudos to the Mile. They have put together an outstanding schedule compared to last year. In addition to practice and qualifying tomorrow they have added a 150 mile stock car race. Race day will include the vintage event and Indy Lights.

Ryan Briscoe was on the local radio this morning and of course they asked the Danica question. He mentioned the broken suspension and showed his appreciation to the chief of IMS security. He stated that he wasn't sure what the proper response would have been should she have made it to his stall. It sounds like the two have talked since then and have agreed to move on, although I doubt they are on good terms.

Update: Listen to the interview here

Well, on to week #2 for me. We will be heading to the track tomorrow morning. Luckily this time it's only a 10 minute trip.

Milwaukee Is Nothing New

One question has been on the mind of all open wheel fans this year: When will the transitional teams become competitive on the ovals. With Rahal's win at St. Petersburg, it was proven that N/H/L had no problem adapting to the Dallara/Honda combo. The greatest disadvantage thus far has been the unfamiliar tracks. But this changes this weekend.

CCWS did not run at Milwaukee last year, but had the years previous. The last winner was none other than Sébastien Bourdais driving for N/H/L. Still, this is not a new track for these teams and it is not a super speedway. Admittedly, it is still an oval, but the effect of car setup lessens when a driver can't run flat out. The months worth of practice at Indy will not hurt these teams either.

It is likely that this is still not enough to put them in the front with the big 3, but hopefully it is enough for a decent finish. Keyword being finish. I doubt N/H/L wants to spend yet another week repairing cars.

My First Indy 500: Final Thoughts

I am still trying to process my trip to Indy last weekend since my brain was in overload mode the entire time. Now a few days later I am finally grasping the history behind that place. Before we left on Monday we stopped over at the museum on the advice of several Track Forum members. For anyone visiting for the first time it is a must. It puts things in perspective.

We also found time to take the track tour. The feeling you get while looking down the straightaway is just amazing. It's the same view shared by AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti, Bobby Rahal, Rick Mears, The Unsers, Eddie Cheever, Arie Luyendyke, Gordon Johncock, Emerson Fittapaldi, Scott Goodyear, Nigel Mansell, Tony Stewart, Gil de Ferran, and many many more. And everyone one of them probably felt the same way I did upon taking the first lap.

So now that it is over I feel that as a race fan, I have something that had been missing. I have enjoyed many motorsport events up until this point, but I consider them appetizers. And the possibility that this could be the re-birth of the 500 makes it even more special. Who knows what the future holds. Maybe attendance will dwindle or maybe things will continue to grow. It doesn't matter. Who is driving, or how many sponsors show up, is unimportant. It can't be dethroned by marketing campaigns and television ratings. The blood sweat and tears of both well known an unknown drivers who risked there lives on this track for a chance at one moment of glory has forever engraved its status as the "Greatest Spectacle In Racing".

I have finally published some of the pics I took. Feel free to take a look.

2008 Indy Museum

2008 IRL Indy 500

92nd Indy 500:The Morning After

We have a couple things we want to do this morning, and then its back home. We are a little bummed that the trip is over, but luckily Milwaukee is in 6 days. Did I mention 27 cars on a track under half the size of Indy?

Dixon Gets His

Scott Dixon put the beat down on that field today. TK said it in an interview before the race: "You don't chose to win at this place, it chooses you". TK himself was punished for messing with destiny. And he wasn't the only one.

It was a long day for us. We were at the track by 7:00 AM, so I am going to keep this brief. Plus I still need to finish watching the race coverage. They did not run it live here in Indy, so they are playing it now on local TV.

- I overheard Sarah Fisher on the scanner drop a few F-Bombs during the first spin out. I wonder if IRL has a policy on that. Not that I blame her. It seems as though there was a lack of communication with the safety team. She wanted to re-fire the car, but they began towing her. I can't remember her exact words, but it was something like "I don't know what these idiots are doing..."

- While the scanner was running, someone was listing off the top ten cars. I didn't catch which team it was, but they referred to Ed Carpenter as "Prince Edward". Someone else was referred to as "Junk In The Trunk".

- I think the helicopter flew through the balloons at the beginning of the ceremony. The result was many balloons almost getting stuck on the track. Luckily a gust of wind blew them up and over the fence, otherwise I suspect that the green flag would have been delayed.

- We were sitting between turn 3 and 4 in the North Vista. I will sit in those seats at every race I attend in the future. We had a perfect view of the TK/Sarah Dance, the Milka Spin, Rahal's Scrape, and Roth's Oil Dump.

- Speaking of Milka... I found myself saying to myself on every lap... "She is still in this?". And when she did lose it, I have to admit, she did a good job of avoiding the wall and other cars.

- Just Wilson was impressive in the beginning. To bad N/H/L had to end the day that way.

Ah, so much more to comment on but I am sunburned and light headed from breathing ethanol for 3 hours. When we get back tomorrow I am going to post some of the 400+ pics I took, so check back.

The 92nd Running Of The Indy 500: Race Day

Light Racing...

Things worked out well today. The sun was shining and hardly a cloud in the sky. We decided to skip the parade and head over to the track for the re-scheduled Freedom 100. It was a good choice in my opinion, those guys and gals know how to put on a show. Immediately they were running four wide on turn one and at one point were trying for five wide. There were a couple of short term lead changes, but it was Dillon Battistini's race to win. Nonetheless it was a very exciting race. And even with the parade in process downtown, the event still managed to draw a decent crowd.

We had a chance to walk around the track a little more today. We checked out the road course, and caught a glimpse of the garages. This place is amazing. You can walk for hours and still not cover everything.

Well, tomorrow is the big day. I am off to check my scanner frequencies.

Carb Day: First Impressions

Well, we made it down here for carb day. No thanks to the highway 65 closings. Luckily we had the GPS. I will stop complaining though. I consider myself privileged just to be here. Everything seemed unimportant the second I got my first glimpse of this amazing track.


It has been raining on and off the whole day, so we have yet to see track action. All events have been canceled due to weather, but the outlook for the weekend sounds much brighter. The racing gods have spoken however. My first vision of an IndyCar at full speed on the track will be the first green lap of the 500.


We only spent a few hours at the track, absorbing the sites and sounds, but it was long enough to attract the local media. While sitting in the bleachers we were interviewed by the Channel 13 Track Team and managed to get on tv for about .8 of a second. It has inspired me to pursue a career in racing commentary. Or maybe not.

27 At The Milwaukee Mile

I just heard on the local radio that the AJ Foyt 225 will run up to 27 cars this year. According to Jim Tretow (VP at the Mile), they plan to reconfigure the pit stalls if necessary. So it doesn't sound like we will be having Saturday bump action. Unless someone shows up with a 28th entry...

2008 Indy 500 Events: What To Do

I will be off to my first Indy 500 in 3 days, and as usual, I am just planning things now...

Luckily, the folks over at track forum provided me with loads of ideas. We will be arriving sometime Friday morning, if we can make it through Chicago traffic in a reasonable amount of time. If we can get there early enough, we may head right to the track. So here are some of things we might try to attend. It is probably not the most comprehensive list since this is a new event for me, but I figured I would share what others have been so kind to give me.


Friday Carb Day - Track: 10$ Admission

11:00AM - 12:00AM Indycar Practice (track)
(If we get there in time for this we may miss it anyway. The Track Forum folks told us that our first view of the cars at full speed should be the first green lap of the race itself)

12:00PM - 1:30PM Freedom 100 Race (track)
1:30PM -3:00PM Music by DJ Orion (track)
1:30PM -3:00PM Pit Stop Challenge (track)
3:00PM Vintage Car Laps (track)

3:30PM Carb Day Concert - STP
(Miller Lite Stage behind Hall of Fame Museum)

Carb Night Burger Bash 6:30 to 10 p.m. 96th Street Steakburgers,
Metropolis outdoor mall, Plainfield, Ind.

Saturday - Track: Free

Race fan clubs breakfast at the clarion hotel
8:00AM Gates Open
9:00AM-10:00AM Autograph Sessions (Pagoda Plaza)
10:30AM Drivers Meeting
12:00PM 500 Festival Parade (Downtown Indianapolis)

USAC midgets at Indianapolis Raceway Park
Silver Crowns at the Marion County Fairgrounds
Little 500 in Anderson

Other Things to Check Out

Museum Lap Around The Track Tour

Visit the fine folks at Camp & Brew
(Georgetown Rd to the Coke Lot on the left just past T4)

Misc Info

The official Indy 500 Schedule

Wingspotters Guide (Includes scanner frequencies) (pdf)

Driving Directions

Track Forum Indy Traditions

2008 Indy 500 STarting Lineup (pdf)

Spectator Info

Indy 500 Seating Guide
(Used this when to select the tickets. Great site..)

Kyle Busch: The F1 Years

Let me start with this: Wahahah... wahahah. hahahaha.. wahahahaha. hahahaha. wahahahaha (gasp) Wahahahah hahah ahahah .... weahahaha . hahahaha. wahahahahaha... ahhhhhhhhhhh.

(Note: For any Nascar fans reading this... that means i think its funny. It is not intended to be a "whoop" or a "holler".)

Ok. Now that I have that out of my system.. NasCab racing sensation Kyle Busch feels that it is time to spread his wings a little. It seems that running fellow drivers off the road, running his mouth, and gaining the hatred of 89% of the trailer park population is just not enough for this rising star. It is now time for him to teach those "other" open wheel drivers how it is done.

First off.. would Gibbs racing really let him set foot in another car? The same team that supposedly does not allow Tony Stewart to run both the 500 and that other race on the same weekend?

Second off.. WAHAHAHAHAHAH.. ok.. sorry.

Third..

"However, commenting on F1 as a spectacle, Busch added: "It seems as though their racing isn't all that great - they kind of get stuck in line and the aero takes over everything."

Did someone drop this kid on his head?

Great Stuff From Cheever/Goodyear

Just a quick blurb while watching the bump day coverage. I am trying to figure out what I am enjoying more... the qualifying runs... or the fireworks between Cheever and Goodyear.

Good stuff..

Pole Day, Paul Tracy, Indy Stuff For Me

Let the qualifications begin. It sounds like the weather will be nice today, hopefully a drastic change from the last week. Predictions are running wild and the rumor mill is churning.

The latest rumor is regarding none other than Paul Tracy. Not surprising since his name seems to come up on every instance of Ask The Expert these days. So rumor has it that if Penske can successfully qualify both drivers this weekend, he will make his spare car available to Walker Racing. Should this happen, PT could have a second weekend shot at qualifying. And with a Penske prepared car I think he would have a reasonable shot at a top 10 finish. But alas.. one must remind oneself that it is only a rumor.

In other cool news, I received my Indy 500 guest guide in the mail the other day. It also included a letter from Joie Chitwood. He said that he looks forward to having me there. And he even called me by name. Thats just how cool I am.

So here we go. I wish I could watch the coverage all day today, but I have to miss some of it. Luckily... I have a DVR.

Go TK.

Tony Stewart: Here Is Our Offer

Tony was back at IMS yesterday, looking to see some real racing action. They say he was there for his midget/sprint teams... but we all know the real reason. He has always been open to the idea of coming back. And not just for the 500.

"If I was going to come to Indianapolis again, I don't want to come and show up and run the month of May.

If I'm going to do it, I need to start at Homestead, and I need to run all the races leading up to the month of May to really feel like I'm being fair to the team and fair to myself."

I have always liked Tony, even though he drives for the dark side. He is one of the few drivers over there that doesn't drink the Kool-Aid. And even with all of his complaining, it would be great to see him run again. So Tony... what if we...


We promise no Pop Off valves (until 2010...maybe...)




We promise no GoodYear tires



We promise not to... well.. we're not sure.



We will continue to speculate

NHL Tragedy

I would like to join fellow bloggers My Name is IRL and Meeshbeer in offering my condolences to the friends and family of N/H/L mechanic Davey Evans. According to the report, he was killed during an unprovoked attack on Saturday night. The attackers have been taken into custody.

Rookies Pass Indy 500 Bootcamp

Yesterday was day one of rookie orientation. Will Power was not only the first on the track, but also ended the day with a top speed of 220.694 mph. By comparison, last year Michael Andretti ran fastest on the first day with a speed of 219.871 mph. Not to bad for a guy new to ovals.

So, 10 of the 13 drivers passed the 4 phase test of skill and determination. And all of them lived. But it did take its toll on each driver. Lets examine exactly what horrors await an IndyCar rookie...

Test 1 (Test of Loyalty): Each driver is placed in a tiny room with no lighting. A series of questions are directed at the driver via a loud speaker. At some point in time, Gene Simmons will enter the room. Drivers tell us that everything gets hazy at this point, so no one is quite sure what happens.

Test 2 (Test of Strength and Speed): Each driver is forced to push AJ Foyt and his golf cart up a large hill. Upon arrival at the top, AJ will grab a wrench in a whiskey induced rage and chase the driver back down the hill.

Test 3: (Test of Courage): Each driver must stand several feet from Marty Roth's pit stall while blindfolded. Any movement or soiling of oneself results in a failing grade.

Test 4: (The Final Test): This test is make it or break it for many of the rookies. Each rookie must complete 20 laps at full speed while blind folded. They can rely only on the instructions of their spotter, which is none other than Milka Duno.


Our hats off to the Rookies. We hope that one day, you will be able to forget the horrible memories.

IndyCar Guest Drivers?

Ok, even I can't possibly believe that Eddie Gossage's offer to JR is going to work out. And I have run with some pretty crazy ideas in the past. But it presents an interesting thought. Could this be the beginning of many more track sponsored driver proposals? Why wouldn't a track owner push for this type of publicity?

If TG continues to grow the Vision racing team, there is potentially a seat for "guest" drivers. I don't believe that TG can run a profitable team in the traditional sense. They are starting to become competitive on the ovals, but thats about it. I doubt they will ever be competitive on the bendy courses. But the team could continue to serve its original purpose of supporting the series if they were able to provide rides for popular drivers. (Ahem.. PT) In order for any self respecting driver to consider this a car capable of running in the lead pack would be required. And if Vision can continue to progress on the ovals, they could be the answer.

Part of me likes the idea.. part of me doesn't. It does have kind of a cheesy feeling to it. But I think if they could get some credible drivers in there, it could be really interesting. As long as they are competitive. And offering 100K to NASCAB's top driver isn't going to cut it. Either get some real money together, or shoot for someone who doesn't burn cash in his fireplace.