Indy 500 Spoiler

When I tune in to watch the Indy 500 on ABC, I fully expect the verbal coverage to be awful, so I have learned to ignore it, and thus enjoy the broadcast anyway.

As I have said repeatedly regarding criticism of SPEED's coverage of F1, you guys are all spoiled. I remember, not too fondly, the days when TV coverage of the 500 was limited to a highly edited version aired the following Saturday on Wide World of Sports! So learn to enjoy the live coverage, warts and all.

(In fact, this race marked the 40th anniversary of the first Indy 500 that I saw "live" -- on a big screen at the Dade County Auditorium in Miami. It was on a paid admission basis, and the picture was in black-&-white and pretty awful in resolution, not really worth the price of admission. But at least I saw Mario win, and it's hard to believe that, 40 years later, I'm still waiting to see another Andretti win. Maybe if Marco learns not to try and win the race on the first lap, he will succeed in time.)

 

Which begs the question who made sure there was OJ to drink in the winners circle.

 

Slightly broiled from sitting in Turn 3 yesterday. Made it home in time to shower and eat to watch the tape delay on TV.

Overall, I thought the race was more boring than I would have liked. Single File was the order of the day since there hadn't been any rain for a few days and the marbles were really bad. Anyone going off the narrow race line was pretty apt to hit the wall. e.g. Graham Rahal and RHR in turn 4. During cautions, they were running the sweepers to ttry to clean up some of the marbles, but the tire compounds were just kicking it back up to unsafe passing levels.

I REALLY want to be a Marco fan, but I just can't take him always blaming others and he never accepts responsibility for his actions. e.g last years take out of TK & Fisher. I have to question whether Moras' spotter was awake with the way he moved up the turn so quickly on a 3-wide start. Marco stated he was nervous of Moraes and didn't want to be near him. Open Comment to Marco: IF you are so worried about the driver next to you on a start, how about hold back about a car length so you don't get into trouble?

Prior to the race our group had a pool that included:
1) Who will Marco take out this year.
2) When will Graham crash. (not mine, I root for Graham)

TK's crash was nasty. His 2nd hit into the wall was pretty much in front of it. He was my pic for a win this year. He is supposed to be really bruised up.

It was not Vitor's day. first he gets set on fire, then that nasty crash in Turn 1. "Always the bride's maid, but never the bride."

Congrats to Weldon and Danica on their 2-3 finishes. Bummer for Brisco in having that short fill to gain position and then needing to go in for a splash and go so he wouldn't run out of fuel.

Seriously happy for Helio and team. They won: Pole, Pit Stop Challenge and finally, the Race! WoooHooo!

 

LOL

I like milk. Of course.

I was referring to ABC's reporter who repeatedly said "It is not official until this is done", referring to drinking of the milk on the podium. Like it is more important than crossing the finish line or something.

As a non follower of IRL I was surprised by the whole ceremony thing: It looked like they didn't even care who came in 2nd or 3rd (Danica!). It was winner takes it all and lets make sure he gets his milk. Was very strange to me. Compare that to F1 podium, which is very organized etc (for better or worse).

 

Absolutely. Except when JB didn't know where to park yesterday.

 

Was there an IRL event yesterday? Did Danica wear her bikini?

 

Aside from the location, the Indy winner's ceremony really hasn't changed much in many years. But as far as it being a winner-only ceremony, that was true in many forms of racing until the fairly recent era. When I first attended the U.S. Grand Prix in the mid-70s, the winner's ceremony there focused entirely on the race winner. It wasn't until years later that a 3-person podium became the norm.

(I had once read that milk had first been offered to 1913 winner Jules Goux, who had consumed 6 pints of champagne during his pit stops, as an attempt to sober him up. That turned out to be a myth, as the tradition did not begin until 1933 winner Louis Meyer requested some buttermilk after his victory.)

 

As a non IRL follower I have no right to complain, but I'm really no fan of the "winner takes it all" approach. Particularly if 2nd and 3rd weren't a lap down, but just a hair width away. Oh well...

I was just stunned how the TV broadcast followed every step of Helio (who was a sobbing mess for like 5 minutes, not ready for any kind of ceremony/interview) before they even acknowledged that there were 2 cars right behind him.

I like Helio (hey, did I mention he won "Dancing with the stars"? ), but let him cry for a while and talk to 2nd and 3rd before he is ready to be talked to and back from his fence climbing.

 

Now if it were in the form of ice cream....

 

Just got in a little while ago from Indy. Got to witness another Danica moment in Gasoline Alley. She was trying to wheel her bike into her garage on race morning. A fan was nice enough to hold the door open for her so she could wheel it in. The guy had a Danica die cast that after she got in, he held out with a pen and asked for an autograph. Danica leans out, grabs the door, and slams it in the face of the guy who just held it for her!!!! The guy looks at his wife(?), says something, and walks away like someone crapped in his coffee! Just another reason I was rooting for Paul Tracy!

 

Maybe he was looking for a fence to climb.

(Remember: winning is a new experience for Jensen. )

 

For those out of the immediate Indy TV broadcast area, they will be streaming the awards banquet online.


Indy 500 Victory Celebration will be streamed live at 6:15 p.m. (ET) tonight on http://www.indy500.com. Red carpet at 6:30!

 

TK is saying he might have cracked ribs. Has to go back in for more x-rays.

Vitor is most likely out for the season due to two cracked vertibrae in his back. L1 & L2. Will be wearing a backbrace for awhile.
Matos has spoken directly with Vitor. Feeling very bad about what happened.
50/50 Anthony will take his place in the #14 car for AJ. Note to AJ: Will Power needs a ride and is strong enough to push the gas pedal to the floor.


Paul Tracy is most likely on the hook already for Edmonton and Toronto, so not sure he could also fill in for Foyt at the other races. Besides, I think those two might try to kill each other and I'd put my money on AJ.

Time to go watch the 500 Awards Banquet. The drivers are much more exciting to watch behind the wheel of a car than a microphone, but what the hay...

 

Just a few comments:

I really feel sorry for Vitor from some one who has had back pain for a long time - I belive he is only 20
Danica just can' help but show her true self - she must be fun to live with
I don't see how you can blame Marco on this deal - he just shared the general IRL sentiment on the guy who hit him

 

......and, of course! Get home from Indy to see my DVR decided it was not going to record the race. Set it for high priority and.........nothing. Does anyone know where there may be a torrent of it?

 

Anyone got pix of Danica in a bikini?

 

Fairly certain there are some of Gomer floating around.....

 

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=242876

 

And people wonder why Danica shuns her fan-boys.

 

I got back from Indy yesterday and all I can say is, wow! It was my first 500 and we got in Thursday night, already a lot of excitement in the town and just a good feeling overall. Friday went to the track for Carb Day, stood in Gasoline Alley, walked under the pagoda, saw Roger Penske, Helio and a host of other drivers walk by. Saw the cars in all their glory get wheeled by into the pits and then back to the garages. Sat across the track from the pit crew competition and thought it was terribly slow and poorly organized but was fun to watch when they actually ran.

Saturday was just a lazy day so my brother and I drove around to check out some of the teams headquarters. Ganassi and Andretti were very impressive, we wondered across KV Racing by accident and then saw Rahal, Sarah Fisher and Marty Roth all in a row. Panther Racing was last and arguably the most impressive. There is definitely a huge difference between the have's and have nots!

Sunday my brother and I got to the track about 8:30am. Walked in and realized the track was open, I was able to walk onto the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I looked down the front straight towards what would have been the first F1 corner, I was amazed how narrow the track is. I looked the other direction into turn 1 and was surprised to see how tight the corners are as opposed to what it looks like on television. I knelt and touched the hallowed track, I got goose bumps as I looked up into the grandstands and thought of all the great drivers in history who had driven over that exact spot where I now stood. Sat and ate a brunch with a great guy from Detroit and a couple great guys from North Carolina, talked about everything but mostly how great it was to be at Indy. I saw several members of the Tuskegee (sp?) Airmen and thought that was amazing. We got to our seats in time for the start of the festivities and the pomp and circumstance was unbelievable. Hearing "Back Home Again in Indiana" always gives me chills and seeing it and hearing it in person almost brought tears to my eyes, just an unreal experience. I loved seeing the start of the race and then counting down the laps as my favorite driver was in the lead. I refused to cheer and say it was over until he crossed that finished line, when he did I realized that right then, right there, I had one of my life long dreams come true. I saw my favorite driver in the field win his third Indianapolis 500, right in front of my eyes. The heat, the drunks, none of that mattered because right then, right there, I believe I felt just a little of what it actually means to win the Indianapolis 500.

Driving home I realized that what the gentlemen at lunch said was right, "it doesn't matter if you are a race fan or a sports fan, this is something that everyone needs to experience once in their life". I know I will be back next year and many years to come after that.

 

Spoken like a true Indy race fan. Thank you, sir, for capturing the feel of the weekend in words. I'm glad you enjoyed your stay in our sleepy little midwestern town.

By the way, who really feels this is HC's 3rd win? Or did Paul Tracy actually win the 2002 race? (Just to liven things up a bit)

 

in '02 Helio was saved by the timing line going into T3. Tracy was ahead when the caution came out, but they go back to the last timing line, where Helio was ahead.

Helio and PT are two of my favorite drivers so I'd be happy giving either one a Borg Warner trophy; but da rulz be da rulz...

 

Fittipaldi OWNS orange grove plantations...but The Milk Producers pay heavily to see that milk bottle so when he substituted the OJ it undermined the whole "Winners drink milk" ad campaign and they were all pizzed!

I don't recall if they actually fined him or not.....

 

I think he didn't get the contingency payment from the Dairy Assoc.