In Tennessee this morning it is a little chilly and a little rainy. I don't what it's like in Indy, but a chilly, rainy day in May can only mean on thing: It's time to open the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and begin practicing for the Indianapolis 500 (the greatest event in motorsports).Now that most of my readers have clicked away from the blog (they aren't interested in racing like you and I are), can we talk?
This should be a really good year for the Indy 500. Helio Castroneves will garner headlines as the shoe who wins races, wins dancing with the stars, and beats the IRS in court. This guy is on a winning streak like racing has never seen. Scott Dixon has to be the favorite for the race; he started the season slowly but won the first oval race in Kansas and seems to be the best IndyCar has to offer. The list of possible winners is the same as usual, but here are the drivers we don't expect to win, but that I can't help but pull for:
Sarah Fisher: Sarah doesn't play the siren like Danica. She's a likable driver who has started her own racing team (along with her husband) and little by little they are trying to become a serious contender. Her sponsor is Dollar General Stores (if you shop there, tell them Sarah sent you!). That's so unlikely a sponsor that I find myself amazed that she's able to get a car in the race at all. Go Sarah!
Will Power's name is just too cool. He needs a good race because he won't have a job for much of the year if he doesn't finish strong (top 5?). He's a good racer from down under who stepped into the Penske car while Castroneves was on trial for tax evasion. When Castroneves was acquitted, Will was pretty much out of a ride. He'll get a shot at Indy and if he does exceptionally well, the sponsorship might come along to allow him to stay in the seat for the rest of the season.
EJ Viso is a Venezuelean who drives for HVM Racing. He doesn't have much of a shot because the team isn't among the elite; however, he's a gutsy kid and a good interview. I can't help but pull for him. He hasn't even come close to winning a race, yet.
3 comments:
Aaron - I guess this is one of those Hoosier things - I have ZILLIONS (at least:) of "500" memories. In my dad's family, your 8th grade graduation present was a ticket to the race, and it was the first time you were allowed to go. A sort of Hoosier coming of age thing, I guess. Prior to that, all of us cousins stayed at Grandma and Grandpa Theobald's house all day while the adults and big cousins went to the race -- the really cool thing about going to Grandpa's waasss ---- you got to RIDE your bike (on the ROAD) to Grandma and Grandpa's. At the end of their lane, right between their house and the barns, they had sort of an oval part of the driveway thing, aaand (you can see this coming) -- THAT was OUR race track for our bikes. Very cool, huh. The 500 hoopla was always blaring away on Grandpa's a.m. radio in the house or on the porch. After all of the racing was over (ours and the real thing) Grandpa and Grandma piled about 10 of us kids in his Chevy Impala (with a straight, because he wouldn't buy an automatic:):)and they took our sticky little bodies to Shelbyville to Dairy Queen, and we were allowed to get whatever kind of sundae we wanted. Life didn't get any better than that:) (sorry for the loong comment -- you'll be careful about mentioning the 500 to me again:)!
It's a Hoosier thing. No mountains. No ocean. Just large flat spaces perfect for building ovals!
it is for sure a hoosier thing. fisher and viso are among my favorites. i've been trying to support matos and rahal this season. and i am SO excited to see paul tracy back at the speedway this year, even if his personality is so abrasive. i can't wait to get up there in a few weeks!
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