[ryan_long_01]

Of course I'm biased because I work there, but the Indianapolis 500 is STILL the greatest race in the world. I grew up in Indiana watching this race every year as far back as I can remember, and all the pre-race festivities culminating in that magical moment when the green flag drops and all 33 cars race into turn 1 still bring a tear to my eye.

This year, there's a first that us Honda guys should take note of: all 33 cars in the field this year are running Honda engines! To be specific, they are running 3.0L normally aspirated Honda Racing Indy V8 engines running a 90/10 methanol/ethanol blend, with DOHC and 4 valves/cylinder that produce around 650HP and rev to over 10,000 RPM. As you've probably heard, the cars generate about 5,000 pounds of downforce at 220mph, enough to theoretically allow the car to drive upside-down at that speed...so unlike your typical ricer, their wings actually do something!

If the Honda stuff isn't reason for us Honda enthusiasts to tune in, the kick-ass racing this year in the IndyCar Series should be -- in the season opener at Miami-Homestead, last year's IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon edged out two-time 500 winner Helio Castroneves by 0.0147 of a second after a couple of laps of incredible wheel-to-wheel racing...and that was only the NINTH closest finish in series history.

The race starts at 1pm Eastern on ABC, with pre-race coverage starting at noon...and if you're at the track, my black CRX will be parked in the lot behind the museum. Let me know you'll be there and we can meet up for a beer or something...

 

[DiscoStu]

Tomorrow's just a great day for racing between the Indy 500 and the CocaCola 600 (if you're into NASCAR). I just wish they still had racers that could try all 1100 miles of racing in one day. IRL and NASCAR should both move their races apart a half hour and see if that's enough time for drivers to get from one to the other.

 

[ryan_long_01]

Tomorrow's just a great day for racing between the Indy 500 and the CocaCola 600 (if you're into NASCAR). I just wish they still had racers that could try all 1100 miles of racing in one day. IRL and NASCAR should both move their races apart a half hour and see if that's enough time for drivers to get from one to the other.

When the 500 started at 11am, it was possible -- drivers would have to hop right into a helicopter at IMS and head out, but they would make it. Then the race moved to noon, which pretty much made it impossible -- but the latest change is with daylight savings time (new to Indiana this year) and moving the start time to 1pm...so they would have to change the start times of one or both races pretty significantly to make it possible for drivers to make it. I loved those 1100 mile days with guys like Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart running both, though -- I wish guys could still give it a shot. Casey Mears said that if he won Daytona earlier this season, he would have given it a shot just to try and win Daytona and the Indy 500 in one year (since his owner Chip Ganassi is an IndyCar team owner as well, he could have done it) -- but obviously he didn't win (he came damned close, though, finishing second), so the plan was scrapped.

 

[azulito]

Funny I thought you were going to be talking about F1 at Monaco! That is one of the greatest races of the year!

 

[shadowcrx]

Laguna Seanca and Road America :wink:

 

[Kwicko]

Funny I thought you were going to be talking about F1 at Monaco! That is one of the greatest races of the year!

That's exactly what I thought!

 

[ryan_long_01]

You guys are terrible There's only ONE "Greatest Spectacle in Racing", the largest single-day sporting event in the world. I like watching F1 -- but nothing matches the tradition and mystique surrounding this place today. I have some things that I like better about IndyCar, for sure, but I don't want to turn this thread into an IndyCar vs. F1 thread...so let's leave it at that.

My car on track last week:

Watch the 500 today, make sure to catch all of the pre-race festivities that they show. If, after all that, the first lap doesn't give you goosebumps, you aren't alive. I'll bet anyone that a Honda will win, any takers?

Find your local Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network affiliate and listen to Mike King and his crew call the race if you get a chance, too. Much better than Rusty Wallace, Scott Goodyear, etc. on ABC.

 

[DiscoStu]

SWEET!!!!!!

Much better than Rusty Wallace, Scott Goodyear, etc. on ABC.

That doesn't bode well... Rusty and I guess Scott are taking over some broadcast duties next year in NASCAR where I think CBS is the only station that won't have a race. It's gonna be reducilious figuing out what channel to tape.

 

[D_Britt_57]

Funny I thought you were going to be talking about F1 at Monaco! That is one of the greatest races of the year!

Yep. lets ask the question:
Tickets and lodging at Monaco or the same for Indy...

I'd be in Monaco.
Matter of fact, I got it on now.

 

[ryan_long_01]

Unreal. if you watched this race, you know what I mean. 19-year-old Marco Andretti ALMOST pulls it out, but Sam Hornish Jr passes him with maybe 100 yards to go and pulls it out by .0063 of a second. It was so great to see live!

 

[daveb91]

Sorry watched the real race and saw Schuey go from last to 5th on one of the hardest to pass circuits. Lot better than last lap drafting.

 

[Kwicko]

Ryan: I'm just funnin' ya, really. *MY* tastes run to more F1 & road courses than to oval courses, but that's just me. Watching the cars go 'round and 'round on an oval (or semi-rectangle) course just bores me. 'Course, if it were ME in the car on that course, I don't think I'd be bored at all. Hurtling toward Indy's Turn One at 220mph, I think I'd be looking for the pit-in so I could change my underwear...

But let's face it - today WAS a great day for race fans. We had Indy, Monaco, some NASCAR event or other... so much to choose from! For me, Monaco was my first choice. Shumey did a hell of a job; just imagine what he might've done if he hadn't tried to interpret the qualifying rules so... "creatively", and had actually gotten to start from a decent position. As it was, though, I thought Alonzo was great. Kid just might have a future in racing, eh? 'Course, he'll be with Williams next season, which just might screw him. Renault seems to be really clicking with him right now, and as Barrichello can easily tell you, jumping to a new team doesn't always turn out to be the best move.

Mike

 

[azulito]

I would of watched the entire 500 if I had a DVR with dual feeds. Unfortunatley I can't record one channel and watch another. I saw the end and it was great. For flat out speed and (I was going to say balls, but what about Danica?) well balls, Indy is a great racing. I'll have to find the torrent...

Hey Ryan will you be working for the USGP?

 

[ryan_long_01]

Hey Ryan will you be working for the USGP?

Yep, I'll be there -- I work full-time at the Speedway. For the 500, it's really easy for us to get pit and garage passes, media tickets (general admission but no assigned seat), and things like that since everything is sorta in-house, with IRL and IMS running the whole show. For the USGP (and this will be my first, so I am assuming a little) I doubt if things will be as easy, since we are just a venue hosting the event and also because F1 is notoriously unavailable to the public as far as pit/garage stuff. There is a pit walkabout and autograph session on Friday for anyone with a race ticket, though.

Of course if any CRX people are around, I'll do my best to hook them up with whatever goodies I can. We might have to organize a CRX meet that weekend sometime, too, if enough people are in town.

BTW if anyone saw Scheckter's rear wing fly up into the stands when Jaques Lazier hit it, that was very close to where I was sitting...maybe 50 feet away. I really thought someone could have been badly hurt. I'll have to post some pics this week, I was in the green room with all 33 drivers before the driver introductions and watched the start of the race from the 8th floor Pagoda balcony...not a bad view