Gorgeous Indy Roadsters

 

 

 

 

Any excuse to look at the gorgeous Indy Roadsters!!

Tradition or Show

Regular readers will know how much I love the Indy 500. From the pre-race ceremonies to the winners photo shoot, the Month of May is a highlight of the racing year for me.

I find it hard to describe my feelings on the morning of the race. Only the Daytona 500 creates the same level of tension, apprehension and excitement.

A huge part of what makes the Indy 500 so special is the tradition. The tradition of the venue, the Month of May, the show, the race.

The track may change, new road course, updated facilities but as a venue Indy holds on to its traditions, the Pagoda, the bricks.

The event may not take the whole of May any more but again the traditions are there, Carb Day, Bump Day and so on...

On race day, "Drivers to your cars", the baloons, Jim Nabors, great to see him back by the way, GSYE, all of the pre-race build up, the 3 by 3 rolling start, through to the winners milk...

The Indy 500 is steeped in tradition while also looking forward to who will become the next driver to win the great race.

It is with this appreciation for and love of the traditions that I internally debate the merits of finishing the race under yellow.

On one side you have the argument that 250, 000 fans at the track and millions more on TV have watched the most important and prestigious open wheel motor race in America only to see it end behind the pace car. The DW12 is so good at drafting and overtaking that a last lap move for the win is inevitable, and what a finish it would be. Who wouldn't like to see the 500 end with a photo finish to match this years Indy Lights race? If the race was run by NASCAR we would have three attempts at ending the race under green, three G-W-C's, so why doesn't the Indy 500 do something similar? More chance of a dramatic finish for the headlines and news bulletins.

The answer is simple... tradition!

This is not Daytona, this is Indianapolis and that's not how its done here.

The same traditions that dictate the winner drinks milk of all things also prevents such gimmicks from infecting the 500. What is so right for NASCAR is so wrong for the Indy 500. Note I said the Indy 500 not the Indycar Series, as you could argue G-W-C are a good idea at other Indycar oval races, but not at the 500, tradition says so!

I am genuinely split. Doing everything you can to end the race at racing speed would be good for TV and attract fans who watch NASCAR week in, week out. For a sport trying to reassert its place in the American imagination a dramatic finish to the most important race of the year would be just what the doctor ordered. Fans would love it, TV would love it, therefore sponsors would love it. However Indy is a place of tradition, and tradition says the race is 500 miles long regardless of what happens. Is it time for tradition to take a back seat to the show or do the traditions continue?

Having watched the last two Indy 500's end under yellow and having seen the excitement the Indy Lights race created maybe it is time for a new tradition.

However it is with the traditions of the Month of May in mind I congratulate the winner of the 2013 Indianapolis 500, Tony Kanaan!

"Simply Stunning" Indy Lights Finish

Izod Indycar Series 2013, Round 4 Sao Paulo

If you can't watch it all, watch the last 10 laps, it will be worth it!

2013... A Good Year for Racing!

It occurs to me that 2013 is building up to be a vintage year for fans of motor racing.

I watched the last couple of Grand Prix and they were good... very good. I don't usually care for F1, too technical, boring drivers, ugly cars, too, well, dull. However this year we have seen not only some of the best racing I can remember seeing in F1 but some of the best racing anywhere, period. Some may say its only due to the artificial mix of tyre compounds, KERS and DRS, and the racing is not "real". Personally I say humbug! Good racing is good racing, and this year F1 has produced a show worth watching.

Long may it continue!

By the way, while we on the topic of F1, I can not help but laugh at the reaction some have when certain drivers "go racing".

Oh didums your team mate overtook you, or pushed you a bit hard or disobeyed orders or blah blah blah. This is what racing is about, if you do not like it then retire and let another young hotshot have a go.

However in 2013 F1 is not the only championship which seems to have got its "stuff" together as this years NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is producing great racing every weekend.

We had a great race at Talladega, Bristol has its magic back, and for the first time in years the cookie cutter mile and a half tracks are great to watch.

Whats the one common denominator?  The Gen 6 race cars. It is fair to say that so far this year NASCARs extensive R&D has paid off... big time. The cars look great, they look relevant, and boy are they racy!! So racy in fact that I might actually look forward to Pocono this year... anyway... this year we are seeing the drivers racing closer together and with more side by side racing than we have for years.

Again, long may it continue!

But F1 and NASCAR are not alone in producing great shows for the fans as the Indycar Series is delivering the goods as well.

I grew up more of a NASCAR and CART fan than F1 fan. The racing was better, the drivers more fan friendly, the cars better looking, you get the idea. While I have never stopped following and being a fan of NASCAR, my alegence to Indycar has waned in recent years. Aside from the Indy 500 (always a favourite occasion) I lost track of the sport once the IRL ceased to be. I used to love the close oval racing the IRL produced, and the great road races that CART at its best produced before that and I have missed this style of racing. With this in mind I have rediscovered American open wheel racing this year.

I have watched this years races in reverse order and have enjoyed them. Again cars capable of running close together and drivers making the most of it. While I was disappointed that the series did not opt for a bolder design of car when the current spec car was introduced the car has grown on me. Another race car that looks great and races well. Am I looking forward to the Indy 500? You bet!

Again, long may it continue!

 

I have also been watching this season of Australias V8 Supercars, and again, what great racing. The new rules have kept the gap between Ford and Holden close and its only a matter of time before the Mercedes and Nissans get to the front. On the topic of touring cars, in the UK the BTCC has produced some good races as well.  Once the BMWs, Toyotas and Fords are consistantly up front

with the Hondas and MGs the championship will be back where it belongs.

Good racing in 2013...

Long may it continue!