Mama said drinking milk is good for you!!
Congratulations to Helio Castroneves, now a three time Indy winner adding another victory to the long racing legacy of Roger Penske's operation who will urge on the team of Kurt Busch, David Stremme, and Sam Hornish Jr. (an Indy 500 winner) in the Coca Cola 600.
When Indy cars hit the wall, the event is always more breath taking and traumatic to witness when they're clocking speeds at over 200 mph. Among today's crashers were points leader, tony Kanaan, Graham Rahal, and Marco Andretti, the Kanaan crash perhaps being the most heart stopping.
Dan Wheldon finished second with Danica Patrick finishing third as Castroneves clearly dominated the race extending his lead powerfully at race's end securing the widest margin of victory since Juan Pablo Montoya bested Buddy Lazier by more than seven seconds in 2000. Though Castroneves won from the poll, that difficult feat was accomplished now, in four of the last six Indy 500's.
Though Danica Patrick did not contend for the win, nobody else did either. Her driving was good enough to finish third in a very competitive, caution riddled race not only showing her ability to finish well but to avoid trouble. She has learned the value of consistency and drivers who do that will win. She did nothing to devalue her status as one of the series' most intriguing and talented drivers.
Meanwhile, it's soaking wet in Charlotte as a line of tropically enriched thunderstorms pass through the area. The main line has just passed through the area with pockets of local storms still capable of bearing down on the Concord, NC speedway. The pit area is full of puddles while the jet driers move in to prepare the track for competition.
The drivers will face a green track that will transition substantially as the race continues, but how late past the bewitching hour will it last?
Here's something to think about. While much attention has focused on Dale Earnhardt's miserable season, another Daytona 500 and All-Star victor who has been in the chase regularly is having a worse season than Junior for sure. Ask Kevin Harvick how life is for team #29 these days.
Can we make Helio Casteneves a little bit of a folk hero in our attack on Washington's tax and spend madness? Casteneves faced substantial prison time for tax evasion charges, the last of which were dismissed just moments before he began final practice. While we are obligated to pay taxes, we should never have to fear heavy-handed intimidating enforcement by a government out of control.
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