Back home in Indiana, the 2009 Indianapolis is struggling to get the media attention the most historical event in motor sports deserves, as the race only interrupted six times since 1911 by World War I and World War II, prepares to crown its 2009 champion to join the legends since Ray Harroun won the first event on May 30, 1911.
A ninety year old event is rich with tradition. Did you know, peanuts are not served at the track because they are considered bad luck? Maybe because struggling teams don’t like the reputation of working for peanuts. The race quickly became an international sensation when a French driver, Jules Goux won driving a Peugeot in 1913. Three drivers hold the distinction for most wins, four victories: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears. Many traditions follow the race for several days right up to when the green flag starts the action. A special Midwestern style pork barbeque sandwich is the favored menu item. The event features one of the largest balloon launches as thousands of balloons are released at the race’s beginning, and no sports venue is more attached to a singer and a song except maybe Wrigley Field with Harry Carey and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” with Jim Nabors, Gomer Pyle, singing “Back Home Again in Indiana.” The 78 year old actor made famous playing, ironically a North Carolina small town’s folk, missed the 2007 race due to medical issues which prompted race officials to have the fans in the stands sing the song. For your sentimental joys, here’s a link to ol’ Gomer’s performance last year.
http://www.indy500.com/videos/watch/1023-Jim_Nabors_Sings__Back_Home_Again_In_Indiana
This year all eyes will be on racer Danica Patrick for obvious reasons, but more seriously, she starts 10th in the fourth row in Sunday’s action. More importantly, this year’s front row lines up, Hellio Castroneves, Ryan Briscoe, and Dario Franchitti in the front row. Castroneves returns as the last consecutive winner in 2001 and 2002. Last year’s winner, Scott Dixon, lines up in the middle of the second row between Graham Rahal and Tony Kanaan, current IRL points leader. 2006 winner, Sam Hornish, jr. will be nowhere to be found in Indiana as he’ll represent team Penske in Charlotte. 2005 winner, Dan Wheldon, starts 18th on the outside of row 6th. No other winners from the decade will compete, as 2000 winner, Juan Pablo Montoya starts in the top 10 at Charlotte while Gil de Ferran and Buddy Rice are not in the event. Besides Danica Patrick starting in 10th, two other ladies join the field, Sarah Fisher in 21st and Miko Duno in 30th.
Racing is often considered a family business, and the classic names are in this event: Foyt and Andretti. Marco Andretti, Michael’s son and Mario’s grandson, starts in the middle of the 3rd row in 8th. A.J. Foyt IV starts in 19th in the 7th row, and Mario Andretti’s nephew, John starts row 10 in 28th starting position.
This is the second year after what was left of CART folded and was absorbed by IRL making it the only regular open wheel series in the United States. While the Indy 500 will surely attract plenty of viewers, it’s not the big landmark on the sports calendar it used to be with stiff competition from NASCAR, NBA playoffs, and baseball all playing into the crowded sports media picture. Further, a hard reality for IRL is once major figures prove marketable stars, NASCAR and Formula I become attractive alternatives as Juan Pablo Montoya and Sam Hornish are entered in Charlotte. Furthermore, few drivers burst on the IRL scene the way Tony Stewart did winning the IRL championship in 1997. Two years later, he’d be a full-timer in Sprint Cup as rookie of the year en route to two championships currently #2 in Cup standings.
IRL needs more exposure. Most of its television coverage is on Versus, the same network that hosts the NHL, but is far less available than ESPN. One would think the media sensation Danica Patrick creates would draw more attention to the tradition bound series; however, with Fomula 1 getting full coverage and much exposure on the gear head’s channel of choice, SpeedTV, and NASCAR clearly the dominant force with all but six races on EPSN, Fox or ABC, IRL seeks its spot in a crowded market. Perhaps that there is only one car left competing, a Honda powered racer, creates less a competitive field when NASCAR sports a race between Fords, Chevy’s, Dodges, and Toyotas. As NASCAR is the family business of the France family, IRL is the product of the George family.
We will be glued to the television for both the Indy 500 and Coca Cola 600, but IRL has much work to do before it would become part of our steady sports viewing diet even though we enjoy the sport.
PS: In finding pictures for this posting, it was very hard to find pictures of Danica Patrick that weren’t cheese shots in bathing suits or other pure sex stuff. WHOA BABY!!!
A ninety year old event is rich with tradition. Did you know, peanuts are not served at the track because they are considered bad luck? Maybe because struggling teams don’t like the reputation of working for peanuts. The race quickly became an international sensation when a French driver, Jules Goux won driving a Peugeot in 1913. Three drivers hold the distinction for most wins, four victories: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears. Many traditions follow the race for several days right up to when the green flag starts the action. A special Midwestern style pork barbeque sandwich is the favored menu item. The event features one of the largest balloon launches as thousands of balloons are released at the race’s beginning, and no sports venue is more attached to a singer and a song except maybe Wrigley Field with Harry Carey and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” with Jim Nabors, Gomer Pyle, singing “Back Home Again in Indiana.” The 78 year old actor made famous playing, ironically a North Carolina small town’s folk, missed the 2007 race due to medical issues which prompted race officials to have the fans in the stands sing the song. For your sentimental joys, here’s a link to ol’ Gomer’s performance last year.
http://www.indy500.com/videos/watch/1023-Jim_Nabors_Sings__Back_Home_Again_In_Indiana
This year all eyes will be on racer Danica Patrick for obvious reasons, but more seriously, she starts 10th in the fourth row in Sunday’s action. More importantly, this year’s front row lines up, Hellio Castroneves, Ryan Briscoe, and Dario Franchitti in the front row. Castroneves returns as the last consecutive winner in 2001 and 2002. Last year’s winner, Scott Dixon, lines up in the middle of the second row between Graham Rahal and Tony Kanaan, current IRL points leader. 2006 winner, Sam Hornish, jr. will be nowhere to be found in Indiana as he’ll represent team Penske in Charlotte. 2005 winner, Dan Wheldon, starts 18th on the outside of row 6th. No other winners from the decade will compete, as 2000 winner, Juan Pablo Montoya starts in the top 10 at Charlotte while Gil de Ferran and Buddy Rice are not in the event. Besides Danica Patrick starting in 10th, two other ladies join the field, Sarah Fisher in 21st and Miko Duno in 30th.
Racing is often considered a family business, and the classic names are in this event: Foyt and Andretti. Marco Andretti, Michael’s son and Mario’s grandson, starts in the middle of the 3rd row in 8th. A.J. Foyt IV starts in 19th in the 7th row, and Mario Andretti’s nephew, John starts row 10 in 28th starting position.
This is the second year after what was left of CART folded and was absorbed by IRL making it the only regular open wheel series in the United States. While the Indy 500 will surely attract plenty of viewers, it’s not the big landmark on the sports calendar it used to be with stiff competition from NASCAR, NBA playoffs, and baseball all playing into the crowded sports media picture. Further, a hard reality for IRL is once major figures prove marketable stars, NASCAR and Formula I become attractive alternatives as Juan Pablo Montoya and Sam Hornish are entered in Charlotte. Furthermore, few drivers burst on the IRL scene the way Tony Stewart did winning the IRL championship in 1997. Two years later, he’d be a full-timer in Sprint Cup as rookie of the year en route to two championships currently #2 in Cup standings.
IRL needs more exposure. Most of its television coverage is on Versus, the same network that hosts the NHL, but is far less available than ESPN. One would think the media sensation Danica Patrick creates would draw more attention to the tradition bound series; however, with Fomula 1 getting full coverage and much exposure on the gear head’s channel of choice, SpeedTV, and NASCAR clearly the dominant force with all but six races on EPSN, Fox or ABC, IRL seeks its spot in a crowded market. Perhaps that there is only one car left competing, a Honda powered racer, creates less a competitive field when NASCAR sports a race between Fords, Chevy’s, Dodges, and Toyotas. As NASCAR is the family business of the France family, IRL is the product of the George family.
We will be glued to the television for both the Indy 500 and Coca Cola 600, but IRL has much work to do before it would become part of our steady sports viewing diet even though we enjoy the sport.
PS: In finding pictures for this posting, it was very hard to find pictures of Danica Patrick that weren’t cheese shots in bathing suits or other pure sex stuff. WHOA BABY!!!
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