Get that Monkey off my Back!
May 31, 2005
“Aussie” Dave Grubnic would probably never say that but I am sure he was thinking it in Topeka, Kan. After years of toiling with shoestring budgets and leaking cars he finally was able to sip the victory POWERade in the winner’s circle while celebrating his own win at the O’Reilly Spring Nationals. That win could not have come at a better time. Grubnic has been dogged lately (some of that criticism coming from me) regarding taking dives for his teammate, Doug Kalitta. I hate to rain on Grubnic’s parade and do not want to dilute the impact of this win. I live in reality and I can’t help but ask, “what if?”.
The IRL’s Junky Chassis Could Ruin Junky’s CCWS Season
May 30, 2005
There’s a reason Paul Tracy calls them “crapwagons”.
The 89th Indy 500; Pros And Cons
May 30, 2005
Much ado about the 89th running of the Indy 500. The usual ballyhoo about the winners and losers. Here’s a slightly different take on this years event.
Return to ‘The Race’
May 30, 2005
A nine year wait between 500’s and I picked a great one for my return. The 89th running was exciting, intense, interesting, had lots of real racing action and brought the crowd to its feet a few times. Once again, I’m left wondering why more people don’t watch the IRL on “the other” weekends.
Coke 600 Ford Notes
May 30, 2005
Courtesy Ford teams, here are the collected quotes from blue oval drivers in the Coca Cola 600.
KURT BUSCH - No. 97 IRWIN/Sharpie Taurus (Finished 43rd) - “It just snapped around on me real quick. I don’t know if there was fluid on the track or not. There was a bunch on the windshield and it just came around. Obviously, I was in no hurry. It’s 600 miles, but it just snapped around on me.”
Third Coke 600 For Johnson
May 29, 2005
Jimmie Johnson notched his third consecutive victory in NASCAR’s longest race, overcoming a record 22 cautions for 103 laps. One short red flag halted the race late in the evening before Johnson edged Bobby Labonte by .027 second for the win at an average race speed of 114.698 mph.
A record number of drivers led, with 21 different drivers swapping the lead 37 times.
Junqueira Suffers Vertebrae Fracture in Indy 500 Crash
May 29, 2005
Champ Car race winner last week, hospitalized this week. Bruno Junqueira will most definitely miss this coming weekend’s Champ Car race in Milwaukee due to his Indy wreck that caused a concussion and fractures of his T-12 and L-1 vertebras.
Grubnic Becomes First Non-North American To Win An NHRA Top Fuel Event, Downs Dixon At O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals
May 29, 2005
Force wins third straight in Funny Car, NHRA-record 118th overall; Anderson wins third straight in Pro Stock
TOPEKA, Kan. — Australian Dave Grubnic sped past Larry Dixon in the finals of the 17th annual O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka to become the first non-North American to win an NHRA Top Fuel event.
Dan Wheldon Wins Indy 500
May 29, 2005
Dan Wheldon fulfilled his destiny today, winning the Indianapolis 500. Just so you don’t have to read any further if you don’t want to - Danica Patrick came in fourth. More on that later.
How To Trash Your Own Legend – By AJ Foyt
May 29, 2005
The legacy of the Foyt name in auto racing and at the Indianapolis 500 is being tarnished, and AJ Foyt is the one to blame. The actions of AJ Foyt IV at the 500 today are questionable at best. Foyt IV came down into Bruno Junqueira in a turn sending Bruno hard into the wall and out of the race. It is unknown at the time of this writing whether or not Bruno will be able to compete in his normal Champ Car ride next weekend. Bruno was just about past Foyt IV and Foyt admitted that his spotter mentioned that there was a car inside. There is no reason that a car so far off the pace should have clipped a potential race winner.