Enough Already! Let’s See Some Racing!
Written by George Katinger · May 16, 2007
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Entrance to the Brickyard.
Photo: Allan Brewer |
by Allan Brewer
allan@fastmachines.com
We need more American drivers. We need reunification.
We, even, need flat-bottom cars.
Everyone’s got an opinion on how to run the Indy 500.
In this man’s opinion, what we need to do is stop parsing the words, passing the blame and p****** and moaning.
What’s wrong with the racing the way it is?
Time after time since its inception the Indy Racing League has put on closely-matched races and breathtaking finishes. It’s produced drivers who were capable and competent (think Dan Wheldon, a first-rate racer who would excel at any level of the sport).
And on Saturday, it brought thousands of fans to their feet once again as the new qualifying format and tiny Danica Patrick shook down some of the right kind of thunder from central Indiana skies.
I mean, guys, what do you want?
Last year’s Indianapolis 500 produced arguably the most thrilling finish ever when Sam Hornish overtook Marco Andretti on the very last lap of the race to win the Borg Warner Trophy.
Fans, that’s the first time ever (read in history) that a man has passed another on the last lap of this two hundred lap marathon to claim the victory. In fact, Hornish made the pass in the last two hundred yards for heavens sake!
Is there something wrong with the hundreds of thousands of people who stood holding their breath and watching this incredible conclusion to (still) The Greatest Spectacle in Racing?
Some of us have been to Formula 1 races and seen the isolated, snobbish prejudice that series takes to every venue it visits. Some of us grew up too close to the realities of “country living” to ever want to be reminded of it with twangy, over-emotionalized musical proclamations that forever claim “she done me wrong” and “my dog died” on race day.
Succinctly, some of us want to see real racing (which means open-wheel race cars) conducted by really good drivers (guys like Kanaan, and Marco, and Helio and Vitor) regardless of where they came from.
I’ll even extend that to guys and gals from the Buckeye state, much as I hate the place.
Hell, my yard guys are Mexicans, as are the fellows who painted my house and fixed my roof last summer. My favorite food is Italian. I spread Dijon mustard on my Smithfield country ham.
Where’s the paradox in that?
It’s America, remember?
Give me your tired, your poor
Comments
7 Responses to “Enough Already! Let’s See Some Racing!”
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GREAT ARTICLE. I HOPE
EVERYONE WILL JUST GO TO
THE RACES AND ENJOY THEM.
THANKS, JC
Thank you. Open wheels, fast cars, pretty women, and a place to race. Enough said.
Well said…………I can’t wait to see the race, should be a doosey!
Err sounds to me like your wanting to see the Brickyard 400 instead or any NASCAR for that matter which have many passes each lap and on many occasions have last lap passes for the win (2007 Daytona 500 is a good example of that)
Uh, the fact that half the drivers should not be behind the wheel of a race car at those speeds. Seriously who are the bottom 15. 10 good drivers. 3 has beens. Two never wills. A bunch of Who?’s. The 24 hour daytona has a more respected line up for the start. Until it can draw the best drivers again, it is the B show for the weekened with Monte Carlo and Charlotte kicking its ass. Thanks Tony… D!ck
Allan while I agree with most of your sentiments & would like to be as positive as you, I cant escape the conclusion of the poster, gary, above.
He points out nearly half the field are making up numbers. Imagine the backlash if one of those guys causes a fatality, it’s Indy! It should be pro’s only, not once a year warriors. Is this really TG’s vision? Anyway, fingers crossed, nobody gets hurt or worse.
Great article! I feel that it reflects the thoughts of many race fans who are sick of the “entertainment” based NASCAR. This article is for those of us who still appreciate pure racing with REAL race cars rather than watching “taxi cabs” for four hours. Real race cars don’t have fenders and real race series don’t throw the yellow flag to keep things entertaining. The entertainment is in the thrill of high speeds and danger with open wheels! When the “taxi cabs” come to the brickyard the racing is horrible. Period.