The Mighty LiveBlog: Deluxe Belle Isle Edition
Written by Money CJ · September 2, 2007
That’s right party people, you can join us right here beginning at about 3 PM EDT for the Belle Isle Edition of the World Famous LiveBlog! All you need is beer, a sense of humor, and a refresh button to join the fun. And if you happen to use AIM, you can even participate by hitting us up at SoDamnIndy. Be pumped. See ya soon!
UPDATE, 9:22 AM: We just heard from our esteemed colleague Allan Brewer that he is indeed in the HOUSE at Belle Isle with a press pass and an attitude! Yeah, Allan! He’ll be sending in stellar updates from the scene–even more reason to join us this afternoon!
UDATE 2, 12:52 PM: We went to lunch and came back to an update from Allan:
11:05 AM: Okay, here’s your first.
Helio punts Scott Dixon into the tire barrier, crumpling the left rear wing (which flies off as Dixon comes back around). It happens about twenty minutes into the session.
Then, no more than five minutes later, Dan Wheldon goes hard into the concrete barrier: smoking machine, undrivable with major rear wing/suspension damage and (probably) front end repairs in store as well.
This is why I hate this morning-of, “warm-up practice”.
Anyway, Helio is fastest this morning, Dixon (before being drop-kicked) is second-quick and Dario third.
Will the carnage continue, under the blue-sky, sunny clime of beautiful Detroit “Motor-City” Michigan?
Stay tuned. (Ed. Note: See Allan’s story on this morning’s Ganassi madness here).
11:33 AM: Awaiting medical update on the condition of Buddy Rice and the squirrel he hit in T8. (Ed. Note: Are you serious?!? He hit a Squirrel?? WTF?)
3:30 PM: And we’re LIVE from Belle Isle for the first time in 6 years for the Detroit Grand Prix! Straight to the Iceman - Dario chapionship montage, natch…
3:32 PM: We were in Detroit on Monday and Tuesday of this week and were amazed by the awesome weather. Looks like it’s held today…track looks beautiful–sweet that they could get it all cleaned up and ready to go so quickly…further proof that whatever Roger wants, Roger gets, my friends…
3:36 PM: People, can we please stop talking about the Dario-Marco incident from last week? Was a fuck up. End of conversation. Jesus…
3:37 PM: Bre with Iceman–sounds Sarah Fisher may be to blame for the contact between him and Helio in practice earlier…dang, pressdog. Girl cant get a break. Oh, and speaking of breaks, can someone please tell me how the fuck it is that my Boy Dan Wheldon is P-16? Anyone? Shit’s gonna drive me to drink.
3:41 PM: Nice Helio montage and Bre spot. He owns this track. He’s gonna win this race. We love Helio–a lot–but if we hear one more thing about Dancing With The Stars we’re gonna hurl. Can we go green now?
3:43 PM: Larry Somebody from Honda gives the command, shamelessly shills the ‘Honda Engines’….thanks for the reminder, dude. We almost forgot that the series is powered by Honda. And fueled by Ethanol. And that Security Chief Charles kicks Ass. And that Bears shit in the….zzzzzz.
3:46 PM: In-car cams in effect for parade laps–venue really looks beautiful. We kind of regret our earlier skepticism.
3:50 PM: green-green-green, people!!
3:50 PM: Passing on the first lap! Marco sticks it to RHR. Nice.
3:52 PM: Man alive–for a road course (and a bumpy one at that), they’re hitting some pretty sweet speeds. This ought to be something.
3:56 PM: At 5 of 90 it’s Helio, Dario, TK, Dixon, Marco…
3:58 PM: A reader just texted to let us know that Belle Isle is “Chock-Full-O-Babes” this afternoon. Much like my living room. (Dude, send pics).
4:01 PM: We take a lap from the perspective of the camera on Helio’s Nose Cone. So awesome. He’s tearing up the track–1.3 second lead, speeds in excess of 150. Awesome.
4:02 PM: 10 of 90, P’s remain the same with the exception of Wheldon, who went from 16th to 17th ’cause he took early fuel. Good lord.
4:15 PM: 20 of 90: Nothing has changed. Nothing. Sarah and Wheldon lapped. Oop! Dario, TK and Iceman pit. Stops are practically identical time-wise…
4:18 PM: Helio still leading, but is slowed up behind the lapped Wheldon. Shoulda pitted with the other leaders. Dan just ain’t letting him by. Ouch.
4:20 PM: RHR pits, stalls on the exit. Helio finally pits at 25.
evlk7 (4:22:41 PM): another Hunter-Reay mistake!
evlk7 (4:23:00 PM): or was it RLR.
SoDamnIndy (4:23:10 PM): Dude is he out again?!?
evlk7 (4:23:30 PM): yep. stalled in the pits. could not get it into gear.
SoDamnIndy (4:23:40 PM): Get Jeff on the phone. STAT.
4:25 PM: SHITBALLS! Marco out! 9th DNF! We get a Yellow at 28–looks like Special Ed has a problem…was too busy running around hollering about Marco to be sure…fuck.
We get IM’s…
deBASHmode (4:26:47 PM): Is Marco too scared to continue?
SoDamnIndy (4:27:35 PM): Good God I am steamed.
deBASHmode (4:27:53 PM): Oh, sumptin broke. Nebbermind….
SoDamnIndy (4:27:56 PM): who is this btw?
deBASHmode (4:28:26 PM): my name is Bash. Big Indy fan. Love you and the other knights of the oval table.
SoDamnIndy (4:28:44 PM): Awesome! Glad you’re here!
And another!
tankyxtrordinare (4:28:24 PM): What happened to Marco??
SoDamnIndy (4:29:02 PM): 9th DNF. So bummed.
SoDamnIndy (4:29:08 PM): Gearbox
tankyxtrordinare (4:29:11 PM): ohhh
tankyxtrordinare (4:29:15 PM): that’s a shame
SoDamnIndy (4:29:28 PM): The track eats cars.
tankyxtrordinare (4:29:35 PM): I missed the first hour…. I’m soo pissed
tankyxtrordinare (4:29:35 PM): haha
SoDamnIndy (4:29:36 PM): It’s rough. Really rough.
SoDamnIndy (4:29:44 PM): You missed VERY little!
4:33 PM: HOLY BALLS! Sarah error takes out Vitor, Sam, Danica and Manning?! UPDATE: Danica’s back on track. Others: not so much…
4:35 PM: Looks like contact between Sarah and Sam caused the mayhem. Whose fault though?
SoDamnIndy (4:34:54 PM): Did Sarah just cause that crash??
deBASHmode (4:35:54 PM): Looks that way…listening to the radio network, and Bryan Herta just called her out for it. (He’s in for Davey Hamilton this week.) Sam just called it, too.
deBASHmode (4:36:32 PM): Bryan called her “a fish out of water” on this course.
SoDamnIndy (4:36:53 PM): Wow!
4:39 PM: The Root w Vitor…Vitor enraged. We feel for him big time. Sam’s out too. Manning’s good.
4:42 PM: OK, we’re at 35 of 90, still under Yellow. It’s Dario, TK, Iceman, Helio, Sheckter (asshole), Manning…
4:47 PM: Green @ 38.
4:57 PM: Huh. Apparently, Roger bought this Island from Indians many many years ago…who knew…
4:59 PM: YELLOW @ 47. Contact: Danica and Lookin’ Sharp. Danica still on track (how does she do that?!?). Replay–looks to me like Scott clipped her.
5:02 PM: Team Penske gets Sam back on track. Standing by to see if Lookin’ Sharp gets back in the game. Pit party–TK beats everyone out.
5:06 PM: We’re gonna take a pause and watch this thing for a few laps…back in a few.
5:09 PM: It’s Buddy (!!), Danica, Wheldon, TK, Dario, Dixon, Helio at 55. We loves it when Buddy leads laps.
5:13 PM: yellow-yellow-yellow. due to Special Ed spinout. Pits open.
5:20 PM: Lots of talk in the booth about this event not going the full 90 laps…rather, could wind up as a ‘timed event’….OK. We ain’t too proud to ask….um, WHY?? Certainly not because of the broadcast window….or is it? If so, that’s just gay.
5:23 PM: Danica leads @ 62! Wheldon (!), Dario, Dixon hot on her heels.
5:28 PM: Danica pits, universe returns to normal. It’s now Dario, Dixon, TK. We’re deja-vu-ing big time right now–
deBASHmode (5:28:55 PM): Helio and Scheckter together in turn 2 and we ain’t SIDE BY SIDE…
deBASHmode (5:29:03 PM): radio says neither will continue
SoDamnIndy (5:29:23 PM): OMG–really?
SoDamnIndy (5:29:36 PM): So much for my prediction.
deBASHmode (5:29:39 PM): says helio clipped the rear of scheckter
SoDamnIndy (5:29:49 PM): Fuk!
5:31 PM: OMG Scheckter’s talking shit! Helio needs to stop thinking about dancing and start thinking about driving! Eeeeek! Tomas is such a dick. Meanwhile, Helio’s limping.
SoDamnIndy (5:36:09 PM): Tomas refused my MySpace friend request. Fuck him.
evlk7 (5:36:14 PM): really?
evlk7 (5:36:23 PM): wow. But so did Marco.
SoDamnIndy (5:36:30 PM): Yeah. twice. Kok.
evlk7 (5:36:50 PM): There’s always Arni…
SoDamnIndy (5:37:09 PM): Indeed. There IS always Arni.
5:38 PM: Holy altercation! Tomas and Helio go at each other. Security Chief Charles restores order right quick. Charles ain’t havin that, you hear?
deBASHmode (5:41:26 PM): Tomas didn’t accept me on myspace, either. I have a Marco on my list, but I gotta wonder if it’s a fake…
SoDamnIndy (5:42:10 PM): See? He IS a dick!
deBASHmode (5:42:15 PM): LOL!
deBASHmode (5:42:31 PM): Man, Helio still looks PISSED…
SoDamnIndy (5:42:56 PM): I wish Security Chief Charles would have just let them throw down.
SoDamnIndy (5:43:13 PM): I’d pick the Brazilian. Big Time.
5:46 PM: OK, people 13 to go and we got TK, Buddy, Iceman, Dario….go-time!
evlk7 (5:47:31 PM): Penske has to be thrilled with his drivers in his new signature event
evlk7 (5:48:13 PM): also, Helio - if you are “faster”…PASS HIM - DON’T CRY THAT “he didn’t let me by!”
SoDamnIndy (5:48:31 PM): he chopped him dude
evlk7 (5:48:38 PM): Will Dario try to punt Dixon?
SoDamnIndy (5:48:48 PM): We shall seeeeee
5:49 PM: Clock’s running. 10 minutes and this race is over. 10 laps to go–ain’t gonna finish ‘em all…wacky. Order: TK, Buddy, Dixon, Dario…we can totally live with this order as a final, btw…git er done, BUDDY!
5:54 PM: 4:57 left, and P1 & 2 may have fuel issues. Iceman right on ‘em, ready to strike…
5:59 PM: Iceman tries to pass Buddy on the final lap. Mayhem ensues, Iceman, Buddy, Dario all collected. Mikey with Arute: “Dixon took out Dario on purpose. Poor sportsmanship–gonna protest”
Anyhow, we finish under Yellow.
It’s TK, Danica, Wheldon, Manning, Kosuke, Dario, Buddy, Iceman, blah, blah, blah….
Congrats to TK. Join us here next week for the season finale!! Chicagoland’s gonna be one hell of a shootout! Can’t wait!
Thanks to Allan Brewer, my colleague on the scene, and all of my IM and text buddies….Peace!
evlk7 (6:04:09 PM): BTW who predicted six cars running an hour ago?
SoDamnIndy (6:05:45 PM): fuckin a…just finished the last post
evlk7 (6:06:20 PM): great finish.
SoDamnIndy (6:06:35 PM): yeah. very good event.
SoDamnIndy (6:06:41 PM): props to Roger & Co.
evlk7 (6:06:43 PM): IHJ is going to put everyone on triple secret probation
SoDamnIndy (6:06:57 PM): OMG….he must be en fuego.
SoDamnIndy (6:07:31 PM): Catch ya next week?
evlk7 (6:07:34 PM): yeah!
SoDamnIndy (6:07:40 PM): Rawk.
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Money, love that you’re getting new friends participating every week. Soon you’ll be needing new servers just to handle the chat seesions.