So how have all the fans suddenly become shocked? Is this idea of buying rides new in INDYCAR? Do I really need to go down the list? Milka, Moraes, royalty, doctors, I think the 500 has seen a fair share of ride buying.
What about 1995 with Penske?
Really I find it more shocking how “shocked” fans are. I seriously find it laughable more anger is aimed at Ryan Hunter-Reay and not the rules. Remember how most of you the INDYCAR fans lobbied to “Dump Trump”?
He didn’t pass to run for President, the PR nightmare frightened the series to show Mr. Trump the door and tell him “You’re fired!” that press release was an attempt to not pile on to the Trump bashing. (They were being nice).
Last year when Helio was black flagged, it turns out the call was correct according to the rules. Did fans lobby to change the rules? Not really. (Dumb rules stay as long as the fans who pay the bills keep silent!)
As for Foyt now being a sudden bad guy, did you all miss when he tossed a Foyt out of the car and put a new driver in? Heck Foyt was lacking on a full pit crew for the 41 car. Guess what, his sponsors who will be on the top portion of the car will now get more camera time on DanicABC then had the driver who honestly earned the spot would have.
The worst part of this massive fail for Andretti Autosport is their lone winner in 2011 (Mike Conway) is out, with no seat bought for him. But guess what? That is the 500, and racing. Some people have luck, others talent, and many others loads more cash.
Guess what, the Foyt car will not win with Hunter-Reay or Bruno. If you really think that 41 car would have won after 500 miles. I would love to gamble against you. Maybe the 14 team with a full time crew and lots of practice and chemistry could do it, but not Bruno, or Ryan in the 41.
Here what is far more impressive, Ed Carpenter and Sarah Fisher Racing. This team has postponed their early races, but are not a one off team like the 41, 98, 99, or the 44. So the 67 team has plenty of practice and chemistry. After Alex Tagliani, the next biggest cheer from Pole day would be for Ed Carpenter and Sarah Fisher. Yet fans seem more focused on one silly thing that will have no real effect on the end of the 500.
It’s the end of the 500 as we know it (and I feel fine).
Fantasy Picks:
It has been some time since we have played fantasy racing. Shame considering how much excitement pole day had, imagine if some of us could have earned points?
Best bet picks:
Dario– Do I really need to go any further? Two time winner, and defending champion of the race. Yeah he looked like a fool with a fuel all gone. But I suspect he will have one of if not the car to beat come Sunday.
Oriol Servia– great run on pole day, Newman-Haas still winless at the 500. After a few years with somewhat lame line-ups this could be NH’s best one two combo for the 500. Servia making me look like a fool for saying Kanaan would be a wiser driver to snag.
Takuma Sato– Ok, I hear it now “WHAT!?!” Listen Sato has only become better and better this season at venues he is seeing for a second time. IMS gives him plenty more track time than any other oval. Oh, and all the other great stories from Pole Day made it hard to notice his 10th place run. (Just missing the fast 9).
Picks to roll the dice with:
James Hinchcliffe– As noted above I feel this is the best left – right combo from Newman-Haas since maybe 1995. While Hinch could make a rookie mistake, or be the victim of another driver’s stupidity or parts failure, he also could be a major upset. Or at the very least a major points gainer for your fantasy team.
Buddy Rice– The 2004 Champ is the veteran at Panther Racing for this race. Panther has had a great showing the last two 500s with Wheldon. Buddy Rice made the fast 9 on Pole Day for a good reason. He will be sure to put on a show and possibly place on the podium.
Tony Kanaan– We all know TK can pass a ton of cars on a start. He did it last year. He can very well do it again. The more spots he gains, the more points you gain. (as long as he finishes).
Picks to avoid:
Any of the full time Andretti Autosport drivers– Notice how I worded that? I think John has a better chance than the rest. He sure looked better than the rest on Pole Day.
Will Power– While he is in the middle of row two, he has yet to win on an oval. Maybe he can take Texas for his first oval win. I don’t see Will Power winning the Indy 500. I don’t see him finishing well. The field is too heavy on better oval drivers. Plus clearly this year is not looking like a Penske year. They got all three drivers in, albeit in rather mediocre fashion for Power’s teammates.
Were not shocked. More like disappointed that we wasted our time getting cought up in all the drama of one of the most memorable bump days, just to have it changed with cash. I was pissed 2 years ago when tags got in. Still have the program with Bruno still in it. All I have to say is, if it’s the car that qualifies, then it’s the car that wins, so get everyones face off the trophy and put the cars on it. Indycar slows rules like this, to counter act with there very own slogan… Indycar, the fastest CARS in the world, fueled by 100% GREED. Welcome to NASCAR lite.
Driver changes have to be allowed for owners. That I will say, outright. If there’s a falling out, and the owner wants the driver gone…the owner owns the car, and the CAR qualifies for the Indianapolis 500. That said…it’s more a sense of betrayal, by Foyt, for me. Yes, it’s completely legal according to the rules; they shouldn’t be changed. People should have the freedom…to make colossal mistakes, and I believe this is one, from an honor standpoint. No matter what monetary gains he might now make, there’s going to be a collective memory that he is just like any other owner. He’s not the outlaw, the rebel, the one who takes it purely on grit and talent, and throws their very blood into the charge. He’s now…a cold, calculating car owner. He’s part of the Establishment. And…you can’t take that back, with the new contract signed between he and Michael. Maybe if Bruno was a co-driver (good luck with that), it would change things, but not likely. A.J.’s now Just Another Owner, no matter how magnificent he was once was in the car.
Now: for the points you made:
1) I don’t see what Trump has to do with things. It was colossally stupid to pick Trump to drive the pace car anyway, and someone like a Foyt (recent events notwithstanding) should always have been higher on the list. Yeah, Trump was “fired” for being a PR nightmare…and that was a good, since he shouldn’t have been chosen to begin with.
2) Did fans lobby to change the rules that frakked Helio over at Edmonton? YOU BETTER BELIEVE WE DID, AT THE OLD INDYCAR FORUMS! (now IndyCarGarage, where most of the group went ICF sold out) I HATE that stupid “you will drive this line” sh/t, as if Brian Brainfart has ever turned a wheel in an open-wheel car, and honestly hope this side-by-side restart stuff causes the most destroyed cars in the history of the 500, just so it shows just how effing STUPID the officialdom has become. But…so many of the fans out there want to see “RUBBIN’,” and other sh/t, that things keep getting worse, not better. Nevermind what’s wrong with the racing: what’s wrong…is the FANS. Period. But yeah, we screamed to get rid of that dumbass rule, as well as to publish ALL the rulebook, to carefully identify other potential bullshit. They have yet to do it.
3) Did I miss when he tossed Anthony out and put a different driver in? No. And I’m in favor of him having the freedom to do so. But again, it’s massively about honor, not the rules. The rules are the rules, just like the owner of an apartment has great freedom to evict tenants if s/he wants. I’m actually fine with it: I’m just mad at the PERSON, for doing what he did. Bruno’s qualified for the pole position before; that’s the talent of the driver he’s kicking. Foyt whored out, and that’s that.
4) Did you think that car #15 had a shot, back in 1992? Go look it up, if you don’t remember who was driving that year. “Well, you’re living in the past!” Not really. What I’m saying is that, yeah, #41 has long odds; and Mine That Bird once won a Kentucky Derby. You CANNOT know; else why the hell are you or the rest of us even attending?
As for picks…as I’ve told others at IndyCarGarage, I never play that game, as it would give me a vested interest in the winner. I love RACING, and always will. If someone runs away, and aims to break track records, I think it’s awesome. And if the race comes down to the wire, head to head decided by inches…then I think it’s awesome. What isn’t awesome is when the officials, and bleeding hearts, get in the way of the violent, dangerous, bloodcurdling, astounding, SWEET, REAL sport, of automobile racing.