Is it just me? (indy)

I grew up in Indiana and the Indy 500 was a world event!!!

Now I'm watching a re-run of Cheers (a show I don't even like that much) just don't even care to flip back and see if the rain-delay is still on or not.

Tony didn't shoot his family's event in the foot, when he tried to become the Biggest Player in American Open Wheel racing.... He shot it in the head!

 

It always annoys the heck out of me when they hype this race as the greatest race in the world. If you define world=USA then yes, but in my dictionary world=globe and then I disagree.

It annoys me equally that they now hype the USGP as the best GP of them all for the venue. Yeah right, on that Mickey Mouse track. Go get a life and look at some real GP tracks like Spa and Monza.

Indy 500 and the Indianapolis speedway have a special ring to them. No doubt, but can we please do without those stupid superlatives?

 

Funny, I thought about starting a poll: Monaco or the 500? One could argue whether Monaco is first among F1 races; I've found the most enjoyable F1 races often result when it rains and, if I had to pick a track that most intrigues me, it might be Spa.

I remember when the 500 and Monaco were on the same day, and for me that was the best sports day of the year. The 500 has been important to me since I was a little boy and listened to the race on my AM radio. Today, I watched about a third of the 500, but wasn't really engaged.

It's not just you.

 

I have been to 16 Indy 500s and while I still enjoy it I do feel that is has lost some of its luster. I do feel that back in the 80s it was the greatest racing event. maybe not the greatest race as that depends on what kind of racing you like. But it was a fantastic event. You had great drivers like Mario and Michael Andretti, Al Unser and Al jr, Rick Mears, Rahal, Bobby Unser, Fittapaldi, AJ Foyt, Tom Sneva. It was a huge event proof in the 300K people that came to watch it every year. The split though has really hurt it and you can tell by the price you pay for tickets. I get them all the time for face value when sometimes I sould pay twice that for the seats I wanted. I hear the guys on speed vision talking up the US GP like its the biggest race. Its an ok track and I am happy to have it here and it has one of the biggest if not the biggest crowds but come on! Its only been run 4 years. Don't try to make it like its the biggest race (other then crowd number) on the schedual.

 

I really enjoyed today's 500 once it got going. Unlike some years there was no one dominant car, and there was plenty of passing, some of it rather breathtaking! Three abreast through turn 4? Four abreast (and even 5, for a split second!) on the front straight? Several guys almost scraping the paint off the pit-side wall? The only negative for me is that I had to scrub my original dinner plans because the race ran so late. And an American won!

I saw a possible glimpse of the future at one point: a shot of Mario and Marco Andretti leaning on the pit wall. It reminded me of a photo I once took of Mario and a 14-year-old named Michael strolling down the lane from the Watkins Glen garage to the pits. I just hope Marco doesn't turn to NASCAR like his dad's cousin John.

 

David Letterman achieved his goal. Other than pulling for Dave... Indy 500 long ago lost it's lustre with me.

 

Years of tradition pissed away by Tony George and his need to "save" open wheel racing. I can't stand to watch, either, and it used to be a big thing for me.

 

The 500 is/was the greatest spectacle in racing, not the greatest race... Never was and from what i've seen won't be soon.

INdeed, the saturday prior to the race their was conjecture that 33 cars could not be found to complete the field which once turned MANY, MANY drivers away without a chance... Now days Eb, JimBob, Jethro can run with the talented drivers alike... AJ still hangs out and attempts...

Cheers

 

There used to be more then 70 entries trying to get one of the 33 spots. Lots of guys would get left out. Rahal couldn't get in one year. Penske drivers Fittapaldi and Unser Jr missed it one year. Now there is a question every year if they will have 33 in the field.

 

Ok is it just me or was the most interesting thing about that race (other than the 3 wide pass in the first 10 laps) watching Jessica Simpson work that microphone during the anthem? Damn that was down right sexy the way she moved it around and tossed her hair... (excuse me I have to be alone now)

 

And when she turned around you could BARELY make out the outline of her thong underwear! A high point of the broadcast for sure.

Made me wish Steven Tyler had done it. NOT!!!!!!

 

agreed Tony George won the battle but both sides lost the war, shame on them for ruining this race

 

Personally, I miss the snake pit

 

Now that more Cart team/drivers are filtering into the IRL I think the 500 is on the upswing in terms of appeal. It was pretty dull for a while but it's coming back a little.... a little

 

Give it about 8 years: if Marco Andretti, Al Unser IV, Arie Luyendyk Jr, Graham Rahal and a more mature A.J. Foyt IV are in the race a lot of the old magic will return.

Of course, if most of these guys head for NASCAR, then the 500 may be in big trouble!

 

Now that would be cool. Lets hope they don't all jump to Nascar.