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Indycar: Twitter Tells the Tales

All numbers below were as of the morning of October 31, 2011.

Credit Chris Jones/IZOD Indycar Media Site

I’m about to expose how nerdy I can be.  I love math.  Yes, we Mississippians are taught math and a few of us happen to be pretty good at it.  Luckily for me, my job requires a lot of math, data, and analysis.  Because I often times work with a LOT of important data, I started creating a couple of spreadsheets with “useless” data to experiment with.  If I wanted to try something new, I could use one of the “useless” sheets with no worry of screwing anything up.  One spreadsheet is the daily number of Twitter followers for each Indycar driver.  When I started, it just seemed like easy data to dump into a file that I could track daily and could be manipulated easily.  However, over the course of a few weeks the data started to become more interesting to follow.

I love Twitter and think it is an amazing way to keep up with small bleeps of information.  Instead of taking 5/10 minutes to read some article about Wall Street, I can read the same basic information in 140 characters or less.  Also, the amount of followers someone or something has can be a great indication of relative popularity and how visible someone is on the radar screen of the world.  For instance, Snooki (you know who she is) has almost 3.6 million followers.  The official White House Twitter has just over 2.4 million followers.  Heck, Snooki has more followers than the official Twitter of the NBA, NFL, and MLB.  People are more interested in knowing what a drunk girl from New Jersey is doing than what is going on in their country.  Think about that.

So, who do you think has the most Twitter followers in Indycar?  Well, if you guessed Danica Patrick you would be correct.  With 425,815 followers, Danica has 40,401 more followers than Tony Kanaan, the 2nd most followed driver.  But, TK adds about 595 new followers each day on average versus the 270 average of Danica.  It is also important to note than Danica’s average would be a good bit lower, but she experienced a huge spike in follows the day of her big announcement that she would be moving to NASCAR full-time in 2012.  In the span of a week, Danica added 5,447 followers.

Have I lost you yet or peaked your interest?  Numbers are fun!

More than 340,029 followers BEHIND Kannan in 3rd is Helio Castroneves with 45,385 followers.  This brings up an interesting thing…the strength of the Brazilian drivers.  2011 rookie Ana Beatriz is the 6th most followed driver in Indycar with 23,647 followers (this is omitting Dan Wheldon’s Twitter).  That is a very interesting statistic considering her lackluster results and 21st place in final points.  She has more followers than Ryan Briscoe, Paul Tracy, Will Power, and Graham Rahal among others.  When we see those numbers, it makes a little more sense as to why Indycar races in Brazil and is exploring a second race.

One thing is for certain, any news coverage increases follower counts for a driver whether the news is good or bad.  For example, after the New Hampshire flying fingers incident, Will Power gained 1,831 followers over the course of a week.  His daily average for August, the month of the incident, was 88.74, but his average for September was 38.14.  Before the race at Kentucky, Ed Carpenter had added just over 300 new followers since the end of July, a 2 month span.  Immediately after the Kentucky race, Carpenter added over 350 new followers in a day.  When Justin Wilson was injured at Mid-Ohio, he experienced a 519 follower jump.  However, neither Ryan Hunter-Reay nor Scott Dixon saw those kinds of jumps in followers after their respective wins.  Dixon added 212 the day after his win and Hunter-Reay added only 238 even while his win was mired in controversy.  Are these 2 guys less interesting?  Were those wins not as important to fans?  It is interesting to think that Justin Wilson’s broken back at Mid-Ohio stirred up more interest than Scott Dixon winning the race.

Sadly, after the tragic incident at Las Vegas, drivers had huge jumps in followers easily eclipsing any previous daily totals.  Indycar drivers that were not even participating in the race experienced large jumps in the number of additional daily followers.  Martin Plowman, for example, had previously averaged 4.34 followers per day.  For the 2 weeks following Las Vegas, Martin added an average of 19.14 followers a day.  The number of followers of Dan Wheldon’s official Twitter more than double in a single day after his death going from 15,699 followers to 31,856.  Drivers directly involved in the 15 car pile-up had even more dramatic increases.  Pippa Mann had added only 201 followers in the month of September, but after her injury at Las Vegas, Pippa added 2,296 followers in October.

There are also many other interesting facts.  Pippa, with only 3 starts under her belt, has 8,860 followers.  This is more than full-time rookies James Hinchcliffe (7,960) and Charlie Kimball (4,178) and more than Takuma Sato (7,804), and Kentucky race winner Ed Carpenter (7,862).  Even Katherine Legge, who didn’t even started a race in 2011 has more followers at 2,047 than full-time rookie James Jakes (1,892) and part-timer Wade Cunningham (1,905) who are the 2 least followed of the drivers tracked.

Had enough numbers yet?

In the end, why is any of this important?  Well, at a time when marketing budgets are tight and funding is hard to come by, Twitter can be a gauge to see how much “reach” a driver has for a sponsor.  Just look at Ana Beatriz.  Although on-track performance may not be stellar at this point, she can connect with over 3x more fans than Oriol Servia (7,617 vs. 23,647) who finished 4th in points.  Sadly, popularity in racing isn’t just about results anymore.  I will dub this the Junior/Patrick Syndrome.

Even though when you click “Follow” on someone’s Twitter it may not seem very important, who you follow speaks volumes about yourself and others like you.  It gives a peek into what is popular, what is interesting, and what catches the attention of people.  I’ll continue to track the trends in followers through the offseason and see what else I can unearth. So, get on Twitter and follow away!  Oh, and remember…numbers can be fun and Mississippians can do math!

Ross (@driverswanted07)

Top 15 in followers:

  • Danica Patrick – 425,815
  • Tony Kanaan – 385,414
  • Helio Castroneves – 45,385
  • Dario Franchitti – 36,826
  • Marco Andretti – 31,313
  • Ana Beatriz – 23,647
  • Will Power – 19,122
  • Graham Rahal – 19,106
  • Paul Tracy – 18,851
  • Ryan Briscoe – 17,256
  • Ryan Hunter-Reay – 17,012
  • Scott Dixon – 16,842
  • Simona de Silvestro – 13,639
  • E.J. Viso – 13,593
  • Tomas Scheckter – 12,838

In Defense of Indycar

It has been just over a week since the tragic death of Dan Wheldon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  It has been hard to figure out exactly how to proceed following such a tragic event without seeming disrespectful in moving on.  I think it is important to move on, but it is more important not to forget.  As a community and family, that is what Indycar has to do.

The most difficult part of the situation this past week has been hearing many uninformed “reporters” pretend to be Indycar experts.  The majority ignores all Indycar coverage but latch onto a morbid news story in an effort to sensationalize it.

Attacks on Randy Bernard have been the most difficult for me to read.  To blame the CEO of Indycar for the death of a racer would be like blaming the coach of a high school football team for the injury of a player.  Randy Bernard has my support.  He has performed admirably, and I believe there are few businessmen that could have handled the events and the task as Indycar CEO as well as he has.  Randy has been exceptional in his handling of the sport and the many nuances of it.  Indycar fans know running the circus that Indycar can be is not a task for the faint of heart.

Many people have commented on the amount of cars on the track for the race.  Let us all keep in mind that the accident started in the front of the pack and wiped out the middle of the field with a few cars running in the very rear escaping the carnage.  In this instance, if 24 cars had been on the track, the wreck would have still been huge and collected the cars running behind the initial contact.  Maybe the number involved would’ve been slightly less if fewer cars had been in the race, but the outcome would have been the same…a huge wreck.

Rookies have taken a lot of flack for being in the race.  Indycar has a process in place for rookies before they are allowed to race on ovals.  The rookies in the race have raced at other ovals in the series and have been winners in Firestone Indy Lights.  It is absurd to state that rookies shouldn’t have been allowed to race.  If they never race at tracks like Las Vegas they will never get the experience they need.  If they never gain that experience and are never allowed on the high-speed ovals…well, how will they ever learn?  Sometimes the steps up any ladder, whether it be between racing series’ or a corporate ladder, may be large, but they are steps that must be taken.

Another criticized aspect has been the speed of the cars.  It is true that 220+ is extremely fast and is very dangerous.  But, the danger does not completely reside in the speed alone but, it is how the car reacts at that speed…specifically in an accident.  If a car could run 250mph without getting airborne and into the catch fence, and the safety cell containing the driver could withstand an impact at that speed, I feel 250mph would “safe”.  Conversely, if a car was running 140mph and could get airborne easily, I would not consider 140mph safe.  For me, the entire conversation revolves around keeping the cars safely on the ground regardless of the speed in question.  Ironically, the new chassis for 2012 contains measures to help keep cars from becoming airborne when making contact.  But, only reducing the speed would just help proliferate “pack racing” which is the main reason the accident was so massive.  In the Dan Wheldon incident, the way his car hit the catch fence, I don’t believe going 20mph slower would have saved him.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway has also received criticism.  This is highly unfair because this accident could have happened at a number of different tracks the series races on and has raced on in the past.  In a broader view, 1.5 mile, high-banked ovals have been put under the microscope as being unfit for Indycar.  All 1.5 mile ovals are capable of having a safe, fast Indycar race.  Once again, analysis should turn to the cars.  The combination of identical cars with identical engines, high downforce, a tire that does not give up any grip, and low-horsepower work together to create pack racing.  Basically, sit down, floor it, and turn left until the race is over without lifting.  If downforce is reduced on the cars the drivers will have to lift in the corners.  If the car has more horsepower with lower downforce the drivers will have to lift even more in the corner.  If the tire gives up more grip over the course of a run the handling characteristics of the cars will change between pitstops.  These factors create differences in the cars helping them spread out and eliminates pack racing.  This also puts the race back in the hands of the drivers with the best set-ups and best drivers rising to the front.

Closed cockpits have also been discussed.  In looking at photos of Dan’s car as it slid down the track after making contact with the fence, it is easy to see the roll-hoop had been sheared off.  Having a closed cockpit, whether a fighter-jet style canopy or a design complete with an A-pillar, most likely wouldn’t have helped save Dan, in my opinion.  If the forces exerted on the car were enough to rip the roll-hoop off, I do not feel any type of canopy system would’ve helped.  I don’t have reams of computer data to support that statement, so that is a non-scientific assessment.  I believe that the lack of a roof actually helps save Indycar drivers from injury in many cases.  In roll-over accidents the roll-hoop does its job in protecting the drivers head when a roof may have crushed in on a driver and made extraction difficult or caused more injury from crushing into the cockpit.  In saying all of that, if evidence came out supporting the fact that closed cockpits would be safer in all instances, I would support a move to have them.

Of the more absurd accusations, the ones revolving around the $5million dollars and that affecting Dan’s driving or judgment are beyond ridiculous.  If these people paid any attention at all to the wreck, it is plainly obvious that Dan was essentially an innocent bystander.  The claim that money would have caused Dan to drive recklessly is an insult to his talent and his character.  Racecar drivers are driven by the love of the sport, not money.  If you paid them in bubblegum, most would be happy just to be in a racecar doing what they love.  Furthermore, Indycar drivers are not movie stars or NFL players.  They are not paid outrageous sums of money.  If money were a primary motivator for Indycar drivers, they would’ve bolted for NASCAR or Hollywood years ago.

Another aspect of the challenge, the fact that Dan had to start from the rear of the field, has also been criticized.  Dan made a qualifying attempt and qualified 29th of the 32 drivers that made attempts.  Dan would have started from the back of the field even if that stipulation of the challenge did not exist.  In my mind, starting from the rear of the field because of the challenge essentially had no bearing on the outcome.

With all that said, I hope this is a learning experience for all.  It has to be.  The best lessons in life are often learned through tragedy and this is no exception.  I often wonder how many other drivers may have been injured or killed if Dale Earnhardt hadn’t been involved in his fatal accident.  That is not to say that it only takes a hero dying to save others and drive change, but it is often the catalyst needed to create positive and beneficial reaction and changes.  Indycar has a bright future, and despite the darkness of the past week, the future may be brighter because of what happened.  As the old saying goes, “It is always darkest before dawn.”

Ross (@driverswanted07)

4 Quick Questions with Sarah Fisher

Prior to the start of the Indycar season finale in Las Vegas, I had a moment to speak briefly with retired racer, new mom, and team owner Sarah Fisher.

Sarah FIsher

How did it feel the past couple weeks being a first time winner as a car owner and a new mom?

It has been a lot of great emotions and we have been really happy and worked really hard over the last 4 years and for a win to come that early is exceptional.  We really focused on the oval program this season and put all of our budget and R&D emphasis around that so it has been really rewarding to be a part of that.  And, to be a mom it’s all emotional…it’s all hitting at once…I’d like it to spread out, but…haha.

I know for me as a fan growing up you were one of the people that attracted me to Indycar, but after your win last weekend with the announcement that Dollar General would not be returning, has the win helped you any for your 2012 program as of yet?

We knew going into this season that Dollar General may not be back anyways because they had a plan that they announced last Thursday of going cup racing.  So, we had some thigns in the works that we are still working on now because we had expected that to be a possibility.  I don’t think the win has made…is going to make or break it…it might be easier to have a more emotional connection because of that but it certainly won’t provide us a 6 million dollar sponsor.

How exciting is it to have Angies List and Tomas Sheckter running for you this weekend?

It’s very exciting because Angies List has been a partner with us since the very beginning in 2008.  So, it was nice to be able to put together a program with them to have a primary entrant and to be able to choose a driver with them and Tomas.  I raced with Tomas in the beginning of my career and I know he is real aggressive and can get the job done on ovals.  The race I led at Michigan is the first race he won. So, I know he is capable and I look forward to watching him on track today.

One last question, being a new mom, any chance that in the future you may want to hop back in a car?

Haha, I don’t know, everybody asks that question and I don’t really have a good answer because I don’t know myself…we will just have to see!

Ross (@driverswanted07)

Indycar Heartbreak

I have had a few days to process the events that transpired on Sunday afternoon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  I have had time to read all the tweets, see the replays, and answer questions from friends and family that knew I was at the track.  Maybe I can say what I feel like saying in the right way.

I had discussed the dangers and fear of a horrific accident with John Bisci, Las Vegas Motor Speedway PR Manager, on Saturday during the Camping World Truck Series event.  Sunday morning before the race I replayed the Kenny Brack accident at Texas Motor Speedway from 2003 to Edward Ochoa, Queers4Gears photographer, while expressing my nervousness over the possibility of such an accident during the race.  My fears unfortunately came true.  The truth is, the danger of racing is present whether it is NASCAR at Martinsville, Indycar at Indianapolis, or Hill Climbing at Pikes Peak.  Drivers understand that, they have to, and I understand that as a fan.  I know the history of racing and how quickly it can take someone’s life.  But, because of the increases in safety, we forget how unforgiving and dangerous it really is.

I’ve read comments by other drivers like Jimmie Johnson stating that Indycars should not run on ovals because it is too dangerous.  I find that absurd to be honest.  While I respect his opinion, the inherit danger that exists in racing makes it a risk no matter where you are racing or what you are driving.  Yes, the level of danger is greater in an open cockpit at 220mph, but we forget that drivers like Adam Petty were killed at speeds far less in cars with “more protection”.  A crash doesn’t have to be fast nor look violent to take a life.  I recall seeing a YouTube video of a European driver in an F1 development series getting hit in the head with a loose tire from a car that crashed.  The impact to the head killed the driver.   That is all it takes.

One thing that I must comment on is we should commend the much maligned Dallara chassis for protecting drivers as it did.  15 cars were involved in the accident with 3 of them becoming airborne.  Despite a broken and burned finger sustained by Pippa Mann and JR Hildebrand’s bruised sternum, it is amazing and commendable that there were no other serious injuries given the severity of wreck.  I for one consider what happened to Dan to be a freak incident.  The car hit the fencing in the worst possible way.  It was the intersection of multiple worst-case scenarios and unpredictable events.

It was heartbreaking to see a series and sport that I love in so much pain during a weekend that was supposed to be full of joy, champions, and the turning of a new page.  The event had been a huge hit with the fans the entire weekend and the stage was set to end a season wrought with controversy on a high note.  But, that wasn’t to be.  The last sentences in this chapter of Indycar history were underlined with tragedy.

Indycar has spent years as the red-headed stepchild of the racing world receiving little respect.  It is unfortunate it may have taken Dan’s death to bring it to light, but the drivers and the series demand respect.  The extreme speed, quality of drivers, and close competition has been overlooked far too long.  I’ve said it before but Danica, Simona, Ana, and Pippa all have balls bigger than mine for doing what they do.  It is part of the reason why I love Indycar.  It is regular people doing things I can only dream about.

I’ll admit, I have been in a funk since the accident.  I can’t really convey the surreal feeling of sitting in the media center, looking at pictures, hearing the whispers, and listening to the TV while fearing the worst possible news.  I don’t know how to express the sadness in a room of tears while Randy Bernard announced Dan’s death.  It was like being part of a bad movie.  It was a feeling I won’t soon forget and a feeling I don’t want to experience again.

While Indycar may not have gained any new fans, and it surely has gained a host of critics, one thing is for certain:  the fans stand more united than ever.  It was amazing to see strangers sharing a love of a sport coming together in tragedy.  This was evident for me as I sat in the Tropicana on Sunday night sharing a drink and stories with fellow fans…a dad and son from California, a husband and wife from Indy, and a young man that came all the way from the UK to see the event.  I want to thank Pat Caporali (@PCaporali on Twitter) for helping bring together fans at the track.  If it wasn’t for her “tweetups” I wouldn’t have met as many wonderful people over the weekend as I did.

I also want to extend my thoughts and prayers not only to Dan’s widow and children, but to Randy Bernard.  I know there are many people that do not know the series that are pointing fingers trying to lay blame on someone.  I am sure there is no one that has the best interest of the drivers in mind more than Randy.  His dedication to the sport and its success is evident.  I know he must feel the weight of the world on his shoulders, but we as fans should help shoulder the weight by supporting him and the series at a time when both need it the most.

So, with all that rambling, I want to move past this past weekend.  I don’t want to forget about Dan, but I want to forget the feeling and the images.  I hope we all use this as an experience to learn and grow and to make Indycar safer and to make positive change.  I also want to make it clear that what happened was not the fault of anyone or anything.  It wasn’t Randy’s fault for staging the race or the $5million dollar challenge.  It wasn’t the drivers that initially spun out.  It wasn’t the tracks fault.  It wasn’t because of an unsafe car.  It was simply a freak racing accident.  So, let’s remember Dan and keep him in our hearts and look towards a better day.

There’s a song by Dolly Parton called “Light of a Clear Blue Morning”.  It always makes me feel better when things look the worst.  Have a listen.  Hopefully it will make you feel a little better as well.

Ross (@driverswanted07)

Indycar Finale Pre-Race Thoughts

Well folks, it is the season finale of the Indycar 2011 season.  As I sit in the media center, I just wanted to pass along some pre-race thoughts on today and some items to look for.

1.)  All 4 Andretti Autosport entries qualified in the Top 10.  Look for Danica to be more aggressive than usual in her last race as a full-time Indycar driver, and look for all Andretti entries to be fast.

2.)  Ed Carpenter, the race winner at Kentucky, qualified 3rd in the Sarah Fisher Racing #67.  This is the highest qualifying effort for SFR in their history.  Tomas Scheckter is starting 23rd in the #57 Angies List Special entry.  Expect to see him on the high side with bold moves early and often.

3.)  Alex Tagliani, in Dan Wheldon’s former ride, qualified in the 4th position.  Bryan Herta Autosport has shown it has what it takes to win, so look for Tagliani to stay near the front today.

4.)  After his horrible practice crash, James Jakes will be racing a pieced together car with parts donated to Dale Coyne Racing from KV Racing Technology-Lotus.  His car will look like a 4th KV entry.  Keep your eye out for any issues with this car as it has had no practice time since the accident.

5.)  Rookie Wade Cunningham finished 7th at Kentucky and qualified strong in 12th here in Las Vegas.  He has proven to be a great wheelman in Indy Lights at ovals, so expect him to race well today.  A great race could bode well for a full-time ride in 2012.

6.)  Buddy Rice will be starting in 33rd after his qualifying time was disallowed for running below the yellow line on his qualifying attempt.  Panther Racing is strong on ovals, Buddy Rice is strong on ovals, and together they finished 9th at Kentucky.  Expect Rice to move towards the front quickly.

7.)  Of course we should all watch Mr. Dan Wheldon as he vies for $5million dollars.  He has not shown much speed this weekend, so the race should be a challenge.  I know the lucky fan partnered with Wheldon that will receive $2.5million if he wins is hoping he finds speed.

8.)  3-wide?  4-wide?  It will happen, guaranteed.  Keep your fingers crossed for a safe race despite the hair-raising action.

9.)  Since this is the last race for the current Dallara, expect teams to go all out with no-holds-barred strategy and moves.  The gloves will definitely be off today.

Tune in to ABC at 3EST and 12PST for the race.  You don’t want to miss this…

Ross (@driverswanted07)

Indycar Las Vegas Qualifying Report

Maybe all drivers should start participating in the Ironman before a race because Tony Kanaan, Ironman finisher, took the pole for the season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  With a speed of 222.078, he bumped Oriol Servia off the pole.  The race winner at Kentucky, Ed Carpenter, qualified 3rd.  This is the highest qualifying position ever for Sarah Fisher Racing.  Also notable, Alex Tagliani, in Dan Wheldon’s Indy 500 #98 ride, qualified 4th on the grid for Sunday’s race.

Rookie James Jakes did not attempt a qualifying run after a hard hit into the Turn 2 wall in practice after his right-rear suspension failed.  EJ Viso will have to start from the rear of the field because of an engine change, so he did not make a qualifying attempt.

Title contenders Will Power and Dario Franchitti qualified  17th and 18th respectively.  In post qualifying interviews Will Power , when asked about his qualifying lap, stated, “There’s nothing to talk about, a lap around this joint, because it’s so brainlessly easy flat, but what it did do is put us back in the pack, which is not brainlessly easy.  That’s very tough.”

Indycar takes a day off on Saturday, except for the exhibition laps to be ran by the Chevy powered 2012 Indycar before the NASCAR truck race.

I am telling you.  You do not want to miss this race.  It is going to be hair-raising, scary, fast, dangerous, risky, 3-wide, 4-wide, insane, nuts…I’m running out of adjectives but you get the picture.

Ross

Indycar Twitter Top 10

Twitter is a wonderful tool we use to keep up with hobbies, people, and random quotes from tv personalities (Hello Jack and Karen from Will & Grace).  Here are my top 10 Indycar Twitter folk to keep you in the know.

10. @Visoed –  Poor EJ Viso.  He’s ran into so many things his crash-fest personality even has a Twitter.

9.  @Indycar – The official Indycar Twitter will keep you up to date on Indycar news, events, and information.

8.  @GrahamRahal – Graham Rahal often speaks what is on his mind whether you like it or not.  Expect to see plenty of that on Twitter.

7.  @CurtCavin – Curt is a veteran of the Indycar circles.  A writer for the Indianapolis Star, he posts daily Q&A’s from fans and keeps you informed of sometimes unoffical rumors and happenings.

6.  @TonyKanaan – Tony is one of the most popular drivers on the track.  From his inspirational quotes, triathlon training pictures, and general congenial personality, he is a great follow.

5.  @PaulTracy – Often times a lightening-rod for controversy with his “chrome horn”, Tracy is never one to hold back on track or off.  Expect the tweets to be the same.

4.  @PressDog – Bill Zahren from www.pressdog.com is the big dog of Indycar blogging.  The Ed Carpenter loving Iowa native is a great read from Tweet to web-site.

3.  @TomasScheckter – Besides the fact that Tomas is gorgeous, he is probably the most entertaining Indycar driver in the paddock.  From his 3-wide on the high-side passes to his humorous tweets, you can’t miss him.

2.  @PippaMann – One of the most fan interactive drivers around, Pippa is a star on the rise.  Follow her to catch her up to date news and information.

1.  @78_PorkChop – Ah, Simona de Silvestro’s loveable backup chassis turned primary, Pork Chop has more followers than some drivers.  Tweets from him are priceless.

…and me of course!

Ross

Gaynalysis: Kentucky Indy 300

For the “straight” scoop checkout the Kentucky Indy 300 recap here from Indycar.com.  Otherwise, buckle up for the Gaynalysis!

Britney Spears winning a Grammy (ok, she has 1), Miss Maine beating Miss Texas for Miss America,  Ralph Nader becoming president, Payless Shoes being fashionable, Ed Carpenter winning an Indycar race.  All of those things are highly unlikely events, but one of them became reality on Sunday.  Ed Carpenter and Sarah Fisher Racing beat Dario Franchitti and Chip Ganassi Racing by .0098 seconds at the line (6th closest finish in Indycar history) after a side-by-side battle in the closing laps to win the Indy Kentucky 300.  Cue the fan love…glitter, rainbows, hearts, dancing unicorns, confetti, and techno-music.

For Indycar fans, this race was what makes us all love the series.  Despite the abysmal crowd on a beautiful Kentucky afternoon, fans were treated to 217mph 2 and 3-wide racing, an insanely close finish, and an underdog/ fan favorite driver and team winning the race.  There are few people in Indycar that are more respected and loved by fans than Sarah Fisher and Ed Carpenter, so to see the team triumph at their signature track is a beautiful thing.  I will go on record in saying that barring any crazy antics in Las Vegas, this will be the most popular win of the season.  The win and great racings comes as the question lingers if Kentucky will be back on the schedule next year due to falling attendance and a lack of a title sponsor and if Sarah Fisher Racing will return next year as Dollar General will not be returning to the team in 2012.

Despite leading the race early from the pole, Will Power finished 19th after a pit road altercation with Ana Beatriz.  Beatriz’s pit crew waved her to leave her pit as Power was entering his with the front wing of Beatriz’s car gashing the sidepod of Power’s.  Yes, Ana should have been held in her pit until she was clear, but who is the Penske decision-maker that told the leader to pit when pit road was at its busiest?  Pit stall selection in Indycar is based on the previous qualifying position at the last track of that type.  The last oval was New Hampshire where Power qualified poorly which gave him a bad stall on pit lane at Kentucky.  I’m pointing fingers at both crews for equally poor calls.  Heading into the Las Vegas finale, Power now trails Franchitti by 18 points.

Unfortunately, the Power/Beatriz incident was not the only pit road issue for the day.  It was apparently Whack-A-Crew-Member , Bowling-for-Tire-Changers, or Pit-Road-Bumper-Cars day.  Pippa Mann reportedly ran into a Buddy Rice crew member, Simona de Silvestro lost control leaving her pit stall and slid into EJ Viso’s Crew Chief (they were having engine stalling/power issues which may have been the culprit), JR Hildebrand ran into crewman Eric Scheumann who sustained a lower leg injury, and Alex Lloyd was hit by Marco Andretti taking them both out of the race.  There may be more I have forgotten, but I think that is enough regardless.  The Indycar boys and girls better get their act together because there will be around 5 additional cars on pit lane at the finale in Vegas.

Late in the race, Ana Beatriz lost control and made a hard hit to the Turn 4 wall.  Beatriz was assisted out of the car.  She received a minor knee injury requiring stitches.  This would be the only major on-track incident of the day with the other cautions being for debris and Simona’s pit lane spin.

Kentucky also proved to be a very good race for rookies and other part-timers as well.  Wade Cunningham, making his 2nd appearance of the season, finished the day in 7th.  Buddy Rice in the #44Fuzzy’s Vodka Panther Racing machine battled to finish 9th.  And, in his first non-Indy 500 race since 2008, Townsend Bell climbed to finish 11th after starting 26th.  Sidenote:  Wade Cunningham is one good-looking little Kiwi.  Call me!

Dan Wheldon, after failing tech inspection before qualifying, ended up starting from the rear of the field and finished 14th.  I expected more from Wheldon, but I’m sure the #77 team spent most of the day getting all the bugs worked out for the Vegas race, or at least that is what I hope.  Otherwise, the performance was certainly uninspiring.

With Kentucky in the books, the stage is set for the season finale in Las Vegas.  The championship battle will be decided between Franchitti and Power, Dan Wheldon may split $5million with a lucky fan, and the weekend is packed with activity on and off the track that can all be found here.  Expect the smoother Vegas track to provide even more 2 and 3-wide racing than Kentucky.  Can you handle that? The race will be live on ABC at 3 Eastern and keep an eye out for ticket and paddock pass giveaways on Twitter from drivers and teams and make plans to see the race in person if you can.  Tell a friend, tell your co-workers, tell your dog…watch!

Ross (@driverswanted07)

Indycar: Kentucky and Las Vegas Preview

With the 2011 IZOD Indycar Series season closing in on the last two races of the season, action on the track and in the rumor mills has heated up.  The past couple of weeks have resembled an episode of Days of Our Lives with partner swapping, deal-making, and story-lines that even Talk Soup would have a hard time covering.  But, let’s take a look at some of the major headlines rolling into the last two races of the season.

  • Kentucky and Las Vegas will be the last two races for the current Dallara/Honda chassis/engine package.  Dan Wheldon, the official 2012 Indycar development driver, has been busy ramping up on-track testing of the new car.  The Dallara faces its biggest challenge yet today (Sept. 27) through Thursday as it heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval for the first time for high-speed testing.

Credit Brad Kelly/IZOD Indycar Media Site

  • The 2012 car will run hot-laps before the Saturday truck race in Las Vegas.  This will be the first formal introduction of the car to fans on the track.
  • Dario Franchitti and Will Power are locked in a tough championship battle with Power only 8 points ahead of Franchitti heading into the final two races.  Despite a win at Texas earlier this season, Power does not dominate ovals as he does road and street courses.  Keep a close eye on strategy for both during the races.
  • Season finale weekend in Las Vegas will be busy to say the least.  There will be a kick-off party on Thursday evening followed by the cars parading down The Strip, there will be a charity blackjack tournament on Friday night, Indycar Nation Champion fan appreciation events, the Championship celebration will take place on Monday night, and Lupe Fiasco will perform as well.  Oh, and don’t forget there’s an Indy Lights race and the season finale that will decide the 2012 champion as well on Sunday.  WHEW!
  • Indycar is the promoter for the finale in Las Vegas.  If the event proves financially feasible and is deemed a success, Randy Bernard has stated it is possible Indycar will promote some future oval events.
  • Kentucky and Las Vegas are Danica’s last races as an Indycar driver as she heads to the NASCAR Nationwide Series full-time in 2012.  Keep an eye on her because the 1.5 mile ovals are her strongest events.  With nothing to lose, she could be a contender for a win.
  • With GoDaddy.com remaining as a sponsor, Andretti Autosport has a sponsored, open seat for the taking.  Dan Wheldon has been rumored for the ride, but his long association with Honda and Andretti Autosport’s partnership with Chevrolet next year could be a deal-breaker.  Look for the rumors to intensify in coming weeks as the Andretti’s determine whether they will have 3 or 4 cars in 2012.
  • Dan Wheldon will be vying for $5 million dollars if he can win the Las Vegas race from the rear of the field.  If he wins he will split the money with a lucky fan.   Sign up for the challenge, sponsored by GoDaddy.com, here.
  • Wheldon will be replacing Alex Tagliani in the Sam Schmidt Motorsport #77 for the final two races of the season.  Keep in mind this is the car that sat on the pole for the Indianapolis 500 and the first Firestone 275 at Texas.  Rumors state that Tagliani will be in the Bryan Herta Autosport ride in Las Vegas.  Remember that SSM and BHA teamed up in Indy and Bryan Herta has stated the two teams could form a partnership in 2012 if neither team has funding for a second car next year.  The Wheldon/Tagliani swap could be an indication of what is to come in 2012.
  • Speaking of Sam Schmidt Motorsport, the organization has been the “pimp” team of 2011 for any driver bringing money to the table for a ride.  Drivers have included Townsend Bell, Wade Cunningham, Martin Plowman, Hideki Mutoh, and now Dan Wheldon.  SSM has also had partnerships with AFS Racing, Bryan Herta Autosport, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.  It will be interesting to see if any of these endeavors prove fruitful for a full-time 2012 ride.
  • Wade Cunningham will be making his 2nd and 3rd starts for Sam Schmidt Motorsports/AFS Racing at Kentucky and Las Vegas.  The rookie will be looking to improve upon his results at the Firestone Twin 275’s when he was tangled in an accident with Charlie Kimball in the first race.  Cunningham will pilot the #17 despite running the #99 in the Texas events.
  • Buddy Rice will be in the Panther Racing #44 sponsored by Fuzzy’s Vodka for Kentucky and Las Vegas.  Panther has stated interest in fielding a 2nd full-time entry in 2012 if they have the additional funding.  Rice’s performance in the final two races of the season could prove pivotal for next year.  Also, look for Panther Racing to announce partnership with Chevrolet for next year very soon.
  • Pippa Mann returns to action with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the final races of the season after suffering from fractured vertebrae as a result of a practice crash at New Hampshire.  Performance in these races will be key to her quest for a full-time ride in 2012.
  • Jay Howard will return to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing at Las Vegas for  his 3rd start of the season, although it will be his first in the #15 as his first two starts were in the #88 in partnership with Sam Schmidt Motorsports.
  • Tomas Scheckter announced he will be piloting the #57 Angies List Special for Sarah Fisher Racing in Las Vegas.  Earlier this season, SFR was very quick at Indy and Texas and has a past history of being very fast at 1.5 mile ovals.  With Scheckter’s knack for the 1.5 mile ovals as well, look for the #57 to be very strong.  Once again, a great showing at Vegas is important as Scheckter is seeking a full-time ride in 2012 and SFR is seeking funding for a 2nd entry in 2012.
  • Serving as the replacement for injured Justin Wilson, Townsend Bell will be in the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing #22 for the final two races.  It will be interesting to see how well Bell performs as his last non-Indianapolis 500 Indycar start was in 2008.
  • 49 year-old Davey Hamilton will make his 3rd start in the HP #11 for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing at Las Vegas.  Hamilton has qualified well in his previous two starts this season, but race performance has been lacking.
  • Following sponsorship issues, rookie Sebastian Saavedra was ousted from the #34 Conquest Racing ride at Motegi.  Conquest tested rookie Dillon Battistini at Kentucky last week and he should make his first start there.  However, Saavedra has been rumored to return to the ride for Vegas.  It will be interesting to watch how the off-season unfolds for Conquest and their plans for next year.

It is important to note that the Las Vegas finale is still 3 weeks away.  There is a possibility of more entries into the race being announced.  With teams having no use for the current chassis after the race and if anyone can bring sponsorship to the table, the field at Vegas will most likely be the largest starting grid in Indycar history…more than the 33 at Indianapolis.  One thing is for certain, the race at Kentucky and the Las Vegas finale are races you will not want to miss!

Ross (@driverswanted07)

Gaynalysis: Indy Japan The Final

For the straight recap of the final Indycar race at Twin-Ring Motegi, click here.  Otherwise, buckle up for the gaynalysis!

I’m going to be straight up like Paula Abdul:  I did not watch the race.  I know, bad Ross.  But, you can’t blame me for not being in the gym on a treadmill at 1AM on Sunday morning to watch the race live.  However, I stayed up-to-date with the race on Twitter and have watched the race highlight reel from Indycar.

For those of you unfamiliar, Indycar has raced at the Twin-Ring Motegi oval since 2004.  Unfortunately, the oval was damaged during the earthquake earlier this year.  Instead of aborting the event, Indycar agreed to race on the road course.  If any of you have Gran Turismo 4 at home, you can race on both the oval and the road course.

First off, I want to start by saying that the restarts were some of the most pitiful I have seen all year.  Additionally, the restarts at Baltimore were just as bad.  Kindergarteners with A.D.D could form better double-file rows.  Seriously, come on guys.  It isn’t that hard.  I raced go-karts with a bunch of redneck kids in the woods of South Mississippi and we could do it.

In similar fashion to the race at Mid-Ohio, Scott Dixon started from the pole and won.  If he starts up front he is going to be relentlessly fast.  That is a guarantee.  In other Scott Dixon news, before leaving for Japan, Scott and his wife Emma welcomed their 2nd child, Tilly, into the world.

Apparently, the race was neither a snoozer like Infineon, nor as exciting as Baltimore.  For most Indycar fans that was fine.  We all were hoping for a drama free face.  No flubbed calls, no mad drivers…just a good race.  However, that wasn’t the case.  There are 2 moments that define this race:

1.)  Dario Franchitti’s kamikazi move into Turn 1 could be, in the coming weeks, the tide turner of the 2011 championship.  Approaching turn one after a restart, Dario attempted to make it 3-wide.  Obviously, this did not work out at all.  Not only did he spin out Ryan Briscoe, he also spun out teammate Graham Rahal and caused another teammate, Charlie Kimball, to go off course and into the sand trap.  Mr. Chip Ganassi was not happy at all that one stupid move took out 3 of his cars that were running in the top 10.  Dario was “penalized” by being sent to the end of the field on the restart.  Many fans were upset stating that the penalty was not severe enough and he should have been given a green-flag drive thru penalty.  Nevertheless Dario carved through the field to finish 8th.  Dario did man up and admit fault.  For Dario to admit he messed up you know it was a very obvious mistake.

2)  Helio Castroneves took to Twitter after the race complaining about the officiating and Brian Barnhart because he was penalized after the checkers for passing someone under yellow.  The rant can be read here.  Whether the penalty was the correct call or not, I’m not sure.  I haven’t seen the pass in question.  However, the questioning of the officiating can be traced to the word “discretion” used in the Indycar rule book.  What “discretion” creates is the ability for fans, drivers, and teams to question almost any call by race control.  Instead of having hard and fast rules that if you do X then Y will happen every time no matter what, discretion allows leeway, bias, and favoritism…or so it may appear.  So, Helio can be somewhat justified by ranting that officiating is biased.   I say we have a big bonfire at the conclusion of the season and burn the current rule book.  A fresh start is what is needed.  No discretion!

All that being said, I’m personally tired of all of the complaining.  I’m just glad this was the last race at a road or street course for the current Dallara package.  The car has been past its prime for some years now.  The cars were never designed to run on road and street courses, so it is time for them to be taken out to the back of the pasture and be put down for good.  Additionally, I listened to Speed TV reporter Marshall Pruett on Trackside last week with Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin.  Pruett stated that Dan Wheldon has had great things to say about the new car.  It seems like the road and street courses will be a lot more interesting next year with the drivers being able to drive the car much harder and attack the corners more.  I get the feeling it will be like going from racing a Ford Crown Victoria to a Ford Mustang.

One last thing before I stop rambling.  I’ll first say, again, that I’m neither a Danica Patrick hater nor a fan.  I’m neutral to her.  But, she made a comment in reference to Brazilian drivers in an interview with the Associated Press following the Nationwide race at Richmond that really irked me.  You guys can read for yourself if you haven’t already and draw your own conclusions.  I’ll just say that I will be more than happy when NASCAR inherits the joy of Danica next year.

And that’s it from Japan.  I apologize for not being able to watch the race live, but I was certain I wouldn’t have made it very long on the treadmill at 1AM.  The next Indycar event will be the Kentucky Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway broadcast live on October 2nd on Versus at 2PM Eastern.  Trust me, it will be an event you will not want to miss.

Ross (@driverswanted07)