Welcome to the very first edition of As the Firestone Turns. This will be your weekly hot spot for off-track news, pictures, events, interviews, and happenings to keep you connected to the world of Indycar. Often times, the best stories within the paddock aren’t what is broadcast on television or printed in the local newspaper. The paddock is full of exciting events, interesting people, and great stories that are never told. AtFT will connect you to the drivers, new talent, officials, history, and moments that make Indycar awesome. Special editions will likely occur as I will be live at the track for the 2012 Indianapolis 500 and at the Firestone 550K at Texas Motor Speedway. So, with that, lets get to it!
This first edition of As the Firestone Turns will bring you up to speed on some of the most recent off-season Indycar happenings via Twitter pictures. One of the wonderful things about social media outlets such as Twitter is it allows fans instant access to drivers and teams and visa versa. Luckily, Indycar drivers and teams are excellent at utilizing Twitter to engage and interact with fans.
Credit KV Racing Technology
As we all know, Indycar has a new chassis, the Dallara DW12, for the new season. For you NASCAR fans, the process of prepping a brand new Dallara for the track is much different than a Roush Ford Fusion. Just in time for Christmas, teams took delivery of the first 15 DW12′s on December 15th. Dallara placed them in nice, big present boxes just for added holiday spirit! Not really, but there is certainly some assembly required as shown by this picture Tweeted by KV Racing Technology. This is Tony Kanaan’s new racecar.
Credit Will Power
Other than the infamous New Hampshire flying fingers incident, Will Power is known to be one of the most clean-cut and well-mannered drivers in the paddock. The piercing blue eyes and Australian accent help cement the image he portrays. However, after Las Vegas, Power apparently lost his razor on the way home and grew quite an impressive beard over the holidays. Luckily, Will Tweeted this picture when he shaved the beard into an equally impressive 70′s era porn star goatee and side-burn combo. Bow-chika-wow-wow!
Credit Andretti Autosport
After 9 years of the Dallara IR03 chassis, Indycar teams have fleets of the old cars sitting around. Andretti Autosport Tweeted this picture from inside their shop showing off a couple of cars that have interesting histories. In this photo is the #7 Motorola liveried chassis that Danica Patrick drove to victory at Twin-Ring Motegi as well as the #39 Michael Andretti drove in his last Indianapolis 500 in 2007.
Credit Alex Tagliani
Alex Tagliani is a busy man this offseason. The 2011 Indianapolis 500 pole sitter, landed a ride with 2011 Indianapolis 500 winning team Bryan Herta Autosport for 2012. Earlier this week, Tagliani was at Miami-Homestead Speedway testing the Lotus test car on the road course at the venue. However, from the looks of his Tweet, Tags was in the Land-O-Giants not South Florida. The shower head in the bathroom was apparently mounted to accommodate those of Yao Ming stature.
Credit Alex Tagliani
Not long after the above shower Tweet, Alex got his first taste of the new Dallara DW12 chassis. One big adjustment has been the switch to ceramic brakes. One of the first things drivers have mentioned after driving the new car is the immense stopping power the new brakes have and how it takes to get used to them. These are certainly not the brakes on your Mom’s Malibu. According to Tagliani, this is the “Ceramic Brake Face”. Let’s just hope none the drivers get stuck like this!
Credit Graham Rahal
Most of the new DW12′s that have seen on-track activity have sported blank carbon-fiber panels or have been painted in manufacturer colors. As the season draws closer, cars are assembled, and testing ramps up, the new liveries for 2012 show begin to show their new shiny sides. Graham Rahal Tweeted this picture of his 2012 NTB/Service Central scheme. I think it will look very nice going 220+ at Indy.
There you have it, the first edition and trial-run of As the Firestone turns and a quick Twitter photo update on a few of the off-season activities. Feedback is always welcome and is it up to you, the fan and loyal reader, to help AtFT grow and develop with the content you want to see!
Ross (@therossbynum)