Stirring the Pot

“You can’t stir the pot and then complain about the results however.”

When I read that sentence on the IndyCar Nation forum (even though it wasn’t about this particular subject), I took it as a sign that this post should be written.  I’ll warn y’all now: you may not like what I have to say.  In fact, I could catch quite a bit of heat for the content and my manner of expression.  I don’t care.  Many thanks to the forum poster who’s comment was nudge I needed to get this going and to Mike (@Weevil96) for making sure this made sense to someone not inside my head.

It’s been said in many different articles that IndyCar racing lacks story lines.  Even more so, it lacks compelling story lines.  I don’t actually buy that idea, but I’m not so sure my thoughts should count on that matter since I’d watch the races anyway.  However, in times where the fan base needs to grow and getting publicity is important, there is a need for more story lines.  One of the most suggested ideas is to create rivalries.  You know, the kind where the drivers really don’t like each other, are vocal about that, and the fans align themselves with the driver they feel is right.  A rivalry creates drama that might not otherwise exist and anytime there is more drama, there is more attention.

But honest to goodness, I hope we’ll never get to the point where we absolutely need that to thrive.  And yet, people are clamoring for rivalries.  In all honesty, they can be captivating.  However, I can’t understand the fans and media’s attitudes toward them.  If one wants rivalries, one better be happy when there is one, whether it’s manufactured or not.  I’ve seen it recently with the whole TK vs. Danica thing.  Here, at last, there is a rivalry between the series’ most popular driver and one of, if not the most, respected drivers in the series.  It’s popular vs. respected.  The seeds were sown for a lot of fans to notice and for the media to call attention to it.  Perhaps the most interesting aspect was the public reaction to this series of events that have created this “rivalry” (it’s in quotes because TK indicated in an interview with Planet-IRL that things are looking peachy again).  One look at the forums and you’ll see topics like:

1. TONY GOING TO GET EVEN?!
2. TK-Danica feud rumors gain momentum
3. TK/DP feud not good for Indycar.

It’s interesting to note that the topics display a variety of reactions to the whole situation.  Apparently, the outcry for rivalries wasn’t to be taken seriously.  Many fans and have stated their dislike (peruse above threads if you can stand it) and at least one professional writer has denounced it.  These reactions irritate me.  Seriously, if people can’t take the heat they ask for, then they shouldn’t ask for it.  Plain and simple.  Complaining about the lack of rivalries and then complaining about one when it finally happens is senseless.  “You can’t stir the pot and then complain about the results however.”  All I can say is this: make up your mind what the hell you want and stick with it.

These reactions lead me to believe that the fan base isn’t ready for heated rivalries.  I’ve heard of many fans who don’t pull for a particular driver and are generally happy with whoever wins.  To me, that gives the impression that the fans couldn’t take sides in a rivalry unless someone was clearly wrong and all the world stood against him/her.

Sure, there may be things that happen during the race, but that’s called “racing.”  Last I checked, it’s also normal.  Regardless, the fan base doesn’t seem to be able to handle driver vs. driver controversy.  And really, it’s not necessary.  And honestly, as long as the respected drivers in the series don’t have issues with each other, there won’t be any lasting rivalries.  For one, they like each other too much.  TK’s comments on racing against his competitors (and friends!) at Iowa show how enjoyable it is to race against them and how they leave the competitiveness on the track (usually).  It seems that was ingrained in them.  I have a hunch where the, “we can be friends off the track, but on the track I’ll try even harder to kick your butt” mentality came from.  To find that, I had to dig up some articles I read last October.  You see, this mentality came from a time when the venerable TK and Dario were young crazy guys who spent time  together with other young drivers off the track.  (Translation:  the CART days of the late 90’s.)  Most commonly, the chief instigator of these shenanigans and assorted activities was the late Greg Moore.  In one of the many pieces written upon the tenth anniversary of his passing, John Oreovicz wrote the following:

But perhaps more important was the way Moore triumphed over his rivals — with a huge smile and a contagious spirit that created strong, lifelong friendships among his competitors.  “In Europe, there is that background of ‘You’ve got to hate everybody to race against them,'” said Dario Franchitti, who was Moore’s closest friend on the circuit. “Then I came over here, and Greg kind of gathered everybody around and got everybody together doing different things, whether it was playing soccer or organizing a party. There was a whole group of us — Max Papis, Tony Kanaan, Jimmy Vasser, Alex Zanardi, Bryan Herta and Adrian Fernandez … we all became very good friends.

“Greg showed us that we didn’t have to hate each other. Because when we got on the track, trust me, he was as hard as anybody.”

If you look at that list, Kanaan and Franchitti still represent that attitude and mirror it in their interactions with other drivers.  Now, ten years later, they are the old school drivers in the latest incarnation of American open wheel racing.  Because of this, they set the tone for how drivers interact with each other.  As long as drivers from that time cultivate the same mindset among newer or younger drivers, the rivalry concept simply won’t work.  Frankly, that doesn’t disappoint me in the least.

Author’s note:  Helio Castroneves, though noted for his friendship with Kanaan, has been omitted from this list because he played a much smaller role in the camaraderie of the late 90’s.

Race Day at Iowa Speedway

I’ve been waiting to write this post.  Before I read the accolades of fans and news media, I was still on a rush from being there.  However, after reading the accolades, I realized that I’m telling my version of one of the most compelling races in a long time.  Whoa.  Before I actually talk about the race, I’d like to mention that I caught sight of Monica (@the_race_gIRL), Paul (@fieldof33), Kristi (@IAIndyFan), and Bill Zahren (aka Pressdog).  Unfortunately, I didn’t get to say hi, but I was like, “OMG! OTHER CRAZY FANS!!!”  All inside my head, of course.  Also of note, the header picture was taken Saturday night during the FIL race and was tinkered with using iPhoto.

The weather was humid, the sun struggled to shine for awhile (and yet, I got sunburned… my face resembles that of a lobster), and the crowd waited.  I gave up counting how many times the PA announcer asked, “Hey race fans, are you ready for some racing?” because I was ready… the first time they asked.  The subsequent times that same question was asked just made me wish they could fast-forward through the ceremonies to the important thing like driver intros, the invocation, national anthem and other such things.  But alas.  Speaking of the national anthem, that rendition nearly made me cry.  Perhaps it was the fact that I’m a music major and don’t tolerate mediocrity in that area, but really, that was bad.  1)  He screwed up the words (I missed this because I was in a bad music coma), 2) it was too slow, and 3) it was much too dressed up.  But I’m sure you ceased to care about my thoughts on that two sentences ago.  Anyway…

A buzz was definitely in the air; I was going nuts.  And then, it began.  Not surprisingly, the first caution involved a KV car.  While not Moraes’ fault, he and his teammates are certainly making a bad habit of crashing their cars.  However, they have asserted that they have speed when still in the race as evidenced by E.J. Viso’s podium finish.  Hopefully he can stitch together another race like this soon- the same for both of his teammates, I’m sure the KV Racing coffers would appreciate that.

One of, if not the most, controversial aspects of the race was Milka Duno.  After months of hearing that she should be parked and seeing raw data, I finally witnessed the “Milka squeeze” and saw her be more in the way and more slow than any other lapped car.  I recognize that negotiating lapped traffic is a part of racing.  In fact, I think it can create many opportunities for challenging the leader if set up properly.  However, washing up the track in front of the second place car after being lapped (again) and causing said car to have to break to avoid hitting you is an unnecessary and preventable danger.  If anyone with any sort of clout ever reads this, please Please PLEASE find a non-racing role in the sport for Milka.  And fast. Not surprisingly, by lap 35, Milka was parked.  I suspected (hoped) she would be.  After that, the lap traffic wasn’t nearly as difficult, although Mutoh was agonizingly slow.

The best racing (according to my dad), occurred soon after.  Dario and Dixon raced each hard for the lead for lap after lap.  It truly was exciting stuff.  Meanwhile, TK was just sitting back in third, waiting.  Throughout this segment, much more racing occurred within the pack.  Sato and Hunter-Reay were strong and, curiously, the Penske cars fell off the radar.  While they would make a nice surge later (all three with top-5 finishes to be exact), this surprised me.  Meanwhile, the Target cars were strong… go figure.

Being a fan of Graham Rahal (hey, at least I’m honest and recognize that I might be a bit biased!), I was pleasantly surprised to see him stay out during the second caution of the day.  My first assumption was that it was a strategy move, but unbeknownst to fans, it was reported that staying out was a communication error.  That error almost worked.  Five more laps, and it would have worked.  As a fan, I was rather bummed.  But hey, it’s racing.

I could continue on with a play-by-play, but I’ll spare y’all the agony of reading a live-blog-esque thing nearly two days later.  You’re welcome.

Some noteworthy things:

1. Dixon didn’t have squat after the first 50-ish laps.  Lame.  Dario’s transmission broke.  In the vein of Jane Austen, I say, “badly done” for it was.  The Ganassi teams revealed their humanity, but I doubt that was how they wanted to do that.  However, I don’t think the rest of the field minded; I certainly didn’t.
2. Andretti Autosport is bipolar.  Here’s what I mean: they have some cars that are fast, some that are slow.  This changes from day to day.  It even changes during the race.  I couldn’t figure out how or why Marco faded as badly as he did, but when it went wrong, it went wrong badly.  He suddenly lost speed as was reduced to being a roadblock for the leaders.  Hunter-Reay was good, but after the last pit-stop didn’t seem to have the same level of speed.  Danica never really had much, but kept her nose clean enough to bring home a top-10 finish, one lap down.  As for TK?  After a disappointing qualifying run, he backed up the speed he showed in practice with a stellar race.  But really, all this variation?  If AA could find consistency, they’d be a formidable threat week in and week out.  Until then, they’re… not.
3. After going down two laps for a green flag stop, I was impressed with Rahal’s run.  I honestly am not saying this just because I’m a fan.  It was a pity watching him pass cars after going down those laps because he was flying by them and it wasn’t for position.  The car seemed to get better and that allowed him to make up a lap and equal his season-best finish.  My exact memo in my  phone: “Rahal drives ass off to finish 9th.”  I was pleased.

Overall, this was a GREAT event.  I haven’t enjoyed a race that much at that speedway… ever?  Certainly not an IndyCar one.  To cap off a great race, TK’s win was VERY popular.  I was pulling for him and was glad to see it happen.  Even if Dario would have finished the race, I believe TK had the better car.  Regardless, the fans were thrilled about the victory.

I can’t wait for next year’s race.  I’ll be there, even if we don’t have season tickets.  I want to be there that badly.  Hopefully, more viewers (via TV or internet) will decide to make the trip next year.  It’s definitely worth it.

—————-

Playlist for this post

1. Ordinary (Rock Version)- Train
2. Rape Me- Nirvana
3. Lucy- Skillet
4. Telephone- Lady GaGa
5. Bad Romance- Lady GaGa
6. Alone- Heart
7. I Don’t Know- Stage
8. Breathe- Ryan Star
9. Hallelujah- Lee DeWyze
10. Better Than Me- Hinder

Why This?

Why there?  Why like this?  Why?

Ever since focus in IndyCar Nation has shifted to Iowa, questions like these have surfaced.  I read forum posts, blog posts, and blog comments, I feel like a few things aren’t acknowledged.  Before I continue (because this has potential to turn into a rant and FAST), I’d like to point out that I am aware of my obvious bias as a life-long Iowan (who’s family has lived here since the 1860’s).  Anyway…

As a person who has attended the race, I’ve seen what goes on.  I’ll honestly say that last year’s racing was boring.  I also think that some poor choices from drivers with good cars lessened the number of contenders, but that shouldn’t have mattered.  Another thing I recognize: it’s not all that unique from a design standpoint.  However, if you talk to the average fan who will show up at the track, they won’t care about that.

You know why?  I do, because I’d give you a similar answer even though I’m aware of the things that detract from the track.  It’s because it exists.  Without this facility, the closest race track is Chicagoland Speedway.  In theory, it doesn’t seem like it would be that tough to pack up and go to a race there.  Heck, Kansas is even pretty close.  Real life, though, doesn’t work like that.  For years, my dad said we’d go to a race at one of those places as soon as an IndyCar race was run at each facility.  It never happened.  And then, Iowa Speedway was built a mere hour and a half drive from my home.  My dad has held season tickets every year.  Attending an IndyCar race every year became feasible at last!

Race attendance at Iowa speaks volumes for how much this venue means to Iowans.  Sure, other people have tickets, but I’d wager that most of the tickets get sold to Iowans.  Races sell out.  Heck, the Nationwide Series race last year was one of the few sellout crowds those guys raced in front of.  Temporary grandstands are brought in for higher profile events and filled.  Iowans like their racing.  If you still have doubts, consider that one of the most hallowed tracks of dirt racing is here too.  Told you so.   We’ve got something special here.  It’s not the track itself or even the racing you see there (which isn’t bad… especially when you watch sprint cars!).  No, it’s the heart behind it all.  It’s all about the passion that drives the fans that come there.  That’s why a place like this exists; it’s all about the fans.  I’d know; I’m one of them…

…and as one of them, there’s a few things y’all need to know if you’re going to the race.  Here’s the list:

1. get a pork tenderloin.  Iowa’s known for its pork and if you’re not from here, you won’t experience meat quite like that anywhere else.  Just remember to get extra napkins because they’re rather messy.
2. Pay the extra money to do the fanwalk thing if you don’t have season tickets.  One, you get pulled down to the infield by a tractor which may be a novelty for some.  Two, it’s just plain awesome.  Do itttttttt!!!!
3. Stop by the stand that has the Nitro ice cream. If you don’t, I may find you, drag you there and force-feed it to you.  Not really, but Roy Hobbson would if he knew of its wonders.  This is one of those things you should just trust me about.
4. Pray that it doesn’t rain a lot in the week before the race. Even if you’re not the praying type, do it anyway.  If not, parking will be messy and you won’t enjoy it.

I’m sure I’ll think of more later and I’ll fill y’all in.  🙂

Through a Child’s Eyes

I didn’t want to do it.  I get so sick of the hateful speech that goes on around forums about that uncomfortable era.  And yet, I also feel like a lot of fans forget that young fans like me had a perspective then, too.  The idea for this post originated when I read a blog post by respected blogger, George Phillips at Oilpressure.com on The Lost Years of the Indianapolis 500.  As I read, while in complete agreement, I saw the need for a post on these years from my perspective and how the 500 brought us to our present state.

The first 500 I ever watched was in ’98.  I was a seven-year-old and just getting into open-wheel racing.  At that time, though, I was much more concerned about the Coca Cola 600 that would be on that night.  Also, watching a race back then meant that I also was probably messing around with legos or tinker toys at the same time and paying minimal attention.  Needless to say, all I remember is that Eddie Cheever won.  The 1999 race was different; I was excited.  Still more of a Nascar fan than an open wheel one, the selling point for this race was that Tony Stewart was doing double duty that day.  He finished 9th and 3 laps down in the 500 and 4th in the Coke 600.  In 2000, the nearly unthinkable happened: Chip Ganassi’s team qualified two cars for the 500.  I didn’t have a grasp for what that meant when I was a kid.  Instead, I was excited that my favorite CART driver at that time was going to be racing: Juan Montoya.  Not only did he race, he won.  Needless to say, I was happy.  2001 was Helio Castroneves first 500 victory and the first time he climbed the fence.

By 2002, though, something was up.  Penske was racing in the IRL.  What???  I’d ask my dad questions because he understood the political climate of open-wheel racing.  I think he honestly always preferred CART over IRL, but at the core, he was a race fan and would watch whatever went fast.  One of my many questions was, “Why did they leave?  They missed the 500, didn’t they?”  Yes, that was it.  People could tell you otherwise, but the 500 is the the real deal.  It’s… the 500 (duh).  I had it figured out as an eleven-year-old.  The power and lure of the speedway did it.  By 2004, most of the CART powerhouse teams were back at the speedway.  I would watch races and think to myself, “this kinda looks like the old CART.”  After that, the rest is history.

To this day, I fail to see how adult people cannot see or comprehend what I did as a child.  I wasn’t and still am not that intelligent about IndyCar racing when compared to a lot of fans.  My technical knowledge is all but non-existent and my memory is limited by my years.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to sort this out and maybe, that’s why I could see.  A child looks at things simply, sees them as they are, and responds simply.  Perhaps that is what we need.  The future of Indycar Nation are young adults like me.  On forums, I see many of us crying for our predecessors to let go.  I’ve even tried that!  It doesn’t work.  And yet, the child-like perspective sees to the heart of the matter and looks in wonder.  As I go forward and continue to grow-up, I hope I take in each and every race with the wonder of a child and see through the ever-present dissension with the clarity of a child’s eyes.

Playlist for this post:

1. Ordinary (Rock Version)- Train
2. Handlebars- Flobots
3. Bad Romance- Lady Gaga
4. Lips of an Angel- Hinder
5. Indy 500 practice

Author’s note:  Written on 5/19.  One of my favorite posts and probably, one of my best ones.

It’s May!!!

And 18 days after it begins,  I finally get excited.  Granted, I only had finals and my jury (ask if you want more info) before the semester was over, but it’s hit me.  Really hit me.  I have never beenthis excited about the Indy 500 before.  The first one I ever watched was in ’98 so it’s not like I’m exactly new at this.  There’s something in the air this year that has me and a lot of other fans buzzing.  And I like it.  To be honest, we have a lot to be excited about: car count is up, we have new blood among the powers that be, and some storylines are forming.  It’s great!
What really gives me the buzz, though, is reading firsthand accounts from people that are there.  I take in every word knowing that someday, I have to go to a 500.  Until that day, I’ll just have to get my fill of IndyCars at Iowa which I realize cannot in any way, shape, or form compare to IMS.  Anyway, I’m ready to see the potential that this year’s race has and celebrate its journey and culmination on race day.

Author’s note:  While written on 5/18, I feel the same thing, even more strongly, now.

Will it really be a new beginning?

Author’s note:  I originally wrote this on 3/6 before the season began.

So… Sao Paulo race weekend is next weekend.  At this point, I (along with all of you) should be jumping for joy because we’ll actually have something to talk about after spending months grasping at straws of conversational topics.  There’s one hitch in this scenario:  I’m not jumping for joy.  It’s not because I don’t have the energy.  On the contrary, I rarely lack it.  No, dear readers, a legitimate reason exists.  As one who follows multiple racing blogs, hangs around on the IndyCar Nation forum, and keeps up with the twittersphere, I have kept tabs over the off-season.  Here’s my list of reasons to not be excited:

1.  Graham Rahal doesn’t have a ride. Before I get cyber rotten tomatoes thrown at me for mentioning this again, hear me out.  As a fan, I’m incredibly disappointed that he doesn’t have a ride.  However, I refuse to jump on the bandwagon that blames teams for not picking him up.  He did have an offer and decided it wasn’t in his best interests.  As much as I’d like to see him race, he knows his situation and the climate of the IICS better than we do.  Remember, he’s on the inside and we’re not.  Also, I won’t join in with the crowd that deems him the savior of the IICS.  He’s not.  I will, however, contend that he is the future because he is young and feasibly has a long racing career in front of him.  At this point, I reside in the “let’s wait and see what will happen” camp.

Now, for the most pronounced reason.  2.  Fans won’t let this be a new season. What, you may ask me? Have you lost your mind, Catie?  That post-tonal analysis (music theory concept that I’m NOT a fan of) must be impairing your reasoning skills!  Well, not quite.  Here’s the thing: season predictions are made and complaint after complaint about how things were last year surface.  You know, the usual, “red cars will dominate again” and “it’ll be between two teams again.”  To be honest, that’s a terrible outlook. I don’t care whether or not it’s true; it’s still terrible.  Yes, with spec cars, everything is likely to be a repeat performance.  If that’s how you think, you might as well call this IICS 2009, part 2.  Well, it’s not. We have new drivers, different rides, many personnel changes, and while the overall outcome might not look too different, a whole new set up possibilities awaits.  Consider all the positive announcements that were made over the off-season.  Fresh faces are becoming involved in the series, whether as drivers or leadership.  Changes like that are exciting.  In spite of that, the way fans talk, the IICS is dead and we may as well give up hope that we’ll ever be something special.  The real problem is that the IndyCar Nation is a very skeptical core fan base.  It’s knowledgeable in the history of the sport and understands the role politics between owners and the sanctioning body has played in changing the course of the sport.

It’s time to let each season grow to its best potential without piling the ghosts of past seasons on it.  2010 is its own season.  Sure, the past has its influence and should.  I can’t say this well, but a quote from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” does.  In a bit of advice given to Toula by her brother, Nick, he says, “Don’t let the past dictate who you are, but let it be part of who you will become.”  We have a rich history that should be celebrated (and usually is quite eloquently by George Philips at Oilpressure) and keep things in perspective (with a lot of help and humor courtesy of Roy Hobbson at The Silent Pagoda).  At the same time, we need to let the future be itself.  The past will continue to be a part of the IICS, but it needs to grow and change too.  That’s where the fans come in.  We tend to hold on to the past so much that we hinder the progress of the future.  So cut it out, will ya?

IICS Fans and Dichotomous Thought

Author’s note: This was originally posted on 1/13.  It was my first IndyCar blog post.  *cues chorus of “awwww’s”*

Hey soon to be readers.  This will be my first of many rants.  For those unfamiliar with me when I rant (which will be nearly all of you), I tend to come up with irrational ideas and then rationally argue against them while still clinging to the irrational.  This amuses my boyfriend to no end.  Hopefully this one doesn’t end up like that.  Here goes.

I was perusing the IndyCar Nation forum today as I do every day and read the new posts on the topics that interest me.  One topic, that was originally was about car numbers, has been hijacked into a driver vs. team slugfest.  You can read the whole thing here (page 1 is irrelevant unless you really do want to read about car numbers).

For awhile, this was rather relevant: car numbers are an easy way to recognize drivers and since drivers change teams often, this can produce a problem regarding recognition and fan-gear (I think that’s another blog, though).  However, when the “casual” fan vs. “hardcore” fan was brought into the mix, it made me pause a moment.  Based on one poster’s definition, I am only a “casual” fan because I think of drivers more than the teams.  Wait, what?

Here’s the problem with that theory:  it is dichotomous in nature.  The concept of a “fan” is not dichotomous.   I offer myself as an example; I’m pretty sure I don’t fit the mold of a “casual” fan.
1.  I’ve actually been to more than one race and more than one track.
2.  I post on the forum frequently.
3.  Check out my blogroll.  There are many racing blogs there:  I read them and sometimes comment.
4.  I’ve been watching races on TV or online since ’98(first CART, then CART/IRL, then IRL, then ICS, finally IICS) when I was just a kid.
5.  When I go to any kind of car race, I take lap times on my cell phone.
6.  I’m blogging about it (!!!).
Where do people like me fit into this picture?  I know I’m not a gearhead or anything like that, but I can tell you who drives what for whom and in some cases, who drivers have driven for in the past.  Ex:  Before driving for AGR (now AA), Tony Kanaan drove for Mo Nunn Racing and Tasman Racing.  The “casual” fan just gave me a crazy look and said, “Who cares?”  That’s my point, though; a “casual” fan wouldn’t understand why that is important.

I’m willing to wager that I’m not the only fan that has followed open-wheel racing for awhile that fits into this middle-of-the-road category.  So, open up your minds a bit and break out of this dichotomy.  Figure out where you fit in the mix.  If you care to, leave a comment with where you think you fit.