Greatness Before Our Eyes

On October 2nd, Dario Franchitti was crowned champion of the 2010 Izod IndyCar Series.  In the time since then, I’ve started to realize that we’re seeing something special- greatness is before our eyes.  The statistical rundown in and of itself displays greatness (you can look up the stats here).  However, accumulating a large number of wins is only a part of what makes a driver great.

The most applicable meaning of the word great is “of exceptional talents or achievements” (Dictionary.com).  Quite a few current Izod Indy Car Series drivers have exceptional achievements and talents, but none more so than Dario Franchitti.  Here is a list of drivers I have purposely left out and why:

1.  Helio Castroneves– He has won three Indy 500’s which is an exceptional achievement.  However, prior to his days racing with Penske, he had never won a race.   Also, to date, he has not won a championship.  His 24 victories are impressive; I won’t say otherwise.  However, winning half of your victories with one of the top teams in a spec series weakens the claim a bit.

2.  Scott Dixon– Two championships, one Indy 500 victory, and 24 career victories is a stout body of work.  Although a very good driver, Dixon has two strikes against him.  First, all but one of his victories has been with Ganassi, one of the top teams.  Also, he struggled mightily while using Toyota power in IRL.  While he had a few redeeming moments then, great drivers are able to create more of them with underpowered equipment.

3.  Tony Kanaan– With one championship, 15 victores, and the tenacity that most drivers wish they had, TK displays his quality.  The most glaring element of a successful career that keeps TK from being listed among the great drivers is an Indy 500 victory.

4.  Dan Wheldon– One championship, one Indy 500 victory… but virtually silent since 2008.  He has no wins when driving for lower tier teams.  He’s fast, but it seems he only finds this speed on ovals which severely limits what he can do in the series.

Franchitti, on the other hand, has raced well from the outset of his career dating back to his CART years.  In his favor, he nearly one the 1999 CART championship (tied Montoya but lost tiebreaker), won one IRL championship, and has won two consecutive championships since unification.  Even more incredible, he shows no signs of slowing down as he ages.  In fact, the maturity he has gained over the course of his career makes him one of the smartest drivers in the Izod Indy Car series.

Only time will tell if Franchitti will be able to match the greatness of a bygone era.  As long as he has the fire to race, he will be winning.  If that fire takes him another ten years into the future, you can bet that he will be winning races, and placing himself next to the great drivers of American open wheel racing.

 

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.

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.

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.