2007 Indy 500 - One of the Best
.
By Terry Blount ESPN.com
May 29, 2007, 2:27 PM ET
INDIANAPOLIS -- The 91st running of the Indianapolis
500 had cloudy skies, a three-hour rain delay and a yellow-
flag ending 34 laps shy of the scheduled distance.
That doesn't sound like fun, but Sunday's race ranks with
the best in the storied history of the Brickyard.
It included dramatic moments and up-front passing, the
kind of action open-wheel racing needs to sway some
of the fans it lost to NASCAR over the past decade.
What did the fans see? They saw Marco Andretti compete
for the victory again after his heartbreaking loss as a rookie,
but end the race this time with a 200-mph flip down the
backstretch.
They saw two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves
drop to 29th after a fueling problem in the pits but come
back to finish third.
"I never lost faith in my team, and they never lost faith in
me," Castroneves said. "We kept our composure and had
a fantastic result."
The fans also saw Davey Hamilton, who nearly lost both
his feet in a crash six years ago, finish an impressive ninth
in his first race since the accident.
They saw two open-wheel legends -- Al Unser Jr. and
Michael Andretti -- probably race at Indy for the last time.
And they saw Danica Patrick run with the leaders at Indy
once again. Patrick was second late in the race before
finishing eighth, her third top-10 in her three Indy 500
starts.
"I will win the Indy 500 at some point," Patrick said. "I
can't not win it after being this close again."
The race had 24 lead changes among nine drivers over
166 laps before rain made Dario Franchitti a popular
first-time winner.
IndyCar Series president Brian Barnhart deserves credit
for not giving up on the day when the first downpour came
and bringing out a red flag on Lap 113 of the scheduled
200-lap event.
Most people thought the race was over, but Barnhart
realized plenty of daylight hours remained to get the cars
back on the track.
"Hats off to the league," said former Indy 500 winner
Buddy Lazier, who finished 19th. "They did a great job
of getting the track back to racing condition."
Some people in the estimated crowd of 275,000 went
home thinking Tony Kanaan was the winner. When the
red flag waved, Kanaan was first, Marco Andretti was
second and Patrick was third, which would have been
a top-three sweep for Andretti Green Racing.
Franchitti had mixed feelings watching the rain fall.
"It looks like my best friend [Kanaan] is going to win,"
Franchitti said. "My other teammates are second and third,
so it would be a pretty good day for us. But the selfish side
of me was thinking we could do something if we go back
racing."
Kanaan got the lead when he passed Marco on a restart
a couple of seconds before a caution came out for a wreck
behind them.
Team owner and driver Michael Andretti, left, was as
happy as anyone celebrating with Dario Franchitti in
Victory Lane at the Indy 500.
The rains came moments later, so it looked as though
Marco had lost the lead at the worst possible moment for
the second consecutive year. He lost the 2006 Indy 500
when Sam Hornish Jr. passed him a few feet before the
finish line.
This time, Marco had to sit and wait as the rain fell,
wondering whether he would get another chance. He
did, but it didn't turn out well.
The fans who left missed 53 laps of wild racing and
strategic moves that decided the outcome.
After the race resumed, Marco clipped wheels with Dan
Wheldon, then went airborne and crashed to the ground
upside down before turning back over. He walked away
with only a few bruises.
Franchitti inherited the lead by staying on the track when
Kanaan and Hornish pitted during a caution. That led to
the demise of Kanaan's hopes when he spun while trying
to avoid Jaques Lazier's crash on the restart.
Kanaan's chances of winning were over after his having
the dominant car most of the day.
"It was Dario's day," Kanaan said. "But my big
disappointment is if we weren't going to finish 200 laps,
why did we continue? Of course, I'm sure Dario sees it
the other way around."
It all depends on your point of view -- half empty or half
full. A few people might look at the 2007 Indy 500 as a
rain-shortened disappointment, but look between the
raindrops and you saw a race to remember.
http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/columns/story?seriesId=1&columnist=blount_terry&id=2884827
Cessna 310
>
>
It was truly the best Indy 500 this year.
Von Fourche
"." <.@dot.com> wrote in message news:OPg7i.57383$AR3....@newsfe07.phx...
Great article and right on the money. The Indy 500 is building up steam
again.
Cessna 310
>
>
> Great article and right on the money. The Indy 500 is building up steam
> again.
>
>
Wrong again. Not steam, methane.
RickyBobby
> Great article and right on the money. The Indy 500 is building up
> steam again.
>
>
had some legitimate credentials either in terms of racing accomplishments or
fan interest. There may have been thirteen field fillers but back in the
glory days of the 60's and 70's and 80's and early 90's there were an equal
number of field fillers in any given 500.
The best thing that The Big Man could do is to stay the course and not
change a thing for 2008. The fans and the media and the teams and the
drivers and the sponsors will take care of everything.
Lenny
> Great article and right on the money. The Indy 500 is building up steam
> again.
TV Ratings:
2005 6.7
2006 5.0
2007 4.7
You must be a marketing major.
Cessna 310
That really shows progress and is a true indicator of the success of the
IRL. I wonder how well the rest of the races (other than Indy) will do?
Or is the season figuratively over for the IRL?
.
news:VRg7i.808$n25...@newsfe02.lga...
> . wrote:
>
> >
> >
>
>
> It was truly the best Indy 500 this year.
>
His need to delete the entire article
and its link truly says it all.
.
news:1180541195.2...@p47g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
> I'm just glad a furrin born, road racing former CART driver won.
>
>
> Also glad that Mikey didn't win.
>
Michael Andretti has now won the Indy 500 twice, in
the same manner that Roger Penske is said to have
won it more than a dozern times, despite the fact that
the latter never once led a single lap or even so much
as participated in it as a driver.
In addition, he's also CART's all time winningest driver,
the CEO of the IRL team with: the highest percentage
of wins at the Indy 500, the highest number of wins in
a single season, the highest percentage of wins in a
single season, the highest number of overall wins, the
highest percentage of overall wins ...
His team also posted the fastest qualifying laps in
most of the races just this season alone.
Plus:
EVERY one of the 4 AGR drivers has either been
invited to or has actually tested an F1 car, unlike
ANY other team in America.
Only team to have unprecedented, historic 1-2-3-4
finish, Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, 2005.
Only team to have won a championship while
finishing every race on the lead lap, 2004.
Only 4 car team to win series championships,
2004 & 2005
Only 4 car team to win consecutive series
championships, 2004 & 2005
Only 4 car team to win 2nd place in series
championship in rookie season, 2003
Only Indy 500 team to qualify all 5 cars on
pole day, 2007
And on and on and on ad infinitum.
He's just so terribly embarrassed and surely
continually cries all the way to the bank.
alien
"." <.@dot.com> wrote in message news:xZl7i.147493$Fk2....@newsfe08.phx...
Dot, do you think that a team that has 5 cars has an advantage over teams
with only 2 cars? With all their accomplishments it seems like they have a
major one. It also seems to me that it borders on an unfair advantage at
that. What's your take on this?
alien
Dave-E
> "Dave-E" <davegt...@aol.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1180541195.2...@p47g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
>
> > I'm just glad a furrin born, road racing former CART driver won.
>
> > Also glad that Mikey didn't win.
>
> Michael Andretti has now won the Indy 500 twice, in
> the same manner that Roger Penske is said to have
> won it more than a dozern times, despite the fact that
> the latter never once led a single lap or even so much
> as participated in it as a driver.
>
>
> continually cries all the way to the bank.
No bank account in the world has enough money to put MA's pic on the
BW trophy.
So easily tweaked, the dotbot...I love it
Dave-E
> > Great article and right on the money. The Indy 500 is building up
> > steam again.
>
> Yes, indeed it is. I would say out of the 33 drivers about twenty of them
> had some legitimate credentials either in terms of racing accomplishments or
> fan interest. There may have been thirteen field fillers but back in the
> glory days of the 60's and 70's and 80's and early 90's there were an equal
> number of field fillers in any given 500.
This year, there were 6 drivers that had a chance to win. Period.
>
> The best thing that The Big Man could do is to stay the course and not
> change a thing for 2008. The fans and the media and the teams and the
> drivers and the sponsors will take care of everything.
Fans...not showing up, empty seats, race not sold out....tons left
after the rain
Media: The majority is aware of the emperor's wardrobe
malfunction.Positive coverage was not seen too often, other than by
IRL shills
Drivers: see earlier comment
Sponsors: Not a whole lot there either.
Dave-E
Or he's having a negative reality inversion.
Or just basically clueless...
Dave-E
> "." <....@dot.com> wrote in messagenews:OPg7i.57383$AR3....@newsfe07.phx...
>
> Great article and right on the money. The Indy 500 is building up steam
> again.
Yeah, I remember the first time I smoked marijuana.
Dave-E
Sheeit! I bet the IRL is hiring marketing wizards!
VF would prolly work for free anyway...
Cessna 310
Child labor laws would prohibit his employment.
.
> . wrote:
> > "Dave-E" <dave...@aol.com> wrote in message
> > news:1180541195.2...@p47g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
> >> I'm just glad a furrin born, road racing former CART driver won.
> >>
> >>
> >> Also glad that Mikey didn't win.
> >>
> >
> > Michael Andretti has now won the Indy 500 twice,
>
>
>
> Suck to be his fan, doesn't it. Hard to keep spinning and rationalizing
> his consistent losing, isn't it.
>
> Too bad for you.
>
>
Riiiggghhht, I'm always HORRIBLY saddened
whenever my friend and favorite team regularly
kick ass (as referenced below) and in the process
earn a payout well in excess of $1.6 Million from
a record high purse.
"Michael Andretti has now won the Indy 500 twice,
in the same manner that Roger Penske is said to have
won it more than a dozen times, despite the fact that
.
Which is no doubt why his deservedly weak constitution
couldn't handle quoting all my comments and found it
again necessary to truncate my remarks. Still unaware
that "I continue to be the most responded, referred
and reacted to puppeteer in these groups", he executes
a verbal Gomeril's Gambit, pretentiously attempting to
inform me that I "fell for the bait" while I capture his
queen as my penultimate checkmating move.
I can't imagine who it might conceivably be that he
thinks he could possibly be kidding, other than himself.
"Hump away, pissant, hump!"
--
"Dave-E" <dave...@aol.com> wrote in message
I did get a kick out of " hump away, pissant, hump!", though...well
done!
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.autos.sport.cart/msg/48b2584380cc1107
.
"Perchance a specific, issue-oriented, well reasoned,
documented, fact-filled and devastatingly contested
rebuttal or witty rejoinder? Hardly. In its stead is yet
another in-kind offering in a long line of stunningly
insipid, stultifyingly stupid responses."
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.autos.sport.indy/msg/7005f6cdf52b489e
Not to mention an unattributed rip-off of a stand up
comic's (Leno) reply to hecklers: "Yeah, I remember
my first beer".
Dave-E
> "Dave-E" <davegt...@aol.com> wrote in message
Sorry, you are incorrect. It's not a Jay Leno quote.
Jay Leno is not funny
Dave-E
> "Dave-E" <davegt...@aol.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1180579662.6...@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > On May 30, 4:26 pm, "." <....@dot.com> wrote:
> > > "Dave-E" <davegt...@aol.com> wrote in message
>
> > >news:1180541195.2...@p47g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
>
> > > > I'm just glad a furrin born, road racing former CART driver won.
>
> > > > Also glad that Mikey didn't win.
>
> > > Michael Andretti has now won the Indy 500 twice, in
> > > the same manner that Roger Penske is said to have
> > > won it more than a dozern times, despite the fact that
> > > the latter never once led a single lap or even so much
> > > as participated in it as a driver.
>
> > > He's just so terribly embarrassed and surely
> > > continually cries all the way to the bank.
>
> > No bank account in the world has enough money to put MA's pic on the
> > BW trophy.
>
> > So easily tweaked, the dotbot...I love it
>
> Which is no doubt why his deservedly weak constitution
> couldn't handle quoting all my comments and found it
> again necessary to truncate my remarks.
Naw, I just figured, who needs to read your bullshit twice.
I was being considerate of other readers.
Dave-E
>
> > So easily tweaked, the dotbot...I love it
>
> Which is no doubt why his deservedly weak constitution
> couldn't handle quoting all my comments and found it
> again necessary to truncate my remarks. Still unaware
> that "I continue to be the most responded, referred
> and reacted to puppeteer in these groups", he executes
> a verbal Gomeril's Gambit, pretentiously attempting to
> inform me that I "fell for the bait" while I capture his
> queen as my penultimate checkmating move.
>
> I can't imagine who it might conceivably be that he
> thinks he could possibly be kidding, other than himself.
>
It's not my fault you're in denial.
How do you type with that hook in your mouth?
Now go away or I shall taunt you about the Ho'bags that Mikey has
chosen to shack up with.
What's he on now, #3? His newest one definitely appears to be
prostitute of some sort.
If Mikey wasn't so worried about getting his dick wet, he might have
won the Iddy 500 somewhere along the line.
.
Documented proof (I knew I'd heard it before) that
you're a thief and a phony (as if anyone had the
slightest doubt); your unattributed rip-off is actually
a feeble, misapplied reworking of a Steve Martin quote
"Ah, yes. I remember my first beer" - Steve Martin to a heckler
http://cc.msnscache.com/cache.aspx?q=8187337126359&lang=en-US&mkt=en-US&FORM=CVRE4
"Hump away, pissant, hump!"
--
"Dave-E" <dave...@aol.com> wrote in message
Cessna 310
>>
>
> Documented proof (I knew I'd heard it before) that
> you're a thief and a phony (as if anyone had the
> slightest doubt); your unattributed rip-off is actually
> a feeble, misapplied reworking of a Steve Martin quote
>
Accusing someone of being a "thief" and "phony" is pretty funny coming
from you.
Cessna 310
I doubt he would have won. He, like the rest of the Andrettis, is a
mechanical muncher. Either breaks or finishes far down in the standing.
He makes his own bad luck. His "partners" just reflect what happens
when tin-housed thong queens become the neuvo-riche.
Dillon Pyron
>. wrote:
>
>>
>>
>
>
>It was truly the best Indy 500 this year.
Even before the rain, I saw quite a few empty seats. And the infield
didn't look as full as in past years.
--
dillon
The pen may be mightier than the sword, but I've never
seen a .sig beat a Sig.