2010 Indianapolis 500

• krambman

  

  Sunday is the 100th running Great American Race beginning at 1:30pm on ABC.
  
  Helio Castroneves is on the pole with Will Power and Dario Franchitti finishing out row one. Columbus natives Graham Rahal (7) and Sarah Fischer (29) are also in the field. Of note there are three women starting in the field this year.
  
  I'll be going to the race for the second time this year, and even though I'm not an auto racing fan at all (this is the only race I'll watch all year) I'm so excited. If you're a racing fan, or even if you aren't, this is an event you need to attend at some point in your life. This is basically a big party all weekend by the track that finishes with a race on Sunday.
  
  Is anyone else going? Who will be watching the race from home on Sunday? What are your thoughts on this year's race and who is your pick to win?
• trackandccrunner

  I like Helio or Dixon to win it and I will be watching. One of best sporting events there is.
• ptown_trojans_1

  

  Note, it is the 94th running, but the 100th of the track.
  
  As for the winning, it is hard to go against Helio, but I think Dixon or Powers could win.
  No way Danica wins, Andretti cars are just garbage now.
  
  I used to be a huge CART fan, but have never been into IRL. The series is just too dominated by the heavy teams and the racing is not what it used to be. Still, I'll watch the race. But, I expect a snoozer.
• Speedofsand

  

  krambman wrote:
  I'll be going to the race for the second time this year, and even though I'm not an auto racing fan at all
  
  This is basically a big party all weekend by the track that finishes with a race on Sunday.
  

  That's what every race is. You don't have to be a race fan, you just have to party.
• killdeer

  

  gotta go with Helio. though Danica always makes for good press when she stomps around.
  
  have been to the 500 several times and lived in Indy for several years...going to time trials and carburation was an annual event.
  
  the absolute shame of it all is that the whole CART/Indycar flap set the greatest spectacle in racing back about 2 decades, and let NASCAR take the lead. I'm a fan of all racing, but the old days of Unser and Rutherford and Foyt and Sneva and Mears will never come back...
  ....and the Hulman family has only themselves to blame.
• Sage

  

  I'm going to this. I loathe racing but here tons of people get fucked up and there's ample cougar snatch to gobble up.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  I love racing. But I've been around it my entire life. I completely understand people that don't like it, but if you ever get the opportunity to go behind the scenes, it might change your view. Racing in any form is really a great form of competition.
  
  I'm excited for this. The 500 is always exciting. I remember a few years back when Marco passed his dad late in the race only to get passed and lose--I was driving home from NC that day and listening to it on the radio. Not sure I've ever enjoyed a sporting event so much on TV--it was even more epic over the radio.
• valgar

  After falling behind 4-1, the Indianapolis Indians plated seven runs over the fourth and fifth frames, before the bullpen tossed 5.1 innings of solid work .
• ptown_trojans_1

  

  killdeer wrote:
  the absolute shame of it all is that the whole CART/Indycar flap set the greatest spectacle in racing back about 2 decades, and let NASCAR take the lead. I'm a fan of all racing, but the old days of Unser and Rutherford and Foyt and Sneva and Mears will never come back...
  ....and the Hulman family has only themselves to blame.

  Agreed. ESPN and former SI writer Ed Hinton has 4 great pieces on the US Open Wheel Civil War and how it killed American Open Wheel Racing.
  Part I
  http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/columns/story?columnist=hinton_ed&id=5195237
  
  Btw, my favorite Indy 500 image. Complete domination not seen since.
  
• thavoice

  Not a race fan but occassionaly will watch IndyCar and try to catch the 500.
  
  Hell..i remember when this race was tape delayed into the evening!!!!
  
  May tune in this year...for the simple fact to see the track again....couple of weeks ago I did the Indy Mini Marathon and you run the straight aways at the track which was cool and got to run across the brick finish line. The place is I M P R E S S I V E.
• Speedofsand

  

  I never liked Indy much. Too many deaths and injuries. Just when I gave it another chance Tony Renna signed with a top team and died testing at Indy. I eat at his family's restaurant all the time.
• Heretic

  

  I'll be at a friend's house getting drunk and watching.
• mtrulz

  SHITTY!
• GoChiefs

  

  Never could get into open wheel racing. Great history and all that with this race, but man, this track sucks to watch a race in person..the 500 is best viewed on TV!
• Speedofsand

  

  http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/eventinfo/35518-Event-Informaion/
  
  Carb Day just ended on Versus tv. Danica hour now.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  I applaud anyone who booed Danica during qualifying.
• Speedofsand

  

  Those fans already resent her Nascar gig, but she was as wrong as it gets for throwing her team under the bus.
  Versus is now showing the parade. Jenn Sterger is reporting from the street corner.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Bottom line is she got pegged as the next big thing. They tried to say it wasn't about sex appeal, that she was a good driver--SHE went wayyyy out of her way to stand in front of cameras and say the same thing and it's become very obvious to everyone that it is just about sex appeal.
  
  She's obviously not a terrible driver, but don't try to cover up with a load of shit--just shut your mouth and go prove yourself.
• ptown_trojans_1

  

  I know it was wrong for Danica to criticize her team and she should not have. But, she does have a point. Andretti-Green cars have been just awful, garbage the last two years.
  
  She went from pole runs and 10 tens to the back of the pack, while Penski and Gannasi continue to dominate.
  I can understand her frustration. But, she still should not have done that. Unspoken code, vent in private in the garage.
  
  She is not a bad driver, she has praise from Sir Jackie Stewart before her venture into Indy. But, she has just had crap stuff. And, she has one bad temper, which hurts her really.
• Speedofsand

  

  Andretti blamed IMG for her busy schedule adversely affecting her performance.
  
  haha
• GoChiefs

  

  SQ_Crazies wrote: but don't try to cover up with a load of shit--just shut your mouth and go prove yourself.

  How can she prove herself when they give her shit to drive? I guess she should just cover up and talk about how great Andretti-Green equipment has been lately?
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Over the entire course of her career.
• ptown_trojans_1

  

  Prerace is on.
  
  Question though, if Helio wins today that will put him in a great class of 4 time winners: AJ Foyt, Al Unser Sr, and Rick Mears.
  So, if Helio wins today, is he deserving to be in a class with those great, iconic drivers?
  
  I sort of think so, but also acknowledge that the field is a lot weaker than in the past.
• Speedofsand

  

  The field is very weak today. Kanaan is exciting to watch.
• ptown_trojans_1

  

  Dario dominates today and wins the race on fuel mileage. Great race for him.
  Ganassi becomes the first owner to win the Daytona and Indy 500s in the same year.
  
  The crash at the end was just awesome. Great camera angles.