Dario won one for Danny Boy today on a blistering Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis, Indiana.

It’s the coolest place to race four wheels on Earth and it’s the most respected.

Today IMS was the hottest and it’s where history was made not once but twice on this very hot day in Indianapolis.

Did I mention a last lap wreck?

Oh yes, today’s race had it all:  heat, tons of lead changes, tradition seething in the air, memories and most important a champion  joining the ranks of legends at Indianapolis.

» Continue reading ““Everybody up there was a friend of Dan’s…””

If my foreclosed home was auctioned to a bank and I had ten days to leave I'd look like this too.

Welcome to the wonderful month of May, race fans.  Does everybody recall how important this month is?

If you’re a fan of anything that speeds on four wheels and don’t know how important May is your dunce cap is in the mail.

Duh, it’s Indianapolis 500 month!  So exciting, especially down in these parts of Indianapolis.  Radio stations are already buzzing with excitement and my tickets are on my refrigerator waiting for race day.

However, we can’t neglect this week’s racing headlines even if they involve the likes of broken down, drowned out in bankruptcy probably feels like crawling into a hole and dying former drug addicted driver.

Yeah, Jeremy Mayfield is in the news yet again and hopefully for the last time.

» Continue reading “Garage Gossip: It’s May So Who Cares About Jeremy Mayfield…”

Houston is go for launch in 2013 with the Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston!

So I’m excited.  Not because I don’t live in Houston but because IndyCar is expanding their 2013 schedule by one more race next season.

Say hello to Houston, Texas which will host the Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston in the first week of October next year.  The city has been working its butt off for the last two years to get this race organized and their efforts and hard work have finally paid off.

There is a little hitch though:  the race will run on a temporary 1.7-mile street course consisting of the parking lots near the home of the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. 

Details about how many years the race has been sponsored by Pennzoil and Shell were not available.  Interesting.

Funny story about Houston:  remember the good days of Champ versus IndyCar?  Yeah, Houston was one of the races that got the axe when Champ and Indy merged in 2008 so to that I say welcome back.

One of the reasons the race was cancelled was because the Champ car drivers were complaining about he bumpy surface of Reliant Park at the time but drivers and promoters have assured fans and drivers will be plenty of time to remedy the situation at hand.

Might be calling this place home sooner than I think...literally. Fingers crossed.

Okay.  So hi again, everybody.  Yeah, I’ve been away for awhile.  For that, I apologize to everybody and anybody that gazes at our site from time to time or on a regular basis. 

I’m trying to relocate to the Racing Capital of the World (yes, Indianapolis – squeee!!) so I’ve been driving like mad between interviews, seeing my boyfriend on the weekends and still maintaining sanity here in Northwest Indiana. 

It’s been a bumpy ride, kind of like Jeremy Mayfield’s journey through the justice system that ended in utter failure a couple days ago.  Ouchie.

Let’s see what’s shakin’ in racing this week and get back on the speed freak wagon, shall we?  

» Continue reading “Let’s Catch Up With The Rest Of The Field, Shall We?”

IndyCar and TMS's Eddie Gossage are at it again but the drivers have put the drama to rest this week...hopefully.

Good morning, race fans.  It’s a b-e-a-utiful Tuesday morning and it’s time for some news.

There’s not much in the way of “new stuff” this week in NASCAR and IndyCar but a couple of updates and follow-ups on stories we’ve already reported about.

We’ll talk about the EFI system that seems to be plaguing NASCAR as of late, the announcement of a new DreamWorks film that revolves around the Indianapolis 500 (staring my man-crush Ryan Reynolds by the way) and of course the ongoing drama between IndyCar drivers and Texas Motor Speedway.

So let’s dive in that way everybody can spend more time outside in the gorgeous weather today.  Oh yeah, nevermind I have a day job.  Everybody else have fun outdoors while I wallow in jealousy and sorrow.

» Continue reading “Garage Gossip: Snails With Magical Powers Anybody?”

Take that you fury of flame... (AP photo)

So maybe the Mayans have something going here because in the last two weeks I’ve witnessed and read about more fires in racing than I have in the past twenty years.

And yesterday was no exception…queue IndyCar’s Will Power, please.

The where:  Sebring International Raceway where testing commenced on day one on Monday. 

The who:  none other than our favorite son, Will Power whom we love and respect all for telling IndyCar how he truly felt. 

The what:  his IndyCar caught fire (twice actually, once Monday and Tuesday) during Sebring’s testing sessions.

The why:  Will says he’s very unsure of why his car keeps catching fire (nice) but they’re stemming from a leak in the engine.

Will’s car spontaneously caught fire twice and thankfully he was able to put out the first fire by himself with a fire extinguisher.  Huh?   Yeah, not kidding.

Apparently the track worker who was elder was struggling to reach Will’s car so Will (being the super nice Aussie he is) took it upon himself to run across the track, grab the extinguisher and put out the flames himself:

The safety worker was across the track and he was an older gentleman, kind of struggling to get across, so I ran and grabbed it myself. (Will Power via USA Today)

The second time his car caught fire he was able to make it into the pits to extinguish the minor blaze underneath the hood.

However, the day wouldn’t be a total failure because he was second-fastest in testing.  Way to go, Will.  He says he’s ready for March and I say bring it on, people.

There is not a more fitting image for this year's Indy 500 race day ticket.

Want to know why I’ve been crying most of this morning? 

Yep, been crying on and off since I pretty much woke up when I found out the race ticket for the 2012 Indianapolis 500 would be revealed today.

And was it ever…in the most appropriate fashion imaginable by remembering 2005 and 2011 winner Dan Wheldon.

This year the unveiling was done a little bit differently as opposed to years past by IMS officials traveling to Avon Middle School. 

They presented guidance counselor, Paul Quirke, with a five-foot tall replica ticket.  Quirke was also the first person to receive his 2012 Indianapolis 500 race day tickets as well.

What makes Paul Quirke so special?  Because he wrote on IMS’s Facebook page why his Indianapolis 500 seats were the best in the house. 

His story won and his seat and section number were the numbers featured on the unveiled ticket.

I’m thrilled because that means in the next week or so I will have my 2012 Indy 500 tickets in-hand. 

I can’t wait and I’m sure I’ll cry all over again just like I’ve been doing all day today.

Kind of makes you want tp take up speaking Italian, doesn't he?

Rahal-Letterman Lanigan Racing has added another driver to their roster and this time we look eastward to Italy where racer Luca Filippi will join RLL. 

He’ll make his “American-based” racing debut in the 2012 Indianapolis 500.

Luca is twenty-six years old and has spent the last six years in the GP2 Series where he won three races last year (finished second in the series standings) and was also a test driver for Honda in F1 from 2007 to 2008.

Speaking of F1:  did I mention Aerys has an awesome Formula 1 site because readers should really check out my pal Amanda Diegel because there’s nobody else like her who knows F1. 

Check her digs, Practice Makes P1, out like now.  Back to our regularly scheduled newscast…

This is also Bobby Rahal’s first time returning to the IndyCar Series since 2008 after he was unable to field two cars in the series.  It was agreed the engines designed for his race team at that point would be provided to Sarah Fisher.

Oh, did I mention he’s a little bit gorgeous?  Yeah, you’re welcome.

Danica Patrick does not want to be called sexy.

Today in Daytona Beach, Florida, NASCAR held its annual Media Day.  This is the kickoff to the 10 days of special events culminating with the Daytona 500 on February 26^th.   40+ drivers held court with the media today to say the usual preseason sentiments.

“We’re going to build on last year and have a really great year!”  “The team has really come together in the offseason.  We’re ready to go racing!”  “Our team is confident we will be in the Chase.”

“I don’t think reporters should describe female athletes as sexy.”

Wait….what?

» Continue reading “Danica Patrick: When Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds”

Welcome to race control, Arie. P.S. Your hair still rocks. (photo: IndyStar)

So I’m thrilled today, seriously. Why? 

No, I’m not talking about the Bud Shootout coming up this Saturday although that is one of the reasons.

Today is about IndyCar because President of Competition and Race Director Beaux Barfield added some pretty HUGE names to IndyCar’s race control this week.

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar legend Arie Luyendyk, IndyCar driver Johnny Unser (of the legendary Unser family of course) and long-time CART director of competition Gary Barnard have joined IndyCar’s race control panel for 2012.

Beaux Barfield also indicated that most of the individuals that assisted with operations in 2011 were also returning in 2012 as well so if anything these names are a huge improvement which I hope they will be indeed.

Anything is an inprovement on last year’s race control.  Need I bring up the double birdies again?  Didn’t think so.