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The Roar's (self-appointed) IndyCar expert | Sport & sports media | Also: (Ice) hockey, AFL & college football. Tweeting about sport, movies, music and other randomness from @kitchtrips
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Well, the biggest race in the world has been run and won. I was lucky enough to be high above turn one on Sunday afternoon to watch one of the most thrilling duels we have ever seen at the end of the Memorial Day classic.
I met Mark Jaynes in person for the first time only last August, but for me and many millions of IndyCar fans in all corners of the world, I feel like I’ve known the pride of small-town Monrovia, Indiana for years.
For anyone who ever thought that guaranteed entries to the Indianapolis 500 for full-timers in the IndyCar Series might be the way to go, the drama of this weekend’s qualifying for the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 should have been enough to make them realise that the current system isn’t broken.
It’s the now-traditional start to the fabled Month of May.
A week after racing on the natural elevation road course in Birmingham, Alabama, the IndyCar Series moved to the sunny streets of Long Beach in Southern California for the second-most prestigious race on the calendar.
Two weeks after a history-making venture deep into the heart of Texas, the stars and cars of the IndyCar Series headed deep into the heartland of NASCAR racing for the tenth annual visit to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
Deep in the heart of Texas, at a new venue for the sport, the drivers of the IndyCar Series put on a fantastic weekend at the state-of-the-art Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
The first race of a new season of IndyCar racing doubles as the beginning of a new era for the sport
Thanksgiving. Black Friday. Rivalry Weekend. Iconic matchups wherever you look. The best weekend of college football, bar none.
Another college football weekend is in the books, and it was one of looking ahead for many teams who are involved in in-state rivalries over Thanksgiving next weekend, or taking on hated out-of-state rivals.
Another college football weekend is in the books, and it’s Alabama first, the rest of the nation a very distant second.
Another college football weekend is in the books, a real Statement Saturday for many of the biggest schools.
Another college football weekend is in the books, and it was another one full of conference- and playoff-shaping results.
Another college football weekend is in the books, and it was another one full of big results, both good and bad.
Another college football weekend is in the books, and it was a season-defining one, with so many ranked teams falling. Let’s take a look at who covered themselves in glory and who didn’t, with Week 7’s heroes and villains.
Another college football weekend is in the books. Six weeks in, and we’re starting to get a better indication of contenders and pretenders – for my money, everyone is lined up behind Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State, and the Crimson Tide will be hard to beat.
It seems like just yesterday the IndyCar Series started the season on the streets of St Petersburg in Florida, yet six months and 17 races later, we crowned a champion as the series visited Sonoma Raceway in Northern California.
Another college football weekend is in the books, with all the drama that we’re so used to. Let’s take a look at who covered themselves in glory and who didn’t, with Week 3’s heroes and villains.
Jay Frye and the IndyCar folks have done a mammoth and resoundingly good job ever since the DW12 was introduced. Proof is in the racing pudding, and even at tracks like Barber, which I never expected to be a thriller, has produced great action. I like the leaner iteration we current have, and the fact that – as you pointed out – guys can bang wheels and not have their car fall apart.
More good news for IndyCar as season 2019 approaches
There’s lots that IndyCar could teach Formula One and NASCAR at the moment. I would call the Push 2 Pass button a gimmick to a certain degree, but one that I don’t mind. Anything to promote passing, and some of the strategy around when to use it is always entertaining. It’s not a stretch to say that IndyCar racing is the best four-wheeled circuit racing in the world and I think that testing at Indianapolis will improve the package there on last year, not that the 102nd running was a poor race or anything.
More good news for IndyCar as season 2019 approaches
Great opportunity for IndyCar to grow there,with Dixon showing zero signs of slowing down. I look at Australia’s situation, with Power coming off his Indianapolis win, the increased notoriety that has brought to IndyCar racing, and the decent chance of a race in Australia next year, the series has a chance to really push their brand forward, particularly with the demise of Formula One on free-to-air. It will be interesting to see which outlet carries IndyCar races in this neck of the woods going forward.
As for Brendon Hartley, he would’ve probably been better off staying with Ganassi rather than jumping over to F1. The grass isn’t always greener, though you can’t blame a guy for wanting to try his hand at the top level – even if the racing is subpar when compared to IndyCar’s product.
Thanks for reading & commenting!
IndyCar races towards a season of optimism
They do it every year before Thanksgiving weekend. You can set your watch by it.
College football 2018: Week 12 heroes and villains
Not sure anyone left on Notre Dame’s current schedule (and I sadly include my Trojans) is going to beat them. FSU are hot garbage and probably won’t get within 3 touchdowns.
College football 2018: Week 7 heroes and villains
My Trojans will beat them over Thanksgiving. Just kidding, USC isn’t beating Notre Dame this year. The latest projections have the Irish playing Alabama in a semi-final. That’s like a booby prize, isn’t it?
College football 2018: Week 6 heroes and villains
Thanks. I love NFL, but love the college game more. Fun stuff on a Sunday.
College football 2018: Week 6 heroes and villains
Yep. Until the East plays my Stamps in a Grey Cup game, anyway! Then they’re good. I was very impressed by the Riders defence shutting down Toronto – and Zach looked good. This might be their year.
CFL 2018: Opening weekend headlines
There is nothing like this race. Drama personified and now Australia has an Indianapolis 500 champion. What a night for Aussie motorsport!
2018 Indianapolis 500: IndyCar Series live race updates, blog
102nd Indianapolis 500
1. Will Power
2. Ed Carpenter
3. Scott Dixon
4. Alexander Rossi
5. Ryan Hunter-Reay
6. Simon Pagenaud
7. Carlos Munoz
8. Josef Newgarden
9. Robert Wickens
10. Graham Rahal
2018 Indianapolis 500: IndyCar Series live race updates, blog
WILL POWER WINS THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
2018 Indianapolis 500: IndyCar Series live race updates, blog
WHITE FLAG!!
2.5 miles away.
2018 Indianapolis 500: IndyCar Series live race updates, blog
POWER TO THE LEAD!!
HARVEY AND WILSON PIT1
2018 Indianapolis 500: IndyCar Series live race updates, blog
It would be INCREDIBLE for Wilson to win after his brother died in a racing accident 3 years ago.
2018 Indianapolis 500: IndyCar Series live race updates, blog
Stefan Wilson to the lead!!
2018 Indianapolis 500: IndyCar Series live race updates, blog
Field into turn 3. Here we go…
2018 Indianapolis 500: IndyCar Series live race updates, blog
I think Rossi has plenty of Indianapolis 500 glory ahead. It looked like the race was falling into his lap due to the fuel mileage. Pagenaud was pitting a few laps before most everyone else, but the red flag cancelled those issues, and I think, in the end, the right guy won.
Yes, rare to see Rossi anything but cool, calm and collected. He was absolutely filthy during the pit-stop snafu. I guess it goes to show how much Indianapolis means.
2019 Indianapolis 500 talking points