Excitement of Indy 500 still gets the motor running 2011/05/29 at 5:47 am
As much as this column is about being a set of eyes and ears and offering readers context or opinion, sometimes its hard just to watch dispassionately.
I admit it. Thursday got me. Completely distracted, I succumbed for a minute – OK, most of an afternoon – and played the part of fan.
Just to be clear, Im not talking about favoring one competitor over another or cheering in the press box. I only root for a good story.
Once I clicked on live streaming of Indianapolis 500 practice, I was completely sucked in.
The sights and sounds arent quite the same online as in person. The cars have changed so much and so many people have come and gone since I made my first trip to Indy for pole day 21 years ago Thursday, my first assignment for the old Milwaukee Sentinel.
The feeling, though, was familiar.
I set aside thoughts of the sports split, reunification and all the politics, rancor and damage done before, during and since. I purposely didnt worry about who was in charge of what or who was mad at whom.
Let this be a great sporting event at a historic venue, thats what I told myself, and soak in a centurys worth of excitement and heartbreak.
The shortened schedule means qualifying follows opening day by a week. The pole will be awarded Saturday and the field, probably the deepest and strongest in 15 years, will be filled the next day.
That 1990 race included a great battle and a first-time winner, Arie Luyendyk. Time trials in 1995 brought the surprise of mighty Team Penske failing to qualify. The new pole shootout format last year produced a gutsy performance by Penske driver Helio Castroneves to win the pole, and bump day ended with a driver in the hospital finding out hed made his first 500.
All of that ought to be compelling enough for the fan in anyone.
Sun and speed
After rain cut the 10-day schedule even shorter, Thursday was clear all day, allowing 40 drivers to run 2,394 laps. Series leader Will Power posted the fastest, averaging 227.778 mph, just shy of Castroneves 2010 pole speed.
Simona De Silvestro was taken to a hospital for examination after a wicked crash. She suffered burns on her hands and will be evaluated Friday before being cleared to drive.
A champion and a scholar
The Camping World Truck Series will attract as much international attention as it ever has Friday, when 2007 Formula One champion Kimi Rauml;ikkouml;nen attempts to make his stock-car debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He must qualify on speed in Kyle Buschs No. 15 Toyota.
Weve sent him a few videos the past couple of years of truck racing at Charlotte, Busch said. Hell get a good view of what to expect with the in-car stuff, listening to throttle control, how much youre on the gas and how to race people.
Rauml;ikkouml;nen, 31, would be the fourth F1 champion to race in NASCAR, following Mario Andretti (one victory, 1967 Daytona 500, in 14 starts), Jimmy Clark (one start, Rockingham, 1967) and Jacques Villeneuve (15 starts in Sprint Cup, Nationwide and trucks).
Find that line
After scoring his second win of the season Sunday and virtually locking up a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Matt Kenseth will go for his second victory in the Sprint All-Star Race, a $1 million-to-win, non-points event Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
You want to do everything you possibly can to win that race, but you dont want to have a terrible finish at the same time, said Kenseth, who won in 2004. We want to go for the win, and do everything you know you can do within your means, but you still have to be smart enough to know when you step over that edge.
A little help
People wanting to volunteer to work during the Milwaukee 225 IndyCar Series weekend at the Milwaukee Mile can find more information and apply at milwaukeemile2011.com.
Another week away
Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne will skip the Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night and the Nationwide Series event Sunday at Iowa Speedway. He has been out for a month after suffering fatigue, nausea and impaired vision.
Hear from his lawyer
Renault F1 team owner Eric Lux is proceeding with legal action against Force India driver Adrian Sutil, alleging physical assault and grievous bodily harm, in an incident at a club after the Chinese Grand Prix.
Send email to dkallmann@journalsentinel.com. Read more throughout the week at jsonline.com/blogs/racing