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| INDIANAPOLIS 500 Friday, May 8 UPDATES |
4:00 PM
Sprinkles have shut the track down, but hopefully only temporarily. Rain is not
hard at all, and the fans are still here. Hopefully we get in an exciting "happy
hour" on Fast Friday!
3:00 PM
Still no rain, but it's all around here, and we're bound to get it sometime.
Scott Sharp's Patron-sponsored livery took a pretty good lick into the wall this
afternoon - he's OK.
Drivers that I've seen walking the grounds looking for an available ride include:
PJ Jones, Scott Harrington, Roberto Moreno, Tomas Scheckter, Jaques Lazier,
Jeff Simmons, and Roger Yasukawa, who always takes time to greet me in the
media center and keep me up to date on what's going on with his racing career.
He, along with the other drivers mentioned, are actively seeking a ride here, but
most feel they'll have to wait until next weekend to find anything.
Danica always draws a crowd, but not too far behind her are the masses of fans
who are following Sarah Fisher here at Indy. Her pit and garage areas are
always packed with people (great for sponsor Dollar General, who is definitely
getting a bang for their buck here). Sarah's giving away a IndyCar two-seater
ride via Twitter.
For a Fast Friday with questionable weather, there are a LOT of people here.
Most notably, a lot of corporate-type folks here playing hooky from work! Great
to see good weekday crowds back at the Speedway.
For Linda Vaughn fans, you'll be disappointed to hear that she is not making the
trip to the Speedway for Pole weekend, as she broke her ankle. Not sure about
the status of her for 2nd weekend quals, or the race. The race would NOT be
the same without her, so here's wishing my friend a speedy recovery!
World of Outlaws Sprint car star Danny Lasoski was touring the garage area
yesterday before the Outlaws invade Eldora Speedway this weekend. He's an
annual visitor to the track during May, which leads me to believe he's wishing
his sprint car endeavors might have led him here at one time.
Strange to see the Penske team in pit Nos. 2 and 3, and not in their traditional #1
spot at pit exit. Their satellite operation, Luczo Dragon Racing, operated by
Roger Penske's son Jay, is in the #1 pit this year.
Speaking of the Penske Team, they look GREAT today, occupying the top two
spots on the chart most of the day, with Ryan Briscoe nearing 226 mph without a
tow!
Noon
Boy, is it good to be back here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway again! After
100 years of racing here at IMS, and significant changes being made every year,
it's good to know that the essence of this historic palace does not change from
year to year. The same familiar faces welcome me back each season, and I look
forward to renewing relationships and creating new friends each May.
The weather - as is usual for May in Indianapolis - has been a big factor in the
week's worth of racing preparations for Saturday's Pole Day activities. It was
beautiful earlier in the week, when no one needed to be on track, but once the
Indy Lights teams arrived for their Tuesday Open Practice, so did the rain.
Wednesday's Rookie Orientation Practice for Indy first-timers was also affected,
with only a short window in the morning for track time before the day was
cancelled due to rain. Thursday, the track opened early to allow the rookies to
finish up ROP, then the vets got the rest of the day to get up to speed - and they
did. With rain predicted, lots of activity was seen, with high speeds reaching
above 223 mph - until Marco Andretti, with the help of a nice tow, ran 225.478
mph! Is he that fast, or was he just lucky? Today's "Fast Friday" session - the
last time the drivers can see what kind of speed their racing machines have
before Pole Day - will tell the tale of who's really got it, and who still needs some
work.
So far, no rain in Indy today, although the skies seem a bit dark and threatening.
Lots of cars on track...just in case.
Robert Doornbos had a nasty crash just after the green flag flew for today's
session, although he appeared to walk away unscathed. No official word yet.
Anthony Foyt IV also brushed the wall early today, but continued on.
Tonight's USAC Sprint show at Bloomington (IN) Speedway has been cancelled
already.
There are a lot of things drivers want to be first at here at IMS, but being the
first crash victim is not one of them. Ryan Hunter-Reay got that unwelcome title
yesterday (the only incident of the day).
Sprinkles have shut the track down, but hopefully only temporarily. Rain is not
hard at all, and the fans are still here. Hopefully we get in an exciting "happy
hour" on Fast Friday!
3:00 PM
Still no rain, but it's all around here, and we're bound to get it sometime.
Scott Sharp's Patron-sponsored livery took a pretty good lick into the wall this
afternoon - he's OK.
Drivers that I've seen walking the grounds looking for an available ride include:
PJ Jones, Scott Harrington, Roberto Moreno, Tomas Scheckter, Jaques Lazier,
Jeff Simmons, and Roger Yasukawa, who always takes time to greet me in the
media center and keep me up to date on what's going on with his racing career.
He, along with the other drivers mentioned, are actively seeking a ride here, but
most feel they'll have to wait until next weekend to find anything.
Danica always draws a crowd, but not too far behind her are the masses of fans
who are following Sarah Fisher here at Indy. Her pit and garage areas are
always packed with people (great for sponsor Dollar General, who is definitely
getting a bang for their buck here). Sarah's giving away a IndyCar two-seater
ride via Twitter.
For a Fast Friday with questionable weather, there are a LOT of people here.
Most notably, a lot of corporate-type folks here playing hooky from work! Great
to see good weekday crowds back at the Speedway.
For Linda Vaughn fans, you'll be disappointed to hear that she is not making the
trip to the Speedway for Pole weekend, as she broke her ankle. Not sure about
the status of her for 2nd weekend quals, or the race. The race would NOT be
the same without her, so here's wishing my friend a speedy recovery!
World of Outlaws Sprint car star Danny Lasoski was touring the garage area
yesterday before the Outlaws invade Eldora Speedway this weekend. He's an
annual visitor to the track during May, which leads me to believe he's wishing
his sprint car endeavors might have led him here at one time.
Strange to see the Penske team in pit Nos. 2 and 3, and not in their traditional #1
spot at pit exit. Their satellite operation, Luczo Dragon Racing, operated by
Roger Penske's son Jay, is in the #1 pit this year.
Speaking of the Penske Team, they look GREAT today, occupying the top two
spots on the chart most of the day, with Ryan Briscoe nearing 226 mph without a
tow!
Noon
Boy, is it good to be back here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway again! After
100 years of racing here at IMS, and significant changes being made every year,
it's good to know that the essence of this historic palace does not change from
year to year. The same familiar faces welcome me back each season, and I look
forward to renewing relationships and creating new friends each May.
The weather - as is usual for May in Indianapolis - has been a big factor in the
week's worth of racing preparations for Saturday's Pole Day activities. It was
beautiful earlier in the week, when no one needed to be on track, but once the
Indy Lights teams arrived for their Tuesday Open Practice, so did the rain.
Wednesday's Rookie Orientation Practice for Indy first-timers was also affected,
with only a short window in the morning for track time before the day was
cancelled due to rain. Thursday, the track opened early to allow the rookies to
finish up ROP, then the vets got the rest of the day to get up to speed - and they
did. With rain predicted, lots of activity was seen, with high speeds reaching
above 223 mph - until Marco Andretti, with the help of a nice tow, ran 225.478
mph! Is he that fast, or was he just lucky? Today's "Fast Friday" session - the
last time the drivers can see what kind of speed their racing machines have
before Pole Day - will tell the tale of who's really got it, and who still needs some
work.
So far, no rain in Indy today, although the skies seem a bit dark and threatening.
Lots of cars on track...just in case.
Robert Doornbos had a nasty crash just after the green flag flew for today's
session, although he appeared to walk away unscathed. No official word yet.
Anthony Foyt IV also brushed the wall early today, but continued on.
Tonight's USAC Sprint show at Bloomington (IN) Speedway has been cancelled
already.
There are a lot of things drivers want to be first at here at IMS, but being the
first crash victim is not one of them. Ryan Hunter-Reay got that unwelcome title
yesterday (the only incident of the day).