Indy 500 Talk
Posted by TFG on May 25th, 2008
I pay almost zero attention to American open-wheel roundy-rounds, because it’s been a seriously effed-up racing series for about a decade, what with CART, IRL, PBR, LMNOP, and whatnot. I’m glad they got all their petty rich-white-dude differences ironed out, because Americans need their own open-wheel racing series. It can’t compare to NASCAR, since you can’t really ram one of these delicate flowers into another one because the dude slammed the door on you going into turn 3, and you can’t really scrape the wall and stay on the track. But it’s still pretty good, cuz they go really, really fast, like about 5000 mph, and that rocks.
I like checking out the sponsors, too. Indy gets some kinda-sorta highbrows, but there’s plenty of crossover, too. I do heartily love the regional differences, though. Down here in Mexico Jr., Bill’s Tractor buys time. I’ve never ever seen a tractor commercial in the DF&W. And it’s followed by a commercial for Lear Jet…that’s Indy!
I’ve sure had enough of the Grrll!!1! Pwer Danica Patrick chatter. I never knew there was so much active misogyny keeping wymmin from racing cars, and that’s the impression any random non-gearhead would get from pretty much everything pre-game. I guess it’s harmless and feel-good, though. Whatever makes peeps go fast and keep watching.
OK, so we’ve had a pit road fire and a couple of crashes so far. Good times.
HALFWAY+ UPDATE: Some more crashing. Humbling to learn that two racecar drivers I grew up watching have, ahem, grandsons in this race: Marco Andretti and AJ Foyt IV. And some more crashing. I like how the IRL crash dudes just trot out there — they don’t require 60 support vehicles to form an impenetrable barrier around a guy picking up a piece of sheet-metal, like NASCAR does. A wrecker and a truck seem to pretty much get it done. About another 6000 over-focuses on Ms. Patrick, who’s kinda cute, and growing on me with a fresh picture on the teevee screen about every 30 seconds. I hope my grandsons have more talent and ambition than me. “Let’s check in with Danica again…”
DANICA 500 UPDATE: Danica’s out, so they cancelled the rest of it and declared a National Period of Pouting.
May 26th, 2008 at 11:21 am
In St. Louis, we had a tractor commercial for some little town in Illinois I’d never heard of as well.
You had to love the whole “green” think with sponsorship by Mr. Ethanol. Nothing greener than auto racing. Cognitive dissonance reigns supreme. Can anyone seriously doubt that “green” is little more than the latest marketing gimmick?
Danica is like Tiger Woods, except she’s only won once. But everything revolves around Danica/Tiger no matter what everyone else is doing. You had to love Danica’s veiled threat to go kick some ass in the pits when they interviewed her after the race.
Still, covering a 2.5 mile circuit every 40 seconds with your butt a few inches off the ground is some scary stuff.
May 26th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Yes, that whole green deal is hilarious for something devoted to going 225 mph. Danica’s tantrum was pretty damn funny, mainly because she’s so tiny - is she going to beat up Bricoe’s kid or something? I gotta respect that attitude, though.
Yes, those cars are fast — frighteningly so. I do love watching it.
May 27th, 2008 at 11:39 am
As a white man, I’ve had a belly full of Danica and B. Hussein O., but that’s just me.
The R Man
May 28th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
yikes. really?
push the pedal down and turn left.
yawn.
May 28th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Dude, you’re so Xbox360. I should take you to the drags, see some nitro or pure alkie stuff. Drag boats and shit, too.