Racing Season is Underway--
Greetings from Daytona International Speedway...where Cuppers A. J. Allmendinger and Jimmie Johnson just gave their perspective of what's going on at the 24 Hours...last year, there were 15 lead changes for the entire race...at the quarter (6 hour) mark, there have already been 13. There are less than 18 hours to go...a grey Florida day most of the day, with some rain off and on. Ryan Briscoe of the Penske Taylor team (and soon to replace Sam Hornish in the #6 Penske IndyCar) kept the pace..along with teammate Helio Castroneves...and their teammate across the hall at Penske Racing--Kurt Busch. We also saw Cristiano da Matta in the infield media room...you'll doubtless remember the car deer collision at Road America which almost killed him...he looks to be most of the way...if not all the way back.
The picture illustrates what the heavy hitters are trying for.
Update at 9:50 PM (8 hours and change)
The car co-driven by A. J. Allmendinger is scored in the lead (a Michael Shank Racing Ford powered prototype), followed by the car co driven by the defending Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, the defending Grand AM Rolex Series co-champions Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty, and 1996 Champ Car champion Jimmy Vasser. The Penske Taylor Racing car driven by Kurt Busch, Helio Castroneves, and Ryan Briscoe is 4th...and rounding out the top 5 is the Ganassi Racing Lexus Riley driven by last year's winners Scott Pruett and Juan Pablo Montoya...and 2007 Indy 500 winner (and Sprint Cup rookie) Dario Franchitti. Talent (like cream) rises to the top.
See you tomorrow.
