June 28, 2008--Pre Race Musings

I said I'd have a comment on Casey Mears's departure from Hendrick Motorsports. The genesis of this started in 2001, when he finished in the top 5 at a Champ Car race at Fontana. It was outrageous that no open wheel owner would take a chance on him--and he became yet another of those who got their start in open wheel racing to make the jump over to NASCAR. With the exception of the win at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May 2007, his NASCAR tenure has been less than stellar--equipment does have something to do with this. What would his career have been like if, for instance, he was in a Newman-Haas Champ Car, or a Menard Indy Car of that vintage? That we shall never know. Personally, I hope he lands on his feet at a contending team--Childress Racing comes to mind as an option.

John Andretti (yep, Aldo's son, Michael's cousin and Marco's uncle)--starts mid pack here tonight for Roth Racing. Scott Dixon is likely to finish better than where he starts (4th).

I'm still shaking my head as I read the Grant v. NASCAR complaint. Was that arrogance, stupidity or an overabundance of XY chromosones?

We'll update you with the winner's comments from Richmond later on.

Indianapolis 500 Wrapup

This is Dario Franchitti wired up to talk with TV hosts after winning the 91st Indianapolis 500. He came to America to drive in the CART (now Champ Car World Series) Championship Series. We would have posted this Sunday night...but the old bromide about "for want of a nail, etc." also works on computers. When there are two screws holding a case where there should be six, then strange things happen, just like at Indy...where there are more twists and turns than any road course anywhere, despite it being a 2 1/2 mile oval.

• Michael Andretti likely drove his last Indianapolis 500. He'll be credited with a 13th place lead lap finish. He is the Andretti in Andretti-Green Racing. Franchitti (winner) and Danica Patrick (8th) had the best finishes for AGR.
• I still contend that Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan are the two best IndyCar series drivers never to have won at Indianapolis. Methinks TK will have unfinished business next May.
• Don't count Helio Castroneves out of the IndyCar championship. He's 4th in points with 171, just 13 back from Scott Dixon, who retakes the IndyCar point lead.
• NASCAR aside--Casey Mears wins on Memorial Day weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway. That means the Mears family (he and uncle Rick) has five Memorial Day wins between them.
• Score two for the good guys--Franchitti's win at Indy...and Kyle Petty's third at Lowe's. Franchitti remembered the late Greg Moore when he answered a question about being so well liked in the IndyCar paddock. As for Kyle...there are places in the afterlife for those who really come back from adversity to make the lives of others better. You might have a favorite driver...but Kyle ought to be one of your favorite people and role models as well.

We're taking a road break until Pocono on June 8.