msrpk.com blog

"Penske Stronger than Rent Money; Aero Rules Rule, Power Boost the Ticket at Kentucky"

Our late friend Paul Harvey would say something about the "rest of the story". And so we shall, sans snapshot.

The order of finish will show that Ryan Briscoe won by .0162 seconds over Ed Carpenter. Yes, the stepson of Anton H. "Tony" George came that close to delivering a win for the Vision Racing squad and sponsor John Menard, under some very trying circumstances--the cancellation of an entire day of practice and qualifying, with new aerodynamic rules for ovals designed to make passing easier, and a power boost option for extra RPMs for the Honda Indy V8. As you read here earlier, water seeping through the racing surface ("weepers") cancelled all Friday's activity.

Carpenter started 13th (entrant points) and led five times for 34 laps. He was not credited with leading the last 10 laps...but Briscoe could see Carpenter's day-glow Menard livery in his side vision. Briscoe tried low, then high and held on at the checkers. The power boost helps drivers get a few extra RPM's which translate into a small boost of speed--not the neck snapping push-to-pass of the Champ Car Turbo Cosworth days. That speed can make the difference getting back on the gas out of a corner or on a straightaway. When you have Roger Penske's voice in your helmet telling you to use the pass button, you use it and in Briscoe's case, use it to win the second fastest race in Indy Car history--200.893 miles an hour. That win was Briscoe's second of 2009, and jumps him into the point lead by 8 over defending series champion Scott Dixon (finished 7th but led 95 of 200 laps), as the series goes to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course next week.

That is where we will rejoin you for race blogging and Tweeting. We'll break in with developments if necessary.