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1996 Indy 500 winner Buddy Lazier poses with Tomaso
at the Flagroom in Speedway, Indiana. (The Tomaso Collection)
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Alas, due to Thy S-L-O-W typing and trying to
Poond' out too many riveting stories here in Nofendersville in preparation for
Playin Hooky whilst attending this year's race. I've been left waiting
breathlessly since mid-April over who the final two entrants, or is I-T three
would be? Which hopefully would be known sooner or later...
As I know Starship HC's (Hulman & Co.)
are intending to capitalize upon thou PR Bonanza afforded to them during this
year's run-up to Thy Magnanimous 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 but
seriously? As of Tax Day, i.e.; April 15th we were still publicly stuck at 31
entries, albeit now knowing that Bobby Rahal, Dave Letterman and Mike Lanigan had cut a deal
with Theodore Racing...
The Final
Contestants...
Thy venerable Curmudgeon of Indy Cars, 'Ol
'R, aka Robin Miller reported that Townsend Bell was close to being announced
as "Double A's" 5th-wheel on March 28th, for which Andretti Autosport
dually confirmed on April Fool's Day!
Miller also mentioned there were seats available
at SPM and possibly with KVSH Racing and DCR? While Buddy Lazier lurked in the
background...
Andretti Autosport
Engine: Honda
#29) Townsend Bell: USA
News broke somewhat appropriately on April
1st, Ha-ha! That Townsend Bell, would compete in his tenth consecutive 500,
this time driving for Michael Andretti in their fifth, and presumably final
entry for this year's I500, bringing the tally of entries to an eye-popping
31...
As it's funny how I can still see Townsend
hurtlin' that Dayglo orangish Visteon Patrick Racing IndyCar round Portland
International Raceway, most memorably
whilst pummelin' the curves at the East End chicanery just before coming onto
the Straightaway; but I digress!
Although I tend to believe this 2002 race at
Portland is also where Townsend notched his highest CART finish with a
fine fourth place before somebody named Jimmy Vasser subsequently took over his
Patrick Racing ride...
But Townsend's done ok for himself, although
never truly getting a proper chance in CART after being the final original
Firestone Indy Lights champion in '01, along with a short lived single season
of International F3000 in Europe in 2003 before reverting over to Thy Dark
Side, nee Indy Racing League beginning in '04.
Yet Bell's been enjoying racing Ferrari's and
Lambos' in IMSA competition lately, having won the 2014 North American Endurance
Cup GTD class along with last year's GTD (Daytona) Weathertech Sports Car
championship category.
The Heat is On!
Now somewheres' on Thy Web, or more likely
from Curty Cavin's lips via Thy Indianapolis Star... I swear I heard that the
entry deadline for this year's Magnanimous 100th running of the Indy 500 was
April 11th, which came 'N went with the running of that Long Beach Snoozefest -
Which Simon Pagenaud spiced up with his Formula D' four-wheel Drift to victory!
Thus according to Racer's Marshall
Pruett, following Long Beach, which like
A-L-L thingys' motor racing is totally fluid... IndyCar was still awaiting the
final three contestants, with apparently Buddy Lazier's ride being in question?
With Scuttlebutt suggesting due to Thy nebulous funding issues facing many drivers
these days...
For which I surely hoped wasn't true when I first
heard the news. Since Buddy's truly one of the Good Guys in motor racing and totally
deserves to participate in this year's historic 100th running!
With Robin Miller stating at Barber Motorsports Park
on Friday that Lazier had indeed filed his entry for the race...
Yet for Mwah, the most interesting tidbit
divulged is the wily Dale Coyne's plans to run four cars at Mother Speedway; Huh? Whilst surely Sam Schmidt will be coaxed into
running a third entry alongside KVSH Racing doing likewise, leaving us just one
shy of the vaunted, magical number 33, which in some ways would be most Apropos.
But the "Steaks 'N Shakes" are
simply too high, as I dually expect there to be eleven rows of three come race
morning, since after all; Uhm, have Yuhs heard? It's Thy 100th Bloody running
of the Indianapolis 500 this year; Hooah! And naturally, Starship HC will want
to capitalize upon maximizing exposure over this by NOT announcing the full
participants list until the Month of May...
As word came at thee Barbers' that Oriel
"Suitcase" Servia will be unpacking his bags at SPM for the Month 'O
May, where hopefully he'll get to do "The Double" which would give
him 200 career IndyCar starts! While Stefan Wilson's tipped to land KVSH
Racing's third entry.
While I'll now speculate that Gabby Chaves in a Hondre'
will be the final entry in a Bryan Herta "loaned" Dallara chassis
with Michael Shank Racing providing the crew. As S-Squared, aka Sebastian
Saavedra with longtime backer Gary Peterson, AFS owner and Dale Coyne Racing's
Luca Filippi being
the Odd Men out this year...
"Ladies & Gentlemen, Start your In-juns!"
(Photo Courtesy of No Fenders ‘Offical Photographer
‘CARPETS)