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The Lazier Racing Partners Car #91 heading towards the Pits during the 2013
Indy 500. As then, just like now, All this car needed was a sponsor! (The
Tomaso Collection)
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But Don't Fret Y'all, El Capitano's kept his Star
Driver Gleefully employed piloting his Acura DPi Prototype in IMSA's
Weathertech SportsCar Championship...
As of May 1st, when I began scourin' thou
Intrawoods to see who'd be racing at Mother Speedway this year. my
Ryth-Muh-Tickin' not only tallied 36 entries, but also 12, which is a favourite
number Up here in Seattle... Err Thars' 12 "One-Off" concerns potentially
contesting this year's Indy 500, albeit Buddy Lazier's programme was very much
unknown... As I'd hoped to see Buddy in action one more time at the Speedway.
Yet you'd have to surmise that not all of
these One-off Contendahs' would make The Show, Eh? And with the engine
Horsepower being fairly similar, who'll get Bumped Out? You Make The Call...
Ed Carpenter Racing
Engine: Chevrolet
Engine: Chevrolet
#13. Danica Patrick, USA
First
Race: 2005
Starts:
7
Not
even gonna try any prolific prose upon thou Disco Queen 'O Indy Cars. Although
I do chuckle over her sound bite of Not being Relative... But those RASSCAR'
Greenbacks weren't too Bad, were they? Kinda like the colour of her car this
year, as I'll expect the Go Daddy machine to crash out of the race at some
point.
VIDEO: Wipeout Song
Which surely she'll be heard over the In-car Radio
exclaiming;
But Dan-Dan-danicker obviously still's Got I-T!
Since it was enough to lure me back to Mother Speedway this May, so I could say
I saw her final race.
But Inquiring Minds Wanna Know...
Lazier Partners Racing
Engine:
Chevrolet
(W)
Buddy Lazier, USA
First
Race: 1991
Winner:
1996
Starts:
20
Unfortunately,
Buddy, and the Family named racing team owned by his Father Bob & Co. were
unable to come up with the necessary capital to enter this year's Indy 500. As
last year's race, for which Buddy crashed Hard, may be Buddy's last?
Although I'll forever cherish a Fantastic
evening Kibitzing' with Buddy and the late Dr. Who at the now Derelict and Demolished?
IMS Flagroom, where Buddy was super nice to Mwah!
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
Engine:
Honda
#7.
Jay Howard, USA
First
Race: 2011
Starts:
2
Unfortunately
Jay Funnyman' Howard seems like the Punch-line to a Bad Joke, as he's the
driver who caused Scott Dixon to G-O Airborne during last year's race! When he
was seven laps behind in P33, Albeit Jay blamed "the Dude!," nee Ryan
Hunter-Reay for pushing him into the marbles...
This
team's been the most pleasant surprise of the early season with its massively
revamped Engineering Department, so Howard should be in good shape there, but I
feel like he's definitely SPM's third wheel and I really Don't Expect much from
him.
And with Jay's Quirky relationship with Mother
Speedway, I wouldn't be shocked if he was one of the Bumpees', although I think
he'll squeak into the race...
Scuderia Corsa
Racing
with RLL
Engine:
Honda
#64.
Oriel Servia, Spain
First
Race: 2008
Starts:
9
Although
Oriol "suitcase" Servia is racing for a brand new team from the IMSA
Weathertech Sportscar championship, who I've previously mentioned are the
Defending Two-times GT Daytona (GTD) Class Champions. They're partnering with
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, effectively as a third entry.
thus
with "The Graminator" and reigning Indy 500 Winner Takuma Sato as
team-mates, not to mention having raced for RLLR previously, look for Servia to
mix it up with the B-I-G BOYZ', as my late Awntie' Harriet liked calling 'em.
Team Penske
Engine:
Chevrolet
#3.
(W)
Helio
Castroneves, Brazil
First
Race: 2001
Winner:
2001-02, 2009
Starts:
17
What
can I say 'bout Good 'Ol HULIO', that hasn't already been said, Eh? As he's the
only Three Times Winner in the field, one of only nine men to do so. And he's
also the only winner now relegated to "One Off" status.
Along
with his three "Baby Borg" trophies, Castroneves has also finished
runner-up three times, including last year's epic Duel with eventual winner
Taku-san', aka Takuma Sato! And also has finished third once.
As a
member of Team Penske's Four-car Armada, you cannot count out Helio from
joining a rarefied trio of Four-times Winners, albeit I certainly Hope he NEVER
joins them! But that's a debate for another day...
(Photo Courtesy of No Fenders ‘Offical Photographer
CARPETS')