Revvie' - 80 Proof

Nah, this Ain't No Drinkin' story...

Thanxs to 'Offical No Fenders Photographer CARPETS' Chiming in, he reminded Mwah that the late Peter Revson, also known as Revvie', I believe. Would have been celebrating his 80th Birthday yesterday, February 27th.

And when I think of 'Ol Revvie', who perished before my introduction to thou world of motor racing. I always think of a long ago movie Tacoma Bureau Chief Mary Ellen recorded for me off the Speed Channel, which I remember being called the Quick and The Dead. With Peter being Hollywood Cool personified behind mirrored sunglasses whilst being interviewed...

How Good was Peter Revson?

And speaking 'O Birthday's, today SuperMario', nee Mario Andretti celebrates his 79th, and presumably raced against 'Ol Revvie. At the very least at Mother Speedway...

Indy Cars Curse 'O Becoming an Indy Lights Champion

As it's a Far Cry from the Days when winning the Lights title ensured Yuhs a Championship Bonus to run an entire IndyCar season, a la Simon Pagenaud...

Whilst Marcus Miles struts round with his Chest Proudly Puffed Out, as Everythingys' GURR-REAT! In Indy Cars... Cock A Doo-little-Du', I just Sold Out the Series to those Fine Folks at comca$t

, Ha-Ha-Ha!

It's fairly Sad noting that the Sanctioning Body's Top Feeder Series past three Champions are All struggling to find Fulltime rides in IndyCar.

As only 2016 Indy Lights Champion Ed Jones has a "Secure" ride at the moment, albeit just running the Road Courses & Street Circuits as a Twisties' Only Specialist for Ed Carpenter Racing. (ECR)

While the verdict's still out upon how many races 2017 Champ' Kyle Kiser will run for the Minnowesqe Juncos Racing squad this season? And we All know the torments 'O reigning Lights Champion Pato O'Ward's current plight, having lost his Drive at Harding Steinbrenner Racing just a month before the season commences.

MILLER: Harding Steinbrenner, Herta, O'Ward and Harsh Realities

As this set my Mind Ah-Wonderin' once again, just how many past Lights Champions remain in Indy Cars with a Fulltime Drive from the past decade? For which I'm somewhat chagrinned to learn the answer is a paltry two! Or just 20%, albeit this number increases to four with the inclusion 'O Jones and Kiser from above, albeit still just 40%. And Thar Not running Full seasons...

Although it was thee OLD-est IndyCar blogger Geo. Phillips; Hya! Of Oilpressure Fame who first alerted Mwah to the Factoid that O'Ward had very unwisely foregone a partial season's eight race Dealio with Mikey A'.

Which George rightly mused. A part time ride with Andretti Autosport would be vastly superior to what was left on the marketplace. Noting how Rocket Rick' Mears partial season ride with El Capitano', nee Roger Penske worked out pretty decently in the long run, Righto?

Michael Andretti reveals he Offered 8 race Deal to Pato O'Ward

In the five years between thoust nebulous Bookend years, prior to the 2019 season, only a total of 10 former Lights racers have graduated to the Big Leagues', aka Indy Cars, albeit last year's Rookie crop was not a typical reflection of Lights Graduates, being only Outdone by 2011's Indy Cars Rookie Class of nine Lights Drivers  moving forward.

Having perused thou 2011 IndyCar Rookie Class mostly since I know that's when thee Mayor 'O Hinchtown', aka James Hinchcliffe first put on his "big boy Pants" and joined Newman Haas Lanagin Racing...

As the following ten Indy Lights Drivers graduated to the B-I-G CARZ' Ranks circa 2012-2017: Josef Newgarden, (2012) Tristan Vautier, (2013) Jack Hawksworth, (2014) Gabby Chaves, (2015) Sage Karam, (2015) Mathew Brabham, (2016) Max Chiltin, (2016) Conor Daly, (2016) Spenser Pigot (2016) and Ed Jones. (2017)

Then adding last year's 2018 Rookie Crop of Zachary Claman DeMelo, Jack Harvey, Colton Herta, (2018 Finale) Kyle Kiser, Matheus Leist, Patricio O'Ward (2018 Finale) and Zach Veach. The total Balloons to 17 Lights graduates.

Although I'm pretty certain that both Colton Herta and Patricio O'Ward would be classified as Rookies this year instead...

Whilst further including Hinch's stellar 2011 class into thou mix, i.e.; Dillon Battistini, Ana Beatriz, Wade Cunningham, J.R. Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie Kimball, Pippa Mann, Martin Plowman and Sebastian Saavedra.

We're left with a total of 26 Indy Lights Graduates to Indy Cars, enough to make up the entire Grid in 2019! Although of these 26 Drivers, only 11 remain on Indy Cars current season roster, excluding One-Off appearances at Mother Speedway. Which by my very quick Ryth-Muh-tickin' is less than 50%!

And although Simon Pagenaud, the 2016 IndyCar Series Champion indeed is part of that Mega' 2011 Rookie Class, I've not included him since he's a Graduate of the long Defunct Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda rival Feeder Series instead, which he won in 2006.

As Y'all try sayin' that Champ Car Atlantic title really Fast Five Times, Eh?

So, with longtime Indy Lights Financial Backer Mazda now Gone, is the glass, or Shoei' half empty or half full? Although Anderson Promotions is still enticing participants with the Road to Indy Scholarship prize. Which has seen Thar competitor with the longest name emblazoned on his Overalls, ZCD of Footwear Fame, aka Zachary Claman DeMelo returning to another campaign this season for Belardi Auto Racing, in order to hopefully run in the 104th Indianapolis 500, in an All Expenses Paid ride.

But then again, becoming Lights Champion doesn't seem to do much for promising a long term career in Indy Cars...

Indy Lights Champions

2008) Rafael Matos, Brazil; AGR-AFS Racing

2009) J. R. Hildebrand, USA; AGR-AFS Racing

2010) Jean Karl Vernay, France; Sam Schmidt Motorsports

2011) Josef Newgarden, USA; Sam Schmidt Motorsports

2012) Tristan Vautier, France; Sam Schmidt Motorsports

2013) Sage Karam, USA; Schmidt Peterson Motorsports

2014) Gabby Chaves, Columbia; Belardi Auto Racing

2015) Spencer Pigot, USA; Juncos Racing

2016) Ed Jones, UAE; Carlin

2017) Kyle Kiser, USA; Juncos Racing

2018) Patricio O'Ward, Mexico; Andretti autosport

Gianni Agnelli's Widow Marella Dies, Age 91

Began thoust Day per Tipicali, perusing the New York Times Obituary section Monday morning and was immediately grabbed by the name Agnelli, albeit it was Gianni's widow Marella's turn to take thou Chequered Flag.

Although I must say I never even knew her name until now, and the main thing I recall about her husband  Gianni, is that the Ferrari Formula 1 chassis Michael Schumacher used to break Juan Manuel Fangio's record of Five F1 World Championships with in '03, was designated the Ferrari F2003GA in tribute to the FIAT Boss's passing.

And although Marella, who was Princess Marella Caracciolo di Castagneto presumably grew up in an Aristocratic setting, nevertheless as she mused in a 2014 Vanity Fair interview, she soon learned that the Agnelli way of life was something she wasn't accustomed too...

Marella Agnelli, Society's Last Swan, and Passionate Gardner Dies at Age 91

F1: Winter Testing begins in Barcelona

The New look Alfa Romeo hopes testing will be All Hearts 'n Kisses, a la their Valentine's Day test livery. (Image source: thecheckeredflag.co.uk)

As Hopefully Team Willy's' finally joined the Party...

Ah, it's beginning to look like another season of Formula 1, where All of the F1 Teams have descended upon thou Circuit Barcelona de Cataluña for the first of two four day testing sessions before the season Kicks-off Down Under in Bloody Melbourne, March 17th.

Although I won't bother recapping Team Willys' Woes, albeit they weren't a "Flash-in-the-Pan" a la McLaren during their extra-curricular Filming Day... Especially since Claire Williams has already publicly stated the Obvious! Noting how Humiliating it's been for her and the storied Grove F1 Team in whole over missing the first two days 'O Winter Testing, because their chassis wasn't ready.

As Yuhs can watch F1 Rookie George Russell taking his maiden lap aboard a Formula 1 car aboard the Williams FW42 at Barcelona Wednesday afternoon  in the video clip below...

VIDEO: Williams first Install lap' at Barcelona Pre-season Test

"Sixty one seconds is all it takes
For the nine to five man to be more than one minute late
There's a clock on the wall
A mirror reflecting it all..."

VIDEO: The Outfield - 61 Seconds Song

As I won't takes Y'all completely down thoust Wabbit-hole's that's had an 'Ol, somewhat Obscure album - that I still have the original vinyl copy from Wayback three-plus Decades ago.., currently in a shipping carton somewheres in my new Bungalow by the Sea. Finding The Outfield's Play Deep rotatin' on my internal Jukebox...

But two of its lesser known tracks Title's seem entirely appropriate to Team Willys', and possibly more succinctly Technical Guru Patty Lowe. Whilst Thar being an English Band from Bloody London is All the more tastefully ironic!

"You got me all screwed up
So much I can't turn 'round
And I've been running about with some funny girls
I'm not so tough
But if you let me down I'll tell ya)
I'd give you just one day to explain
I'd like to know if there's somebody else in this game

Say it isn't so (tell me I'm the only one..."

VIDEO: The Outfield - Say It Isn't So song

But back to testing, or what's ultimately known as Formula One's Winter Olympics. And although la Scuderia, nee Ferrari was Fastest the first two days with both of its Drivers. With NO Disrespect intended, Seriously? Alfa Romeo and Scuderia Toro Rosso topped the Time Sheets also, with Third Times A Charm Rooskie DK', (Daniil Kvyat) Say What? Although it was nice seeing thee Iceman's name, nee Kimi Raikkonen, whom I believe is now the Sport's Elder Statesman's atop the virtual scoring pylon briefly.

Analysis: FIA Formula 1 Pre-season Test 1, the Headlines

And although your Keyboard Warrior Tomaso cannot S-e-E 'em, and therefore has NO idea how many of the 10 F1 Teams are included? Y'all can check out some of the new cars from Barcelona's first test below...

F1 First Test Bonus Gallery Pics'

Partial Song lyrics from:

The Outfield

Songs: 61 Seconds & Say It Isn't So

Album: Play Deep

Year: 1985