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Rear view of Stefan Wilson's
#25 Andretti Autosport Dallara/Honda racecar in garage during 2018 Indy 500
Qualifying weekend. (The Tomaso Collection)
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Since now that we've been entertained the past six
weeks by i Racing, Inquiring Minds Wanna Know, when will we G-O live Motor
Racing?
In deference to what May 1st signifies, Since
every May Day for over a Quarter Century now will forever be recalled as Black
Sunday for Mwah!
Hence it seems like it would have been only
fitting for this past weekend's IndyCar i Racing Finale; Cough-Cough! Y'all
know what was Billed as the Super Duper "Double Secret" Non-IndyCar
Dream Track Finale, Righto? Ahem, to be held on San Paolo's venerable
Interlagos circuit; But I Digress...
Twin Ring Motegi
Round 4: April 18th
It was nice to return to a racetrack familiar
to Mwah, even if I cannot SEE I-T Anymores. and Nah, N-O SMores' Jokes here;
Hya! Since I still vaguely recall a time in life when i reveled in the fact as
A Diehard Blue Oval Fan that the Honder' boyz' were getting Beat by the Ford
Cosworth runners at Thar Home-track; But I Digress...
Very Kool' to have Oh KanaDuhs' Robert
Wickens on Pole position, albeit it lasted only momentarily, as Thee Young
Wicky got caught-up battling Will Power and after they tangled he fell
backwards in the field, a pre-cursor of what was to come, Eh! Although Wickens
recovered for a fine Fifth place finish.
And although All of the racing Pundits are
claiming this was a Gripping Race, with the Outcome being decided in the final
laps when DJ WillyP', nee Will Power Tripped over Backmarker Oliver Askew
whilst Penske team-mate Scott McLaughlin was Hunting him down for the W', who I
was Rootin' for...
We All
know that McLaughlin got Foghorn LegHorned; YOUCH! And then third place Simon
Pagenaud swept into the lead to claim victory again. Before getting tagged by
Scott Dixon and a pirouetting Helio Castroneves on the Cool-down lap.
Thus I found the race's outcome a letdown,
and was actually far more Amused by 'Ol Rowdy Holmes; Err Kyle Busch's Pre-race
interview, where he gleefully noted he was going Old School, proclaiming his
Sym rig is what an IndyCar looked like Wayback in the 1980's-1990's, since he
was using a real Honest-to-goodness manual "H-pattern" shifter!
Then Sardonically Quippin', Ain't N-O Paddle
Shifters on this Steering Wheel, it's just got Buttons, loads 'o Buttons! Which
once again presumably sparked interest in All of the various types of Sym rigs
Thee Big Boyz' are using, El Correctomundo?
Yet Kyle acquitted himself nicely, especially
since Drivers were needing to do multiple Downshifts and Up-shifts in thoust
corners, finishing a very respectable P13 on his maiden IndyCar virtual race foray.
Circuit Of The Americas
Round 5: April 25th
Although V-8 Supercars racer Chaz Mostert of
Walkinshaw Andretti United, for whom I'm Arse-sumin' Zack Brown and Gil de Ferran
are no longer part of? Since Thar now Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar Team rivals; But
I Digress.
Obviously Mostert's i Racing Debut at
Andretti Herta Autosport was completely Overshadowed by the weekend's
performance of another Big Name International Racing Star. When Lando Norris of
McLaren F1 Fame completely Obliterated the Competition in his IndyCar Debut!
As the 20yr old Briton Came, Saw and
Absolutely Conquered!
Even with one of NBC Sports Booth Boyz',
pretty sure it was (Townsend) T-Bell' Cheekily Quipping may be he Spun just to
make things interesting? For which I'm fairly certain after starting from Pole
and simply walking away from the field, Lando Didn't intentionally Spin upon
his Luke-warm Flinstone rubber!
While fellow competitor Scott McLaughlin summed
up Lando's performance best, wryly noting that Norris is an Alien! Although
it's worth noting that Lando's been racing virtually since Age 6; Aye Karumba!
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Round 6: May 2nd
As you'd' have to Ah-Thunk' It, that Symone
Pagenoe', nee Pageantry', aka Simon Pagenaud was definitely the Front-runner
after having won Back-to-Back Oval-track victories leading up to the race.
whilst Will Power's name has to be in the mix
I suppose. Although the Aussie' Ain't on my list of favourites since he seems
to have a propensity for Wranglin' with other competitors. Not to mention
calling 'em Wankers! Although He's finished in the Top-5 every race except at
COTA.
And Sage Dangerboy' Karam presumably
shouldn't be overlooked, especially since He's a Sym racing Stud! And spent
much time leading on the previous Ovals when playin' Leapfrog with DJ willyP[,
aka Will Power.
Rounding out this virtual Top-5 list 'o
Contendahs', the most inspiring newcomer to Mwah is Kiwi' Supercars Bad Arse
Scott McLaughlin!
While Speaking 'O Kiwi's, suppose Yuhs should
never count out Ye Iceman, nee Scott Dixon, Righto?
As I began the Day's Finale by thinking that
Pagenaud simply wouldn't three-Peat today, as it seemed like Thar was too much
emphasis upon his Oval Prowess. Yet even after "Dead Sticking," i.e.;
running his fuel tank dry entering Pitlane, he was still a Contendah' late in
the going, before apparently Nerfing Norris!
While it was a pleasant surprise to have
Scott McLaughlin starting from Pole today, even if in the untraditional No. 40,
which made me think of those long forgotten Visteon Pat Patrick CART entries.
Which I even recall seeing T-Bell' chauffer at Portland International
Raceway...
but that was before pure, unadulterated Pandemonium
Erupted, and several of the IndyCar Series Young Turks decided to begin ruthlessly
Dive Bombing each other! With a totally unexpected winner, not to mention
podium, for which I'll let For The Love of Indy's Raymond Hando
do thoust Heavy Lifting instead. Especially since the Driver I was Rootin' for who
got totally Hosed after making a brilliant pass for the lead was Marcus
Ericsson; Yah-Sure-Yuh-Betcha!
While Y'all might wish to take in Racer's Marshall
Pruett's impressions of the whole i Racing Experiment, and what was learned
over the course of six weeks...