Even if the Cup “Regulars” Stole the Show…
Although your Humble, or should that be Haggard
No Fenders Scribe Tomaso was still on the road during the IndyCar-RASSCAR’
Double Header weekend at Mother Speedway. Ensconced at Ye Apple Orchard on
Vashon Island. Where Tacoma Bureau Chief Mary Ellen dutifully tuned into IndyCar
Radio’s coverage of both Qualie’ and race day for the enjoyable summer’s IndyCar
GP Doce , which I enjoyed “Flag-to-Flag”. Finding myself inexplicably rootin’
for Graham Rahal to somehow get past Scott Dixon to break His six years victory
drought to No avail, Sigh! Along with rootin’ Vociferously for Sparky’, aka
Devlin DeFrancesco to Hold up thee “Iceman 2.0”, since Graham Himself had been previously
Held up by traffic…
I find it ironic
that today on Racer.com Marshall Pruett discusses how IndyCar discussed working
on a future “Charter” system a la RASSCAR, reminding Mwah I hadn’t posted this
riveting story yet!
Hearing IndyCar Radio’s lead announcer Mark
Gravelly’ James Jawin’ with Arse-sumedly PRN (Performance radio Network) lead
announcer Doug Rice sometime during the IndyCar race broadcast about the
upcoming marquee Brickyard 200 event, Youch!
Although perhaps Mary Ellen was correct when retorting
to Mwah that NASCAR must be paying El Capitano’, nee Roger Penske several
Brinks Armoured Cars Full of Dinero for Thar premium Billing! Ad Nauseum media
coverage and preferred Garage status…
With Rice noting the likes of such racing
luminaries as Bloody Jense’, aka 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button, The
Giz’, aka Shane Van Gisberegen, Mike Rocky’ Rockenfeller and what caught me
totally off-guard, the mention of K-Squared’, nee Kamui Kobayashi! Along with the
totally unknown, other Supercars Star Brodie Kostecki taking part in Sunday’s
race.
If I’d been home I’d probably have switched on
Thy Telie’ to “watch”, Err listen to the race, since this is one of the few
RASCCAR events I’m willing to partake. Although I haven’t watched a NASCAR race
since the Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) Crash-fest! And Nah, Ain’t gonna spend
anytime on Felipe Massa’s ridiculous 2008 Crash Gate frivolous lawsuit, but I
digress…
As Button was making His third and final season’s
start aboard the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang. With “The Giz” (Van
Gisbergen) making His second start behind the keyboard of Trackhouse Racing’s
No. 91 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Rocky’ (Rockenfeller) was sawin’ the wheel in the
No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Chevy, whilst I believe two others were making Thar
Cup debuts.
As K-Squared’ (Kobayashi) was piloting the third #67 23/XI Racing Toyota Corolla; Err, Uhm, Freudian slip Thar! As I meant Camery. And current Supercars points leader Brodie Kostecki was driving the third Richard Childress Racing #33 Camaro.
Ironically Kostecki led the Supercars points standings
with 1,590 points vs. Will Brown’s 1,549 and Van Gisbergen’s 1,536 with five
rounds remaining. Including the legendous’ Bathurst 1000 October 8th, with the
season wrapping up in Adelaide on November 26th.
I say ironic since Van Gisbergen’s just been
released from His Supercars contract a year early to pursue His dreams of
becoming a fulltime NASCAR Cup Star next year. With Triple Eight Race
Engineering having announced the signing of Will Brown as His replacement next
season…
As Van Gisbergen was Top of Thee Pops for the “All
Stars”, finishing tenth overall, followed by Supercars compatriot Kostecki in
22nd. Rockenfeller was P24 and the first driver One lap down. Followed by
Button P28 and Kobayashi P33 of the field’s 39 contestants.
Much talk has been made of how this apparently
will be the third and final IMS Road Course Double Header, since it’s a mere formality
before the Brickyard 400 makin’ Four lefts returns on the hallowed 2.5-mile
Oval for it’s 30th Anniversary next year.
Since even though I’ve never been impressed by the
second teir status IndyCar’s forced to endure over this weekend. I feel it’ll
be a shame to cease this Double Header weekend format between IndyCar and
NASCAR.
As Raymond Hando of For the Love of Indy’s
already pointed out, Watkins Glen would be the ideal replacement track to
continue this unique once a year weekend race format. And it doesn’t seem like
it would be that difficult for Indy Cars to run the ‘Boot” long track configuration
with the Cup cars running the shorter version the day after.
And I Hate saying it, but it seems that NASCAR’s
making All of the right moves with this International lineup, even if some
contestants were ineligible for Cup points. Making me ponder how IndyCar could
do something similar?
And although I’m totally aware it’ll never
happen. I’m guessing the main sticking point for IndyCar would be the vaunted,
albeit ever shrinking Leaders Circle prize fund vs. RASSCAR’s Franchise, Uhm
Charter system.
Thus IndyCar would have to run a Non-points
event, which I hope the proposed Argentina race won’t be! In order to entice
each of the Big Three or Four to run a guest All Star driver in place of one of
their regular drivers. Or enter an extra racecar for said “guest” Driver.
As Hell, we know that Mr. Zakery Brown wouldn’t
have a Problema coming up with an extra driver, even if the double talking Alex
Palou cannot make up His mind where to drive next year…
Although I think to fully garner the right
media Attenzione’, this would have to be a stand alone event devoid of Cup
cars, with Mother Speedway’s permanent road course being a perfect venue.
Or my choice for this IndyCar All Star event
would be Road America, or make it the Laguna Seca or Heaven’s forbid, the
Thermal Club’s Winter Kickoff event.
And I say road course since we know that Jenson Button has said He’s not interested in running an Oval IndyCar race, while how cool would it be seeing The Iceman Kimi Raikkonen driving a Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing entry? And whomever else you could Dream up for such a mythical event…
