Impressions from the 2010 Indianapolis 500

I awoke from a lengthy slumber this afternoon after driving 1,165.4 miles round-trip so that I could watch my 33rd consecutive Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in person. Once again, it was worth it.

I have long believed that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the world's premier managers of facilities and large-scale sporting events. This, too, was confirmed with the 94th running of the Memorial Day Classic.

Congratulations to Mari Hulman George, the IMS Board of Directors, and IMS CEO Jeff Belskus and his entire team. Whatever you might think of him - and I like him, by the way - Tony George also deserves credit. The facility has never looked better. Yes, he spent a lot of money, but he also did an outstanding job upgrading and maintaining the Speedway.

Impressions

The race was good but not great. In my opinion, it was more interesting than the 2009 version. The following facts, observations and opinions are listed in no particular order. They represent something of a data dump from my very tired cerebellum.

Your mileage may vary. In fact, I encourage you to submit your impressions in the comments section below.

• The right driver won. Yes, Dario Franchitti might have benefited from the final yellow, but that is only because he was put in a precarious position by the previous yellow. Dario had the field covered all day long - no small task in contemporary IndyCar racing. Franchitti's win in 2007 might have been a fluke. This one most certainly was not.
  
• Davey Hamilton is probably right. Tomas Scheckter is likely an idiot and a knucklehead. However, because I am a fan and not a driver, I love to watch Scheckter drive. The man drives with reckless abandon from the drop of the green flag. He is an old-style charger. His lack of patience has probably cost him more than a few potential victories, but he is worth the price of admission.
• Speaking of admission prices, I bought a $90 ticket in E Stand (1st turn apex) for $60. I had plenty of wiggle room because the two seats next to me were unoccupied. While I appreciated the unanticipated level of comfort, I think it is safe to say that the series has much work to do with regards to increasing demand for the racing product.
• The Moment of Silence in honor of those who lost their lives so that we might live free is always one of my favorite parts of the opening ceremonies. Unfortunately, I did not know when it occurred due to inexcusable technical problems. I also missed the first stanza of Taps, another one of my favorites, for the same reason. And I really felt sorry for Jewel, who reportedly had worked very hard in preparation for singing the National Anthem, who had to suffer through a malfunctioning microphone. I can attest that there is no worse feeling. Kudos to her for bravely sticking it out.
• The transition to the recorded video segment in honor of Memorial Day does not work. It's an unnecessary road block in an otherwise moving ceremony. Please get rid of it. The speeches, songs and invocation have much more impact and should not be interrupted once they begin.
• Track announcer Dave Calabro unintentionally caused multiple additional moments of silence at Sunday's race. These occurred during driver introductions, when he uttered the names Sebastian Saavedra, Takuma Sato, Mario Romancini, Bertrand Baguette, E.J. Viso, Hideki Mutoh and too many others.
• Which team has the most fans? From the looks of the apparel at the race, it's clearly Andretti Autosport. Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian who has a very American story, and it shows. He has clearly established a fan base. Danica has fans, albeit fewer than she had when the month began. Still, it is clear that young ladies identify with her. Marco Andretti gear seemed to adorn lots of teenage boys and young men, many of whom undoubtedly would like to party with Marco and his entourage of attractive young women. I also noticed a lot of Ryan Hunter-Reay 37 IZOD gear, which was good to see. John Andretti received one of the loudest ovations in driver introductions. There is value in having LOCAL favorites in competition. This is true not only at Indy but also at every race in the series.
  
• IZOD's sponsorship activation efforts were very good. The sponsor is definitely getting its money's worth. Given the product that it offers to fans, the series appears to be getting its money's worth, as well.
• There are rumors of a possible team owners' revolt if Delta Wing is not selected to be the next generation of Indy car. Some believe that the fix is in for Dallara and that the ICONIC machinations are just for show. In my view, this is the Big Story of the summer in IndyCar.
• Randy Bernard has made friends and earned respect for his willingness to listen and return phone calls. That might sound like small potatoes, but it should not be underestimated.
• If Brian Barnhart wants Dallara or another manufacturer and the team owners want Delta Wing, then Randy Bernard is about to be significantly tested for the first time in his tenure. Good luck, Randy.
• The existential question is making the rounds of the IRL administrative offices, the garage area and the media room. Specifically, people are asking one another, "Why does the IRL exist? What is it? What is its purpose? Is it a sanctioning body? Is it a marketing company? Is it (should it be) an event promoter?" These are good questions to ask. I'm glad that those in power are asking them. I will be interested to hear their answers in the coming months.
  

Again, I invite you to submit your impressions in the comments section. I will respond as frequently as possible.

Roggespierre