Monday, August 4, 2014

INDYCAR: When is a Spade Not a Spade?



So Race Fans, What's Up? Like what in thee HELL is all of the consternation over the alleged Team Penske conspiracy Broo Ha-Ha at 2 in RAIN Soaked T.O. Eh! With even 'Ol 'R, aka Robin Miller pointedly asking Derrick Walker if there was any truth to the wide ranging belief he'd done The Captain a favour after being a longtime ex-Roger Penske employee...

FREAKIN' IS MY BIZ'
I've been a loyal Fan of Speed Freaks and Duh Freak Nation' since 'Wayback in late 'Twenty-oh-Seven, first having found them by accident when searching for Somme-thun' to listen to on my 'lil transistor radio when visiting Blogmeister Miguel's Houseianna in Scottsdale late one night, which I briefly scribbled 'bout in early December, 2007;


And thus, I listen to them frequently, agree with a lot of what they say, have received FREE Swag' from Crash and always appreciate how they almost always reply immediately to my KURR-RAZY emails...

Yet for reasons unknown, I found myself getting torqued off at Crash Gladys's rant about how HORRIFIC the IndyCar officiating was in Toronto, Sunday night following the two races, (7/20) while the nefarious Penske favourtism got more traction then I-T deserved; URGH!

OFFICIATING DU JOUR'
Ok, I get I-T! 'lil Mikey Andretti was having a 'Mega Hissy-fit on Pitlane 'cause he thought the rulebook had been bent in "The Captain's" favour, presumably? But then again, when isn't Mikey' having a Ham's Sandwich up Y'all know what! When things aren't goin' in his favour, eh?

As yeah, I found it a bit odd myself that DJ WillyP' (Will Power) was gonna come out smelling like a rose after letting duh "Red Mist" soak thru him on lap-1 of the race; BUTT! Team Penske's prowess for hustlin' the No. 12 back to the garage 'N getting it fixed wasn't unordinary, since this is exactly what they'd done during the 2012 Fontana finale, albeit under Green-flag conditions instead, while trying to save Power's bacon! As their lightening quick response to the situation actually made a very large smirk grow upon my face instead.

and whilst everybody's Wingeing' on 'bout how Penske got another "Unfair Advantage," although I cannot find the exact wording, I'm fairly certain that Formula 1 teams are allowed to change tyres, at the very least - perhaps even work upon the cars during their Red-flag periods. As I know this is splitting hairs, or being overly technical, or some might say anal, but!

Why wasn't the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton either forced to start from Pitlane or be outright DSQ'ed (Disqualified) if rival teams had felt so inclined to file a protest for NOT replacing his, and subsequently Nico Rosberg's brakes with like-for-like components, i.e.; Brembo's for Brembo front brakes and NOT being allowed to change the rear brakes composition for an older specification? (As Hamilton's chassis's front brakes were switched to Carbon Industries instead...)


As I'm certain the "Safety" card was played by Mercedes during this incident, yet it seems that "Professor" (Steve) Matchett was pretty adamant how the F1 rule book specified only exact "Like-for-like" component part replacements after the cars had gone into Parc Ferme conditions were allowed. As I simply point this out to show that IndyCar isn't the only racing series who's officials make  snap judgments over the course of a race weekend...

Now am I saying that IndyCar's officiating has been spot-on? Hardly, as they'd admitted to cock-ups, most notably Scott Dixon's penalty for reviewing the wrong video tape while he was leading at Mid-Ohio, I believe? Along with other finicky rules judgments, not to mention when is a block not a block Taku-san', eh?  Since if Sato didn't deliberately chop-block Joseph Newgarden for the lead  at Brazil,  then I don't know what a block is!

But with a-L-L of that said, Y'all gotz to asks yourselfs;  would you really wanna return to the rumblin', stumblin', and definitely BUNGLIN!" Dazes 'O 'Billybob Brazenheartz, aka Brian Barnhart?

And while an Open Wheel Racing Purist might argue that being allowed to return a car to the garage and make repairs during a race shouldn't be allowed, certainly this is far better than Formula One's current regulations that spare cars aren't allowed to be built up pre-race and allow one team's driver to return to action if their chassis is destroyed during a crash and subsequent Red-flag period! As I'd prefer to have as many drivers taking part in the race as safely possible. Obviously not wishing to see concussed or injured drivers allowed to unwisely return to the fray, etc.

Hence, NO! After reading Meesh's latest Blog entry, I think IndyCar on  the whole has bigger fish to fry, especially as us Fans go, in regards to the series' overall health & well-being.


While I'm not gonna sit here, reputedly hiding in my Mum's basement, smugly concealed behind the veil 'O all knowing "Keyboard Warriors" and spew over how lame IndyCar did upon figuring out "Weather" or not to run/cancel the race Saturday, or the apparent lack of informing the masses what time & TV channel the races would be on, apparent lack 'O back-up plans, etc. Nope, instead I'll just let Y'all ponder thee OLD-est IndyCar Blogger Geo. Phillips Questione if Double Headers have worn out their welcome or not?


While I myself have grown overly weary of hearing that  catch-all excuse for the total CLUSTERFUCK Starship HC', (Hulman & Co.) Marcus "I've Got a Plan!" Miles and IndyCar have done with our "Condensed" schedule, by proclaiming this is a Wink-Wink, Nudge-Nudge "Transition" year, as Earth-to-IndyCar! Somebody named Randy "The Candyman" Bernard used that WORN OUT phrase how many years ago? As C'mon, somebody tell the truth and admit it's all to appease NBCSN's owner comca$t and NOT compete against its  multi-billion dollar NASCAR contract...

As when I was searchin' for that long forgotten Evel Knievel story I'd posted a zillion years ago, ironically it was followed by the post titled Champ Car MIA, largely in regards to my having purchased airfare to fly to Phoenix for the Champ Car World Series (CCWS) season finale  that never was...

As when I re-read it, the story tends to make me think of the current plight of today's  Indy Car Series, as I've already belabored the feeling that ALL Hulman & Co  is concerned about is protecting their profit margin & keeping Mother Speedway profitable, while the rest of the series be DAMNED!

As it's such a pity, since the On-track product is pretty darn good, with an amazing variety of winners & Pole-sitters once again this season, nearly double-digits for both I believe, along with a pretty entertaining title chase occurring.

Yet all I hear is the negativity over Penske getting another "Unfair Advantage, and the officiating SUCKS! Blah-blah-blah; But NOBODY'S gonna say anything 'bout how Piss Poor the series current & future scheduling is; WTF indeedy!!!

As first Edmonton, and now possibly Toronto's gone? Like are they really gonna  be that STUPID to KILL off a feverish 'Kuhnaidiun market & Fan base and go race in Abu Dhabi instead?

As like I said, suddenly it feels like Ground Hog Day; Err 2007 all over once again, as I definitely feel uneasy about the future of IndyCar racing! Yet like Meesh, I certainly hope I'm wrong and that perhaps Mr. Miles can improve the show.

But if we're this deep into the ridiculously short season, and there's still NO adequate current title sponsor merchandise easily accessible for the remaining fans and Diehard loyalists to spend their hard earned Dinero upon, then how in the HELL is the series ever going  to grow?

Hmm? Then again, guess we're NO longer lamenting the miserable television ratings, eh? As surely those vaunted "Body-by-Mennen AFX Aurora" ("Bore-E-olis") Aerokits and artificially turning up the boost to inflate qualifying speeds at Mother Speedway will miraculously cause everyone to be  spellbound by the "New & Improved" IndyCar series, right?

And I'm NOT even gonna pontificate upon how both Champ Car & IRL have attempted to crack the Asian market in years past; Can Y'all say China? Leaving the Pacific Northwest. Running two day races in Houston in the middle 'O summer, along with the hottest month of the year  in California, not to mention the SUN severely affecting the driver's vision, saturating the Midwest marketplace or having NO yearly race date stability; Oh Never Mind! As what was that old song-line  they sung on All in The Family? Oh yeah; Those were The Days...