Ho-Hum, another year, another Season Finale Flying
largely underneath Thou Radar...
Although Dan Anderson certainly knows what
he's doing, is way smarter than Thou, and his Bank Account's definitely larger
than mine...
Nonetheless, I've got a serious Problema with
the Indy Lights season finale being part of the Mazda Pirelli World Challenge
Cup at Laguna Seca, and hence, NOT crowning it's champion alongside it's B-I-G'
BRO'S finale at Sonoma, where it would garner the same audience as Indy Cars;
Chirp-Chirp, Bueller?
Especially now that there's more championship
Contenders going into the season finale' Double Header weekend, with 66-points
still on the table. As seriously? Round-2 of Laguna Seca will be aired tape
delayed in the middle of Thursday night on NBCSN, four days after the results
are known...
Began typing this before the Lights
penultimate round at Watkins Glen - running just a single event on the fabulous
Glen's permanent Road course, in lieu of the traditional Double Header
Twisties' weekend outings.
As Schmidt Peterson Motorsports rookie Santiago Urrutia
had taken the points lead from Carlin's Ed Jones, with Andretti Autosport's
rookie Dean Stoneman in third, all still very alive for the championship
crown,.
Especially when there was still a maximum of
99-points available with three rounds remaining, i.e.; Watkins Glen and Laguna
Seca...
With a few other drivers still mathematically
alive, if I've done my Homework correctly? Since it was akin to Pulling Teeth
to learn the Drivers Points Scoring System; URGH!
POINT SYSTEM -
DRIVERS
Although there is a Championship for both Drivers
and Teams, I'm really only concerned with the Drivers Championship. With a
maximum of 3-bonus points available, i.e.; One each for Pole, Most Laps led
& Fastest Race lap...
Points are awarded for Positions 1 thru 20 in the
following manner:
30-25-22-19-17-15-14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
POINT STANDINGS
(Prior to Round 16 at Watkins Glen)
1) Santiago
Urrutia 309
2) Ed Jones 293
3) Dean Stoneman 284
Originally at the beginning of the season, I
found Santiago
to be a little bit of what Thy late Awntie Harriet would
call a Fathead! And was rootin' for Dean Stoneman to win the championship.
Yet upon listening to the Uruguayan farmer
turned racer interviewed on Don Kay's 'lil Autosport Radio Show, I really liked
what I heard. Plus the fact that if he doesn't win the title, he'll probably
have to go home and return to farming!
For which how could Yuhs not suddenly want
him to be victorious and become the sport's very first Uruguayan to race at
Mother Speedway in the B-I-G' DANCE, nee Indy 500...
As Santi, is trying to eclipse Uruguay's late
Gonzalo Rodriguez, who lost his life racing for Team Penske at Laguna Seca, so
it'd only be fitting for Urrutia to clinch the title on September 11th, the
date of Rodriguez's death in 1999; for which Santiago celebrated last year by
winning the Pro Mazda title on the same, said anniversary.
But congratulations to Zachery Veach for swiftly
moving from fifth to P1 on the opening lap at The Glen and never looking back!
Whilst Urrutia first faltered from second, dropping to fifth and then blowing
out a tyre after heavily Flat-spotting I-T to make the championship wide
open...
POINT STANDINGS
(Following
Watkins Glen)
1) Santiago
Urrutia 319
2) Ed Jones 318
3) Dean Stoneman 296
4) Zach Veach 288
5) Felix
Serrallés 281
Know that both Laguna Seca Lights races will
be "Streamed" via Indycar.com this weekend. As hopefully they'll be
of better quality than last year's, when One-armed Paperhanger Rob "Some
Heads are Gonna Roll!" Howden was the lone voice calling a grainy,
scratchy webcast, which as typical Dumped upon Mwah...
GO SANTIAGO!
