Sunday, May 29, 2022

My Yearly Indy 500 Race Day Tradition

Although I’ve got a Ton ‘O Great Memories from my 7 Indy 500’s Attended…

 

Seems like a Mega’ amount ‘O time has been spent talking about Us Fans Indy 500 Traditions. For which I probably did before? But definitely have been doing in earnest yearly since 2019, when I prefer actually listening to the race being called via Old Fashioned Radio…

 

As I look forward each May to Hearing the voices of Mark Gravelly’ James, Davey Hamilton, Nicky Salt’ Yeoman, Jake The Riddler’ Query and Michael Screech’ Young.

Along with Hopefully my two favourite Pitlane Reporters Ryan Marin and Alex wolff on the IndyCar Radio Network via Indycar.com’s Screen Reader Friendly webpage. Especially since for reasons unknown, this year I haven’t been able to Pull Up The Fan’s WFNI 1075AM Radio Broadcast via Zed Internets.

 

Whilst I appreciate a fellow blogger echoing some of my past sentiments regarding NBC’s Month ‘O May TV Coverage. Noting how it’s just a tad Bit too Mucho NASCAR Centric, which I’ve previously scribbled about on No Fenders.

 

Nothing But Promotions?

as once again I eagerly await the actual race beginning! But not All of the Bullshit Pre-race Banter, Err Hype upon Ye Peacock, Uhm Big NBC. Which Y’all know totally stands for Nothing But Commercials!

 

Since even though I like Leigh Diffey, Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe, and try “Supporting” IndyCar’s television partner by typically “watching,” Err listening to the races.

 

Yet I simply cannot fathom stomaching Four-plus Hours of Queen Danica, ‘lil Ironhead’ (Dale Earnhardt, Jr.) Steve “I Knows Everything” Letarte and especially Rutledge “Bake Me A Cake” Wood’s Uber Insightfulness, SPEW!

 

As I still say this is nothing more than an multi Hours Infomercial primer’ for the upcoming RASSCAR’ Roundy round season on NBC, BARF!

 

Not to mention I’ve never been a Fan of Marty Snidely Whiplash! Snyder or Kevin The Wherewolf’ Lee’s Reading from a Queue Card demeanour. OOPS, what’s that ‘bout Not saying Anything if you Don’t Uhm? Oh Never Mind!

 

The legendous’ Dr. who…

Part of what I enjoy most about listening to IndyCar Radio Broadcasts is how they’ve got more time to go Down various Wabbit Holes’ that TV doesn’t, since they’re Nothing But commercials! But don’t get me wrong, IndyCar Radio does it’s own version of what I tend to Bellow at Ye Confuzer’s Speakers: Commercial City!

Nonetheless, I do enjoy how they get to spend more time interviewing people and telling stories.

 

And since I simply could this year, I tuned into copious amounts of two Practice Days, along with nearly the entire Qualifying Day and Pole Day programmes…

 

Having listened via IndyCar Radio to Sunday’s 90mins Pole Day Practice session, the end of the Broadcast brought a Smile to my Face. As they were wrapping up, Mark Gravelly’ James said just to put a Bow upon The Flying Dutchman’s, nee Arie Luyendyk’s All time 236.986mph record Qualifying run, the Fastest ever four lap Average at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, set on the second day of Qualifying in 1996.

 

Luyendyk Always credits that run to his race Engineer, some Bloke named Tim Wardrop! As it was Fun hearingJames and Davey Hamilton briefly reminisce about the late Dr. Who. With James saying unless somebody introduced you to Him, you’d Never know who Tim Wardrop was. With Davey saying He was a Bit wild behind the scenes and All you ever had to do was look for the guy wearing the leather jacket! To which James said, He’d been talking with somebody in the Media Center about how Dr. Who looked more like the Manager for a British Rock Band…

 

As I had the good fortune of being introduced to Messer Wardrop Wayback’ in Bloody 2007, following my Fantastic 2X Seater ride with Davey Hamilton! Appropriately at the IMS Flagroom Bar, which No longer exists.

 

And then met him several more times over the following years, with the last being in 2012. When Tim was the Race Engineer for somebody I took to calling “Mean Jean!” In that Abomination of a racecar with the Luddi’ Boat Anchor in it’s Backside!

 

Y’all recall when 47yr old ex-Ferrari Formula 1 Driver Jean Alesi, then an Lotus Ambassador drove Tyce Carlson’s Fan Force United Dallara/Lotus entry, which qualified last, some 16+ mph Slower than the Pole speed!

 

As I can still remember No Fenders Offical’ Photographer Carpets asking Tim Wardrop if He wanted us to throw something Ontrack in order to Help Alesi from getting lapped! For which Dave was totally Jesting, as we were enjoying a late lunch on Car Day at Mother Speedway when Tim joined us briefly.

 

And I was also Happy hearing Tim tell us that Alesi was a Rea Racer!

 

Whilst also fondly recalling asking Dr. Who if He was going to the Last Row Party? To which Tim blankly asked What’s That? And upon informing Him, Tim said, Oh, I’d better go check that out, and off He went with trademark leather jacket in hand…

 

http://www.nofenders.net/2012/10/sayonara-doctor-who.html

 

For which I’d forgotten about Fan Force United having announced plans to run Stefan Stork’ Wilson in a 2015 Full Season IndyCcar campaign, which never materialized due to Sponsorship woes.

 

Whilst I wasn’t aware that the team had hired Buddy Lazier as Driving Coach for Messer Alesi a Decade ago, which makes me think of the time Buddy and Tim allowed me to Butt into their conversation at the Flagroom, as I interjected F1 trivia to fill in the Blanks in Thar conversation.

 

Whilst as always, I’ll be hoping for an Upset winner Sunday! Along with listening to Jim Cornelison’s very enjoyable rendition of Back Home Again…