As it’s good Having A Beaming Rossi Smiling again
from atop the Podium…
Don’t know ‘bout Y’all, but this current
stretch of the IndyCar season feels like the Fast and furious to me, and I
Never thought I’d use that analogy! As I’ve already scribbled some preliminary
thoughts here upon No Fenders prior to the second Indy Road Course’s Brickyard GP
Qualie’ session.
http://www.nofenders.net/2022/07/indycar-catching-up-on-ims-road-course.html
In Marshall Pruett’s typical fashion,
It was entertaining Hearing How Appalled
He was over IndyCar being treated like the Red Headed Step Sister at IMS over
the Brickyard Double Header Roundy Round’ weekend! With Marshall noting How
Weird it’s having IndyCar being the Undercard of the Undercard of the
Undercard! And How they’re literally by the Shitters! i.e.; Turn 1 Honey
Buckets which He proclaimed in His Racer Friday Morning Indy GP Report video.
https://racer.com/2022/07/29/video-friday-morning-indy-gp-report/
The Best News of the entire weekend was that
Josef Newgarden was Cleared to compete in all IndyCar Activities and passed both
of His Concussion Protocol tests Thursday-Friday!
And you have to say it’s Funny how Newgarden
seemingly was “Glued” to His good buddy DJ WillyP’s Gearbox, with All three Penske Drivers in Round
One’s Group 1 Qualie’ session, with Power and Newgarden winding up P4-5
respectively at Day’s end…
Biggest News had to be Felix Rosenqvist, the
Forgotten Arrow McLaren SP Driver winning the Pole position! Not to mention how
estatic Pato O’Ward was qualifying third. Along with O’Ward enthusing How Happy
He was for Felix to be on Pole, saying He definitely Deserves to Stay in
IndyCar! And How Rosenqvist’s the right type of Driver as a teammate, who’s
totally Transparent, which is what you need in a teammate! Which the media took
as a vailed swipe at the possibility of Alex Palou landing at AMSP next year…
Great interview with David Malukas by Marshall
Pruett after Qualifying, where Malukas “Kidded” about liking to Have Brakes on
a Road course! Claiming He’d had No Front Breaks during the Fast 12 Knockout
phase, noting how His Brake pressure PSI was almost Half of what they normally
have!
As Malukas has His work cut out keeping up with
Christian Lundgaard in the Rookie Of the Year (ROY) Battle. As Lundgaard made
His first Fast Six Shootout appearance of the year, finishing sixth, one year
from making His Shock Debut when Qualifying P4 at the same race.
Whilst is it just Mwah? But have Y’all noticed
how Chip Ganassi Racing isn’t running IndyCar title sponsor NTT Data on it’s
#10 entry now. Since I know that Alex Palou ran with American Legion on His car
at Iowa’s Race-2 and on the IMS Road Course. With the Spaniard being Cheep’s
Highest Qualifying entry in P7.
Rossi Finally claims another W’
Although this race was definitely not as Wet ‘N
wooly as the “Guns ‘N Roses” Indy GP in May. Nonetheless the first lap weren’t
Pretty! As I think it was Colton Herta who bumped into Will Power, who in turn
Spun Out a Hapless Pato o’Ward! With the duo dropping to the tail end of the
grid.
Cannot remember what the first Caution was for?
But DJ WillyP’ used this to Help go forwards from P16 with O’Ward also making
up places. And the day just got worse for Arrow McLaren SP, as Pole Sitter Felix
Rosenqvist just dropped like a rock and ultimately limped home ninth.
Alexander Rossi who’d started second, tried
making a late breaking pass upon Roseqvist for the lead going into Turn-1 but
wasn’t successful. This caused Rossi to drop into the clutches of Andretti
Autosport teammate Colton Herta who made an easy pass upon Him and looked set
to motor off into the Sunset enroute to victory.
Yet Herta pounded the Infield Kerbing too Hard on
lap 42 and suddenly lost drive to His car, limping slowly to Pitlane before
retiring and Rossi Never looked back after! As I love how All of the media
pointed out it had been 1,133 Gory Days and 49 races since Rossi last won over
three years ago at Road America! (June 23, 2019)
With Racer’s Marshall Pruett cheekily noting in
His Post-race video that Rossi’s Happy and Smiling today, but He’ll find
something to be Grumpy about tomorrow, Hya!
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Rookie
Christian Lundgaard spent All day in the top sic, and much of the end of the
race in second, where the Dane’ finished, scoring His maiden IndyCar Podium.
Coupled with David Malukas’s 13th
place finish; Lungaard once again increases His rookie Of the Year (ROY) points
lead to +27. (248-221)
And although Will Power didn’t have anything
for the first two finishers, ‘Ol DJ WillyP’ wily sauntered home P3, leading a
three car Team Penske Freight train across the Yard ‘O Bricks. As ScottyMac’
(Scott McLaughlin) got around teammate Josef Newgarden with the Kiwi finishing
fourth and Newgarden P5.
As Newgarden should be content losing only two
points in the title fight, while McLauglin clings to an outside chance some 81
markers adrift…
Scott Dixon who was boiling after qualifying a
lowly 20th, led CGR’s Quartet Home with a Quiet eighth place finish, two places ahead
of Alex Palou. With Marcus Ericsson making an impressive recovery drive from
last to P11. As the Swede lost His Points lead to Power and now trails by nine
markers.
Ericsson finished one position ahead of O’Ward,
with the Mexican tenaciously staying in the Championship Hunt. As next up is
Nashville, (Round 14) where ericsson’s the Defending Race winner, and Anything
can Happen…
2022 Point Standings
1) Will Power: 431
2) Marcus Ericsson: 422, -9
3) Josef Newgarden: 399, -32
4) Scott Dixon: 393, -38
5) Pato O’Ward: 385, -46
6) Alex Palou: 379, -52
