A. J. foyt racecar (Image source: Bing.com)
As who will Santa be Awarding “Gifts” to this year?
Yessiree Bog, Bob’s Your Uncle Mateys! As I’m
just trying to finish off the year’s No Fenders posts Here upon Ye mystical’
Isle of Nofendersville, with Thy yearly IndyCar Golden Tailpipe Award
selections. Hence these choices were just quickly Jotted down after my initial
Spur of Ye Cuff selections below.
Whilst Y’all can compare ‘n contrast this year’s
choices with the Uber Exciting 2022 Selections in the following link.
http://www.nofenders.net/2022/12/the-2022-indycar-golden-tailpipe-awards_0625416309.html
WINNERS
2023 IndyCar Champion: Alex Palou
2023 Indy 500: Josef Newgarden
2023 Rookie Of the Year: Marcus Armstrong
CATEGORIES
1. Driver of The Year
Winner: Alex Palou
This seemed obvious this year. Having scribbled
on No Fenders previously about how the Spaniard was miraculously Shitting Gold
Bricks! After that incredulous second place finish Up North eh! Having started P15
at Toronto, where His damaged front wing was held onto the car by the strength
of a sponsors deckle! (Decal)
As Palou’s worst finish of the entire season
was eighth place, need I say more? Not to mention claiming the most wins with
five, and a few Pole positions to boot. As Palou became the first driver to
wrap up a Championship before the final round since le Hamburgular’, nee
Sealmeister B’, aka Sebastien Bourdais in Bloody 2007! Since Champ Car statistics
are now recognized in the IndyCar record books…
Other
Choices
Scott Dixon, Scott McLaughlin and Pato O’Ward
2. Biggest Disappointments of The Year
Initially I was drawing a blank upon this, but
quickly thought up the following.
First has to be the despicable behaviour of
Agustin Canapino’s Fanbase sending Death Threats to Callum Ilott, not once, but
twice! Along with JHR tepid response and Riccardo Juncos saying that’s just
normal behaviour in Argentina!
http://www.nofenders.net/2023/09/stop-hate-argentina.html
Texas Motor Speedway and it’s Ownership SMI refusing
to work with IndyCar to secure a date for next year’s IndyCar calendar! Especially
since this was one of the best two Oval races this year!
The outright Nastiness of Mr. Zakery Brown’s
stupendous lawsuit against Alex Palou! Just for Spite after having had the tables
turned upon Him, after He’d tried poaching the Spaniard a year before! As what
did Colton Herta say about Zak being Cut throat, Eh!
The ridiculous Farce of multiple Red Flags
during this year’s Indianapolis 500! Along with the stupid and Dangeous
allowing of the “Snake”, Err Dragon move of driving across the track and
Blocking your pursuers to not only continue, but become even more egregious!
And JHR Hanging Callum Ilott out to dry! With
the talented Englishman not having a seat on next year’s IndyCar Grid!
3. Race of The Year
Oval Track Winner: Texas Motor Speedway
Once again, TMS didn’t fail to excite us, with
the new IndyCar Aero package spicing up the Show! As it’s an absolute Shame how
this race has been left on the vine to Shrivel and Die!
As Texas provided us with some early season excitement,
that only Oval races can do! And the ending was setting up to be a Doozy
between Josef Newgarden and Pato O’Ward, before Romain Grosjean tagged the Wall…
Other
Choices
Indianapolis 500
Twisties' Track Winner: Galligher Indy GP
Have already scribbled ‘bout how
uncharacteristically I was emphatically rootin’ with two sets ‘O fingers crossed
for Graham Rahal to win the second Indianapolis road course race! Since I simply
wanted to “See” Graham break His six year drought of winning a G-Damn’ IndyCar
race!
Normally I wouldn’t expect to pick the IMS road
course for this category, but the ebb ‘n flow of Graham . From winning His
first Pole since Barber Motorsports Park some four-plus years ago. To leading a
sizeable portion of the race before trying so desperately to Hunt down eventual
winner Scott Dixon, Groan! Wanting so desperately to stand atop the podium for
the first time since that magical weekend sweep of Belle Isle’s Double Header
in 2017. With Graham saying Dixon did what He always does afterwards, simply
making this a Nailbiter for Mwah!
Other
Choices
Nashville, Alabama, Detroit and Toronto
4. Most Improved Team of the Year
Winner: Chip Ganassi Racing
This was my second hardest discision, since I
typically try to choose a deserving Midfield team over the proverbial big
Three. But the bottom Half of the Grid was pretty disappointing this year! Ergo
Ed Carpenter Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Meyer shank Racing. With
A.J. Foyt enterprises being a perpetual after thought! Whilst Juncos Hollinger
Racing is a wash due to it’s partisan leadership…
Thus Ganassi went from a “low” of only four W’s
in 2022 vs. Team Penske’s nine. Seeing a massive role reversal with Palou
capping five victories. Followed by Dixon’s three and Marcus Ericsson’s lone W’
giving Cheep’s squad nine wins vs. Penske’s five this season…
5. Most Disappointing Team of the Year
Winner: Arrow McLaren
Yeah, I could have gone for some low Hangin’
fruit, i.e.; Coyne, Carpenter, RLLR or Meyer Shank. Not to mention Foyt, but
they All seemed too easy!
As this seems like a tie between Andretti and
McLaren. Especially since Pato O’Ward should have won two races this year,
i.e.; Texas and Uhm? Oh yeah, St Pete, where He had that momentary Plenum Fire!
Along with suffering some meltdown’s, most notably at Mother Speedway and Detroit!
While Felix-the-Cat’ (Rosenqvist) had His
typical up ‘n down year. Claiming Pole positions but not delivering. Which also
seems like what Alexander Rossi did. Even though it was Rossi’s first year with
the team, somehow I really expected All three drivers to deliver more.
Yeah, I know much the same could be said about
Andretti, Ergo Colton Herta’s missed opportunities. But “Kirk” Kirkwood put
Andretti in the winner’s circle twice vs. McLaren’s Goose Egg.
Not to mention All of the Hype about Arrow McLaren and Arse-sumedly it’s Pied Piper Zak Brown crowing about making it the big Four, i.e.; Penske, Ganassi, Andretti and Cough cough, Arrow McLaren!
