As we All know Alex’s favourite word Amazing,
Righto?
Although must say I was tempted to go with
Magic Carpet Ride, Magical Mystery Tour or Magic Bus for my title to this
riveting No Fenders prose.
Every week Palou,
and 26 other drivers get in the Queue. “Too much Magic Bus”. Thank you Cheep’
for getting me Here. “Too much Magic Bus”. Your being Watched by the other Team
Owners Have No Fear. “too much magic Bus” No! You cannot buy it Zak Brown!
Thanks to Racer’s website redesign which isn’t
conducive to screen readers! If Y’all haven’t noticed, I’ve sort of tuned-out
from IndyCar, Sports Cars and Der Weurld de Motorsporten lately, Ja-Ja!
As I hadn’t even listened to any of Marshall Pruett’s
podcasts in over a month’s time, i.e.; sometime before this year’s 24 Heurs du
Mans. As its just plain wrong that its been over two months now without being
able to read Racer’s website, but I digress. And yes, I have contacted them
about this matter…
Returning to the “Fold”, I tuned into Pruett’s
The Week in IndyCar July 15th podcast, and was entertained as always with
Marshall’s insight. Not to mention enjoying His enthusiasm for the sport. Since
after all He should be quite the Jaded Motorsports reporter by now.
According to Marshall there were only four
drivers ever in the history of IndyCar to win seven or more races in a season,
for which I beg to differ after briefly reading a Sportskeeda article.
Although I fell Afoul to trying to read the article
too quickly, and mistakingly gave Mikey A’ an extra W’ and podium that year,
initially…
As Marshall just enthused over how “Amazing”
Palou’s season is this year, having claimed then seven of the season’s first
twelve races prior to Toronto. As Marshall just laughed in giddy, astonishing
are you Freakin’ kiddin’ me uproarious laughter!
Whilst
a rare “Strategery” mistake saw Palou miss out upon possible victory Up North
eh!
Leaving me wanting to know who the other three
drivers were? As Marshall only divulged what I thought was the latest driver to
do so, for which I saw win one of His eight races Wayback in 1994 at Portland
International Raceway. As ’94 was the year that ‘lil Al and Team Penske
decimated CART! As Al Unser Jr. won eight times including that year’s
Indianapolis 500 with the “Unfair Advantage” of the “Stock Block” Mercedes. And
Penske drivers finishing 1-2-3 overall, with a total of 12 wins out of 16
races! With Emmerson Fittipaldi winning once and Paul Tracy three times;
finishing second and third respectively.
Of course I could only guess one other drivers
name, being the first ever to accomplish this feat, which Y’all may be able to
guess? But I’m getting ahead of myself since we’re going in reverse order, due
to total number of wins in a single IndyCar season, i.e.; lowest to highest,
according to Sportskeeda’s Five IndyCar Drivers with Most Wins in A Season.
I also saw the second most recent driver to
accomplish this feat, ditto at Portland. Where I have to say that Mikey A’ was
the scourge ‘O Portland since I was then a ‘lil Al fan…
Michael Andretti tied His father’s feat of
winning eight races during His lone championship winning 1991 season. Claiming
a total of 11 podiums and eight poles during the 17 race season.
As that tally doesn’t include His winning the
Marlboro Challenge event at Laguna Seca from pole. Seeing Michael win a total
of nine IndyCar races that season.
As I actually saw a quarter of both Al Unser
Jr’s and Michael’s wins those two championship seasons. Having also attended
the Molson Indy Vancouver races Up North Eh!
SuperMario’, nee Mario Andretti won nine races
in 1969. Arguably His best IndyCar season due to winning that year’s
Indianapolis 500 for Andy Granatelli in the legendary Brawer Hawk.
And then the top two of this very exclusive
category are also tied with an unbelievable 10 wins in a single season. For
which I’d Arse-sume Y’all would guess ‘Ol SuperTex’, nee Anthony Joseph Foyt
Jr. Righto? But can you name the other driver?
Yep, Big Al’ tied Foyt’s record in 1970 aboard
arguably one of the most beautiful liveries of All-time. Driving the Johnny
Lightning Special PJ Colt of Vels Parnelli Jones Racing. Which included the
first of Al Unser Snr’s eventual four Indianapolis 500 victories. Along with
back-to-back Indy 500 wins in 1970-71.
While A.J. Foyt needs no introduction, arguably
thee GOAT” (Greatest Of All Time) IndyCar drivers who naturally set the record
first, and the bar ultra high! Winning ten times in 1964, including that year’s
Indianapolis 500. Foyt won 10 of 13 races that season, with only three DNF’s
due to mechanical failures.
Ah, I love Zed Intrawoods’, since when I
Googled most IndyCar wins in a season a second time, naturally I got a
completely different answer. With Autoweek proclaiming there’s actually nine
drivers to have won seven IndyCar races in a season. As why wouldn’t we expect
both Foyt and Mario Andretti to have accomplished this more than once in their
stellar IndyCar careers, Eh?
As Foyt also claimed seven wins in 1975, while
Mario captured eight wins back-to-back, between 1966-67.
And then Thars’ a proverbial logjam at drivers
with eight wins in a season, for which we already know about ‘lil Al and Mikey
A’. But how could I overlook le Hamburgular’, aka Sealmeister B’, aka SeaBass’
or simply Sebastien Bourdais? As the master of Champ car won eight times in the
series final season of 2007. Which naturally I can say, once again I saw Him
win at Portland that year much to my chagrin. Being a loyal Justin Big Unit’
Wilson fan!
And how could Marshall forget His Buddy “French
Fry?” As I do miss those Pruett and Bourdais wacky weekend race videos…
Then naturally who would know that Tony
Bettenhausen also claimed eight wins during the 1951 season? Giving us four
drivers in this rarefied domain. Before Palou joined this club with another
crushing victory at Laguna Seca. Leading 84 of 95 laps enroute to His third win
in four years at Monterey!
While we have to go all the way back to over a
decade ago to Gory 1922, when Jimmy Murphy won seven races that season,
including that year’s Indianapolis 500 Mile International Sweepstakes race.
While I’d have to say that Murphy’s
accomplishment is probably the most impressive, since some of these wins came
upon the diabolical Board tracks of the Day!
As my foggy memory said that the long defunct
Tacoma Speedway Board track was part of that year’s AAA National Championship.
Which indeed, Murphy began the fourth ‘O July Montemarathon 250 from pole, with
arch nemesis Tommy Milton winning the race.
Yet I love Pruett’s enthusiasm for what Alex
Palou has done this season. Making me want to “See” Alex get to at least eight
wins this year, Mission Accomplished! Which puts Him into very “Heady company.
Although like Marshall says, I don’t feel Palou is one of the sport’s “Great”
IndyCar Drivers yet! And certainly not in Scott Dixon territory, whom with the
second most IndyCar titles and wins, doesn’t even make this list of nine drivers,
Crikeys!
Nine
IndyCar Legends with the Most Wins in a Single Season
Can
Palou win His ninth race of the season at Portland, where He’s won twice
before? As you’ve gotta love Alex’s attitude when interviewed in victory lane
about going for more wins? For Sure He bluntly stated!
My witty Magic Carpet Ride lyrical “Ditty” was inspired by The Who’s 1968 Magic Bus song. Which No, you still cannot buy it Zak!