As many drivers were singing “don’t Fence me In!”
over the weekend…
Nope, the water’s fine at Elkhart Lake! Y’all
can go in as No Algae Blooms to worry ‘bout. Or simply Hang out on the shore,
have a picnic and take picture of our scenic Lake. As Thars Nothin’ for Barney
Fife to arrest anybody over, ‘cept littering…
Having gorged Thyself over the Road America
weekend, listening to Friday’s IndyCar practice session. Saturday’s first Indy
NXT race and IndyCar Qualie’. And lastly Sunday’s second Indy NXT race plus the
IndyCar finale. (race)
Including my favourite portion of IndyCar
Radio’s pre-race, when they talk to an abundance of IndyCar drivers. Obviously
I got my fill of Open Wheel Racing!
Thus, I’m still not sure which series race’s
were more wild, i.e.; Indy NXT or IndyCar?
As I loved the comment from Mark Gravelly’
James about Alex Palou having fun over the abundance of Anybody But Palou
signage. With Palou going up to one RV Camper and signing their banner!
Whilst James also casually noted that Josef
Schlick’ Newgarden hadn’t won on a Twisties’ circuit, i.e.; road course or
street circuit in four years! His las win being at Long Beach, 2022.
Saturday’s Indy NXT race opening laps were
quite chaotic. With Enzo Fittipaldi braking too late and slamming into one of
the Max’s, think it was Garcia? Or more likely Taylor. Resulting in a broken
nose and finishing a lowly P22!
But the most bizarre moment of the first eight
of ten laps run under caution was Jordan Missing’s incident. When He simply
followed whomever He was trying to pass offtrack, careening thru the
gravel-trap and slamming hard into the concrete retaining barrier! As Davey
Hamilton said it looks like He just followed so ‘n so offtrack!
Lochie Hughes who’d had a impressive start,
drafted polesitter and leader Alessandro de Tulio down the front straight on a
restart and swept past on the outside into Turn-2? Effectively never giving up
the lead, giving Andretti Global it’s 100th Indy Lights victory.
Josh Pierson, Hughes teammate made a masterful
pass at Canada corner on the final lap to take second away from de Tullio, who
came home a dejected third. Whilst Hughes definitely needed the win to
hopefully get His season pointed the right direction.
Yet what’s that ‘Ol ABC Wide World of Sports
slogan? Oh yeah, “The Thrill of victory and Agony of Defeat!” As Pierson
collided with Hughes at the start of Race 2! With Lochie eventually finishing
P20, two laps behind, Youch!
But without doubt the star of the show was
Tymek Kucharczyk who started a lowly P16, before Steadily working forwards. As
the Polish rookie made 20 on-track passes for positions!
Tend to recall Kucharczyk battling points
leader Nikita Johnson for third. With Johnson playin’ Argey Bargey’ and shoving
Kucharczyk wide, dropping down to seventh. Yet Kucharczyk who set fastest lap
and had the fastest car in traffic repassed Johnson for third place and made it
stick second time around!
As de Tullio held off both Matteo Nannini and Kucharczyk
for the win at Elkhart Lake on a Green-White “Chequers or Wreckers” one lap
shootout finish. With de Tullio winning His second race of the year…
Then tuned back in for My favourite portion of
IndyCar Radio’s pre-race coverage at start of broadcast, when they talk to
various drivers.
For example, talking briefly to 13 of the 25 IndyCar
drivers before/during Driver introductions is always cool! With
Alex Wolff asking ScottyMac’ if He can channel
some of His World Champion NY Knicks Mojo’, with McLaughlin saying I knew you
were gonna bring that up, Mate!
Although the drivers don’t give anything away,
I do enjoy how they all seem to answer the questions straightforward. And it
interesting listening to the new guard vs. elder statesmen, i.e.; Rasmussen,
Armstrong, Lundgaard, Siegel vs. DJ WillyP”, (Power) and Scotty thee “Iceman
2.0” Dixon. Along with Felix-the-Cat’, (Rosenqvist) “the Surgeon, (Palou) etc.
Next during the pre-race build-up, Nicky Salt’
Yeoman broke in with the news that both A. J. Foyt Enterprises Indy NXT cars
had been disqualified for inadvertently mounting the two cars qualifying tyres
on the wrong racecars. Thus seeing Alessandro de Tullio stripped of His
victory! With Matteo Nannini becoming the winner, Tymek Kucharczyk second and
Nikita Jhonson third. As don’t think I’ve ever heard of that before.
And we all know the outcome of the IndyCar
race, when Christian Lundgaard went from last on lap-1 with a cut tyre, to
first on the podium. With Marcus Armstrong being robbed of a deserved maiden
IndyCar victory after leading 14 laps at races end!
As Lundgaard said on His cooldown lap, How did
We do that!
And when’s the last time Palou forgot to engage
the pitlane speed limiter in the pits? Although as Mark James and Davey
Hamilton said in mock surprise; a yellow comes out and Palou’s sniffing roses
again…
As Palou’s bad day at the office turned out to
be a fifth place finish, sigh! Although I’m getting a bit tired of the
Spaniard’s bowling ball tactics with Nolan Siegel, who seems to be a spare pin
in the way of a strike!
Yet my heart goes out for Marcus Armstrong who
was cruelly denied a maiden IndyCar W’ when reportedly His Honda engine gave up
the Ghost with three laps remaining.
Now, I’m not saying it was this, or putting my
tin hat on that I keep on a peg on the basement’s door but…
I turned off the IndyCar Radio broadcast saying
I certainly hope for Honda and IndyCar’s sake that wasn’t a Hybrid failure…
Notice that Honda HRC U.S. Boss Daid Salter
issued a public apology to Armstrong and Meyer Shank Racing. But why hasn’t
Honda disclosed what it was?
As Chevrolet has ben quick to divulge their
valvetrain supplied parts for their numerous engine failures, but Honda’s
“Keeping Clam”, Oh Never Mind!
As suppose this will all be academic now that we’ve just raced at Mid-Ohio.
