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IndyCar’s Encouraging Trend Toward More Umbrage

Cue the anger! James Hinchcliffe and Ed Carpenter crash during the 2014 Indy 500.

An encouraging trend in IndyCar lately: A little less class, a little more umbrage.

Several examples: James Hinchcliffe goes all BANZAI on Ed Carpenter in the Indy 500. Ed says right on TV it’s a good thing that Hinch was still recovering from a concussion or he would have gone up side his head. (!) UMBRAGE TAKEN.

Thoughts on IndyCar from Iowa Speedway 2014

L to R: Josef Newgarden P2, Ryan Hunter-Reay P1 and Tony Kanaan P3 at Iowa Speedway

Sooooo, what think ye of Iowa Speedway?

Of course you know I love it, and I’m a relentless shill for it, but I got just a few thoughts in the aftermath of the Iowa Corn 300 last night, both good and bad (successes and “opportunities”).

IndyCar Needs More Transparency on Rule Violations

At least the days of double-secret penalties are behind us in IndyCar (as far as we know). So we should be grateful for that.

Unfortunately, we still get minimal information about penalties, such as this news release kicked out re: “Dale Coyne Racing for a pair of technical violations on its No. 18 Verizon IndyCar Series entry driven by Carlos Huertas,” presented in its entirety:

Surprising IndyCar Twisties, Montoya Rapprochement, NASCAR at Kentucky and Electric Katherine Legge

It's possible I have misjudged this man.

A little bit about a lot of things. Pull up some dark roast and … DRINK, ye BASTARDS.

IndyCar’s Surprising Twisties — (Note: “twisty” is not a pejorative, just my shorthand for road or street track). My somewhat bipolar relationship with IndyCar twisties continued this weekend with a double dip (doubleheader, try to keep up) at Houston. First race: RAIN. Road and street races in the rain are always awesome, because the precip adds a big-ass dose of RANDOM to the event.

pressdog's Guide to Iowa, 2014 Edition

 

Welcome to Iowa, WORLD headquarters for pressdog.com. People are always saying to me, "Des Moines is like New York City surrouned by CORN! It's amazing!" 

No. People never say that. Mostly it's "GOD, we have to go to Des Moines? What's there? Tractors on the streets and hogs running loose in the city?" Hardly. While you're here to view the IndyCar/Truck-like Vehicle Race at Speedway on July 12 or the Nationwide race on Aug. 2, allow me suggest some fine dining, entertainment and motel options.

Embrace the Twisty (Road and Street Races)

Full disclosure: some of this was originally published here  in 2007, but since you can't plagiarizer yourself, let's kick it, 2014 style.

Dogs and cats, living together, MASS HYSTERIA on the road course. (Photo By Robert Laberge, Getty Images for NASCAR)

This weekend's NASCAR race at Sonoma (June 22, 3p.m., TNT) is a perfect time for everyone to EMBRACE THE TWISTY ("twisty" is must my short hand for road or street course races). By that I mean watch a road and street race without losing consciousness. YOU CAN DO IT. If you're a NASCAR fan, you've got a season full of ovals, with just a few road course races thrown in there like crushed cloves of garlic for flavah.

I used to be a twisty race hater, but now I find them a nice change of pace. I still prefer ovals, and not all twisties are created equally, but there is a way to grab some enjoyment. The big five are:

1) Starts and restarts

2) Pit stops

3) Pit strategy

4) Circus Music Moments (also know as Crazy-Ass Shit).

5) (Especially in NASCAR) who's car doesn't fall apart by the end.

And the Guiding Principle (GP) of Road Races: It's hard as hell to pass on the track.

Keep those five and the GP in mind, and here are some tips on how to watch, maybe even enjoy, street races.

Ed Carpenter Refuses to Dish Up Crow While Building His IndyCar Resume and Team

Ed Carpenter adds his name among the winners at Texas Motor Speedway.

If you were looking for the ideal maître d' to serve up heaping helpings of crow, Ed Carpenter is certainly more than qualified.

After a racing lifetime of enduring loud assertions from some that Carpenter’s only talent was that of being Tony George’s son (claims often garnished the derisive nickname “Special Ed”), in the last four years Carpenter has three IndyCar wins as a driver and one more as team owner out of the car .. plus back-to-back poles at Indianapolis.

The Curious Case of IndyCar at Texas

Ed Carpenter wins at Texas Motor Speedway.

What’s about to happen is this: I’m about to be critical of the IndyCar racing at Texas, and in return be accused of not being a real race fan, and told to go back to NASCAR, and probably have some kind of Danica Patrick-based derision slung at me. 

Since I have been reading Jane Austen, I’ll say "But, no matter (Mr. Darcy), I am nonetheless urged to make a most expedient recounting of my feelings thereunto (?)"

Here’s the nub of it: IndyCar at Texas has become NASCAR minus the contact. Whether you think that's good or bad is entirely up to you, but I believe it is the case. Pray, continue ..

IndyCar & NASCAR Execs Should Seek Average Fan Treatment

Regular fans at Iowa Speedway.

First and foremost, credit for this idea goes to Joe Berkemeier of Trackside Online, a reader-funded news services for IndyCar fans, to which you should all subscribe immediately.

Joe’s genius idea floated many years ago, is this: every executive in IndyCar, NASCAR and all big-deal sanctioning bodies, should be expected to attend at least one race a year as a fan. No VIP anything. Choose your average fan amenities (motel, camping, day trip to the race track), enter with a ticket, sit in the average fan seats, eat the average fan food.

Belle Isle: Penske’s “Personal Grand Prix”

Helio Castroneves won Race 2 at Belle Isle

God love Eddie Cheever Jr. I used to love it when he was racing because the guy was always good for some color. From his famous “LUNACY!” reaction to four-wide at Texas, to his “flying a jet fighter in a gymnasium” description of Richmond, Eddie was always GOLD, Jerry.

SO, you can imagine my beverage spew when Eddie hit it right on the head again Sunday by calling the Detroit races “Roger Penske’s personal grand prix.” He quickly back away from that, well, not his personal grand prix, but he’s the main guy. No, Eddie, I think you got it right the first time.