F1: The Ultimate Insult

It was recently brought to my attention that F1 is more exciting racing than IndyCar.

I have a four-word response to that person:

What are you smoking?

Only if I am having trouble falling asleep would I dare waste my time with F-1, which is a series overwhelmed by arrogance, scandal, controversy and less passing than on a rural country road.

I agree oval racing suffers from extended caution periods, but as far as full-course cautions on road courses are concerned F1 fans should be infatuated with IRL races because that is what an F1 race is: one giant full-course caution. F-1 showcases a slow and dreary parade of million-dollar machines. If I want to watch a real parade, I’ll watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

As far as the IRL having a single engine manufacturer, I see no serious issue. I would rather see each team and driver on a level playing field compared to F1, which has a handful of engines; only a few of which are competitive.

Michael Schumacher, despite all his wins and championships, is the most overrated driver in the history of auto racing. I lost any and all respect for Schumacher in 2002 when he told 60 Minutes that the Indianapolis 500 is a step down from Formula One.

Who does this guy think he is? I think he is scared. He is scared to go 230 mph with a chance of losing. He, and the rest of his pompous F1 comrades, would much rather maneuver their way around a course with speeds ranging from 60-200 mphs (mostly closer to 60mph).

In IndyCar, drivers and teams have to work for their wins from start to finish. In F1, fans might as well change the channel after the first turn because the race is over at that point.

F1 drivers do not earn their victories; they are given victories. Just ask Rubens Barrichello about the 2002 US Grand Prix.

F1 does have a historic tradition – a tradition populated by controversy, selfishness, arrogance, and political scandal. Throw in the inferior quality of racing and I can see the excitement everybody screams of.

Local cautions. Full course cautions. No cautions at all. No matter which way you look at it, road racing – whether driven by IndyCars, NASCAR, or F1 – is terrible racing and has no business being marketed.

F1 is a joke. It is that simple. F1 is an insult to the world of auto racing.

Anybody who finds F1 exciting must also enjoy such sports as equestrian and synchronized swimming because their excitement levels rival one another.

I admit, the IRL is not perfect by any means. There’s good with the bad. But as far as F1 goes, I will speak it in a language that F1 fans will understand: It's a bloody waste of time and money.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving: IRL Scrooges Helio; Gives Win to Wilson

Detroit’s Labor Day Parade occurred a day early this year when the IRL’s finest participated in an anti-climatic game of follow-the-leader.

Gone are high speed passes. Gone are close side-by-side finishes. Gone are the principles that established the IRL as the premiere open-wheel racing series.

In the year of unification, the IRL is in the midst of a transition of its own.

The IRL has tossed previously successful tactics out the window in favor of strategies formulated by Champ Car, Formula-1 and NASCAR.

IRL founder Tony George and operations manager Brian Barnhart should be ashamed of pathetic disgrace of a race they showcased today.

Now I understand why IndyCar events have been delayed twice by the LPGA; frankly, the LPGA is more exciting than IndyCars on a road course and anybody willing to argue that point can contact me.

George, Barnhart and their cronies ought to be returning to their headquarters in Indianapolis with their tail between their legs because today’s IndyCar event in Detroit was one of the most disgraceful events in IndyCar’s history.

It is difficult to fathom this was the same series that put on the greatest show on earth at Kentucky just three weeks ago that involved side-by-side high speed passing lap-after-lap from start to finish.

Today was a disgrace. It was an embarrassment. It made NASCAR look good, which is the ultimate slap in the face to any IRL employee.

I am still struggling to understand the appealing factor of road courses. Drivers hate them (see Scott Dixon’s post-race comments). Based on recent telecasts, the local fans show no interest (today’s race an exception; crowd looked rather strong). And I do not know how people can watch an IndyCar road course race from start to finish while listening to Marty Reid without slitting their wrists.

Hats off to Justin Wilson. It is satisfying to see a new face in victory lane, especially with the deteriorating health of team co-owner Paul Newman. Despite the win, Wilson and crew will be unable to walk around with their heads held high because the IndyCar-savvy world knows who the real race winner was.

Helio Castroneves had the race wrapped up and was ready to head to Chicago trailing Dixon by a mere 20 points in the title hunt. That is until the powers-that-be decided to pull a NASCAR and create new rules during the race.

Did Helio block Wilson? It is hard to argue that point, but should the 30-year-old Englishman have been given a freebie? The only significant pass during the entire race and it was a race-control-ordered pass for the lead.

Are you kidding me?

At no point did Wilson start to pass Helio. Wilson had a great run, but there is no guarantee he would have been able to complete the pass.

An unfortunate precedent has been set today. Anytime blocking occurs will the culprit be forced to let his competitor go by?

Just last week Carl Edwards admitted to the world he was proud of bumping Kyle Busch out of the way on his way to victory. Despite the fireworks that ensured, the race was decided on the track – not in race control – which is how it needs to be.

Here’s a hypothetical for next weekend. Helio is leading the race and Penske teammate Ryan Briscoe is ahead of Dixon in the closing laps. What happens now if Briscoe blocks Dixon and Helio wins the race and championship? If the same standards are not followed race-by-race from this point on then the IRL will lose all credibility in the world of sports and competition.

Blocking occurs in every type of racing from NASCAR to go-carts, but today was the first time I can recall somebody losing a position for blocking.

It gets better. Minutes after Wilson’s “pass for the lead,” the IRL pulled a Champ Car ace from their sleeve by abruptly announcing the race was going to be a timed race.

How can a credible organization like the IRL suddenly change the length of a race? What if the NFL started changing the length of their games? Maybe during the next Super Bowl the NFL will decide to just play three quarters instead of four.

The IRL had limitless possibilities and opportunities entering this season. Unification brought new teams, drivers, and sponsors to an already beloved series, but it appears like George and Co. are trying their best to make it difficult to be an IndyCar fan.

The IRL has already released their 2009 schedule which is repulsive at best. Not to mention a 10-year contact with an obscure television channel that is inaccessible to half the country.

Justin, you need to savor this gift from the IRL because it will not happen again.

One for the ages......

After weeks of tedious road course racing and more drama than a daytime soap opera, IndyCar’s finest put on their most thrilling and competitive event of the season last night in Sparta, KY with Dixon winning his series record-tying sixth race of the season.

The Meijer Indy 300 was dominated by side-by-side racing that had the packed house on the edge of their seats from the drop of the green flag until the waving of the double checkered.

I hope IRL officials took notes last night because that was a perfect example of how every IndyCar event needs to be. No more road courses. No more street courses. Tony George and his marketing team need to get back to the basics of how the IRL won the split:

If people really want to watch road course racing with no passing and even less excitement, they can watch F-1, but I digress.

Right now it is all about the immaculate race showcased in prime-time by the best drivers on the planet.

With the race winding down, some great storylines were developing:

Could Helio Castroneves’ fuel gamble pay off and end his career-long winless streak? Spiderman knew he had a 10th-place car at best, so when he last pitted with 57 laps left, it was go broke or go home. The gamble nearly worked, but Dixon passed Helio in the fourth turn on the final lap.

Vitor Meira, who started second and was never outside of the top-3, appeared in position for his first career victory. Meira ran with the big dogs all night, but simply could not make a move when he needed to. Meira was weaseled out of a podium finish by Helio’s fuel strategy game. So close, yet so far away.

After a year filled with agony, drama and dysfunction, Marco Andretti had the strongest car of the night. He only led 38 laps compared to Dixon’s 151, but Andretti passed Dixon on the track not once but twice. Marco was in perfect position for his first victory since his inaugural win at Sonoma in 2006, but just like Helio and Meira, he came up short.

Despite the possibility of some new magic in IndyCar, it was an all-too familiar scene as the red No. 9 Target machine found its way to victory lane yet again.

But last night IndyCar fans were treated to clean (for the most part) side-by-side racing from start to finish. The final 50 laps was the best competition I have witnessed in years. Anticipation filled the Kentucky air as Meira chased down Marco as the two were separated not by car lengths but by inches.

Just behind the battle for the lead was another pair of side-by-sides for countless laps. The battle for fourth between Kanaan and Wheldon was epic. Neither gave an inch. Both held their line (somewhat) as the two former series champions battled it out lap after lap. Finally, it was Wheldon who surged ahead and left Kanaan by the wayside.

And kudos to Ed Carpenter for one of the best runs of his career. The Indy native was strong from the start. He dusted both Penske cars in the opening laps before doing battle with AGR’s dark horse Hideki Mutoh. Those two went side-by-side for what seemed like an endless amount of time. Carpenter found himself in another battle for sixth place in the last segment with Ryan Briscoe and Ryan Hunter-Reay as the three took turns battling it out side-by-side directly behind Wheldon and TK.

When was the last time IndyCars ran side-by-side three-deep?

And the IRL wants to transition away from ovals and continue to add road courses?

Hopefully George DVRed last night’s race and will announce this week that Toronto, Edmonton, Mid-Ohio and St. Pete have been scratched off the 2009 schedule and replaced by four more races at Kentucky.

Simply put, last night's showcase was amazing. It is unfortunate that IndyCar fans will have to endure two more road courses (Sonoma, Detroit) before the series finale at Chicagoland, but it is what it is.

So long from Kentucky.