Welcome back! I know there was no action on here leading up to the 500, but that is the busiest time of the year for me with friends and family coming into town and the coordination of the annual Coke Lot Extravaganza. There should be a full review of the weekend in the coming days.
–Pre-race–
yea right. All the local stations come on at roughly 5 am with continuous pre-race coverage.
DVR started ABC broadcast at noon so I get about 15 minutes of pomp before the green.
I did get the old/new footage montage thing; thats how you do it.
lets do this.
–Race–
Beautiful formation through 3 and 4 to take the green.
Smoke in the back, goodyear/ cheever (cheyear) already irritating me. This is gonna be a long 3 hours. Thank goodness for Bestwick.
3
Briscoe in. Put himself in a terrible position on exit if 2, I guess thats what happens when you qualify so far back in the pack. Painfully underperforming in awesome equipment will now be know as rahal-ing
7
We haven’t seen the leader not wanting to lead. The aero package looks like it is racing better than in previous years. Hinch has been able to pull a slight lead.
12
-back from commercial
Ed up front. he was catching hinch, I wonder if he can pull away even if slightly.
Than Pennzoil car looks damn good.
Drivers braking into T1. slow playing the race. I don’t really blame them.
Little reports that Hinch gave the lead up due to fuel mileage. I can understand that, but it still has a different look than in 2012 and 2013.
17
-2nd KuBu update of the race.
Montoya says first half of 500 is all about learning. I dont think it will take him that long, but good strategy.
JR to 5th… Something tells me he will be a yearly addition to ECR for the 500 if they cant sign him outright.
Flowers in the SAFER barriers flanking the camera positions. Beautiful touch, and a great example of IMS keeping it classy.
25
-back from commercial
average speed >217
Ed dropping to 213 mid corner while flat footing. need to lose the fuel knob, but an interesting way to control the pace.
cheyear calling tear-offs visor strips… really?!
28
Ed in 1 lap sooner than Hinch, but led longer and different engine manufacturers. last Chevys in 2 laps later, but running deeper in the field, last Hondas in 1 lap after. manufacturer fuel mileage may not be a factor today.
38
-back from commercial
Power around Hinch. It really looks like the drivers aren’t avoiding the lead.
I can’t tell if Karam’s car is yellow or green… so so bright. Love it. Nice outside pass.
Rahal having problems… shocking. Can I drive the National Guard car? I’ll even change my name.
43
JR into P3. slowly but surely. ECR P2/3
Helio and Marco just kind of lingering in P5/6. Managing the race for sure.
Rahal probably out.
HC warned for blocking. onboard from HC looks pretty tame. Could have been peaking under Hinch, could have gone either way.
Top 6 starting to slightly gap the field.
Helio is kind of a bully. he really gave JR a hard time for a 1/4 of the way in.
55
-back from commercial
Rahal circulating the warm-up lanes
TK plays pinball with the wall and TK. I saw this from the stands. NUTS, and I’m positive this is the second example of this already today. I don’t think TV caught the 1st.
JPM under TBell in the north chute. THAT is a power move.
Marco takes the Munoz line to take Ed
58
Helio is moving. Looks like he is practicing the end of race rush before his 2nd stop.
Caution free
cool onboard close up of Marco’s wheel. very cool.
63
Marco added wing during 1st stop. Hope he’s still quick enough when the race speed picks up later,
JPM driving around people on old tires.
TK with a 43.4 second stop. Hes done
73
-back from commercial
Ganassi stripped the started on TK’s car. ammeter hour
First time we see Pippa is because she is struggling…
78
Ed around Marco.
Continuing my lack of faith in Power, I say it will be a three way battle between Andretti, Ed and Helio
RHR running a quiet race. made it into the top five without being mentioned.
84
-back from commercial
RHR with a vibration. Still latched onto the top 4. Dixon is back there but seems unable to suck up to the fast four.
Power P6, leading the chase pack. They don’t have the speed either. if the vibration for RHR goes away, it will be a 4 horse race. Top 4 has pulled away from the chase pack.
91
caution free. average speed 213. we didn’t keep records of yellow flags until 1976?
3rd round of stops. if we stay green, the guys may be able to race all out at the end. will be close to a fuel save race.
Montoya going very far on fuel. This could be his race if he can get in-sync with the leaders.
104
-back from commercial
JPM to 4th but the lead 3 have pulled way. It’s becoming clear who has the fastest cars of the race. HC, MA, RHR.
as quick as I say that, Ed has closed the gap and latched onto the rear of Marco.
I need to be the announcer. cheyear repeats what I say a lap after I write it. BS.
HC is strong
catching Plowman
Heat and Pacers in race ad… get outta here and give me my racing back please.
Marco under plowman into 2. ballsy
Commercial break at lap 110. 6 laps of green with an in race ad. again, BS.
115
-back from commercial
HC and RHR are getting kind of racey. they need to keep stretching the lead.
Plowman balks Power who gets freight trained by dixon and JR.
Ed in early?
cheyear says yes.
leaders catching lapped traffic.
118
caution free
top 4 nearly an entire straight ahead of field. Much better aero package than the previous years.
First time through the field?
haven’t seen KuBu spotlighted recently.
check that, top 3. Ed is a lap down but running with the top 3.
We see the blistered tire from Ed’s car, he’s very lucky he didn’t have a failure.
122
Lazier out. Why?
4th set of green flag stops
bobble in the pits for HC. 3 turns of rear wing. need to ask how the adjusting works on that.
Newgarden ran it out of fuel coming into the pits and now having trouble refire-ing
TK’s car with the red endplates and bumpers looks better than the all silver of Dixon.
Ok, lets see what JPM does here.
132
-back from commercial
JPM really fighting with his tear offs.
Wow, Power wasn’t even close to hitting the speed limit.
JPM in with a pit speed violation as well. ouch. lets see how each recovers. served 2 laps apart.
140
-back form commercial
YES, I love the in-crowd shots. especially when they are deep inside the covered grand stands.
same guys up front. I bet a yellow cars wins.
Dixon is still leading the chase pack. He just doesn’t seem to have the speed to catch, but he is noticeably faster than the remaining drivers.
LAP (no hat)
-back from commercial
Kimball into the wall. seriously? Please CK, find a shred of consistency so I don’t have to complain about you every other week.
Still no indication of lap
Dixon sounds a bit lost on setup today. put DF in during first few stops, contemplating taking DF out to stay fast. He’s searching.
Power and JPM back in it with this caution.
First real sweeping shots of the grounds and grandstands. The crowd looks fantastic. just a handful of empty seats here and there. Mounds and GA areas look like standing room only.
155
-back from commercial
long yellow as expected. sweepers in the corners.
158
restart
RHR drives around Ed.
front group already starting to gap the chasers
The speed is up
Ed and RHR fighting out front. very well matched cars. Ed did not come in on the last yellow so he is slightly off strategy.
Helio has dropped back. Montoya up to 11
Booth giving due props to KuBu. Running in top 10 on merit. great day for him no matter how it ends.
163
RHR has a stronger car than Ed.
168
-back from commercial
Dixon got bit by his indecision. Backed it into the wall. caution.
Newgarden out. ran over someone slowing for the Dixon crash.
Very interesting top ten.
Mike Hull commenting on the Dixon crash, says any of the top 4 could have lost it as well. They clearly had better preforming cars than Dixon did. I feel like he was probably just pushing too hard. Ganassi continues to be lost at the 500 with the DW12
172
-back from commercial
last american winner: Hornish 2006
174
-back from commercial
Bell in the top 5. watchout
Bell into Ed who takes himself and Hinch out. Ed PISSED at Hinch. looks like Ed is the innocent party. 50% on Tbell, 50% on Hinch
Re: Bell shouldn’t have come down, Hinch shouldn’t have gone 3 wide.
180
-Back from commercial
Bell is just being a bully. There’s still 20 to go dude.
Helio gives it right back to Bell. I can respect that form HC
Munoz takes bell around the outside. wow
Montoya on the lead pack P6
fist pump from Mr. Penske. Excellent.
185
It. Is. On.
RHR exiting 4 under the pit lane entrance. We are rocking and rolling now boys and girls.
lead 3, chase 3, pack. Again, clear who has the speed.
Marco can catch HC and RHR but just can’t stay with them. not your year young andretti.
190
caution
Bell into the wall. Karma? wrecked after indycar called for debris yellow.
Looks like the debris is on exit of 2. not a contributing factor.
Red Flag.
Can hear the cheering from the grandstands.
I’m good with this decision.
Of course the debris is from Saavedera.
cheyear trying to say something broke. Possibly, but he was probably pushing too hard.
YOU ARE THE MAN ED
Interviews, fly over shots, artsy driver shots… lets get on with it. DVR skip engaged.
no pit work allowed
192
Mario is a cool cat. “take the lead as soon as possible”
Marco couldnt do what Munoz did just a few laps earlier
Defense. HC to the front
Split screen with the WAGS.
Not your year Marco
Helio is driving RHR to the wall. excellent defense, but i think RHR is playing with HC.
As soon as I say that RHR to the front.
GET THE WAGS OF THE SCREEN
Marco lifting. Not enough wing
POWER move by HC. around the outside.
strategic lift by RHR
199
RHR ahead well ahead of T1 turn in
HC not close enough into 3
200
RHR for the win.
2nd closest finish ever.
amazing race. Helio is crushed and doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry; what a guy. Mini-RHR is too cute. DVR quits during Michael Andretti Interview.
Check back tomorrow for more Indy 500 goodness. After ten days of hibernation, we are about to kick it into high gear for the summer stretch of the season.
Eric Hall
