Bob Jennings

In many ways May 2002 has been a "bummer." The weather has been miserable, as bad as I've experienced during May in Indianapolis. It's rained so much that one week ago White River and Fall Creek, both swollen with record rainfall, threatened to overrun their banks and cover Marion County, Indiana with water and mud. It's been cold for much of the month, more like February than May. Indiana farmers haven't been able to start planting corn and soybeans because the ground has been too cool and wet.    

I was able to get to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway five times to watch pre-race activity for the 86th "Indianapolis 500," going into race day tomorrow. I was at the Speedway for opening day practice on Sunday May 5. I returned on Wednesday May 8 and Thursday May 9 to watch practice leading up to "500" pole day. The crowds were sparse all three days, as if people didn't care what was going on at the Speedway. The weather forecast for pole day had rain showers starting at 11 AM, precisely when qualification runs were scheduled to begin. However with the exception of a couple short interruptions for light showers, pole day went off without many problems from Mother Nature. I was at my usual pole day location high in the Grandstand E penthouse, in the middle of turn two. It was cold and there was next to no one at the Speedway. It had to be the smallest crowd for pole day qualifying in "Indianapolis 500" history. My final pre-race visit to the Speedway came on a sunny Wednesday May 15. Even with a rare day of sunshine at the Speedway, there weren't many people at the track on what was a perfect day.

I wanted to spend more time at the Speedway but I was busy at work. However I made the most of my time and enjoyed what was going on when I was able to be there. But it almost seems as if not many people give a damn about "Indianapolis 500" activity this May. There were disappointing crowds at the Speedway during May 2001, which prompted Tony George to stop live television coverage of practice on ESPN and ESPN2. That measure didn't make a bit of difference this time. Last May, even with disappointing crowds, there was a buzz about the "Indianapolis 500" because of the return of big name competitors like Tony Stewart, Roger Penske, Michael Andretti and Arie Luyendyk. 

There were a total of nine active CART drivers trying to make this year's "Indianapolis 500" field but the heavy participation from the other series didn't make a difference in terms of fan interest. Even with perhaps the most talented crowd of competitors since 1967 at the Speedway for the "500," it didn't mean anything. Very few people seemed to notice what was going on at 16th and Georgetown. There's been little "Indy 500" buzz in Indianapolis, Indiana during May 2002.

They shaved the track surface earlier this spring and it brought higher speeds. For the first time since the cars changed from the "old" turbo formula after the 1996 "500," 230 mph was exceeded at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 230 mph speeds didn't bring more people to the track either. 

The "shrinkage" of local interest in the month of May in Indianapolis has been unmistakable and that troubles me a lot. I expect the usual 300,000 plus race day crowd tomorrow at the Speedway and the weather forecast is improving by the hour. Nevertheless the small crowds at the Speedway so far this month have been sobering.      

As I sit at my Micron Millennia 450, typing these words, I'm listening to a replay of the radio broadcast of the 1960 "Indianapolis 500" on WIBC and I'm getting more excited by the minute. I have my cameras loaded, my film packed and I'm almost ready for my 47th trip to the "Indianapolis 500." I went to my first "500" in 1956 and I haven't missed one since. Despite the general lack of interest in "500" practice and qualifications, tomorrow's 86th running of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" looks like one of the most competitive contests of all time.    

There was only 4.762 mph between the fastest four lap qualification run by Bruno Junqueira (231.342) and the slowest (226.589) by Billy Boat. That translates into a difference of 3.264 seconds over the ten mile run. I find that information to be incredible. Every one of the 33 drivers qualified faster than Scott Sharp's pole run of 226.037 mph for last year's "500." The average speed for the 33 cars is a race record 228.648 mph, surpassing the previous mark of 227.807 mph for the 1996 "Indianapolis 500." 

Of the 33 drivers in tomorrow's race, there are 26 who I consider as potential winners under varying circumstances. That has to be the absolute record number of solid contenders for any "Indianapolis 500." Those 26, in order of starting position, are Junqueira, Robbie Buhl, Raul Boesel, Felipe Giaffone, Tony Kanaan, Eddie Cheever, Sam Hornish, Scott Sharp, Tomas Scheckter, Robby Gordon, Al Unser Jr., Helio Castroneves, Gil de Ferran, Jeff Ward, Max Papis, Jimmy Vasser, Buddy Lazier, Kenny Brack, Billy Boat, Arie Luyendyk, Michael Andretti, Dario Franchitti, Paul Tracy, Airton Dare, Greg Ray and Mark Dismore. Now keep in mind when I include all these drivers as potential race winners, I'm applying a wide standard. Some of these guys have a lot better chance than others but if any of the 26 win tomorrow I won't be shocked.   

The competitive personality of this year's "500" field can be attributed to three primary reasons. For one, with the exception of the Newman Haas and Forsythe teams in CART, all the major Indy car players are at the Speedway. For another, there are 22 drivers who have won Indy car races in either CART, the Indy Racing League or in both series. Bruno Junqueira (CART), Robbie Buhl (IRL), Tony Kanaan (CART), Eddie Cheever (IRL), Sam Hornish (IRL), Scott Sharp (IRL), Robby Gordon (CART), Al Unser Jr. (CART and IRL), Helio Castroneves (CART and IRL), Gil de Ferran (CART), Max Papis (CART), Jimmy Vasser (CART), Buddy Lazier (IRL), Kenny Brack (IRL and CART), Richie Hearn (IRL), Billy Boat (IRL), Arie Luyendyk (CART and IRL), Michael Andretti (CART), Dario Franchitti (CART), Paul Tracy (CART), Greg Ray (IRL) and Mark Dismore (IRL) have all taken at least one victory in an Indy car event. Finally the IRL race car formula makes things equitable and puts the race in the hands of drivers and teams to a greater degree than the more sophisticated turbo formula from the previous era.          

My most recent offering on this website was an attempt to project what I was looking at in terms of competition before on track activity got under way. Now I'll make less speculative observations on the eve of the race.

According to the team of "Indianapolis 500" broadcasters for ABC and ESPN, tire management is considered to be one of tomorrow's major story lines. With the diamond cut shaving of the track surface, the grip has improved on the asphalt at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But the surface is also more abrasive than before and tire wear has been heavy this month. Some people are predicting tire wear cycles will drop from 28 to 30 laps to 20 to 25 laps.

Another factor has to be the reliability of the Nissan Infiniti V8 engine that powers seven cars in the "500." There have been stories appearing recently, reporting that Nissan has detuned the Infiniti V8 to make it last 500 miles, wiping out the 30 horsepower advantage Infiniti enjoyed in the four season opening Indy Racing League events. But will the Nissan "brigade" throw caution to the wind and run fast again tomorrow?  

Both Robbie Buhl and Eddie Cheever look like realistic threats to win tomorrow providing the Infiniti can hold up over 500 miles of 200 plus mph racing. If either Buhl or Cheever wins, I won't be surprised. I'm also anxious to see what Tomas Scheckter does in the "500." Tomas Scheckter reminds me a lot of his father Jody Scheckter when he started racing in Formula One. Like his dad, early in his career, young Scheckter lets it all hang out fast and loose. As far as the prospects for the third member of Red Bull Team Cheever, Max Papis, I'm not sure what to expect tomorrow.

There are a couple CART guys who look especially good for tomorrow. Pole sitter Bruno Junqueira and "Indianapolis 500" rookie Tony Kanaan appear to be solid threats. Both Brazilians drive G Forces, powered by Chevy engines. 

Surprisingly this year's G Force package appears to be on an equal footing at the very least with the more popular Dallara chassis. Drivers for three different teams using the G Force occupy four of the six spots in the first two rows. That sort of makes you think about whether the G Force is better this time  than the Dallara doesn't it? 

After he won in the CART race in Japan, I anticipated Junqueira might be a force at the Speedway. Kanaan has surprised me though. I never paid that much attention to Kanaan before but the funny looking guy in the multi-colored Mo Nunn Hollywood car 17 has been impressive in practice and qualifying. For that matter, the Mo Nunn team looks impressive and I also think the other Hollywood driver, Indy Racing League regular Felipe Giaffone, deserves attention too.

One of the stories coming from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this month has to do with the performance of Brazilian drivers at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 2002. There are four Brazilians in the first two rows and that group doesn't include either of the Penske "twins" Helio Castroneves and Gil de Ferran. I also expect a good run from Airton Dare, the seventh Brazilian in the "500" field.

Team Green suffered through a frustrating practice period and all three of the team's drivers Michael Andretti, Dario Franchitti and Paul Tracy had trouble finding speed. For the second year in a row, Andretti qualified with such a slow speed on pole day, he ended up withdrawing his original car and qualifying into the race with his backup car. On the final qualifying day, Tracy and Franchitti found sufficient speed to make the race despite their earlier problems which included an early morning practice crash on "500" pole day by Tracy. 

I'm not sure what to expect from either Franchitti or Tracy tomorrow, but I suspect Andretti will make his presence felt before the race is over. If tomorrow is the day Michael Andretti finally wins the "Indianapolis 500" I won't be surprised.             

I don't have much of a feeling about where Jimmy Vasser and the Rahal team figure in the "500." They haven't made much news this month and have gone about their business in a quiet way.            

The same thing can be said of Buddy Lazier and the Hemelgarn team. Buddy Lazier can never be left out of any potential "Indianapolis 500" winner's list. The Hemelgarn team chooses to spend most of its  time chasing race setups rather than make the effort for an up front qualifying spot. But that makes it hard to project what Buddy will do tomorrow.

In contrast, the Menard team always competes for the "Indianapolis 500" pole but one way or another finds a way to lose the race. Obviously the Menard cars are fast and it doesn't seem to matter whether it's Tony Stewart, Greg Ray, Jaques Lazier, P.J. Jones or Raul Boesel who's driving the car. However maybe tomorrow will be the day when the fates smile on John Menard and either Boesel or Robby Gordon bring the Wisconsin billionaire the cherished "500" win.      

I think Arie Luyendyk still has more than enough desire and skill to win a third "Indianapolis 500" at age 48. But I'm not sure about Fred Treadway's team. It's hard to expect the Treadway crew to be able to compete on the same level as the powerful Penske and Ganassi teams. However one shouldn't forget that Luyendyk is the all time prize winner in the "Indianapolis 500" for a reason.

If one were to pick the most obvious candidates for victory in the 86th "Indianapolis 500," they would pick the two most recent "500" winning teams Target Chip Ganassi and Marlboro Team Penske. These are the two biggies in the world of Indy car racing. The Ganassi and Penske teams have the most money, the best personnel and it's hard to bet against either team.

Of the three Target Ganassi cars in the "500," the one that looks strongest is car 33 driven by pole winner Bruno Junqueira. Kenny Brack has gotten off to a rocky start with the Target team and hasn't looked as good as teammate Junqueira in either the early season CART races or at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this month. However Brack does know how to win this race and perhaps tomorrow he'll be hooked up the way he was three years ago when he won for A.J. Foyt.   

Jeff Ward has an outstanding record in the "Indianapolis 500" with a second place finish, a third and a fourth in his five appearances in the "Indianapolis 500." But Ward has yet to put enough pieces together for an Indy Racing League win. It makes you wonder why.   

What can you write about Roger Penske's chances to win a record 12th "Indianapolis 500" that hasn't already been written? Helio Castroneves is becoming a popular media personality in Indianapolis. The effervescent Castroneves seems to overwhelm every one he meets with charm and enthusiasm. Obviously Castroneves is a very talented racer and a perfect cog in the Penske machine. One of these years some one is going to do what Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Bill Vukovich and Al Unser did and win back to back runnings of the "Indianapolis 500." Will it be Helio Castroneves? It could be.

The other Penske driver Gil de Ferran seems to be a sensible pick to win tomorrow too. I don't exactly know why, but for some reason or another Gil de Ferran reminds me of two-time "Indianapolis 500" winner Rodger Ward in his approach to racing. de Ferran looks to me like he has a chance to win as solid as that for his young Penske teammate Castroneves.

Greg Ray and A.J. Foyt are an intriguing partnership. I like the looks of Ray's yellow and purple Harrah's number 11. Maybe A.J. can shake some sense into his fellow Texan Foyt and the two can become a formidable pairing.         

Before activity began this month at the Speedway, the driver I most often thought about when I considered potential winners for the "Indianapolis  500," was Sam Hornish. Is Sam Hornish a  combination of the best qualities of Rick Mears and Bill Vukovich? I think young Sam has a couple "500" wins in his future, at the very least. The Pennzoil Panther team may be the best of the old Indy Racing League teams and combining that with Hornish's talent, the first win could come as early as tomorrow.        

I have never quite figured out Scott Sharp. He's often fast but he also screws up on occasion. Still Scott Sharp has the look of an "Indianapolis 500" winner in spite of his flaws. If the Kelley team can keep from shooting itself in the foot as often seems to be the case, tomorrow might be Scott Sharp's day to shine.

I was really upset when Tony Stewart announced he wasn't going to do the Indianapolis - Charlotte double this season. But now I'm glad that Tony isn't in this year's "Indianapolis 500" so I can focus on Al Unser Jr. I never questioned Unser's race craft but I wondered if Little Al still had the desire to go fast enough to win. 

Al Jr. went fast all month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and that's the thing I enjoyed most so far. When Unser ran 230 mph laps in practice leading to qualifications, in high winds, I realized Junior liked his race car. I even like the looks of his Kelley Corteco Bryant Dallara. When I had the chance to get close enough to take a good look at car number 7 with its high polish finish, the appearance of Unser's bright red, white and black machine became appealing. I like it when a racing car stands out and is easy to pick out a distance and Al's "number 7" is definitely an example of what I mean.

I still wonder if the Kelley team is smart enough to beat Penske, Ganassi or Pennzoil Panther in the "Indianapolis 500." But I honestly believe the only time Al Unser Jr. has had a better opportunity to win the "Indianapolis 500" in his 14 previous years was in 1994 when he sat on pole in the Marlboro Penske - Mercedes on the way to his second "Indy" victory. That includes all the years Little Al ran for Rick Galles in the Valvoline cars.

I'm serious. I believe Al Unser Jr. is one of the most likely winners tomorrow. Notice I said one of and not the most likely winner of the 86th "Indianapolis 500." Wouldn't that be something really neat? It would probably revive Little Al's career and it would be a great story for Indy car racing. I know I would love to see Junior get his third win tomorrow as much as anything in racing I can think of.

Yesterday at work, one of my pals asked me to make an absolute prediction of who would win this year's "500." I sort of played with it for awhile, mentioned this driver or that, but finally admitted I didn't know who's going to win. I really don't. However I do see Al Unser Jr. as one of the drivers with a solid opportunity and I can hardly wait for that.

Now it's time to forget about small crowds at practice and qualifications and get ready for the what is still the best thing in the entire world - the "Indianapolis 500." It's always been the best day of each year and tomorrow shapes up as being one of the better of those best days. The "Indianapolis 500" is life to me. As I finish this piece, I'm ready to watch the drama and spectacle unfold for the 47th time.