Bob Jennings

"If you think I went quick today, you're going to see something else tomorrow." So said Tomas Scheckter to the media gathered at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday July 27, 2002 after qualifying for pole position for the "Michigan Indy 400," at 221.868 mph. The 21 year old son of 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter made good on his prophecy the following day with a spectacular drive on the way to his first Indy Racing League victory. 

I thought I was seeing Bill Vukovich leading the 1955 "Indianapolis 500" in the Hopkins Special, while I watched Scheckter blast through the pack during the final laps of the Indy Racing League event at Michigan last month. I loved Al Unser Jr.'s scrappy comeback drive August 11 at Kentucky Speedway but Tomas Scheckter's charge to victory in Michigan was absolutely breathtaking, the coolest thing I've seen so far in the year 2002.  

Until he won the 1998 "Indianapolis 500," I wasn't excited about Eddie Cheever. I tended to think of Cheever as a somewhat overrated and an often uninspired racer who was only capable of putting on a good race once in awhile. However on the way to his 1998 "Indy" victory, Cheever attacked the competition and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway like a tiger and I don't think there were many who could've beaten Eddie on that day including Tony Stewart, who took the lead and then lost an engine early in the "500" in John Menard's Dallara.

I admire the tenacity shown by Cheever since he began operation as a car owner in the Indy Racing League with a win in the season opening race at Walt Disney World in January 1997. I'm impressed the way Eddie worked a deal with Nissan to lead the Infiniti V8 engine program early in 1999. I think he did an outstanding job bringing Red Bull in as a sponsor for the 2002 season. Along the way, Cheever has had some terrific drives in his Team Cheever race cars. 

It's a damn shame Nissan is withdrawing from Indy Racing League competition after this season and I hate it. Right now the Infiniti V8 is the engine to have in the IRL, especially on the faster tracks. I'm disappointed Nissan never had a win in the "Indianapolis 500." Obviously no one was going to beat Tomas Scheckter in the 86th "Indianapolis 500" until he crashed on lap 173. A large part of my disappointment about Scheckter's "500" loss is due to the fact that it was Nissan's final opportunity to win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

I hope the possibility of Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TRW) making a deal with another auto manufacturer  to badge the Indy Infiniti V8 for 2003 Indy Racing League competition comes to pass. This is the best power package in today's IRL competition and it deserves more opportunities for success. The Indy Infiniti V8 engine program is too good to be thrown away after this season.

It's clear the fastest cars in the Indy Racing League are the metallic blue Red Bull Team Cheever Dallara - Infinitis. The fastest driver in the Indy Racing League this year is Tomas Scheckter. Unfortunately, along the way throughout the 2002 IRL season, young Scheckter has discovered any number of ways to lose races. Both Scheckter and his employer Eddie Cheever have taken advantage of all opportunities to demolish race cars too. 

The IRL season results for Red Bull Team Cheever read like a racer's worst nightmare. In the 2002 opener in Miami, Scheckter bumped Cheever on the second lap when the two were battling for position, causing Eddie to crash out of the race, while Tomas finished sixth. Scheckter lost an engine on lap 40 at Phoenix and Cheever crashed on lap 103. In California, Scheckter collided with Hideki Noda on lap 163 and Cheever blew an engine on lap 190. Cheever finished seventh at Nazareth but Scheckter and Jaques Lazier collided on lap 121. As a result, Tomas had to sit out the first three days of practice for the "Indianapolis 500." 

Scheckter's run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26 (for all but lap 173 when he crashed) was superb, very reminiscent of Juan Montoya's charge to victory in the 2000 "500." But Tomas found the fourth turn wall with only 27 laps remaining while he was running away from everyone. Despite the fact Cheever caught the wall at the south end of the Speedway in the closing laps while battling Paul Tracy for third place, he still managed a fifth place finish in the "500." CART veteran Max Papis, in the third Red Bull Cheever entry, finished 23rd.       

In the next IRL event, in Texas, Cheever and Sam Hornish crashed on lap 126. In the meantime, Scheckter had another dominant run going when the clutch failed on his car as he attempted to leave the pits on lap 159. Miraculously at Pikes Peak International Raceway, both Red Bull Cheever Infinitis were running at the end, with Eddie finishing eighth and Scheckter 16th. Tomas continued his "finishing" ways in Richmond with a fourth place result. However Cheever crashed with Laurent Redon at the three quarter mile circuit on lap 180.  

Scheckter had another strong run at Kansas Speedway and led 101 laps before crashing on lap 190, ten laps from the finish. Ironically Tomas still finished in fifteenth, one position ahead of Cheever who was running at the end. Cheever finished sixth at Nashville. However Scheckter's crash with Billy Boat on lap 170 in Tennessee appeared as if it would put Tomas on the sidelines.

Was Eddie Cheever pissed after Scheckter's crash in Nashville or what? I remember waking up early the morning following the IRL race at Nashville and signing on to The Indianapolis Star racing website to read that Cheever was looking to test another driver because he was tired of Scheckter crashing his race cars. 

This is where Buddy Rice came into the Indy Racing League picture as Cheever entered the 2000 Toyota Atlantic champion in the IRL event at Michigan International Speedway. Eddie entered Scheckter at Michigan too, but in a spare car farmed out to Greg Beck and his guys to prepare. 

Was the move a psych job as Cheever implied in the post race news conference? If so, it worked.

When the race at MIS started, Scheckter led Helio Castroneves around the two mile high banks during the opening laps. Helio stayed close for the first 30 laps or so and then Tomas put the number 52 Red Bull Team Cheever Dallara - Infiniti into "overdrive," pulling out about three seconds from the two-time "Indianapolis 500" winner.   

After that, the Michigan race was all Tomas Scheckter. The 21 year old South African was flying around the two mile oval so fast that it brought back memories of Nigel Mansell's unbelievable run to victory in 1993 at Michigan. But Scheckter was also burning up methanol at an alarming rate.

Scheckter was the first to come in during each green flag pit sequence, making his initial stop on lap 36. The succession of leaders when Tomas stopped became predictable and made the Michigan race easy to follow. Buddy Rice then Helio Castroneves then Tony Renna took their turn at the front during the first series of pit stops before coming in. By lap 45 however, the blue Red Bull car 52 was back in front, running away from his pursuers.

Scheckter remained in front of the race until his next stop on lap 70, which allowed Felipe Giaffone to run in first place for one lap. But Tomas was leading again on lap 71and he stayed there throughout the race, except when he came to the pits. However that changed when Scheckter pitted under green on lap 163 for his final stop of the race. This is where the Michigan race, which had been thoroughly dominated by one driver (and probably very boring if you don't like Tomas Scheckter), became a high speed classic. 

Tomas Scheckter is as fast as anyone in racing but it seems like if there's a mistake to be made he'll make it. Such was the case at Michigan International Speedway. I was sitting across from the entrance to the pits and could watch the cars get service from my location. I saw the delay in the Red Bull Cheever pits when Scheckter stalled and my first reaction was that Tomas had found another way to lose a race. The extended time in the pits put the South African one lap behind.

A few laps later Eddie Cheever wrecked another Red Bull Dallara - Infiniti when he hit the wall in turn two bringing out the yellow flag. This was the worst thing that could've happened to Scheckter as it gave the competition the supreme advantage of pitting under the yellow flag. Given the acrimony between Cheever and his young employee the previous week, one could imagine Scheckter screaming expletives as he passed by Eddie's wreckage. 

After the track was cleared from Cheever's mishap and final pit stops were taken, the field was sorted out and readied for a return to racing. Scheckter was placed in front of the pace car, which meant he was back on the lead lap but at the tail end of the field.  

Up front, Gil de Ferran, Scott Sharp and Sam Hornish were three wide as the green flag waved on lap 174 to resume racing. Helio Castroneves moved up to challenge his teammate on lap 176 and Hornish radioed to the Pennzoil Panther crew he was having gearbox problems. On lap 179, Castroneves and de Ferran were going wheel to wheel down the backstretch for the lead when Felipe Giaffone surprised both Penske drivers to move into first place. 

Sarah Fisher had moved into the lead group and went to second place on lap 180. The top five positions on lap 181 were held by Giaffone, Fisher, de Ferran, Hornish and Richie Hearn. 

Over the next few laps, positions were changing on the race track so often it was next to impossible to keep track. On lap 185, Fisher went under Giaffone to grab the lead. The crowd came to life and roared its approval. But Giaffone came back and regained the lead after going side by side with Sarah for an entire lap.

Over the next few laps Fisher and Giaffone continued to go at each other, exchanging the lead on a continual basis. Throughout this wild dogfight for the lead, Scheckter had been charging through the pack. Tomas was running tenth on lap 175. By lap 191, having passed all but the race leader, Scheckter moved into second place behind Giaffone.

Like a hunter stalking his prey, Scheckter drew closer and closer to Felipe's multi-colored Hollywood car. On lap 194, Tomas caught the Brazilian in turn two and made the pass. By the time car 52 crossed the line, Scheckter had pulled out a half second lead. Two laps later the South African built his lead over Giaffone to .85 seconds. When he took the checkered flag on lap 200, Scheckter was running 1.7 seconds over second place Buddy Rice, who'd passed Giaffone making it a one-two finish for Red Bull Team Cheever. It was the second fastest race in Indy Racing League history with an average speed of 179.044 mph.         

Scheckter's charge from the back of the pack in the closing laps was a perfect example of Tomas' competitive fire. Without a doubt it was the most spectacular performance during the 2002 Indy Racing League season to date. After so many mistakes and disappointments, the kid finally got it right for an entire race and there was no one in the IRL who could touch him.

I heard parts of the post race media conference. The basic tone was that of Scheckter expressing resentment for the way Cheever had treated him following the crash one week earlier at Nashville. For his part, Eddie played things smart, assuming the role of one who admitted he'd been wrong (in a humorous way) in his actions. Regardless of the snipes among Red Bull Team Cheever personnel, Scheckter's drive to victory was spectacular. At the same time, Cheever was vindicated for bringing Rice to the team by Buddy's impressive Indy Racing League debut.     

Even if there were only 30,000 fans occupying the 130,000 plus seats at Michigan International Speedway for the "Michigan Indy 400" on July 28, 2002, it was a good day for Tony George and the Indy Racing League. 

Of course the two mile oval in south central Michigan is jammed with 150,000 or more people each June and August for its pair of 400 mile Winston Cup races. At this particular time in motorsports history, the only race track where Indy cars are going to surpass or even come close to drawing the number of fans that come to Winston Cup events is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Everyone realizes that both the "Indianapolis 500" and "Brickyard 400" are sold out each May and August respectively, but since general admission seats are on sale for the "500" and not in August, the Memorial Day weekend crowds are larger by some 20,000 to 25,000 people. 

So a better way to gauge the attendance for the inaugural Indy Racing League event at Michigan International Speedway is to compare it to the crowd CART drew for its final appearance at MIS one year ago. The IRL crowd this season was slightly larger. 

However race attendance isn't the reason I classify Sunday July 28, 2002 as a good day for the Indy Racing League. My perception comes from the fact the 400 mile race was another example that IRL racing is the best in the world. Even more important is that racing fans are becoming increasingly aware of it. You disagree? Look at the letters published in Chris Economacki's National Speed Sport News each week and see what the fans are writing about IRL races. Read what the motorsports media is writing.

David Poole is the NASCAR beat writer for the Charlotte Observer, perhaps the foremost print journalist for NASCAR in the unofficial home town of stock car racing. Are you like me and do you ever wonder why nearly all the NASCAR teams and participants are located in Charlotte, rather than Daytona Beach, where NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation are headquartered? Poole is perhaps the Robin Miller of NASCAR racing. However I don't believe Mr. Poole is either as controversial or distasteful as our local media punk Robin Miller.

David Poole's words appeared in The Indianapolis Star on Friday August 2 as follows:

"It's not fair for the Indy Racing League to keep scheduling races at fast, high-banked tracks on the same weekend Winston Cup racing goes to Pocono.

The first time NASCAR went to Pocono this year, the IRL put on a dazzling show at Texas. On Sunday, as the Cup guys were waiting out the rain in Pennsylvania, the IRL was at it again at Michigan.

The last 30 laps of Tomas Scheckter's victory in the Michigan race were spine-tingling. For a while, it looked as if Sarah Fisher might go to victory lane, a story that would have put a big dent in coverage of all other forms of motorsports in Monday's papers.

Before people go accusing me of being an IRL suck-up, it's only fair to point out that when the Championship Auto Racing Teams circuit ran at Michigan in past years, those cars produced equally remarkable racing there.

The fact that the IRL now has the date CART once had at Michigan, however, again shows how the balance of power in open-wheel racing has shifted.

If NASCAR's race at Michigan next month winds up being half as much fun to watch as Sunday's IRL race, it'd be Winston Cup's best race of the season."

Poole's observations are representative of what seems to be a growing sentiment among fans and media alike. The Indy Racing League puts on the best show of any racing series going now. After seven years of struggle, the cream is finally rising to the top. Even casual racing fans are discovering what we IRL fanatics have known since the beginning. Tony George's formula for high speed open wheel racing cars, with a proper balance of technology, standardization and cost effectiveness, is the way to go. 

The quality of the driver's skills are much easier to define in a modern IRL style Indy car than with the previous era's turbo cars that are still raced in CART. The aerodynamic and power mix first implemented for the 1997 IRL season invites packs of cars racing wheel to wheel at 220 mph lap after lap. Robin Miller likes to emphasize how much down force is loaded on to IRL cars as if to imply they are inferior to the CART configuration. I say so what, when the result is successful, especially when you compare that to the aero package in CART, which inhibits passing at places like Milwaukee and Chicago Motor Speedway and creates single file racing much like what occurs at Long Beach. Can that really be called racing?       

I recently received an e-mail from a racing fan in Norway, who wrote the following:

Jon Jenssen's comments about the racing produced by the Indy Racing League are representative of the feelings of a growing number of fans. 

While I was sitting in traffic trying to get out of Michigan International Speedway after the "Michigan Indy 400" and as I drove west on U.S. Highway 12 away from MIS, I had Detroit area station WTKA (1050 AM) on the radio in my car. WTKA carried the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network broadcast of the IRL race at Michigan and was also doing live remote programming from the track. 

The WTKA radio personalities were beside themselves about how exciting the Michigan race had been and how much better it was than recent NASCAR Winston Cup events at Michigan International Speedway. During the program, which featured "call ins" from fans leaving the track and others watching the ABC telecast, the caller sentiment about the IRL race was as positive as the emotions expressed by the WTKA announcers.   

So what does the excitement during the final twenty laps of the "Michigan Indy 400" and this infusion of enthusiasm mean for the Indy Racing League? My take is this. It means the same thing as the move to the IRL and away from CART over the past two years by such major players as Toyota, Roger Penske, Honda and now most likely Michael Andretti. It means the Indy Racing League is coming.

Despite the fact there are still disappointing crowds for IRL races at places like Homestead Miami Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway, California Speedway, Pikes Peak International Raceway and Michigan International Speedway, there have been large and ever growing crowds this season at Texas Motor Speedway (83,000), Richmond International Raceway (35,000), Kentucky Speedway (49,000) and sellouts at Kansas Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway.

CART conducted what was billed as a "town meeting" in Columbus, Ohio on August 2, in advance of last weekend's race at Mid Ohio. Something like 1500 people showed up for the panel discussion hosted by Derek Daly, which included Chris Pook, Mario Andretti and Bobby Rahal. Pook tried to convey his confidence in CART's future. However despite Pook's valiant efforts to save CART including the correct decision to go with a "detuned" Ford Cosworth turbo engine package for 2003, you have to wonder how solid that future is. 

At this point in the history of Indy car racing, the struggle for open wheel supremacy has likely been decided in favor of the Indy Racing League already. The IRL is moving forward in its development while CART struggles to survive. Obviously there will be a CART season in 2003 but even Robin Miller questions the probability beyond that. 

The next task for the Indy Racing League is to grow and solidify its fan base with an accent on the "Midwestern strategy" devised by former IRL marketing official Bob Reif two years ago, which allows Indianapolis area residents easy access to other races on the schedule. At the same time, when opportunities to expand, such as the race next season at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan, present themselves, it's worthwhile to take the risks such ventures involve especially when it helps build a partnership with a corporate giant like Honda.

Maintaining relationships with long time partners like ABC and General Motors are essential and hopefully the IRL debut by Toyota and Honda next season won't discourage GM participation in the series in the future. I feel that having a Chevrolet in the Indy Racing League is more important to the long term future of Tony George's series than participation by either of the Japanese auto makers. Considering past history, Toyota and Honda may eventually pull out of the IRL just as they did with CART. General Motors and the Indy Racing League have had a long association and it is especially important for that to continue. 

One of the leading components in the growth of the Indy Racing League has been the association with International Speedway Corporation, controlled by the France family of NASCAR. Prior to the 2001 season, the only ISC venue on the IRL schedule was Phoenix International Raceway. In 2001, IRL events were held at other ISC properties such as Homestead Miami Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Kansas City Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway, which ISC owns in partnership with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For 2002, new IRL races were added at two more ISC tracks, California Speedway and Nazareth Speedway. 

Although he tried to chair an IRL - CART summit in summer 1999, when Bill France realized the Indy Racing League wasn't going to merge with CART, he projected the IRL was going to come out on top in the struggle for Indy car control. This prompted France to strengthen ties with the Indy Racing League via International Speedway Corporation's race tracks. The ISC alliance is key to the growth the Indy Racing League hopes to experience in the years to come. International Speedway Corporation owns more race tracks than any one other concern and Pikes Peak International Raceway and Kentucky Speedway may be added to their long list of racing properties. So maintaining a strong association with ISC is as important as keeping General Motors happy when Tony George makes plans for the future of his series.     

One of Tony George's business partners during the early IRL seasons was Bruton Smith's Speedway Motorsports, Inc. The first Indy Racing League event at Texas Motor Speedway in June, 1997 drew more than 120,000 people. In July of that same season, something like 70,000 people came to Charlotte for the IRL race. For 1998, Atlanta Motor Speedway was added to the schedule as well as a late season Sunday afternoon race in Texas. But the romance between the IRL and Speedway Motorsports began to cool in 1998 when the crowds began to drop off for IRL races at Bruton Smith's tracks.

When three spectators were killed in May 1999 at the IRL race at Lowes Motor Speedway, Smith's man in Charlotte, Humpy Wheeler, decided he didn't want to run Indy cars at his track any more. The IRL had to lease Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway in order to hold as many as nine races during the 2000 season. An improved crowd at Atlanta in 2000 kept that track on the schedule for an additional season, but the race night crowd was disappointing again in April, 2001 and the IRL and Atlanta Motor Speedway came to a parting of the ways. Now Texas Motor Speedway is the only one of Bruton Smith's racing venues remaining on the Indy Racing League schedule.   

However Eddie Gossage, who runs Texas Motor Speedway, is one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the Indy Racing League. Although the IRL crowds dropped from the 120,000 who attended the original race in June 1997, there has been a steady base of 55,000 to 70,000 customers for both June and late season events in Texas. Recently the crowd counts are trending upward again in Texas and I expect nearly as many fans (83,000) to attend this season's closer as there were in June for the night race. The IRL appears to have a large, solid fan base in the Dallas - Fort Worth area, second only to Indianapolis. 

This summer Gossage admitted he made a huge mistake when he tried to bring CART to Texas Motor Speedway in April 2001, in an interview appearing in Chris Economacki's National Speed Sport News. In the same interview, Gossage apologized to Tony George for committing an error of ego. Gossage credited George with keeping a low profile and never mentioning the ill fated CART race.

Looking at the Indy Racing League events at Texas Motor Speedway is a perfect way to pinpoint why the fan recognition of the series is growing. This recognition is starting to occur because the racing is entertaining, perhaps as much as the fact the IRL is the series of the "Indianapolis 500" and in spite of the acknowledgement that today's Indy drivers are much less famous than the NASCAR stars. Texas is likely the showcase venue for the current spec Indy car with its high banks, which allow side by side racing at 220 mph that results in a photo finish like that which occurred with Jeff Ward, Al Unser Jr. and Airton Dare in June. It's the bottom line. The Indy cars put on the best racing show in the world and it's easy to follow on these wide open high banked 1.5 mile ovals.

Therefore another priority for the Indy Racing League is to keep a strong presence at Texas Motor Speedway. Relations with NASCAR are souring for Gossage and his staff at Texas because Bill France won't add a second Winston Cup race at the track in Texas. This makes the success of the IRL all the more important to Texas Motor Speedway, which means Gossage will likely continue to increase the promotional efforts for the pair of Indy car races each season at the track.  

Even in this troubled and uncertain economic time, sponsorship is growing in the Indy Racing League at a quicker rate than at any previous time in series history. However IRL sponsor levels still aren't where they need to be. The best way for a racing series to attract corporate support is to attract fans. The correct approach to drawing fans is to produce competitive racing which is fun to watch and the IRL has achieved that. However equally as important for the IRL as putting on a good show is having performers who fans want to identify with. NASCAR has taught us the importance of hero worship. It's the primary reason NASCAR rules.    

Right now, the Indy Racing League has two of the most exciting performers to come into Indy car racing in years in Sam Hornish and Tomas Scheckter. Both of these kids have it all and they draw the attention of fans like no other IRL competitor this side of Tony Stewart with the possible exception of Sarah Fisher. 

Unfortunately it begins to appear neither Hornish nor Scheckter plan a future in the Indy Racing League. Despite a lot of denials to the media, it looks more and more as if Hornish is succumbing to the seduction of NASCAR money and the overtures of Dale Earnhardt Inc. Scheckter has always maintained that he wants to race in Formula One and reportedly Tom Walkinshaw owns Scheckter's contract. With his recent problems with Eddie Cheever, it's rumored that Scheckter will leave Red Bull Team Cheever after this season. Worse yet, it's being speculated that Scheckter may go to CART in 2003 to the Newman Haas team. Please don't do that Tomas! It's a dead end.

One of the few things upon which I agree with Robin Miller is the Indy Racing League should've taken the necessary steps to keep Tony Stewart. Given Stewart's stormy relationship with NASCAR, the deed probably could've been done. But it's too late for that now. I doubt Tony Stewart will leave NASCAR and return to Indy car racing. However Sam Hornish and Tomas Scheckter are still in the IRL. They're both young, 23 and 21 respectively. They're both terrific racers. They both have charisma. They both excite the fans and add to the IRL show, each in a big way. The Indy Racing League needs Sam Hornish and Tomas Scheckter and I implore the IRL to use these two speed demons as the nucleus of a group of drivers upon which to build the series around.    

Just as it's important to maintain close relationships with General Motors and International Speedway Corporation, it's equally important for the Indy Racing League to create stars with whom racing fans can relate to. A successful pairing of superb competition with talented and identifiable personalities is the key to growth for the IRL. I hope series officials understand the value of these two kids, one from Defiance, Ohio and the other from Cape town, South Africa.    

I went to my first race at Michigan International Speedway in July 1971. It was a USAC "twin bill," a 200 mile Indy car race followed by a 200 mile stock car event. I drove over to MIS from Port Huron, Michigan where I lived at the time. My buddy John Dailey and another high school pal Ron Ehrgott drove up from Carmel to join me. Mark Donohue won the Indy car race in Roger Penske's Sunoco McLaren turbo Offy. I don't recall who won the stock car event although my guy Al Unser competed in both races. Al drove his 1971 "Indianapolis 500" winning Johnny Lightning Colt turbo Ford in the Indy car show and ran a metallic blue 1971 Ford Torino, owned by Rudy Hoerr, in the stock car race.

I spent five and one half years of my life in Michigan. I resided in Port Huron from March 1971 to September 1972. Then I lived in Battle Creek from November 1972 through May 1976. So the run up and down Interstate 69 to and from Indianapolis always brings back familiar memories from my twenties. I remembered a lot of things from those years as I traveled to and from the Michigan race on July 28. I wonder what fancy Nancy is doing these days?

I hadn't been to Michigan International Speedway since the 1996 "Marlboro Michigan 500," one of the final CART races I attended. Andre Ribeiro won the race in Steve Horne's Tasman Reynard Honda. Back then Roger Penske still owned MIS. Other than more grandstands, the track had the same feel. For years, Tim Pendergast and I would go to the CART race but upon my insistence, we always went to the infield so I could shoot photos. I believe the most recent race I watched from the outside grandstands was the inaugural "Norton Michigan 500" in July 1981. 

As a post script, Tomas Scheckter was back to his crashing ways in the Indy Racing League event at Kentucky Speedway. I couldn't believe Tomas only qualified 17th. Then he jumped the start and was assessed a stop and go penalty, falling back one lap. On lap 89, Scheckter spun and hit the wall directly in front of Airton Dare, taking both drivers out of the Kentucky race. When both drivers were interviewed on ABC, while leaving the medical center, Tomas appeared nervous and defensive about the mishap and apologetic to Airton. Dare said he'd radioed his crew five laps earlier that Scheckter had a tire problem which reinforced the South African's assessment that he was a victim and therefore not at fault.