"500" eve

As things turned out, I only got to spend about two hours total during the four days of practice leading up to the start of qualifications. I had scheduled afternoons off on each of those days, but work obligations were so heavy, I only got to spend 35 minutes at end of practice on Tuesday, and then 45 minutes each during noon hour on Wednesday and Thursday of that week. Thank goodness for my new Nikon D70 digital SLR camera, because it enabled me to shoot a lot of photos in my limited time at the track, during practice, and that lessened my disappointment somewhat.

When they got to run qualifications, one day late, on Sunday May 15, I was there for the whole thing and had a great time, even though it was a cold, overcast day. Last Saturday afternoon, I spent several hours sitting in the terrace seats above the Formula suites, with a friend of mine from work, and that was a good day. The view from there provides a great place from which to shoot photos. I wish I could be up there on race day.

I missed "Carb day" yesterday, which really bothered me a lot. But I was able to get control of both projects, which allows me to relax a bit this weekend.

Well here we are, on the eve of my fiftieth consecutive trip to see the "Indianapolis 500." Excitement runs high, although the latest weather forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms and a 60 percent chance of precipitation. Damn it! I am so sick and tired of rain interfering with the "Indy 500." Year after year, it seems, like rain almost always interferes with the "500."

I made a list last night of how weather has played a role during recent "500" days and it goes something like this over the past ten years:

1995 - Rain threatens most of the day and delays start of the race by an hour or so.

1996 - Rain threatens most of the day and delays start of the race.

1997 - Rain completely washes out race day; interrupts day two when only 15 laps are completed and the final 185 laps are completed on the third day.

1998 - Rain threatens most of the day and delays start of the race by an hour or so.

1999 - It is mostly sunny and bright but it does rain about 15 minutes after the completion of the race.

2000 - The race is delayed for three hours by rain and it is dark and cloudy all afternoon.

2001 - Rain interrupts the race twice.

2002 - It is a perfect race day; bright and sunny.

2003 - Overcast and cool, but there is no weather impact on the race.

2004 - The start of the race is delayed for three hours and then rain interrupts the race after 24 laps, for two hours. Rain stops the race after 180 laps, after 6 PM, and then tornadoes come rolling toward the Speedway before spectators could clear the grandstands.

Obviously the big story at the Speedway this month has been Danica Patrick. Her presence did not do much for the dismal practice and qualifications crowds, which has been the usual situation the past four or five Mays. But it seems like over the past week, Danica has been a huge story and it has jazzed up the 89th "500" like nothing else for the past several years. It seems to me like this has been the biggest buzz for the "500" since Nigel Mansell came to race in May 1993 and something like the excitement caused by Andy Granatelli's STP turbines in 1967 and 1968.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway must be loving it. Ticket demand has been high and even though the "500" is not a sellout, for the third consecutive May, demand for seats for the race is higher than it has been in years. I'm going to paste an article which appeared in The Indianapolis Star this morning:

Demand for tickets is up, broker says

By Terry Hutchens

terry.hutchens@indystar.com

May 28, 2005

Danica Patrick has been getting her share of exposure this month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. One local ticket broker attributed increased ticket demand for Sunday's Indianapolis 500 to her presence.

"We've been real busy this week, and the overall demand for tickets just seems to be much greater than it has been the last several years," said Renny Harrison, a partner with Indianapolis-based Circle City Tickets. "I'm sure having a female driver who seems to be skilled getting a lot of attention has helped. I also think the fact that the weather has been good and there just seems to be a lot of people talking about the race this year.

"Add it all up, and the demand is just there this year."

Inventory on the numerous Web sites dedicated to the re-sale of tickets reveals a wide range of options for tickets. On www.ticketsnow.com, prices are as low as $25 each for tickets in South Terrace Section 3. The most expensive tickets offered on that site were first row E Penthouse seats selling for $485 each.

Atlanta-based Empire Tickets had E Penthouse tickets on its Web site for as much as $595 each. Empire Tickets' "hot bargain" is tickets on the front stretch across from the pits selling for $90.

"I think tickets for the Indianapolis 500 are selling about the same as normal," said Victor Thomas, a ticket sales representative of Empire Tickets. "But this can be a regional thing as well. If you're closer to the race, you're going to get a lot more action than someone like us that is based in Atlanta. We may have a lot more action on a race, say in North Carolina, than we would for the Indy 500."

While there are a wide range of tickets available above face value through ticket brokers, there are still reserved and general admission tickets available for the race through Indianapolis Motor Speedway's ticket office.

Ron Green, public relations director for the Speedway, said IMS does not reveal the number of tickets available, but he said tickets could still be purchased beginning at $40 for reserved seats and $20 for general admission.

"Tickets have been selling well for us this week," Green said. "From what I understand, we still have a good number of tickets available."

Green said the box offices will open at 7a.m. today. Numerous blocks of 10 tickets are available on the IMS Web site in many areas of the track.

Harrison, of Circle City Tickets, said the most expensive tickets, including those in the suites and penthouses, are holding their value better this year than in recent years. Circle City Tickets has penthouse tickets ranging from $175-$510. Penthouse tickets have a face value of $150.

"This year there seems to be a great demand for the most expensive ticket and maybe a little bit of that can be explained by the fact the track does have some seats of lesser quality available," Harrison said. "We get a pretty good demand for the very best seats right now. If people want the lower-end seats, we have those available, but it's hard for us to compete against the track in that regard."

That should give you something of an idea of what I am talking about.

The field is pretty close in speed, although perhaps not as much as in other recent years. Still, there is less than nine miles per hour between the fastest qualifier Kenny Brack (227.598) and the slowest, Felipe Giaffone (217.645). That's not too bad. Honda has fourteen cars in the field. To me, all four Andretti Green Honda entries and the three Rahal Letterman Honda entries look pretty strong.

Toyota also has fourteen cars in the field, but to me, the only Toyota powered cars which look like they have a good chance of winning are Penske's cars. Penske Racing build their own Toyota engines while Toyota Racing Development (TRD) prepares the engines for the other twelve Toyota cars. With the exception of the Penske cars, I think the other Toyota cars lack horsepower and that includes the once powerful Target Chip Ganassi cars, the Cheever Red Bull cars and the Foyt cars.

Chevy is pulling out of the Indy cars after this season and there are only five cars powered by the original Cosworth, now Chevy Gen IV V8, in the "500." At times the Chevy has been fast, especially with Tomas Scheckter. But I understand the Chevy has heavier fuel consumption than either the Honda or the Toyota Indy power plant. I would love to see Scheckter win the "500" more than anything, but it will take a lot of things to be perfect for Tomas to win this time.

Although Adrian Fernandez, who I predicted would win the 2004 "500," could possibly win this time and Buddy Lazier is a sentimental choice, both of these guys are doing their only Indy car race at the Speedway this season. Vitor Meira has been fast, as has Kosuke Matsuura and Bryan Herta also merits some consideration, I see the race win going to one of nine drivers though.

In order of how I rate their chances, I would pick Tony Kanaan as the top contender. Kanaan is overdue for success in the "500." In his first race at the Speedway, in 2002, he led and was battling Tomas Scheckter for the lead when he crashed, near the midway point of that race. Tony was third in 2003 and second last year.

I think Sam Hornish could be Kanaan's top threat. I don't think the Penske cars are as strong in power as either the Andretti - Green or Rahal - Letterman Honda entries. But I will not be surprised if Hornish wins tomorrow, to give Roger Penske the 14th "Indy win" for his team.

Dario Franchitti gets my third best chance to win, followed by Dan Wheldon. Going into May, I thought Wheldon would be the guy to beat this month. But Dan seemed to lose speed going into qualifications and I am not as sure now.

I think Helio Castroneves rates the fifth best chance. I guess I would have to give Danica Patrick the sixth best chance of winning. I am not particularly sure Ms. Patrick can win, but then I am not particularly sure she can't win either. Wouldn't that be a big deal if she wins? It would be a great thing for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the "Indianapolis 500."

Although I expect Tomas Scheckter to lead some laps and battle hard during the race, it's hard for me to see all the things come together to enable the silver Pennzoil Panther Dallara - Chevy to come home first. At the same time, stranger things have happened and every so often Scheckter puts together a brilliant race, like his win at Michigan in July 2002. So I rank Tomas the seventh most likely winner.

Next comes Scott Sharp, who is driving Adrian Fernandez's Panoz - Honda this season.

I give Kenny Brack the ninth best chance, even though he was the fastest qualifier. It's just too much of a Cinderella story for Kenny to duplicate his 1999 win. But then - who knows?

So there is what I expect when the race is run - whenever that is.

I am going to attach some of the photos I took this month, which might interest you. Some of these will likely appear on my website eventually.

Well that's about it. I need to run some errands as I prepare to go to the race in about 18 hours or so. The race starts at noon this year, instead of 11 AM. I like that change. I plan to leave for the Speedway immediately after the Formula One race, at the Nurburgring, wraps up. Can you believe the topsy turvy world of F1 these days? Who would have predicted that Michael Schumacher is an also ran so far in 2005? Raikkonen looks like the man to me - at least right now.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Bob

an email to Peter Bilynsky on May 28, 2005