trying to cope with sixty

I usually enjoy reading the "Ask the Experts" racing forum, on The Indianapolis Star racing website. Curt Cavin covers the Indy Racing League, for The Star, while Steve Ballard is the newspaper's primary beat writer for NASCAR and the Champ Car series. Therefore, the forum is divided along those same assignments, for Cavin and Ballard. "Ask the Experts" is usually a good source of racing rumors and scuttlebutt, some of which occurs eventually.

To date, Curt Cavin's biggest claim to fame was a story, appearing in The Indianapolis Star, during May (I don't remember exactly which year), in which the writer counted spectator seats, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and reported a total in the 257,000 range. Recently, Cavin set off a measure of controversy, at least on The Star forum, when he wrote, on November 19, that he can see the day when the "Indianapolis 500" will be a NASCAR race.

When I read Cavin's comments, in both his November 19 and November 20 postings, in the "Ask the Experts" Internet forum, it was like a fist to the belly. My initial reaction was to shut down the computer, go to the couch to sleep, and cover my head, under a blanket. It literally made me sick to even contemplate what Curt Cavin was suggesting for the future.

If the "Indianapolis 500" ever becomes a NASCAR race, it's time for yours truly to exit "stage left," because the thing I love most in this life would suddenly become the thing I most hate. I mean it! It almost makes me despise NASCAR racing, when I contemplate even the slightest possibility of the "Indy 500" becoming another stinking "stock car" (NASCAR isn't stock car any way) race.

It's been generally acknowledged there were several thousand more fans, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, on May 28, for the 90th "500," than there were, on August 6, for the "Allstate 400 at the Brickyard." Neither race was a sellout, but at least the grandstands were packed, in turn one, for the "500." I was sitting in the Southwest Vista, for the thirteenth NASCAR Cup race, at IMS, in August, and that grandstand was not even half full.

Cavin's fellow racing writer, at The Star, Ballard does not agree, with Curt, about the "Indy 500" ever featuring NASCAR. But that does not soften the agitation I feel, when I consider that horrible possibility.

My life, over the past three or four years, has been mostly dismal. That's the best way to put things.

I watched my marriage fall apart, and then split with a wife, who I still love, in November 2003.

I listen to some Buddy Guy classic tracks, recorded during the 1960s, at the legendary Chess studio, in Chicago. "Buddy's Blues" seems like the proper thing to play. Bitsy is nestled, on the floor, by my right foot. Rascal, my late sister's poodle, lies by my left foot.

My mother is nearly 85. She has spent at least three months, in hospitals and nursing homes, over the past 2 1/2 years. She saw her 55 year old daughter (my sister Susy) drop dead, two days after Christmas 2005. Mom's mind is beginning to wander, to the point she is sometimes (but not always) helpless and utterly confused.

My best friend, in the entire world, who I have been close to since late 1962, suffered a cranial aneurism on November 2. Now he is on the long road to recovery. I talked to him a couple hours before he was stricken and he told me he had a headache. Before his illness, he and I talked every day, sharing both the experiences of getting older and all the memories we experienced together. Now I miss those conversations more than I ever could imagine, when I took them for granted, as a daily part of my life. I pray that we will have them again. My mind is always playing tricks on me. I will think to myself, I wonder what "Morris" will think about that. Then I remember that, I can't talk about it with "Morris," until he gets well again.

I handled the other milestone birthdays relatively well, I think. Turning thirty, forty and even fifty did not seem too bad and I coped. But sixty is another matter. I look in the mirror and see I am old (er) and don't look very good. I never know where I belong socially and the only place where I feel comfortable is, at my current place of residence, with my beloved Bitsy, surrounded by the possessions which define my many days, the majority of which are associated with the "Indianapolis 500."

Life can be cruel and there are times I feel like crying and wish I had tears to shed. As bad as it sometimes gets, I remember that I have the "Indy 500" to look forward to and sustain me when things are bad. If the love of my life betrays me to become a NASCAR event, I doubt if I can survive that hurt.

The question then becomes do I think the prospect Curt Cavin presents is realistic?

It seems unthinkable to even consider the abandonment of open wheel race cars for the "greatest spectacle in racing."

However, I cannot completely dismiss Cavin's notion either. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway could retain much of the history and tradition, from the "500," even if the race was run with NASCAR. The buzz from that development would dwarf even the hype and speculation, of the inaugural "Brickyard 400," in August 1994, which ranks somewhere near the top of the list of most widely anticipated racing events in history.

There would be an outcry, thousands of times louder than that heard, when Tony George gave Championship Auto Racing Teams the boot, in 1996, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for the new Indy Racing League, which meant the loss of the primary "stars and cars" of Indy car racing, to the "500." It would surely be the absolute death knell for major league open wheel racing in the U.S.

The traditionalists would boycott the Speedway forever and the local community would be turned upside down. It would mean terrible public relations, for IMS, at least in this city. The financial impact of three weeks, of activity, in May, for the "500," was reported as something like $350 million, for the Indianapolis metropolitan area, in a study, a few years ago. The figure, quoted in the report, far exceeded the impact to any city holding football's annual Super Bowl. There would probably not be that much time allocated for NASCAR, at the track, in May, and in that same research study, reporting the impact in dollars, the "Brickyard 400" brought in less than half the amount, of what comes from the "500."

However, many in the racing press would embrace the huge number of stories such a development would bring. It would also inject new life into NASCAR, which as I will comment later, in this piece, has leveled off in interest and become slightly less popular with the general public. All of the sudden, disaffected sports fans would have something fresh to pay attention to, which might help the France family empire regain the momentum they enjoyed in recent years.

So, it can be argued that the pros and cons balance, at least somewhat, from a dollar perspective. But, in the final analysis, do I think the "Indianapolis 500" will become a NASCAR race sometime in the future?

Again, even contemplation of such a prospect makes me sad and fearful. If the fragile structure, upon which Indy car racing is currently built, collapses, then the move to NASCAR, in May, would make sense. But only if that catastrophe occurs, do I think the Speedway would ever consider such a radical move. Also, I believe Tony George and family would put everything (and I mean everything) on the line to maintain Indy car racing, and in doing so, preserve the traditional format of the "Indy 500."

After all, Nextel Cup racing belongs to NASCAR, while the "Indy 500" brand is what defines the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and despite the addition of NASCAR, in 1994, and Formula One, in 2000, when people, from all over the world, consider the 2.5 mile oval, on West 16th Street, I honestly believe May and the "500" still come to mind in a majority of cases.

So no, I really feel the "Indianapolis 500" will continue to feature some kind of open wheel racing, controlled by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But it still alarms me when someone as close to the situation, as Curt Cavin, feels enough confidence to suggest something like a switch to Nextel Cup, by IMS, for their most important property, which remains the "Indy 500."

Let's be real though. Indy car style racing is not very healthy. It is still alive, but seems to be shrinking almost yearly, in public support, box office ticket sales, TV ratings, corporate participation and perhaps most worrisome of all, the number of competitors who participate. It's confusing to me, and I'm sure to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, that this is so, because Indy style racing is, in the opinion of one, who has been paying close attention to racing for more than fifty years (me), the best example of high speed motor sport the world has ever seen.

But it doesn't sell nearly as well as some of us hoped, over the past ten years. I honestly do not understand why, because Indy car racing has everything; speed, drama, great drivers, fast cars (although, after four seasons, the current model IRL chassis is a bit too familiar), precision racing, the entire package. It's better now than it has ever been. I mean it! The "Indianapolis 500" is better. Look at this year's "500." Look at the 2005 race too. Watch the cars racing side by side, within inches of one another, through the high bank corners, at places like Chicagoland, Texas, Kansas and Michigan. There is absolutely nothing like it!

But it doesn't sell very well, but at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, on "500" race day, Texas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, St. Petersburg, and sometimes (but not always), in Japan, Kansas, Chicagoland, Kentucky, Milwaukee and Richmond. The crowds, at Watkins Glen, Infineon, Miami and Michigan can, at best, be called forgettable.

Indy Racing League critics will point to the 1995 Indy car split as the significant moment when the sport started on its downward slide. I adamantly disagree. In actuality, the problems started about ten years earlier and it wasn't the fault of the Speedway. If anything, the creation of the IRL was a sincere attempt by Tony George to save the sport. Yes, I still believe that!

Recall the 1985 racing season, and the Cinderella story, of Bill Elliott, brothers Ernie and Dan, and the red, cream white and gold number 9 Coors Ford Thunderbird. "Sports Illustrated" went on sale, a few days after the 1985 "Daytona 500," which the Elliotts won in dominant fashion, with "Awesome Bill" on the cover and a glowing report inside, which gleefully celebrated the new story line the Elliott victory, at Daytona, presented.

Americans still love to see the little guy win. The Elliott family came across, like a backwoods clan, from north Georgia, and the media presented Bill and his brothers, like David versus Goliath. It was irresistible stuff for millions, myself included, as I was one of those very excited about Bill Elliott's success. It seemed like, from then on, NASCAR racing started to become a widespread attraction.

The number 9 Thunderbird captured ten more NASCAR Winston Cup races that season, and won the million dollar R.J. Reynolds bonus, Labor Day weekend, at Darlington, by capturing three of what were then regarded as the four "grand slam," or if you want to use golf as an analogy, "major" races, on the schedule: the "Daytona 500;" the spring race, at Talladega, which was often the fastest race on the schedule; the 600 mile race, at Charlotte, which was the longest event; and the oldest race, at Darlington, over Labor Day weekend.

I designate, and I have expressed this, at some length, elsewhere on this website, 1985 as the big breakthrough season for NASCAR. Sure the live flag to flag CBS telecast, of the 1979 "Daytona 500," was a huge deal, as was Richard Petty's 200th career victory, at Daytona, in July 1984, with President Ronald Reagan on hand to celebrate with the "king." But Bill Elliott's weekly 1985 exploits, chronicled by the emerging cable network ESPN, in my opinion, is when NASCAR began to kick ass, in any contest, with Indy car racing, for the favor of racing fans.

In answer to the new challenge posed by NASCAR, John Frasco, and his employers, the racing team owners, at CART, led by Roger Penske, Carl Haas, Pat Patrick, Rick Galles and the other surrogates, of that era, began transforming Indy car racing into a farce, with street and parking lot racing, at Long Beach, the New Jersey Meadowlands and a new race, in downtown Toronto, in 1986.

My all time racing driver favorite Al Unser lost his full time ride, with the Penske team, after winning the 1985 CART championship, which was the second time in three years Big Al won the title, in Roger's cars. Isn't that a bunch of shit? Who made that decision? Nice move Roger Penske. Yes, Danny Sullivan was good, real good, but how could you screw Big Al like that? That made about as much sense as the way Ferrari kicked Michael Schumacher out, while he is still the very best racer in the world. I hope Ferrari loses every race in 2007.

Roger Penske introduced the brand new V8 turbo engine, built by Ilmor, carrying the Chevrolet badge, which would prove unbeatable and put "the Captain" in an even more powerful position, because he acquired the ability to determine which teams had access to the new power plant, thereby deciding who had a chance to race at the front. This was power that Penske exercised, in an unfair manner, over the next five years, until Ford came along, in 1992, and took customers away, because the Ford Cosworth XB V8 was faster.

Sincere thanks for coming over to the IRL in 2002, but Roger you did a lot of things which hurt Indy car racing over the years. But thanks too for John Frasco, Andrew Craig and the rest of those charlatans who helped place the sport in the predicament it's in now.

In the immediate seasons to follow Bill Elliott's big 1985, NASCAR capitalized on the exposure it gained. The rise, of Dale Earnhardt, Davey Allison, Rusty Wallace, Tim Richmond, Geoff Bodine, Mark Martin, Dale Jarrett, Ernie Irvan, Bobby Labonte, along with other new heroes, only added to the momentum. At the same time, CART kept replacing oval races with more street races, and in an increasing number, the good rides were going to non traditional Indy car drivers, from other countries; racers which typical American fans could not relate to.

The rest of the story is history. With the passing of each season, it became more apparent that NASCAR had won the battle, with Indy car racing, for the hearts and minds of American racing fans.

You still don't believe me? Remember how excited fans were when NASCAR first tested, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in June 1992. The story was a headline for days, and it occurred within just a few weeks of the closest finish, in "Indianapolis 500" history, between Al Unser Jr. and Scott Goodyear. But the NASCAR test grabbed the headlines and started the buzz, in this town among local race fans, who wanted to see the Winston Cup cars run, at the Speedway.

It's an old argument by now, one which I hope you are tired of, like me, while some of the old "CARTisans" still cling to the notion that Tony George ruined Indy car racing, with the creation of the IRL. Robin Miller will point to 56,000 fans, at Phoenix, for the 1995 CART race. That's worn out prose, because in truth, the illness started about ten years earlier, for Indy car racing, if not before that.

If you look in the web address bar, at the top of this page, you will see that the official file name, for the composition I present here, is 060612.html, rather than the browser title "trying to cope with sixty." Why did I call it that? Why do I do anything? What does that suggest? It means I have been trying to grind out a fresh offering for this website, for a long time, - - without success.

Actually my efforts, in vain, go back to shortly after I put up my most recent posting, one year ago. What occurred is that as more time elapsed, I ended up using the same MS Front Page 2002 template over and over again.

"The last time I saw Elvis;" I was so turned on by Neil Young's recording, "He Was The King," from the first time I heard it played, on Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Internet music channel, that I purchased the "Prairie Wind" cd and posted the ode to Elvis on my home page, for a few months.

Ironically, I saw Neil Young perform in person, several months after first hearing the veteran rocker's Presley musical biography. I was at the Verizon Wireless outdoor music venue, near Noblesville, Indiana, on the Saturday night, of Labor Day weekend. Young was playing with his legendary former band members, David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, in a "CSNY" reunion concert. But that's another story onto itself, which I may share sometime. The group did not perform the Elvis tribute, during the politically charged performance, at Verizon, however.

Except for the random photo, from USAC races, I attended this past racing season, and an update every couple months, of the season's USAC winners, Bob Jennings World O' Racing lay dormant for twelve months.

In honesty however, that isn't quite the truth. Actually what has happened has been repeated attempts, which resulted in many incomplete efforts - - and none of them very good, I am sorry to admit. As a result, I deleted content and every couple months I would try a new approach. The "theme" I am now composing is one of those - - a new approach that is.

Likely, a primary reason for my writer's block, along with my personal misery, has been due to the concerns I have felt for my beloved Indy car racing since the end of the 2005 season.

Generally speaking, the 2006 racing season had a different feel for me, perhaps more than any other in several years. My down mood probably had a lot to do with the fact that my expectations were low, before the season even began.

I was concerned about many unanswered questions regarding the "Indianapolis 500" and the Indy Racing League. General Motors pulled out after the end of the 2005 season, as did Toyota, forcing Honda into the unwanted role of being the sole supplier of power for the IRL. There were the car count worries and what has become, in recent Mays, an annual "nail biter;" where the needed cars would come from, to fill the 33 car starting field, for the 90th "Indy 500." The reduction, from seventeen to fourteen races, on the 2006 schedule, was another negative.

When Paul Dana died, from injuries he suffered during a morning practice crash, a few hours before the start of the season opening race, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, on March 26, that added to the general gloom. In regard to Dana, and whether he was or was not qualified to be an Indy car racer, he probably wasn't on a talent level with most of his peers. But in all forms of racing, since the beginning, there have been competitors who could best be called sportsmen. Many of those were no more qualified to race than Paul Dana.

Death has always been part of racing. It always will be, although to a much lesser extent than in the old days, thanks to those wonderful improvements in racing safety. But danger is part of the attraction. Let's be honest. Danger appeals to the fans and it appeals to the competitors. I am sure danger had a lot to do with Paul Dana strapping into a race car, so he could challenge the limits of man, machine, etc. - - you know the drill, if you are taking the time to read my observations, on this webpage.

At the time of the Homestead-Miami race, in March, a lot of people were excited about the hype over a potential open wheel unification, which appeared to be on the horizon. But other than I would like to have three or four of the better Champ Car teams run with the IRL, that prospect doesn't do much for me because I abhor those ridiculous street racing farces which dominate the schedule, for the other series, and I fear a merger would mean a new mix of events, with too many of those foolish, stale CART style "parades" to suit my taste.

For those of you clamoring for open wheel reunification, let me tell you that isn't the solution to our problems. What Champ Car has, isn't what is needed to rebuild Indy car racing and mount even an annoying challenge to NASCAR. Sebastian Bourdais, Paul Tracy, Justin Wilson, Bruno Junqueira, Oriol Servia, Alex Tagliani, Nelson Philippe, Ryan Briscoe, Andrew Ranger, Will Power, "speedy" Dan Clarke and Katharine Legge are not the answer, believe me.

I do envy the Champ Car competitors, in that they have a brand new chassis, in the Panoz recently introduced, and I like the concept the CCWS is taking, with a slightly smaller, less expensive race car. I wish we had a fresh Indy car chassis, for 2007. But the new Panoz will only generate a spark in the minds, of current series faithful and old time CART supporters, and little or notice among most who follow motor sport.

Graham Rahal would be a nice addition to the Indy Racing League, but then I'm not completely sure he won't be anyway. In fact, I expect young Rahal to run a few IRL races during the 2007 season. After all, his daddy still owns an Indy car team, although, with Danica Patrick and Buddy Rice having departed, it's a different team, operating at a lower level, from the glory days, of 2004 and 2005.

As it is, the Indy Racing League will have two street events, on the 2007 schedule, in St. Petersburg and Detroit, and that's two too many for me. I like racing, not foolish exercises, where 200 mph plus racing machines try to navigate manhole covers, parking lots and narrow chicanes, better suited for radio controlled slot cars, if not karts. Some of today's competition karts are probably too fast for many of the downtown street races which Champ Car runs.

When activity opened, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, on May 7, for the 90th "Indianapolis 500," my hope for success for my current Indy car favorite Tomas Scheckter did not seem too upbeat either. Thank God for Tony George and Vision Racing. Otherwise, Scheckter might have been on the outside looking in, for 2006. Thank God indeed!

But Vision Racing was only into its second season and based upon the team's performance, in 2005, there wasn't a lot to hope for. In the season's opening races, Scheckter had ninth, twelfth and thirteenth place finishes, at Homestead, St. Petersburg and Twin Ring Motegi respectively, and led the race, in Japan, for three laps.

So my mission going into this past May, at the Speedway, was to see how good Scheckter could do, but more importantly, to try my best to enjoy the entire "Indy 500" experience, for what it represents, which is my personal highlight of each year. Much of the enjoyment I get from May, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is associating the stories that unfold, with the history and tradition from years past. I suppose that's the same attraction, for the "500," which brings many fans back every May.

By the way, I think my guy Tomas Scheckter did one hell of a job, in 2006, driving the silver and black Vision Racing (and in the case of Texas and Chicagoland, gray, white and day glow orange) Dallaras.

Although I haven't heard anything official yet, I suppose Vision is Scheckter's only option, in Indy cars, for 2007. So, if I want to see Tomas, in the IRL next season, it will probably be with Tony George, Ed Carpenter, Larry Curry and the guys, at Vision Racing; at least I hope that will be so. The last I read (also from Curt Cavin) was that Scheckter was in a pool of three drivers, which also includes Buddy Rice and Townsend Bell, to run the sister Vision car to Carpenter.

"A pool of drivers," that is not particularly encouraging news for Tomas Scheckter fans.

Another big anticipation, for May 2006, were all of the photographs I wanted to take. That's what I was most excited about. That's what I am always most excited about, when it relates to racing, anytime or anyplace. I love taking race car pictures!

The previous iteration of 060612.html featured so many photos, taken with my digital SLR cameras, at the numerous racing events I visited, during 2006, that it would have taken fifteen minutes to load the page, even with a high speed cable connection. I will tell you however, I took an immense number of racing photos this year and plan to jam the Internet with my new images, that is if I ever finish anything. So for those of you still using dial ups, if you want to look at my site, be patient. Hopefully what I produce - - if I ever produce again, will be worth the wait.

This web site is still intended to be a racing enterprise, even if the past three years of content have been essentially an uneven balance of my enthusiasm for motorsport and tales of my own personal trials and tribulations. It's meant to be vehicle for sharing my photographs, memories, from past races, and observations about what is currently going on.

In the midst of the blues (go Buddy Guy!) I experienced this year, I took in a lot of racing. By my count, I made twenty one trips to race tracks, in 2006, to watch and photograph machines in competition, be it practice, qualifications or an actual racing event. I would have to think back, through the years, to make an actual comparison, and I am not even sure I can remember all the racing events I have attended in my life. But the number of days, I spent with race cars, in 2006, might have been a new record.

My personal racing schedule, for 2006, is listed below. My number one joy is being at the race track, with a camera, trying to capture what I see. It is what I live for!

From 1981 through 2004, I used a variety of SLR cameras to catch racing scenes on film. I started with a Minolta XG1, followed by a succession of other camera bodies over the years; Minolta XGM, Nikon FE, Nikon FE2, Nikon FM2 and Nikon N80. I am generally happy with the results I received using film, and examples fill this website, and they also fill plastic containers and cardboard boxes, all over my Mom's house. If I ever do catalog all my racing negatives and photos properly, it will be a miracle. There are too many of them and probably not enough years left for me, on this planet, to accomplish that task.

A new dimension occurred in 2005, when I purchased a Nikon D70 digital SLR and took the new camera to the races. In addition to the three dimensional quality digital photography brings, I can immediately download my pictures to my computer and everything is stored in convenient folders, on the hard drive.

Last April, I purchased the new Nikon D200 digital model. The D70 is a great machine, but the D200 is that much better. The D200 is the nicest camera I have used, and with the Nikon ED AF Nikkor 70:300 mm lens which I purchased to go with my newest machine, the package opened up photographic possibilities I could only think about, in previous years.

What I am referring to are those exciting head on views, of race cars, coming at me. In previous years, I was often inhibited by safety fences, but with my newest "equipment," I can sometimes focus through fences and capture those forward shots that escaped me for so many racing seasons, but fascinated me, partially because they were very elusive. Another reason for my being able to photograph race cars, from frontal view points, is the increased focal length, digital photography brings, which means I can better judge distance, which is vital to catch movement from a forward angle.

I like these frontal images so much that I might consider spending part of the 91st "Indianapolis 500," on May 27, 2007, in a grandstand seat, pointing my camera at cars coming at me, from the outside of corner three; maybe during the final fifty laps of the race. Yes, I may experiment with that.

Certainly, I still plan to do my annual inside third turn ritual. I love being close to the cars, without having to cope with a fence. But I might deviate, from my regular "500" race day routine, for the final quarter of next year's "500," now that I have the means to chase the photos I have been trying for, since I started using SLR cameras, in 1981.

Frontal view racing images portray motion from a different perspective than the usual side ways and "semi side" views I have been taking for most of the past 25 years. Both angles are interesting, but the "head on" shots are like a discovery, a fresh approach, an added dimension when I shoot race action.

There is a slight sacrifice in clarity, with frontal views, as opposed to racing photos, taken from side and "semi side" angles. That's mainly because the image is shot from a further distance, which of course is more difficult to preview than shooting from a closer location. But with my new found, long range, frontal photographic freedom, as it were, I even had a good time, at the Speedway, this past August, shooting those ugly NASCAR "boxes," as they lumbered around the 2.5 mile oval. It seems a lot easier catching Nextel Cup cars than Indy cars, because they are so much slower.

Normally, I cannot wait for the "Brickyard 400" to be over and done. I have attended all thirteen of the NASCAR races, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but I can't say I enjoyed watching the Cup cars in person. True, I was happy to see Tony Stewart get a victory, at the Speedway, on August 7, 2005, but I would have been a hell of a lot more excited if Tony had won the "Indianapolis 500." I also enjoyed Bill Elliott's "Brickyard 400" victory, in 2002. Mostly however, the August race has been a drag, which I hurried to forget.

I go to the race, because I won't allow myself to miss racing, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It's basically as simple as that. But the "Brickyard 400" experience never rocks me anything like the "Indy 500", or even the Formula One race, at IMS. Think of it as having to go to a wedding when you don't want to, but out of loyalty to family or friends, you go anyway.

As a matter of fact, 2006 was the first time I ever went to the Speedway, on "Brickyard 400" weekend, any time but race day. Last August 5, I went to watch the final two Nextel Cup hour long practice sessions, the day before the race. To my surprise, I even had a good time - - because I took a lot of digital photos. In fact, I am pleased with a bunch of those Saturday practice images.

Rain, the dreaded enemy of all racing fans, and especially for those who wish to capture the action, on film or digital memory cards, was a constant threat, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, during the opening week of practice and qualifications for the 90th "500." It sometimes seemed like mother nature was conspiring against IMS, as precipitation either wiped out or interrupted on track activity throughout that first week. With the exception of the sunny opening day, on Sunday May 7, even when there were cars running at speed, they did so under skies filled with dark, menacing clouds.

But I persisted in my efforts to catch everything I could, with my Nikon D70 and Nikon D200. Considering the disadvantage of little or no sunlight, my cameras did a good job catching the race cars, although everything would have been much easier had Moms Nature cooperated a little bit.

I was on the scene however, and that first week of "Indianapolis 500" activity, set the tone for my 2006 racing season. I applied this new method to enjoying motor sport through my final trip to the race track, on September 10, at Chicagoland Speedway, for the Indy Racing League season finale. I tried to experience as much of the joy of being there, on the scene, as I could jam in to my consciousness. In other words, I had my cameras ready and I was there to absorb everything that unfolded before me.

How did that differ from previous racing seasons? I guess the best way of putting things is to write that rather than judge the performance of favored drivers as a determination of how much I enjoyed myself, I let the quality, of the contest, be the primary measurement; that - - and how much I liked my photos of course.

Another thing I noticed, in 2006, is that I don't get as much from watching races, on TV, as I used to. It seemed like my mind wandered so much, when I tried to follow a race, on television, and I am including Indy car races, that I feel like I need to go back and watch the VHS tapes I recorded, so I understand what actually occurred during the telecasts. Maybe I will do that on cold winter nights, with Bitsy sitting on my lap, but probably not. I might have done that before, but not now. I am too impatient (and old) to spend much time watching video tape.

Perhaps if I purchase one of those new, big screen, flat panel, high definition sets, I will get more out of races on TV. Still, I don't think television does a good job of capturing the speed of racing, especially with the Indy cars. Right now, I think still photos catch racing better than television. But then, maybe that's just me, because I love trying to capture the action.

I wonder if that partially explains why NASCAR is more popular; because it comes across better on TV? The cars are bigger, more recognizable and slower. So the speed of racing is not lost as much, on the "tube," for NASCAR, as it is for the Indy cars.

I don't know what it is, except that watching a race, on TV, does not generate the adrenalin, nor stimulate the senses like being at the race, in person, does. Even though you are more aware of what's going on, when you watch a race on TV, that still does not compensate for the visual feast the sport treats us to, nor does it make up for the noise, smell and crowd excitement I get from being there in the flesh. Watching on television does not allow me to shoot photos either!

More than anything about racing 2006, I had more fun capturing racing images, in digital, than I have for many years, with film. So, in essence, what my 2006 racing season was mostly about was having fun with my photography, experimenting, and being able to expand from what I could do in earlier years. That was key to my approach to racing this time and it was the defining component, a bit like 1987, when seeing Al Unser get his fourth "Indianapolis 500" victory was the signature element that I remember most from that year - - and likely any other year, for that matter.

2006 was my year to get my racing buzz from the photos I could take, more than what was actually taking place on the race track. Yeah, that says it the way I want.

To be honest actually, for the most part, I wasn't especially happy with the way the 2006 racing season unfolded anyway.

It bothered me to see a fourth consecutive year, when the "Indianapolis 500" did not sell out. The empty seats were clearly visible in turn three, much like they were the previous three "500" race days. It bothers me that the crowd estimates, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, on "Indy 500" day, are now referred to, in the 250,000 range, almost as second nature. For many years, 300,000 was the standard race day figure most often associated with the "500." I remember hearing 350,000 - 400,000 before that. I never considered 500,000 people to be a realistic figure, but 350,000 had a good sound to it, a lot better than 250,000, which was probably closer to reality on May 28, 2006.

Since the last "Indy 500" sellout, on May 26, 2002, I have become somewhat used to smaller crowds at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But I was discouraged to see a large drop off, in attendance, at Kentucky Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway, for Indy Racing League events, in 2006. That was especially so, because race goers had been consistently in the 50,000 - 55,000 range, for all previous Indy car races, at each of those two excellent 1.5 mile ovals.

Perhaps weather and the threat of rain had something to do with keeping the regulars away from Chicagoland. Maybe the cold, dreary weather also had a lot to do with the disappointing number of fans, at Watkins Glen. Hopefully, it was the threat of rain which cut the crowd, which had been showing up in ever larger numbers, at Richmond International Raceway, for the Indy cars, since they added RIR to the schedule, in 2001. But, as always, when I am unhappy about a smaller than hoped for crowd at an Indy car race, and that happens a lot more than I would like, I shake my head in amazement because, as I often write, the IRL puts on the very best racing product, in the entire world.

Sunny weather, after the previous weekend's rainout, brought what had to be the most people, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for "pole day," since 1998. By the way, the pole day crowd, for the 90th "500," was much larger than qualifying day, for the "Allstate 400 at the Brickyard," in August.

The turnout for "500 carb day," which was moved from Thursday, before the "Indy 500," to Friday, was huge and equaled the glory days, of the final practice session, before the race, when 50,000 plus people showed up to party. People were still coming through the gates, at IMS, on Friday May 26, for "carb day," an hour after the cars had stopped running on the track - - and that was even without the old "snake pit," in the turn one and turn four infield areas, at the Speedway.

I was happy to see a much larger crowd, at the Milwaukee Mile, for the IRL, on July 23, than showed up in 2005, when temperatures exceeded 100 degrees. I was also pleased, one week later, when more fans came to Michigan International Speedway, than any time since Tony George's series made its MIS debut, in 2002. Considering there was a rain delay of nearly four hours, and the race ended shortly before 9 PM, that was gratifying. Although there aren't that many seats available, at the Nashville Superspeedway, a sellout was announced for the Indy car night race, on Saturday 15. Any sellout is good, no matter how many seats are available to purchase.

Unfortunately, there were also disappointments associated with Indy racing, in the season past, other than those caused by low attendance numbers.

It bothered me when only sixteen cars took the green flag, on March 26, at Homestead, to open the 2006 season. However I realize four cars were lost due to Paul Dana's tragic accident, earlier in the day.

I was also disappointed when there was no bumping, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for the 90th "Indianapolis 500." There were enough cars for three or four honest bumping attempts, but none of the teams appeared to want to try, once the field reached 33 cars.

The car counts, at the other twelve events, on the 2006 Indy Racing League, were as follows: St. Petersburg - April 2 (19); Twin Ring Motegi - April 22 (20); Watkins Glen - June 4 (19); Texas - June 10 (19); Richmond - June 24 (19); Kansas Speedway - July 2 (19); Nashville - July 15 (18); Milwaukee - July 23 (18); Michigan - July 30 (19); Kentucky - August 13 (19); Infineon - August 22 (18); Chicagoland - September 10 (19).

The IRL needs to field at least 24 cars, at each race, other than the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and there should be no less than forty car - driver combinations trying for the 33 spots, on the grid, for the "Indy 500."

Things are not what they should be. In my viewpoint however, the only genuine benefit, from an Indy car unification, is that something like ten or twelve more cars would likely be added to list of available cars, at many of the races.

I thought the primary reason for the Indy Pro Series was to prepare drivers and teams for competition, in the Indy Racing League, but that hasn't happened so far, at least in all but a few instances. Not only that, but the "upgrade" of the IRL, in 2003, when Toyota and Honda joined the series, resulted in a chain of circumstances that eventually led to the loss of prominent competitors, from earlier years, such as Mo Nunn, Tom Kelley, John Menard, Fred Treadway and Rick Galles, with more recent long term IRL participants, like Eddie Cheever and Ron Hemelgarn, currently on the sidelines too. Please come back Eddie and Ron. We need you both.

Thankfully once again, there is a bit of balance between disappointment and positives, when it comes to the Indy Racing League, in 2006.

I thought Honda did a terrific job in rising to the challenge to put together a program to supply teams, with enough engines, to get everyone through, not only May, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but throughout the other thirteen races as well. It was truly a magnificent achievement and I am very grateful to the Japanese auto makers, so much so that I plan to abandon Toyota automobiles, after 28 years of driving Celicas and Camrys, for a new Honda or Acura model next year.

I was especially fascinated by the approach that Honda took, in dispensing Indy V8 engines for the 90th "Indianapolis 500." Engines were released for each actual car/driver combination that was trying to make the "500." That did not include separate engines for backup cars. Unless an engine failed, and I don't recall one Honda Indy V8 that did fail, that particular unit was to be used throughout the eleven days, when cars were on track for practice and qualifications. A fresh engine was provided for "carb day" and race day and then had to be used again for the three days, of action, at Watkins Glen, the following weekend.

Honda's response, to being the only engine supplier for the IRL, was among the most interesting storylines surrounding the 90th "Indianapolis 500." Honda's planning appeared to be brilliant in precision and things came off without many kinks. I cannot even remember any of the teams complaining about their engines, at the Speedway, in May. It's likely there were situations when a team or crew might have questioned the power output, from their Honda Indy V8, which was assigned by a random lottery. If so, however, they kept it private, hopefully understanding the need to work together as one racing community, in order to get through the three weeks of racing, at Indianapolis, and also realizing how important it was, for everyone, to do that successfully.

Honda's strictly controlled maintenance and random distribution system meant that teams were free to concentrate solely on chassis preparation and aerodynamics, which changed the way racing was conducted this time.

What that engine parity did was push Roger Penske back to the place, where he has been for much of the past 3 1/2 decades, and in particular, for most of the past twenty five years. That is at the top of the sport of Indy car racing. In 2004 and 2005, the Penske cars had to compensate for the piss poor engines that Toyota provided, while Andretti Green Racing, Rahal Letterman and Adrian Fernandez, in 2004, and then AGR, all by themselves in 2005, were in the power seat and won most of the races. As a result, the white and day glow red orange Marlboro cars only won a total of five IRL races, during those two seasons, when Toyota ceased to keep pace with Honda, beginning with the Indy Racing League switch from 3.5 liters to three, before the 88th "Indianapolis."

So, with each team supposedly equal in terms of horsepower, other elements shaped the competition. With the scales tilting for reasons other than engine performance, Marlboro Team Penske resumed it's logical position on top. But there was competition. It did not come from the expected Andretti Green team however. It came from the red and white Target Chip Ganassi cars.

With the exception, of Rahal Letterman Racing, and Ganassi, on the road circuits, and the "500" only teams, at Indianapolis, most teams ran Dallaras. With so much commonality regarding chassis engine packages, it sometimes seemed to me like the early 1960s, when most teams ran front engine Watson - Offenhauser machines, at the Speedway. It was a reminder of the heyday of Rodger Ward, Jim Rathmann, Eddie Sachs, Don Branson, A.J. Foyt, Jim Hurtibise and Parnelli Jones. It struck me on more than a few occasions, as I walked around the Speedway, during visits to practice and qualifications, how much it felt like days gone by; a partial return to less complicated and perhaps happier times.

Therefore, the game came down to team preparation and driver talent and, in 2006, that meant the competition for first place was between the Marlboro Team Penske and Target Ganassi cars. The 2006 Indy car series was essentially a red and white parade at the front, with only four drivers Sam Hornish, Helio Castroneves, Dan Wheldon and Scott Dixon having a realistic, race in - race out opportunity to win.

More and more, in recent weeks, the scuttlebutt is that Sam Hornish will become a full time NASCAR racer, in 2008, and Sam isn't doing anything to dispel those notions. So, if it turns out that Hornish makes the big switch, and I pray it does not, we need to savor one of the neatest Indy car rivalries, of all time, while we can; focusing on the intensity which Hornish and Dan Wheldon displayed as they battled for Indy car supremacy, this past season.

When I look at the above photo, of Hornish and Wheldon, I am reminded of the classic days, of Rodger Ward and Jim Rathmann, in 1959 and 1960. I enjoy that comparison and find the rivalry, of Sam Hornish versus Dan Wheldon, to be one of the more exciting aspects of contemporary Indy car racing.

A good way to begin a Hornish - Wheldon comparison, for 2006, is to look at competitive laps run in first place, for the entire season. Wheldon led the Indy Racing League, in that category, with a total 761 laps, in eleven of the fourteen events, on the 2006 schedule. Guess who was second, in the laps led category, for 2006? Hornish ran in front for 655 laps, in ten races.

Hornish fired the opening salvo, of the 2006 season, when he put the Marlboro Team Penske Dallara on pole, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, for the season opening race, on Saturday March 25, at 218.539 mph. Wheldon had a disappointing run (215.804 mph), for eighth on the Homestead grid. The following day, Hornish led the opening 57 laps and then ran in front again, from lap 72 through 159. Wheldon only led eight, of the race's 200 laps, but one of them was lap 200, as Dan crept around Helio Castroneves, at the checkered flag, to win by .0147 second. Hornish finished third, .4744 seconds behind the winner, after suffering from faulty pit strategy, late in the race.

Sam Hornish is not known for his road racing prowess and his eighth place finish, one lap behind race winner and Penske teammate Helio Castroneves, at St. Petersburg, on April 2, was about as good as could be expected. Wheldon won the inaugural race, at "St. Pete," in 2005. But this time had to be a disappointment, because Dan crashed, on lap 57, to finish only sixteenth.

Helio Castroneves was on a roll, during the opening three races, of 2006, winning twice and finishing second once. At Twin Ring Motegi, in Japan, on April 22, Helio was extra hot, leading 184 (of 200) laps, on the way to victory. Wheldon only ran in front for five laps, to finish second, while Hornish finished fourth, in a backup car, after crashing in practice, at the 1.5 mile egg shaped oval.

Then came May, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; the big showcase. Other than Marco Andretti's challenge, during the final laps of the 90th "Indy 500," and the month long celebrity watch, for Danica Patrick, May belonged, in nearly every category, to Sam Hornish and Dan Wheldon.

Hornish had high speed honors daily, during the first three practice sessions, while Wheldon set high speed, on the fourth day. Then Sam reestablished his superiority on practice days five, six and seven.

When "500" qualifications finally got underway, Hornish performed as anticipated, and won pole, with a four lap average, of 228.985 mph. Penske mate Helio Castroneves came closest to knocking Sam off the top spot, with a four lap run, at 228.008 mph. Dan Wheldon (227.338 mph) qualified on the outside of row one.

The day following his pole run, on Sunday May 21, Hornish again had the day's top speed, at 226.256 mph, in his backup car. On the lap, following the quick circuit, Sam lost the car and hit the outer wall, in turn one.

Race day May 28 saw a division of achievement, between Wheldon and Hornish. Although Castroneves jumped in front, at the start of the 90th "500," Helio was overhauled by Dan's number 10 Target Ganassi Dallara, on the tenth lap.

Knowledgeable race fans, and many who have been in the media, for several years, point to the 1960 "Indianapolis 500" as one of the classic runnings, of the "greatest spectacle in racing." There were 29 lead changes, among five drivers, in that race. The stars, of the 1960 "500," were the same two drivers who had finished first and second the previous May. 1959 winner Rodger Ward and second place Jim Rathmann recreated their rivalry in 1960.

Rathmann and Ward led a total of 158 laps, during the 1960 event and exchanged the lead fourteen times during the final 78 laps of the race. With ten laps remaining, in the 1960 "Indianapolis 500," Rathmann's silver blue metallic car 4 held a slight lead over Ward's white number 1. But Rodger closed on Jim and took the lead on lap 194. It looked as if Ward was heading for back to back "Indy" victories. But then, Ward rushed into the pits, on lap 197, for a quick tire change, when the veteran noticed the nylon cord showing, on one of the front tires, on the Leader Card car 1. That enabled Rathmann to come to the checkered flag 12.67 seconds ahead of his rival and the two exchanged finishing positions from the previous year.

The Hornish - Wheldon battle, in the 90th "500" last May was not quite like the Rathmann - Ward classic, in 1960, but there were some similarities, including the fact that like Rathmann, who succeeded Ward as "Indy 500" champion, Hornish followed Wheldon as winner of the "greatest spectacle in racing."

After being passed for the lead, by Wheldon, Castroneves began fading, and Hornish, who ran the opening laps with surprising caution, quietly settled into second place. The number 6 Marlboro car took the lead, on lap 35, and held the top spot for three laps, while cars cycled through green flag pit stops.

After the pit cycle, Wheldon resumed his lead, and started to pull away from the field. By lap 50, Wheldon already led 37 laps, and had 13.6 seconds on Hornish, with Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, Tomas Scheckter, Marco Andretti, Michael Andretti, Dario Franchitti, Vitor Meira and Danica Patrick filling out the top ten positions. Early race leader Castroneves had slipped to eleventh, after fifty laps, more than 35 seconds off the pace.

Wheldon maintained his lead throughout the nine lap caution period, as a result, from my guy Tomas Scheckter's crash, coming out of turn four, on lap 67, while running fifth. That was too bad, because Tomas had that silver and black Vision number 2 sailing along, and given the way the race developed, he easily could have finished near the front, had he remained in the race.

After 100 laps, Wheldon led teammate Scott Dixon. That must have brought a smile to Chip Ganassi's face. Hornish ran third, followed by Kanaan, Danica, Franchitti, Marco, Michael, Townsend Bell and Scott Sharp. Then, in what was likely a surprise to the defending "500" winner, Target teammate Dixon blasted by on the inside, on the main straight, to lead lap 108. No doubt, Dixon, and the other front runners, benefited from caution flags, which erased Wheldon's once nearly insurmountable leading margin.

Dixon's move for the lead appeared to slow Wheldon's momentum, which enabled Hornish to pass Dan for second. Then, Tony Kanaan almost caught Dan's Target car 10 for third. At the same time, Hornish tried to take the lead, from Dixon, and car 6 also lost speed. So Wheldon came back on Sam and took second away and then swept by Dixon, on lap 128, to regain first. Hornish was back on the charge however. On lap 130, Sam swerved to the inside of the defending "Indy" winner, during the set up for turn one, and sped past the Target car 10.

The Hornish charge, to the front, had to make both Dan Wheldon and Chip Ganassi wonder if the Marlboro Team Penske number 6 had been taking things easy for the first 129 laps, of the race.

For a few laps, Hornish had a clear track ahead and he was able to hold his advantage over Wheldon. On lap 145, however, Sam got caught in lapped traffic and Dan swept past, down the backstretch, and moved into first place again.

On lap 149, Al Unser Jr. experienced a suspension failure, on the colorful deep blue, red and white A1 Team USA Geico Dallara - Honda number 31, and spun into the wall, in turn three. The yellow light flashed and the leaders rushed to the pits.

In a mix up, Hornish pulled away, from his pits, before his Marlboro crew had completed the stop. Mike King, the chief announcer, for the IMS Radio Network broadcast, of the "500," commented to his colleagues, "Guys, Sam Hornish Jr.'s day is gonna be done." Immediately after, Chip Ganassi radioed IRL officials that Hornish had committed a penalty, and a few moments later, race control informed the Marlboro Team Penske crew that Hornish would have to serve a "drive through" penalty when the race resumed under the green flag.

When the green flag was waved, on lap 161, Hornish had fallen to seventh place, behind Wheldon, Dixon, Kanaan, Franchitti, Marco and Danica. Then as if to add pain to his punishment, as Hornish entered the pits, under green, for the penalty, Townsend Bell's car 90 came up on the inside and bumped the number 6 Marlboro Dallara. As Sam came by, on lap 162, he was going into turn one, as the closely packed bunch, at the front of the field, Wheldon, Dixon, Kanaan, Franchitti and Marco Andretti, were coming out of turn four.

Bob Jenkins commented, in his narration, on the 90th "500" DVD, produced by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, "Sam's quest for his first Indy win is slipping away." Of course, Jenkins made his assessment with regard to the video footage he was working with. Regardless, the narration is a story of the race and during that point, in the contest, it did appear that Sam Hornish had lost in his seventh attempt to capture the "Indianapolis 500."

Meanwhile, Marco passed Franchitti for fourth, while Kanaan challenged Dixon for second, behind the leader Wheldon. Tony was able to pass the second Target car and then IRL officials threw the black flag, at Dixon, because they felt that Scott was blocking the number 11 car.

It appeared that Tony Kanaan had saved the best for last, as he went inside Wheldon, going into turn three, on lap 183. But Dan wasn't about to give up so easily, after leading 148 laps to that point. The Target number 10 tried to come back by Kanaan, on the outside, going through turn four, but the car would not stick and Wheldon's Dallara went high. Tony's 7-Eleven car held on and moved to turn one in first. As the Target car went through turn one, on lap 184, Dan shouted, over the radio, to his crew, "it's loose. I'm coming in."

Wheldon's car suffered a tire puncture. What looked, for most of the 90th "500," like a back to back sweep, for the 27 year old Englishman, suddenly dissolved into disappointment, as the red and white Target car came to the pits, falling one lap down to the leader. So, with only sixteen laps remaining, the emphasis shifted to Andretti Green racing, as AGR cars ran one - two - three - four, with Kanaan leading Franchitti, Marco Andretti and Michael Andretti.

After 190 laps, Kanaan maintained a 9.2 second lead, on Franchitti; 20.6 seconds, on third place Marco; 32.5 seconds, on Michael Andretti; 41.3 seconds, over Scott Dixon, and 42.8 seconds, on sixth place Sam Hornish. Wheldon ran seventh, the final driver on the lead lap, trailing Kanaan by 43.8 seconds.

Marco rushed to the pits, under green, on lap 190. While the younger Andretti was leaving the pits however, the caution came out for the fifth and final time, for Felipe Giaffone, who brushed the wall, in turn two. This brought Kanaan and Franchitti to the pits, for a quick splash of fuel, which elevated Michael Andretti into first place, with only six laps remaining.

Marco ran second, with Hornish in third, and Wheldon running fourth. While the field followed the pace car, under caution, Roger Penske radioed Hornish to set his fuel to "full rich." Barry Green, who was calling Michael's race, from the pits, told his driver to "use as much fuel as you want."

As the field came through turn four, heading for the green flag, on lap 197, Wheldon lunged inside Hornish and it appeared like Dan's right front wheel touched the left side of the number 6. But Sam was able to move away from the Target car, while Michael led his 19 year old son into turn one.

Hornish was also charging. Meanwhile Marco lapped Andretti Green teammate Bryan Herta, and came through turn four, on lap 197, chasing his father. As the two Andrettis came to the line, to begin lap 198, Marco pulled a sling shot around Michael, to grab the lead. Immediately behind the two, Hornish darted inside Herta and worked his way back to the chase. Then, halfway down the backstretch, Sam went inside Michael, to move into second.

As the leaders came through turn four, on lap 198, Marco led Hornish by several car lengths. When the leader Andretti passed the line, Roger Penske shouted encouragement over the radio to Hornish, "two to go! Here now, use your head. Set him up. Two to go!" His driver took Penske's instructions to heart and Sam upped the pace and began to catch Marco, by the time they entered turn one.

Hornish got ever closer and by the time they came to turn three, Sam set up the bright blue and white number 26 NYSE Dallara. Suddenly, Hornish darted inside, going into three, but Andretti held off the Marlboro number 6. This allowed Marco to pull out five car lengths. When the white flag waved at Marco, he appeared to have a comfortable advantage and looked set to become the youngest "Indianapolis 500" winner in history.

Car 26 still held a seven car length margin halfway down the backstretch. But Hornish was driving his car for all it was worth. Timing and scoring showed that Sam's final lap was run, at 219.935 mph, which was five miles faster than Marco ran the 200th lap. As they came through the fourth corner, for the final time, Hornish pulled right up to the back of Marco's car.

About 100 yards, from the finish line, Sam veered left of Andretti and made the perfect slingshot pass, to beat Marco, to the line, by .0635 seconds; the second all time closest finish, in "Indy 500" history. Dan Wheldon finished fourth, behind third place Michael Andretti.

Whew! That wore me out! I kept navigating between this page, my DVD and timing and scoring reports, on the IRL website, to help me with this race narrative. In a later chapter, I hope to tell you what my real time reactions were, as the drama, of the 90th "Indianapolis 500," unfolded before my eyes last May 28. My perceptions substantially differ from what was actually going on around me.

There was more Hornish versus Wheldon to come, after May, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That's an understatement. But the next confrontation did not come, the Sunday, following the "Indianapolis 500," at Watkins Glen, as Hornish finished 12th, one lap behind race winner Scott Dixon, and Wheldon dropped out of the race, on lap 41 (of 55).

On Saturday night June 10, at Texas Motor Speedway, Hornish and Wheldon lined up alongside each other, on the front row. Dan was fast, at Texas, leading a total 171 (of 200) laps. Helio Castroneves only led eight laps, but they were the eight that counted, at the end of the race. Wheldon finished third, behind Helio and Scott Dixon. Hornish, who led a total, of sixteen laps, was fourth.

Although Sam Hornish only qualified third, at Richmond, behind Helio Castroneves and Scott Sharp, in the race, Sam was on fire. The newly crowned "Indy" winner led 212 (of 250) laps, around the 3/4 mile Richmond International Raceway, on the way to his second Indy car victory, of the 2006 season. Teammate Castroneves started the race off well, leading the first 38 laps, before the Hornish assault. But Helio ended up tenth, one lap off the winner's pace. Dan Wheldon started the race, from fourth on the grid, but also finished one lap behind Hornish, in ninth.

On Sunday July 2, while the "Kansas Lottery Indy 300" was being run, at Kansas Speedway, I was at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for the seventh "U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis." It was a regrettable conflict, but certainly beyond the control of Tony George and company.

As soon as the Formula One race concluded, at IMS, I rushed home to watch a video of the Kansas race, making sure not to listen to WIBC, on my car radio, so I would not hear anything about the Indy car race, in Kansas.

The race was a true one on one match up between Sam Hornish and Dan Wheldon, which began during qualifications, when Dan qualified on the pole, with Sam alongside, on the front row.

At the start of the race, Hornish took the lead. Over the 200 laps, the two drivers, who ironically were Pennzoil Panther teammates for the races, at the end of the 2002 IRL season, exchanged the lead eleven times. Sam ran a total of 149 laps in first, while Wheldon was in front for 45. Hornish passed the Target number 10, on lap 199, and managed to hold Wheldon off and squeak by with a slight margin, of .0793 seconds, at the checkered flag.

Two weeks later, on July 23, the Indy cars returned to the historic Milwaukee Mile. Surprisingly, neither Sam Hornish, nor Dan Wheldon led a single lap, in the 225 lap contest, over the oldest race track, in the U.S. It had to be one of the least enjoyable races, for Dan, as he qualified eleventh and finished eighth. For the Milwaukee race, Wheldon's car 10 was painted in bright green, to promote associate sponsor Fuji film. I liked the look, but Dan appeared to struggle for most of the event. Hornish started second and finished in the same position, behind winner Tony Kanaan, although my driver Tomas Scheckter nearly beat Sam to the checkered flag.

Hornish led 37 of the first 61 laps, at Michigan International Speedway, on July 30, but the Marlboro car 6 was the first car out of the race, when mechanical problems eliminated Sam's run, in front of his many fans, as the "Indy" winner is from nearby Defiance, Ohio. Penske teammate Helio Castroneves was the man to beat, in Michigan, edging second place Vitor Meira by a whopping 1.6229 seconds. Wheldon led a total of fourteen laps, in Michigan, and came away with a third place finish.

Kentucky Speedway, on August 13, was the scene of another Sam Hornish victory. Dan Wheldon led the most laps, with 66 (of 200) in the lead, as compared to 45, in front, for Sam. At the finish, the defending Indy car champion, finished fourth, behind, Hornish, Target teammate Scott Dixon, and Helio Castroneves.

August 27, at Infineon Raceway, was Marco Andretti's day, as the third generation driver took the first of what will probably be many Indy car victories. Wheldon finished sixth and led ten laps. Hornish finished on the lead lap, but he was down in ninth place, when the race concluded.

The season finale, at Chicagoland Speedway, on September 10, was a Dan Wheldon day. After qualifying third, behind Sam Hornish and Scott Dixon, Wheldon took the lead on the second lap, and ran in first place for 166 (of 200) laps. Sam only led eight laps. At the finish, it was Wheldon, teammate Scott Dixon, Hornish and Helio Castroneves, in that order.

Going into Chicagoland, each of those four drivers still had the opportunity to win the Indy Racing League championship. After Chicagoland, the points total was as follows: Hornish - 475 points, Wheldon - 475 points, Castroneves - 473 points, Dixon - 460 points. The series championship went to Hornish, because he had four wins to Wheldon's two victories.

When I write about the intensity of a Sam Hornish - Dan Wheldon rivalry, I believe the perfect example of what I am referring to, is that over fourteen races, both driver accumulated exactly the same number of points.

NASCAR's growth slows after 15 years in the fast lane

By Nate Ryan, USA TODAY

NASCAR's popularity might have reached a plateau. As the Nextel Cup series nears the end of its first network TV contract, there are signs fan interest is lagging and a 15-year period of growth is sputtering.

Tracks don't release figures, but estimates from NASCAR reports show crowds have decreased in a third of the races this season. Fewer than half the Cup races were sellouts, and that includes two at the 92,000-seat grandstand of California Speedway east of Los Angeles, NASCAR's largest market.

The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Aug. 6 drew a crowd estimated by The Indianapolis Star at 240,000 - about 20,000 shy of capacity at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the smallest turnout in 13 seasons at the track that ranks in prestige on the Cup circuit behind only Daytona International Speedway.

Some observers, such as third-generation driver Kyle Petty, say the season's length - from February to the Sunday before Thanksgiving - can be interminable. "I'm an idiot, and this is all I've ever done, but my God, 36 freaking races a year? Even I'm not going to tune in every week," Petty says.

SPORTS SCOPE: Bump in the road or serious problem?

A record 12.5 million households tuned in to the Daytona 500 on NBC on Feb. 19, but TV audiences sagged for 30 of the first 34 races this year. For 16 of those races the decline was at least 10%. Ratings on Fox, which broadcast the first half of the season, dropped 7%. TNT and NBC were down 5% and 12%, respectively, for the second half.

NBC, deciding NASCAR's rights fee exceeded value, dropped out of negotiations last year. ABC and ESPN take over in 2007.

"I've told everybody I know to tune in," Dale Earnhardt Jr., voted fan favorite the past three years, says with a laugh. "But I'm only one guy. The racing is really the same. The drivers are the same. Obviously, it has to do with the newness wearing off of the (Chase for the Nextel Cup, the 10-race title run). That big splash is gone. Maybe it's not quite as dramatic as we believe."

One race from completing the third Chase for the Nextel Cup, NASCAR Chairman Brian France concedes his sport has lost some momentum. He views 2006 as a speed bump rather than a slowdown.

"We're in a little bit of a lull," France says. "We have a lot of different things that are very significant going on, but they're all coming next year."

The 2007 season will herald the return to ESPN, which promises to tout NASCAR across multiple marketing platforms; the arrival of Toyota, the latest of several financially healthy sponsors to approach NASCAR; and the debut of Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, a former Formula One driver with a large Hispanic following.

"I don't think we've hit the top by a long shot," Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage says. "But instead of having 10% growth, maybe it's 4% now."

Races were added in cities such as Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami and Chicago the past 10 years.

"It's a lot harder to grow when you get to the size we're at, and it's very competitive right now," France says. "Every sport is doing its job."

Ratings still are higher than in pre-Chase 2003, making Nextel Cup racing the No. 2-viewed sport most of the year.

"Anybody that would imagine NASCAR could continue its double-digit growth in perpetuity is really out to lunch," says David Carter, executive director of the USC Sports Business Institute. "They've captivated, captured and sold to the hard-core fan and done a very good job of embracing the casual fan. They need to extend the brand and envelop more casual fans without alienating the hard-core base."

The perceived stall in NASCAR's expansion is evident in a September report from the A.G. Edwards brokerage firm. Analyst Tim Conder recommended a "sell" rating on stock in International Speedway Corp. and Speedway Motorsports Inc., public companies that own speedways with 29 of the 36 races on the Nextel Cup schedule.

Conder said the TV contract for 2007-14 fell below expectations. The estimated $4.48 billion deal is worth about $560 million annually, a 40% increase. Conder had projected annual TV rights at $652 million.

He also cited lower ratings and the demographic profile of NASCAR fans for caution on motor-sports stocks: "Higher gas prices, interest rates and the housing market could have a negative effect on fans' spending." NASCAR labels the majority of fans middle class on demographics asserting 59% live in homes with annual income below $50,000 (32% below $30,000).

"I have a suspicion that the middle to lower-middle class is their largest fan base, and people are getting laid off," says Jon Ackley, a Virginia Commonwealth University professor who teaches a course on NASCAR economics. "You can drop a few thousand dollars between hotel, gas, meals and tickets in a race weekend. You can't do that very often if you're looking over your shoulder about having a job."

Humpy Wheeler, president of Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., says ticket prices have stabilized but skyrocketing expenses for fuel and lodging have caused attendance to flatten. He also says the 2001 death of seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt, whose blue-collar background and boundless swagger made him a favorite, "has had more of an impact than will be admitted" on the sport's draw.

Popular veterans Terry Labonte, Bill Elliott, Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace also have retired or scaled back the past three years, with Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett soon to join them. "It's tough for someone following the sport for 10 years to root for a Kasey Kahne when (he) rooted for Mark Martin or Dale Jarrett so long," Ackley says.

"A lot of those Earnhardt fans just aren't coming back and have lost interest," Wheeler says. "We can't forget that this has always been a middle-class sport. ... We must continue to appeal to them with colorful personalities and the drama that has always engaged the American sports fan."

Earnhardt Jr. says shortening races might help build interest. Excluding road courses and short tracks of 1 mile or less, most events are at least 400 miles long and take at least three hours to complete. "There is that point in the middle of the race where it's sort of pointless," he says. "A big percentage now is the new guys coming in watching the sport. Maybe we need to clean up lengths on some of the races."

Tom Bowles, 25, managing editor of a website (frontstretch.com) that caters to NASCAR fans, wrote recently he was "getting really nervous NASCAR might really be in trouble." He says fans are tuning out because speeds have risen on many tracks, making it harder to race side-by-side.

"I've never seen a year where more people are saying, 'I've been a NASCAR fan for 20 years and no more. I'm not being taken care of anymore,' " says Bowles, who has followed NASCAR for 17 years.

Becca Gladden, 49, of Peoria, Ariz., has attended Cup races at Phoenix International Raceway for 18 years. Gladden, who contributes to frontstetch.com, says fans are unhappy with TV coverage, noting NBC has cut away from post-race interviews earlier since the NFL season began.

After initially resisting the Chase, Gladden says she and other fans have become resigned to it. "The novelty has worn off. Even though the points are close, you don't get the same sense of drama."

Sponsorship still strong

If there is a letup in drawing fans, it hasn't hurt in attracting sponsors. NASCAR never has been more flush with corporations willing to throw cash at teams for plastering logos on cars. There could be more well-funded, full-time teams than the 43 available slots for the '07 Daytona 500. Since 2001, FedEx, Target, Office Depot, UPS, Best Buy and Wells Fargo have become primary backers of Cup cars.

"Those are people who didn't look at the sport five years ago," Petty says. "It's a more diverse group than we've ever had."

Rick Hendrick, who owns four Cup cars, says TV exposure is important to sponsors but so is a return on their investment (top packages run about $20 million a car) through at-track promotions involving fans.

"If the ratings are great and you don't put a good marketing package together for a sponsor, it does no good," he says. "Every sponsor has a reason for being here, and I can tell you none of our guys are doing it solely for TV coverage. ... In this sport, the fans are so loyal; it's a really unique niche for corporations to find ways to connect with fans and their products."

In a survey last year by James Madison University's Center for Sports Sponsorship, 36% of 1,000 NASCAR fans could name the sponsor of every car ranked in the top 30.

"The costs may preclude a fan from going to the track, but they'll still shop at Home Depot and Lowe's because of an interest in NASCAR," Ackley said.

Promotion efforts to increase

NASCAR ratings fell 7% in 2000, the last year before the network deal with Fox and NBC. The dip was attributed to a lack of promotion by lame-duck cable partners. NBC says it has promoted NASCAR races during NFL games, but France says the network has "other priorities to focus on."

"I think NBC has absolutely tanked as their contract expires," Gossage says. "I see a lot of promos about the Mountain Dew Action Sports Tour but nothing about NASCAR, and promos directly correspond to success and failure in the ratings."

That figures to change with the return to ESPN, which has evolved into a multimedia behemoth since showing its last Cup race in 2000. ESPN will start a daily NASCAR Now, in the vein of Baseball Tonight, and will have NASCAR programming across radio, Internet, broadband, wireless and publishing properties. ESPN Deportes Radio signed a five-year deal for NASCAR updates in Spanish five days a week.

John Skipper, ESPN's executive vice president for content, is confident the network will deliver fans and ratings increases by "kindling around-the-year enthusiasm."

"There'll be broad platform coverage I don't think they've ever had before," he says. "When we had negotiations, they were all over wanting to be everywhere. I think they understand that's the way to get to the next level. If you look at the demographics of ESPN vs. NASCAR, ESPN is younger, and they hope we bring a younger audience."

SportsCenter promos with Earnhardt Jr. and driver Jimmie Johnson have begun, and Jeff Gordon has made a guest appearance on ESPN's Monday Night Football.

"They're really treating NASCAR like the franchise it is," France says. "It's really important because the weakest part of our audience is the casual sports fan. That's who everyone is chasing. No one delivers (that) like those guys do. They'll be very helpful at building our audience."

posted on USA Today.com - November 15, 2006

Take that NASCAR. Maybe fans really are tiring of that carnival sideshow. I hope so anyway. Perhaps the Indy cars can catch a fresh look from those who are tiring of the NASCAR blitz.

Winter finally called on Indiana, although Indianapolis escaped the snow. Now, we have three months of this cold to anticipate, although in truth, it probably won't be that bad. But it could be. That bad - that is.

As I put the finishing touches on this piece, I almost feel some amazement that I am actually completing something new for this website. It's going to take about an hour to get all the photos and text moved to the Internet. But hey, I am almost there. Then, maybe I will drop into my local bar, to celebrate with a Wild Turkey 101 and a Heineken.

Recently, I sort of backed away from stopping off for a drink. Maybe that's why I was able to complete this. But this seems like a good time to knock a round or two down again.

For a couple years, my plan was to apply some of the web development, I have learned, to Bob Jennings' World O' Racing. That's my next milestone. I hope to have my first ASP.Net page posted within the next week or so. When, you see a page on line, with an aspx file extension, you will know that I finally accomplished that mission.

It's December and we are into the holiday season. This year, I actually had a little bit of Thanksgiving. I went to visit Mom, at the nursing home, and then went to Cracker Barrel, feasting on the $8.99 Thanksgiving special, although mine could have used a couple more minutes in the microwave. But what the hell, it was 9 PM and it was still a lot better than chips and dip, or something like that, like I had for Thanksgiving Day dinner in recent years.

I used to love Thanksgiving weekend. Maybe one of these days, I will generate something more than memories of spending the day by myself (with Bitsy of course); maybe like it used to be in the old days. I love turkey, and all the fixings. I remember when Mom used to create a terrific feast and I would eat so much that all I wanted to do was take a nap. That was the way Thanksgiving was supposed to be.

Party hard, on Thanksgiving Eve Wednesday night (which I did do this time), knowing there were four days to rest and relax, away from work and obligation. Often I started Thanksgiving Day, with an early morning eggnog, spiced up with some cognac or something like that. After awhile, the family would start to show. The big meal would be ready about 2 PM and then about an hour after that, I would be in dreamland. Then, after I woke up, about 6 PM, it was time to start eating and drinking again.

Christmas is coming. It's been 2002 since I last celebrated Christmas, just like Thanksgiving. The past four years have sort of been major flops for me, as far celebrating the holiday season. I think to myself that I need to get into that old spirit and enjoy myself.

I still get a twinge when I hear some of the old Christmas standards, on the radio. I think back to earlier years, when I loved Christmas and started getting the holiday mood by mid November. That seems like a long time ago. It would be nice to feel that way again.

April 9	Anderson Speedway	USAC midgets and sprints	heats and feature events
April 23	Winchester Speedway	USAC sprints	feature event
May 7	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	90th "Indianapolis 500"	practice
May 9	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	90th "Indianapolis 500"	practice
May 10	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	90th "Indianapolis 500"	practice
May 11	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	90th "Indianapolis 500"	practice
May 14	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	90th "Indianapolis 500"	practice and rained out qualifications
May 20	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	90th "Indianapolis 500"	qualifications
May 21	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	90th "Indianapolis 500"	qualifications
May 24	Anderson Speedway	USAC sprints	heats and feature events
May 26	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	90th "Indianapolis 500"	"carb" day
May 28	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	90th "Indianapolis 500"	"Indy 500"
July 1	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	seventh U.S. Grand Prix	practice and qualifications
July 1	Indianapolis Raceway Park	USAC midgets and sprints	heats and feature events
July 2	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	seventh U.S. Grand Prix	Formula One race
July 23	Milwaukee Mile	"ABC Supply - A.J. Foyt 225"	Indy Racing League race
July 30	Michigan International Speedway	"Firestone Indy 400"	Indy Racing League race
August 5	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	"Allstate 400 at the Brickyard"	Nextel Cup practice
August 6	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	"Allstate 400 at the Brickyard"	Nextel Cup race
August 13	Kentucky Speedway	"Meijer Indy 300"	Indy Racing League race
September 10	Chicagoland Speedway	"Peak Antifreeze Indy 300"	Indy Racing League race