Welcome to the third version of Bob Jennings' World O' Racing. Hopefully, this version will be one that I can actually manage and maintain. The two preceding efforts have proven to be impractical for a "hobbyist" web master like myself. Version one had a one year life, starting July 1996. Version two came online last December. This version is actually an evolution of the previous two and retains the same construction as version two.

Anyway, so much for all of that. Who cares anyway?

What a wild and crazy time in racing this is! Bill France bought Roger Penske's race tracks and he is the undisputed king of American motor sports. Obviously none of the new International Speedway Corporation acquisitions stand to lose their precious NASCAR Winston Cup dates that are so important to the success of a racing facility in this era. One has to wonder how Bruton Smith feels in the face of the ISC - Penske merger. For that matter, how must Tony George feel about the ISC conquest.

Yet, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway apparently retains much of its clout, as Tony George got the Formula One race he coveted and he even persuaded Bernie Ecclestone to give him the September date he wanted. Based on reports, I hear, demand for tickets for the September 24, 2000 Formula One race, at IMS, is very high. I'll be surprised if the new event isn't a large success, even though the current F1 show isn't very entertaining.

Today begins my favorite time of every year; the beginning of official activity for the "Indianapolis 500." If  I can manage it, I'll get to the Speedway for every day of practice and both days of qualifications, for the 83rd "500," although my employers have my time pretty well covered next week.

There's no doubt the "Indianapolis 500" has a different feel from past years. Things are different for the "500," in the fourth year of the Indy Racing League. The "500" has lost some of its  prestige and popularity. I think this has more to do with NASCAR than CART though.

CART isn't doing all that great anyway. It almost seems like CART's primary reason for existence is so racing teams can entertain sponsors, rather than put on a racing series. You've heard the one about how many people were at the CART race - 5,000 if you don't count the people in the hospitality tents.

It's "500" time though. Donald Davidson has his annual radio program, on WIBC, and people still call Donald to ask about the Novi, Lloyd Ruby and which year Eddie Sachs lost his life, in the "500." If  NASCAR is the racing series, of choice, for most of the fans in this country, the "Indianapolis 500" is still the event the average guy identifies with auto racing. There will still be 300,000 plus people, at the Speedway, on May 30, for the "500." The "500" will still offer racing's largest purse, if you don't count that Hawaiian pay per view thing that CART has scheduled for this November and I'll believe a $10 million purse, for that deal, when I see it. The "Indianapolis 500" and maybe the "Daytona 500" are the only races in which most fans can name the winner each year and in past years too. For instance, I wonder how many people can recall the winners of  the Charlotte 600 mile Winston Cup race, CART's Long Beach Grand Prix, or the Formula One race in Monaco? The word "Indy" is still the most famous name, term, phrase associated with racing.

Even if some of the glory, from past years, has been tarnished, the "Indianapolis 500" holds on to much of its magic and all of its history and tradition. The momentum will build, at the Speedway, in the coming days, as it gets closer to race day. Many stories will come out of the Speedway and even more memories will be made.

My big deal is for Tony Stewart to win the "500," even more urgently now that he has switched to NASCAR. I'm pleased that Stewart was able to beat John Menard's legal moves intended to keep him out of the "500." I don't like the fact that NASCAR will take priority for Tony, this month, and I have my fingers crossed that weather doesn't interfere with his schedule. If any driver can focus on Winston Cup and the "500," at the same time, it's Tony Stewart. I have my doubts, though, about the quality of preparation that Tony's car 22 Home Depot Dallara will receive from Larry Curry. I don't think Curry did a good job for Tony, while they were racing for Menard.

Right now, the three drivers who look like they have the best chance to win the race are 1996 "500" winner Buddy Lazier, 1998 winner Eddie Cheever and many time near "500" winner Scott Goodyear. Lazier and Cheever have been the strongest guys, in the three IRL races, so far this season. Lazier's charge, from 15th, to the lead, at Charlotte, was strong. 1999 Orlando winner Cheever switched to Infiniti power, after Phoenix, and at Charlotte, Eddie didn't look like he had lost much by switching from the Oldsmobile Aurora V8. If anyone deserves to be an "Indianapolis 500" winner, it's Scott Goodyear, who came close to winning in 1992, 1995 and 1997. Goodyear's Pennzoil Panther team is one of the better financed teams in the IRL. Both Goodyear and the Panther team enjoyed their first IRL win, at Phoenix.

With the Indy Racing League, close competition is always a sure thing, so there are as many possible winners, in 1999, as any other year I can recall. Greg Ray hit 228 mph, in the open testing, last month, at the Speedway, and he looks like a good bet to win another "500" pole, next Saturday, for Team Menard. Robby Gordon will be back, at the Speedway, and he usually brings excitement with him. Arie Luyendyk goes for a third Indianapolis win, in the final race of his career. Three time IRL race winner Scott Sharp is the lead driver for the impressive Kelley Automotive team. A.J. Foyt's two guys, 1998 "500" Pole winner Billy Boat and 1998 IRL Champion Kenny, haven't been as fast as they were last season, but maybe being at the Speedway will get the Foyt group moving again. Jeff Ward has yet to win an IRL race, but he's a threat in every event. Raul Boesel will be in the only Riley & Scott (soon to be Reynard), at the Speedway. Sam Schmidt will try to prove he's a worthy successor to Arie Luyendyk, on the Treadway team.

Another driver who has been fun to watch, so far in 1999, is Tyce Carlson. I've been impressed with Tyce's performances. I met him a couple weeks ago at Lincoln Park Speedway, in Putnamville. He seemed like a nice young man. I'll watch Tyce closely in the coming days.

So, it's "500" time again and I'm going to the track.