The Kindness of Strangers

I experienced the kindness of a stranger today -- a stranger driving a heavy-duty diesel snowplow.

Like most of us living in the upper midwest, I've spent a good portion of yesterday and today with a snow shovel in hand. The snow is the heavy, crusty variety that requires lifting instead of just pushing to the edges of the driveway, the kind of shoveling that leaves one with sore muscles and a feint despondency about the temporary nature of the work. The mail carrier drove by with spiked tires to handle our stll-unplowed steets, causing me to stop and wonder... why bother shoveling the snow when there's no way to go anywhere?

I was about half-way through clearing the driveway -- again -- when I noticed an unmarked white Ford F-350 with a dark red Western plow carving a path through the streets. The driver slowed in front of my driveway and called out, "Want me to pull the rest of this off for you?"

It was temping. There's always a certain amount of pride in finishing the driveway without pulling my wallet from my pocket, but since I'd already finished this job before -- a few times, actually -- I was willing to treat myself.

"How much?" I asked.

The man smiled and lifted his fingers slightly from the steering wheel. "No charge."

I thanked him profusely and immediately banked my shovel as he slipped his truck into gear. He was done in 3 passes and about 30 seconds, and before he left he introduced himself and said he lived in the other side of the neighborhood.

Maybe he's some sort of snow angel, or maybe just he's a guy who likes to use his 4X4 in the snow. Maybe both. I like to think he's a race fan, maybe one of the TrackForum regulars -- but hey, what are the odds. But as he headed down the street, I noticed his brake lights as he approached another of my shovel-weary neighbors. I probably can imagine their conversation being very similar to ours, as another driveway was cleared in another 3 quick passes.

Who knows how many neighbors that snow plow owner helped today.

Penske Taps Power, Fans Want Hunter-Reay

In the wake of Roger Penske's hiring of Will Power as an insurance policy to cover trouble-laiden Helio Castroneves' driving responsibilities, fans of other available drivers are disappointed -- and in some cases, scratching their head.

Certainly the Aussie-born Will Power is talented, as his wins in ChampCar demonstrate. It's not that. It's just that you got a couple of proven Indycar winners on the sidelines.

Guys like 2008 Wakins Glen champion Ryan Hunter-Reay. He ran near the front all season in so-so Rahal equipment. Guys like 2004 Indy 500 Champion Buddy Rice.

So I put the question to the TrackForum.com community: Who *Should* Roger Penske have hired? After two weeks of voting, Hunter-Reay is the top choice with 40% of the vote. Will Power, Penske's choice, trailed behind at 26%.

The fans wanted Hunter-Reay.

With indications that Buddy Rice may end up at Rubicon/Pacific Coast Motorsports, all eyes now turn to Hunter-Reay. The team that signs him may find themselves finishing races higher on the pylon than they thought.

Or the Indycar Series might let this talent get away.

Audi Confirmation

Audi Sport’s head of engine technology Ulrich Baretzky has now confirmed the information I posted on the 11th, although they are targeting 2011 instead of 2010. You can read his statements over at racecar-engineering.com.

It will be interesting to see if this initiative will come to fruition amid these tough economic times.

Audi Indycar Engines in 2010?

You heard it here first: The latest information from Germany is that Indycar officials met with Audi racing recently about supplying engines to the Indycar series.

There were similar rumors last June about Audi's interest in the Indycar series. Waiting for supporting information about this one.

UPDATE (1/13): I have info from another source now to corroborate the recent discussions between IMS and Audi.

Hornish in 2009: Will He Stay or Will He Go?

Queue The Clash, it's time to ask the same question we did one year ago: Will Hornish stay or will he go? With Helio's legal problems making his availablity uncertain, there's been talk over at TrackForum of bringing Hornish back to Indycars.

It makes some sense: If Helio is out, why put someone new in the seat when you have the 2006 Indy 500 Champion and 2006 Season Champion right there in the garage?

I have absolutely no inside info on this one -- darn those water-tight Penske garages -- but I imagine that Roger will give Hornish the opportunity to voice a preference, and then Roger will make the final call. Penske isn't going to worry about, as one TrackForum poster put it, Hornish getting "blown away half the season" on the road courses; Hornish notched a 2nd at Watkins Glen and a 5th at Infineon in 2007.

Alas, as much as I would like to see Hornish in Indycars, it makes sense for him to give the tintops one more season to see if he can break through with some success.

With or Without Honda

When the economy goes sour and your racing series has exactly *one* supplier of something, folks start to worry. Especially when that something is the engine.

Trackforum poster "TheDJ" from speedfreaks.tv posted their concern about Honda, based on comments made by Jay Howard:

"OK guys, so I've been worried as Honda not only pulled from F1, but also AMA Superbikes... but then Joie Chitwood left the PRI show on Day One and said it was because of bad news that needed to be released this week..."

I'm actually not worried about losing Honda. From the first race back in 1996, the Indycar Series has always had a source of engines, and if Honda withdrew (with adequate notice of course), builders would emerge from the woodwork. Where there is a funded series with funded teams that are ready to write a check, I'm sure some engine brand would love to have their name in the Indy 500 Winner's Circle.

Wrapping Up 2008

The 2008 Indycar season was probably the most important season since the first IRL race back in 1996. Loaded with firsts -- first Long Beach GP, first win by a female, first win for Graham Rahal in his first race -- this season will always be remembered for The Merge of the Indycar Series and the CCWS series.

My personal feelings are mixed. It was great to see Danica make headlines, although I'd prefer if she won with competitive passing (as I detailed here). And while the races up to Texas set the table for nail-biting competition, the second half of the season was a bit of a yawn -- not unusal when one driver takes an early points lead.

Predictions for 2009? At the moment, I don't have any. The recession is really the only topic of conversation in Indycar garages this winter, and my usual sources of info are giving me little more than a shrug.

We can all hope for another Danica v. Milka showdown, as there's nothing like a catfight to keep the motors running. And I *do* hope for a series return to Australia, if for no other reason than to support the traditions shown in this photo.

So now my attention turns almost exclusively to sportscars as we gear up for the Rolex 24 in February.

The Truth: Speed DOES Matter

When TracksideOnline nails it, they nail it. An except of a recent email received via their (fantastic) subscription service, talking about the Firestone Indylights Series:

"...there are 26 cars practicing for this year's Freedom 100 with JR Hildebrand the early leader in the session at 191.575 miles per hour. Not that it matters but the qualifying record for IMS in a Sprint Cup NASCAR stock car belongs to Casey Mears at 186.293 mph, 48.311 seconds, Aug. 7, 2004."

While many NASCAR fans smugly declare that even the second-tier Nationwide outdraws the Indycar Series, it's worth pointing out that on the track our second-tier series can flat-out demolish the Cup cars.

Those guys can have the crowds. We'll take the speed.

John Andretti In, Jay Howard Out

Lots of Trackforum teeth-gnashing at Marty Roth for putting John Andretti in Jay Howard's car for the Indy 500 time trials next weekend, with the assumption that Marty sat Howard in favor of Andretti and a fat check. However, the fact is the team was struggling to find speed, and neither driver was able to post a time that was anywhere near good enough to get in the show -- and in just 3 laps John Andretti topped 220mph, faster than both Jay Howard and team boss Marty Roth.

Forum Reacts to Danica Running Into Crewman

For those who haven't seen the video yet because you've been trapped under something heavy and this is apparently where you ended up after googling Danica and Pit Accident, here you go:


Horrible accident, and I believe it's no one's fault. But as the TrackForum board lit up with page after page of support for Danica, anyone notice the double standard? We were ready to give Marty Roth a boot to the butt for his *much less* serious accident in pit lane during a race.