Yearly Indy Topics

As it is the month of May, IndyCar takes center stage and to fans like myself we normally hear topics each and every year and they never change. For a while it was that IndyCar can no longer be a spec series. It needs multiple engine manufactures, multiple chassis manufactures and it doesn't matter if the engine is turbocharged or not, inline-4 or V6. Well, in a sense we can put that story aside with Chevrolet and Lotus joining Honda and both running twin-turbos to Honda's single turbo. But their are still those story lines that we will probably all hear when the track opens for practice and qualifying. My plan is to quickly run through those yearly topics right now.

Let's start with one that has been in the forefront since the beginning of the season:

Will we have 33 cars this year?
It seemed definite but soon became a shaky situation when Lotus stopped funding Herta and Dreyer and Reinbold and Mike Shank was struggle to get a Honda or Chevrolet but the addition of Jean Alesi and Fan Force United gave the entry list a 33rd combination and all seemed well. Until now. It appears Dragon Racing is going to get out of it's deal with Lotus and that would bring the entry list back down to 31 cars if neither Dragon runs. Dragon is trying to work out a deal with Chevrolet starting at Indianapolis.

The Apron
Since the earlier 90s this has been discussed and it continues today. Many argue it would bring more passing back while other say it was done for safety reason and the apron should not change back to original form. I am in that crowd who wants the apron back. The car safety has improved since 1993 especially with the addition of the SAFER barriers in 2002 and I think even if only half of the apron was brought back, the racing would be much better and the marbles would not be as much of an issue as it is today.

Rain
It's going to happen. A day at the track will be a wash, nothing we can do about it. Let's just hope it isn't pole, bump, carb or race day.

Bump Day
Since unification, bump day has seen bumping, but just like a few years in the early 2000s the question of will bump day have any excitement is back to the forefront. If the 33 confirmed entrants all qualify and Mike Shank gets the engine of his choosing but if he doesn't bump day will be a shake down day once positions 25-33 are settled.

The Speedway Is For Sale
No it isn't. Mari Hulman George is not going to sell it. We all know what her father did to save the place after the Second World War, we know she wants to leave it for her grandchildren and the fact that most of them currently work for the speedway in some way shows that they are interested. So when you see articles saying Bruton Smith, the France Family or anybody else is going to buy the Speedway, just know its nothing but a lie.

Tony Stewart Is Going To Do The Double
No he isn't. Granted I would love to see him do it, even Robby Gordon would be fun but it is not going to happen. Now maybe in a year or two if the Speedway moves the start time up an to 11am and have testing at the Speedway all month long. Then we may see something, but as I said before if guys like Stewart, Robby Gordon, and Hornish were to come back or drivers who never have raced at Indianapolis for the 500 but are talented enough to do so such as Allmendinger, Kahne, Newman, Johnson, the Buschs, Jeff Gordon, Keselowski etc, I would love to see it.

For the most part this is the first time you will be hearing these subjects during the month of May and it probably won't be that last time either.