Texas 2013: First Impressions

1. Penske Racing has finally won a race. Everyone can calm down and Helio Castroneves is the points leader.

2. Now, Mr. Ganassi, when are you going to get back to victory lane?

3. Say what you want but this was a pretty exciting race. Yes Castroneves won by 4.6919 seconds. Yes only five cars finished on the lead lap but there was something exciting about it and I will have to explain my reasoning in depth later.

4. Great run by Tony Kanaan to pass Ed Carpenter late for third and Marco Andretti had a great run to get up to fifth.

5. Dario Franchitti and Will Power were sixth and seventh. A great day for two drivers who were having a difficult season.

6. Josef Newgarden scored his first career top ten on an oval finishing in eighth and a great run by James Hinchcliffe in ninth. His first top ten this season that wasn't a win.

7. Andretti Autosport may not have one but they had all four cars in the top ten with EJ Viso finishing tenth.

8. Late strategy saw James Jakes fall to twelfth after running in the top ten all night and Justin Wilson faded to fifteenth after quickly working his way to fifth from twentieth early in the race.

9. While James Jakes is coming into his own, his teammate Graham Rahal cannot catch a break. He finished 21st, 5 laps down.

10. Speaking of not catching breaks, Pippa Mann only got two laps tonight before her engine blew. Bummer,

11. Scott Dixon's night wasn't any better and finished twenty-third. Not to mention a few of his pit crew members were burned when gearbox fluid burst out of the car.

12. ABC's coverage gives me a brain aneurysm and makes me want to drink. Can we please have an adult conversation about how you broadcast your races ABC? Please?

13. No one had an accident in this race. Oriol Serviá spun but didn't hit anything and the other cautions were for Mann and Dixon coming to a stop on the apron. Not a bad day for Dallara after the brutal race two at Belle Isle.

13. If we can duplicate the racing at Texas at Chicago, Kentucky, Charlotte and Kansas then IndyCar can and should return to racing on more 1.5 mile ovals.

14. The race was enjoyable but I can already hear it now: The moaning over ratings, people complaining about the style of racing (though it was met so favorably after last year) and more panic.

15. But I will stay as positive as possible. It was a very good race. We have our seventh different winner in 2013 and there are eleven races remaining in 2013. Plenty to look forward to.