It’s been a while since we’ve talked racing in this space and,
given the fact that the Indianapolis 500 is coming up this weekend,
now would probably be a good time to check in on the world of auto
sports.
It’s been a while since we’ve talked racing in this space and, given the fact that the Indianapolis 500 is coming up this weekend, now would probably be a good time to check in on the world of auto sports.
• The unthinkable is still happening in Formula One. Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher still has not won a race and his hopes of winning an eighth points championship, and a sixth in a row, are dwindling with each passing race weekend. Yes, the F1 world has been turned upside down. This time last year, Schumacher had all but wrapped up title No. 7. Now, it looks like he’ll be lucky to finish in the top five.
• I know, I know. Who cares about what the Euros are doing? It’s far more exciting to talk about the antics of overgrown children like NASCAR’s Kevin Harvick.
During last weekend’s Nextel All-Star Challenge, Tony Stewart hit the back of Joe Nemechek’s car, sending it into Harvick’s car. When Harvick and Nemechek got out of their machines on the infield, the crowd in Concord was treated to another classic NASCAR shoving match and the two drivers had to be separated.
A war of words ensued.
“Kevin thinks he owns the world, and he ain’t squat,” said Nemechek. “That wasn’t my fault out there. Everybody’s racing hard, I don’t know what happened there. As far as Kevin Harvick, he can do what he wants. He was just being an idiot, just being Kevin.”
Naturally, Harvick had a different take on things.
“I’m tired of Joe Nemechek acting like he doesn’t do anything,” Harvick said. “He can take that and shove it where the sun don’t shine.”
Real nice. Somebody cue the banjo riff from “Deliverance.”
• The biggest story in racing so far this year has to be Danica Patrick, who promises to make this Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 a very special one. The Team Rahal rookie sensation managed to put her machine on the second row for this year’s 500, the best starting spot any woman has ever claimed for the storied event.
Make no mistake about it, this girl is very fast and she very much deserves her seat on the Rahal team. We could be in for some history this Sunday from the Brickyard.
Speaking of young IRL talent, Hollister’s own Bobby Grewohl is in Indianapolis this weekend to compete in Saturday’s Night Before the 500 race in his national midget. He’ll also be helping out with Scott Dixon’s IRL machine during the actual 500.
Grewohl’s racing career has jumped onto the fast track since he headed out East earlier this year. Not only is his midget season going well, he has been doing a lot of testing for the Chip Ganassi team. Grewohl has been getting a lot of seat time testing not only the team’s NEXTEL rig, but their IRL car as well. With Grewohl getting serious testing time in an actual Indy machine, it can be only a matter of time before he makes the move to the big leagues as a featured driver on the Ganassi team.
