A crazy weekend at Indy.

Just thought I'd go over a few thought about this weekend, while everyone else was freaking out about the "Lost "finale", Indycar fans had their own freak out with a wild last hour of qualifying. Some have asked if Tony Kanaan hadn't been involved would it have been so compelling? Probably not. I always love the last hour of qualifying where things get desperate because it's great TV so I'm probably not the one to ask that question.

Here's my thoughts on the weekend. The Pole day shootout of was a smashing success. Anything that can quiet the normally chatty Helio Castroneves is definately a keeper. I will never forget him turning down an interview with Jack Arute in the pit inspection lane and jumping up and down like Muhammad Ali geting ready for a fight as he watched his car being wheeled down pit row towards him. Then going out and breaking 228 MPH twice that hadn't been done all week. It's one of those images that will stick in your mind forever. I'd put it up there with Al Unser Jr's "You don't know what Indy means" speech after his first win and the sight of Dena Mears being consoled by Roger Penske's wife after Gordon Johncock fought off Rick Mears in the closest finish ever at the time.

Speaking of the memoriable, the sight of Sarah Fisher not being able to watch and hiding her eyes as teammate Jay Howard's second lap that was too slow to make the race wiht time already expired will stick with me for quite some time. So much emotion goes into these little teams efforts, you forget that when Penske and Ganassi make it look easy every year. It's not easy.

Speaking of little teams, the quote of the month goes to Brian Herta describing their effort as "Two men and a Truck!" Hated to see Sarah's heart broken but Brian is a good guy too.

Something must be done to help the little teams in the one week format. If we are sticking to it, they are at a direct disadvantage. The deck is really stacked against them now. I don't know what can be done, maybe more tires so they can test more or extended the engine mileage rule so they can run more. If a driver puts it in the wall or there is rain like this year, it's really hard for them to recover.

Indy qualifying is the hardest thing a race driver can do. Putting together four laps at that speedway is tough. The cars are on a razor's edge to qualify. Anybody who has been there and attempted it will tell you how hard it is to do. The shootout and one week format has just intensified that pressure 200%. While it's great drama for the fans, it's really rough on the drivers. The fact that Paul Tracy is not in the race and Takuma Sato is doesn't really make sense.

I agree with Randy Bernard, the ladder system must be inforced and used as a way to build interest in the main series. We can't have these ride buyers coming in and taking rides away from people who have followed the rules and went up though Indy Lights and then get to the big show and are told sorry no ride available for you. JR Hildebrand is a perfect example. An American driver who won Indy lights last year yet could not get anything other than a try out ride with Coyne racing. Instead Milka Duno buys the ride in the Coyne second car.  I didn't have anything against her until this year. She has been nothing but slow and seemed to get worse as a driver. She has something in common with Hildebrand now. Neither is in the race.

I have never been inside the speedway, and every driver who has come there has said they are blown away by it. If you notice a middle age guys crying in stand C section 13 for no reason. That will probably be me.

Looking forward to it, we'll get back to the comic and action figure review in June. It's May people, nothing matters but Indy.