Race Car Thoughts

I'm watching this week's IRL race while it pours outside (I'm starting to watch for animals two by two) and I got to thinking about last week's Indy 500. As you know, this is an annual tradition for my mom and aunt to watch it on TV while cheering for their drivers. This year we scrapbooked while it was going on. Well, okay, some of us did. My mom and my aunt were glued to the screen, even during the three hour rain delay.

They usually introduce the drivers before the race starts, row by row. My aunt looked at Tomas Scheckter's suit and said, "He looks like Buzz Lightyear."

The race also had three women (count 'em! Three women!) which meant that the creepy lady who gives the instructions had to say 'Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!' Danica Patrick had a great day; Sarah Fisher not so much, and Milka Duno (who seems to recognize that sex appeal is generally sorely lacking in this sport, and she's gonna supply it with panache) crashed out. But it was kick ass to have all those women in it, even if half my family thinks Danica Patrick sucks.

Well, that's harsh. My cousin doesn't like her attitude, but here's my thought: here's a gal who has been under more pressure than any female racer I know of (I don't know what Janet Guthrie went through, so I admit that failing). She's got a great team, a great car, and the expectations on her to be both attractive and accomplished are a lot more than many of the men have ever had to shoulder. She's got endorsement deals coming out the wazoo, and everybody wants to interview her. So sometimes she comes off as a little cold, but I think it's mostly self-preservation. She really wants to be professional and I think she wants to be considered attractive more than she lets on (otherwise she'd go with shorter hair). But so far I think she's doing really well, and once she gets her first win a lot of people will have to go into their closets, pull out some hats, AND EAT 'EM.

What I loved about watching Dario Franchitti win wasn't jus Ashley Judd running around shrieking with joy while soaking wet but that Tony Kanaan almost leapt across the car to hug his best friend (which, if the first rain delay had stuck, Tony would have been the winner) and even Michael Andretti cracked a smile.

Speaking of the usually dour Michael, he seems to come to the track every year with a new trophy wife. Michael! Skip the bimbos! They just make you seem old and creepy! The one this year was practically gloating. The last one had a tendency to bounce and clap. Ye gods.