The Glass is Half Full

Nobody “likes” doing PR. Race car drivers like to race, we put up with the endless smiling, shaking hands, and doing interviews because that’s what gets the sponsors to pay the bills so we can do what we love. Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of perks along the way, and as far as bad jobs go, even a PR day as an Indycar driver does not rank in the top one million worst things you can do to earn the rent money. But you want to be driving the car, or working with your engineers to make the car faster, or taking some personal time to get focused for the biggest race in the world just six days from now, anything that will get you closer to putting your face on the Borg Warner trophy as an Indy 500 champion. But bills need to get paid, so you go with the flow and make the best of whatever circus hoop you are being asked to jump through next.

The last few years, that circus hoop has come in the form of a mass trip to New York for all 33 starters in the Indy 500 for a “major market” media blitz. The day will include a photo op at some NY landmark, and then a media luncheon to help promote the race. After two solid weeks of practice on Indy’s 2.5 mile field of dreams, it is great to be anywhere else just to get a break and a change of scenery. It’s great to spend some down time with the other drivers away from the pressures of the speedway. There is a strong sense of fraternity. Everyone there endured their own long road capped by four sometimes terrifying laps to qualify for the race, but now for the next couple days they stand as equals, cause the thinking goes “if you’re in the race you’ve got a chance to win.”

Drivers are optimists by nature, we have to be to do our job. Most sports like baseball, half the teams win a given day, and half loose. For drivers, that thrill of victory comes far less often. To combat this, we all convince ourselves the next race will be the one for us, no matter if you qualified on the pole and are the media darling favorite that week, or you scrape into the field on the very last day in a plain wrapper car that the team has not even had time to place your name onto. Every one of them can envision a scenario that leads to victory lane, why else take the risk?

Now, I’m sitting here at home this year so I can look at things with a bit (but not much) more clarity. So, here’s how I rate everyone’s chances to win Indy this year.

Dan Wheldon 3/1 Early favorite has fast car and tons of Indy motivation

Tony Kanaan / Dario Franchitti / Michael Andretti 4/1 Mike’s my emotional first choice, TK’s looking good, and Dario’s most dangerous when he’s quiet

Scott Dixon / Helio Castroneves 6/1 Scott’s been overshadowed by DW, Helio’s always a threat

Sam Hornish 8/1 Not shown as much flare this year, but don’t bet against Penske

Marco Andretti / Danica Patrick 9/1 A win from one of these two would do wonders for the series, they both have a great chance

Everyone else 100/1 Yup, as far as I can see it, this year is a 9 car race. I don’t think anyone else has a realistic shot.

That’s the way I see it from the cheap seats. Talk to you tomorrow. GO MIKEY!

Bryan