Posts Tagged ‘indianapolis 500’
Monday, May 6th, 2013
James Hinchcliffe (Chuck Carroll, Wikimedia Commons)
James Hinchcliffe of Oakville, Ontario is heading into the 2013 Indianapolis 500 as a serious contender.
On Sunday in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Hinchcliffe won his second race of the season by winning the Sao Paulo Indy 300 and moved from tenth to fourth in the 2013 IndyCar standings.
Hinchcliffe started fifth on the started grid yesterday (on the inside of row three) , and won the race despite only placing first on only one of the 75 laps. That lap however was the last lap of the race as Hinchliffe made a brilliant inside pass to move past Japan’s Takuma Sato.
Hinchcliffe showed a great deal of tenacity and resiliency on Sunday. He was in the middle of the pack for a major portion of the race, and was only in fourth place with about ten laps to go. Then Hinchcliffe built up some remarkable speed and passed Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud, before finding his way on Sato’s bumper.
Sato was harshly criticized by the NBC Sports Network for blocking Newgarden and Hinchcliffe in attempts to pass. If Sato had won the race, there might have been some controversy.
On May 26, Hinchcliffe will try to be the second Canadian (after Jacques Villeneuve in 1995) to win the Indianapols 500. Hinchcliffe finished sixth last year. Earlier this season, Hinchcliffe won his first career race in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Tags: indianapolis 500, james hinchcliffe, josef newgarden, sao paulo indy 300, simon pagenaud, takuma sato
Posted in Indy Racing League |
Monday, February 18th, 2013
Danica Patrick (Scott Mecum, Wikimedia Commons)
For the first time ever, a woman has won the pole for the Daytona 500. On Sunday, Danica Patrick of Beloit, Wisconsin, recorded a lap of 196.434 miles per hour.
It was Patrick’s greatest accomplishment in NASCAR. Patrick, who races for Stewart-Haas, was 0.142 seconds faster than Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports.
In 2005 Patrick became the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500. She went on to finish third in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 race and became the first woman to win an IndyCar race when she won the Indy Japan 300 in 2008.
Patrick was making NASCAR headlines off the track in 2013 because it was recently reported she was dating NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Patrick divorced from her husband Paul Hospenthal in November. She is also known very well off the track for her sexy godaddy.com commercials.
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Tags: dale jarrett, danica patrick, daytona 500, indianapolis 500, jeff gordon, matt kenseth, NASCAR, ricky stenhouse
Posted in Indy Racing League, More |
Sunday, May 27th, 2012
Ashley Judd (Wikimedia Commons)
Dario Franchitti of Great Britain is now the history books.
On Sunday, Franchitti won his third Indianapolis 500, joining Helio Castroneves of Brazil, as the only race car drivers born outside the United States to have won the world’s most significant auto race thrice.
Three drivers have had the opportunity to drink milk in the winner’s circle four times– Al Unser, A.J. Foyt and Rick Mears.
But on Sunday it was Franchitti’s time to go into the spotlight. The Target Chip Ganassi rider started 16th, but was able to make up the time. New Zealand’s Scott Dixon finished second. Both Franchitti and Dixon dominated the second half of the race.
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Tags: a.j. foyt, al unser, ashley judd, dario franchitti, helio castroneves, indianapolis 500, rick mears, scott dixon
Posted in Indy Racing League |
Saturday, May 26th, 2012
James Hinchcliffe (Wikimedia Commons)
The 98th running of the Indianapolis 500 runs this weekend (Sunday, ABC, 9am) with Australian Ryan Briscoe on the pole.
But the big news for Canadian sports fans is who will be driving second. James Hinchcliffe of Oakville, Ontario will be starting in the second position for Andretti Autosport. Meanwhile Alex Tagliani of Montreal will be riding 11th.
Not at the 2012 Indianapolis 500 are the defending champion, Dan Wheldon, who died at a race in Las Vegas and Danica Patrick who is in NASCAR.
However there are three ladies in the race. Brazilian Ana Beatriz is driving in the 13th position, England’s Katherine Legge is 30th and Switzerland’s Simona de Silvestro is 32nd.
Australian Will Power who leads the IndyCar point standings so far this season will start fifth.
Here are the other events I’ll be watching this weekend:
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Tags: albert montanes, alex tagliani, ana beatriz, boston celtics, brandon gormley, dan wheldon, french open, indianapolis 500, james hinchcliffe, juan martin del potro, katherine legge, loik poudrier, london knights, michael chaput, philadelphia 76ers, ryan briscoe, shawinigan cataractes, simona de silvestro, texas rangers, toronto blue jays, will power
Posted in Amateur Sports, ATP World Tour, Indy Racing League, MLB, More, NBA |
Tuesday, July 5th, 2011
Jacques Villeneuve (Wikimedia Commons)
Canadian auto racing legend Jacques Villeneuve had some interesting comments about Formula One on Monday.
He called the circuit boring. This is the primary reason I have never got up in the middle of the night or very early in the morning to watch the sport myself.
Apparently Villeneuve doesn’t like the passing that is taking place on the circuit this year with the drag reduction system or adjustable rear wing.
I admit. I have not watched the Formula One circuit enough since the rule changes were put in place to state a strong opinion, but the lack of passing in the first place is what turned by attention initially to IndyCar.
If there is any one driver to voice a credible opinion on a global scale about auto racing, it is definitely Villeneuve. He has won an Indianapolis 500, Formula One World Championship, and now at the age of 40, has been competing recently on NASCAR’s Nationwide Series for team owner Roger Penske.
Tags: formula one, indianapolis 500, jacques villeneuve, NASCAR, roger penske
Posted in Indy Racing League |
Sunday, May 29th, 2011
Dan Wheldon (Jonathan Ferry, Getty Images)
Dan Wheldon of Emberton, England has won his second Indianapolis 500.
A member of Bryan Herta Autosports, you could argue that Wheldon didn’t win the race, but American rookie JR Hildebrand lost it.
Driving with meters left from the finish, Hildebrand hit the wall and was passed by Wheldon at the finish. Hildebrand finished second for Panther Racing, despite crossing the finish line with only three wheels.
Granham Rahal, son of 1986 winner Bobby Rahal, finished third, despite not racing for his dad, but for Chip Ganassi.
Bertrand Baguette of Belgium, racing for the Rahal Letterman team, and Danica Patrick, were leading the race with about ten laps to go, but each had to make a pit stop late in the race, ending their chances of finishing on top of the podium.
As for the Canadians, it did not go well at all for Paul Tracy, James Hinchcliffe and Alex Tagliani. Hinchcliffe and Tagliani did not complete the race because they hit the wall, while Tracy hit the wall as well, but was able to finish the race, finishing in 25th.
Notes: This was the 100th anniversary of the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911…Wheldon first won the Indianapolis 500 for Team Andretti Green in 2005.
Tags: bertrand baguette, bobby rahal, bryan herta, dan wheldon, danica patrick, graham rahal, indianapolis 500, jr hildebrand
Posted in Indy Racing League |
Saturday, May 28th, 2011
Scott Goodyear (Bing Images)
Before I write this blog, I would like to let all my readers know I am not a huge auto racing fan. I rarely watch NASCAR and have not really got into Formula One since Jacques Villeneuve of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec won the Formula One Championship in 1997.
That said, there is something special about the Indianapolis 500, and a reason I have watched the race since 1991.
I have not watched the Indianapolis 500 every year since then however. When Tony George formed the Indy Racing League in 1994, and CART drivers, including Paul Tracy, (a good friend of Prospect Magazine) decided to boycott the race starting in 1996, I stopped watching it too. Tracy did compete in 2002, and I was glad to watch then.
But over time, some of my greatest auto racing memories have come watching the Indianapolis 500.
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Tags: al unser jr., alex tagliani, barry green, helio castroneves, indianapolis 500, jacques villeneuve, paul tracy, sam schmidt, scott goodyear
Posted in Home |
Friday, May 27th, 2011
Alex Tagliani (Wikimedia Commons)
The greatest auto race of the year takes place Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis.
It is the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500. (The race was not held for two years during World War One and for four years during World War Two). In 1911, Ray Harroun of the United States was the first winner. Over that time, drivers from ten separate nations have won the coveted race including Canada’s own Jacques Villeneuve in 1995.
Well in 2011, Montreal’s Alex Tagliani has a great chance in joining Villeneuve in making Canadian history. He will be on the pole representing Sam Schmidt Motorsports.
James Hinchcliffe of Oakville, Ontario, an IndyCar rookie will start 13th, and Paul Tracy of West Hill, Ontario will start 24th.
There are also four women in the race. Joining American Danica Patrick, are Switzerland’s Simona de Silvestro, Brazil’s Ana Beatriz, and Great Britain’s Pippa Mann.
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Tags: alex tagliani, alexander radulov, ana beatriz, andy oliver, atlanta braves, boston red sox, brandon wheat kings, chicago cubs, cincinnati reds, clay buchholz, danica patrick, dave cameron, david ortiz, david villa, detroit tigers, fc barcelona, gilles simon, indianapolis 500, jacob de serres, jacques villeneuve, jair jurrjens, james hinchcliffe, javier hernandez, jeff karstens, joey votto, johnny cueto, juan martin del potro, lionel messi, manchester united, mardy fish, miguel cabrera, mississauga st. michael's majors, moncton wildcats, New York Yankees, novak djokovic, Ottawa Senators, patrick roy, paul tracy, philadelphia phillies, pippa mann, pittsburgh pirates, quebec ramparts, ray harroun, ryan dempster, saint john sea dogs, sam schmidt, simona de silvestro, st. louis cardinals, ted nolan, tomas jurco, vania king, wayne rooney
Posted in Amateur Sports, ATP World Tour, Indy Racing League, MLB, More, Soccer, Western Hockey League |
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
Alex Tagliani (Wikimedia Commons)
It was a great day in the history of Canadian auto racing on Saturday.
Alex Tagliani of Montreal, Quebec captured the pole position for the Indianapolis 500. Tagliani posted a speed of 227.472 miles per hour, .132 miles per hour faster than Scott Dixon of New Zealand.
Tagliani has never won an IndyCar race, but does have one ChampCar victory. In 2004, Tagliani defeated Rodolfo Lavin of Mexico to win the 2004 Road America race in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
So far in 2011, Tagliani has two top ten finishes with Sam Schmidt Motorsports. He finished fifth in Long Beach and sixth in St. Petersburg.
Saturday was also a solid day for Canadian Indycar rookie James Hinchcliffe of Oakville, Ontario. He will start 13th.
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Tags: alex tagliani, indianapolis 500, jacques villeneuve, james hinchcliffe, rodolfo lavin, scott dixon
Posted in Indy Racing League |
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