While better action on the speedways spiced up the second half of
the 2009 season, it did nothing to stop the inevitable
Penske-Ganassi slugfest. The series got better TV coverage from
Versus, who then got kicked off DirecTV and forced fans with the
service to find other means of watching the last two races. Tony
George got ousted by his family from the CEO post at Indianapolis
-- and then responded by leaving his CEO job at the IRL as well.
And then there's Danica Patrick's decision to work double duty with
the IRL and stock cars.
Again, a mixed bag. But at least it gives me plenty of
material to work with on figuring out what were the best and worst
moments of 2009.
BEST RACE: Peak Indy 300, Chicagoland Speedway.
Kentucky may have been where side-by-side oval racing
returned for the league, but the race later that month at
Chicagoland brought back the peculiar mix of excitement,
nervousness and borderline insanity that marked so many of the
IRL’s past events on 1.5-mile ovals. As Ryan Briscoe and
Scott Dixon fought for the win (which Briscoe grabbed by .0077 of a
second), a giant pack that saw drivers go two and three-wide in the
high banks lurked behind them. You can argue that the action was
too intense. You can’t argue that this race wasn’t
memorable.
Honorable mention(s): Kentucky, Toronto
WORST RACE: SunTrust Indy Challenge, Richmond
International Raceway
Over eight seasons, the IndyCar Series had carved out a good
niche for themselves in Richmond, a racing city that’s
decidedly more NASCAR in its leanings. But one night this past June
tore it all down as the IRL put on one of the worst open-wheel
races to date. This “event,” won by Scott Dixon, forced
the league to roll out a new aerodynamics package that consisted of
optional tools such as tire ramps and side pod extensions. The
package worked well upon its debut at Kentucky in August, but not
before the IRL and RIR decided to part ways. What a waste.
Not-so-honorable mention(s): Edmonton, Texas
MOST IMPROVED DRIVER: Graham Rahal
Rahal was unable to pick up a win in 2009, but he and his
Newman/Haas/Lanigan team clearly stepped it up in their second IRL
season. All of the American driver’s five top-5 finishes were
on ovals, both big (Kentucky, Chicagoland, Motegi) and small
(Milwaukee, Richmond). That’s a pretty good accomplishment
when you think about what he and the team went through in 2008.
More improvement over this offseason could put them closer to the
front in 2010. But will it be enough to ensure that the No. 02 will
be fighting the “Big Two” for the win on a regular
basis?
Honorable mention: Mario Moraes
BEST MOMENT: Helio Castroneves wins third Indy 500
Almost a month and a half after his racing career was on the
line in a Miami courtroom, Helio Castroneves wrote another
triumphant chapter in his legacy with a victory from the pole at
Indianapolis. Buoyed by his four F’s-- family, friends, faith
and fans -- the popular Brazilian took another giant step towards
the realm of Indy legends. But it turns out that the storybook
ending to his emotional year didn’t come at the Brickyard. At
Homestead, Castroneves revealed that he and his girlfriend are
expecting a baby girl to arrive in January.
Honorable mention(s): Justin Wilson gets Dale
Coyne’s first win at Watkins Glen; Ed Carpenter nearly shocks
the Penske juggernaut in Kentucky.
WORST MOMENT: Meira-Matos crash at the Indy 500
In the closing stages of this year’s 500, Vitor Meira
and rookie Raphael Matos were battling for position in Turn 1 when
the two touched wheels. The meeting sent both cars hard into the
SAFER Barrier, but Meira got the worst of it as his No. 14 A.J.
Foyt Racing entry slid on its side along the barrier before coming
to rest on the inside of Turn 2. The incident ended Meira’s
season as he broke two vertebrae in his back. However, he recently
returned to the cockpit in a September test at Indianapolis -- a
great development after his vicious crash.
Not-so-honorable mentions: Will Power crashes into Nelson
Philippe at Sonoma; Tony Kanaan takes a double-hit at Indianapolis.
BEST RIVALRY: Helio Castroneves vs. Paul Tracy
As much as you wanted to feel for Castroneves after he and
Toronto native Paul Tracy tangled together and crashed in
PT’s hometown, you couldn’t help but also feel some
exhilaration at the Canadian crowd raining down boos on the
Brazilian. It was proof that the IRL needs a spicier rivalry to
dovetail with the gentlemanly duel between the Penske and Ganassi
squads. Considering the history that these two drivers have, this
fits the bill. Now if only Tracy could find enough sponsorship to
go full time.
Honorable mention: Ganassi vs. Penske -- It’s all
business.
WORST RIVALRY: Tony George vs. The Board of the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The controversial and memorable Tony George era at the
Brickyard came to a close when the IMS board, which includes
Tony’s mother and his three sisters, voted him out of power
as CEO of the Speedway. But then Tony answered back by stepping
down as CEO of the IRL, which was the job that the board wanted for
him. Now George has simply become a team owner with Vision Racing.
The whole thing was bad PR for the series and with Vision having
been reported not to have funding for 2010 yet, George’s long
fall from the top may not be over.
HARD LUCK AWARD: Vitor Meira and Tony Kanaan (tie)
We already know what happened to Meira, so let’s see
what Kanaan had to deal with this year. Three broken ribs from
hitting the wall twice at Indianapolis? Check. Two pit fires at
Milwaukee and Edmonton? Check. Another down year for his Andretti
Green Racing team? Check again. The Brazilian hasn’t lost his
talent in all of this but you have to wonder: What will it take for
him and AGR to be able to return to their past championship form?
