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2009 IndyCar remainders
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Andy Sallee/Motorsport.com
First things first: 2009 was not the most compelling year in Indy Racing League history. Yes, the championship WAS dramatic, but for much of the season, the on-track compettition was, at best, mediocre. Yes, the "oval problem" was seemingly resolved by year's end (maybe too well), but the major headlines were, mostly, off-track.
Helio Castroneves had a most uncertain start to his 2009, as he faced the very real prospect of jail time and deportation. On April 17, though, he was acquitted by a Miami jury. He would race at Long Beach that weekend.
Since he missed the first race in St. Petersburg, Fla., his championship chances were gone from the start, but his permanent absence would have been devastating to the IRL. After all, he is one of the few (two?) drivers with any name recognition in this country.
In May, of course, Helio won his third Indianapolis 500. Indy 2009 did not prove to be terribly compelling, as the the series' oval problems became evident. Amateur driving from some, along with a bad aero package, made for a dull day. That said, your humble Examiner has noted one positive trend, at least at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This video, from the start of the 500, gives some decent shots of the crowd (note the infield mounds):
This next video is from the beginning of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard:
The crowd shots aren't great, but the number of empty seats is huge compared to May. Granted, the '08 tire debacle played a role here, but the takeaway is real: IndyCar racing has, finally, reasserted it's dominance... in Indy. Yes, it's so minor that it's laughable, but years ago, NASCAR was likely the bigger draw in Indy. No more. At least we've got that going for us!
On the track, I'll remember Justin Wilson giving Dale Coyne his first major open-wheel win. Dale Coyne Racing, of all teams, broke up the Penske-Ganassi streak. It was a good race and a fantastic result.
My favorite race of the year was Toronto, the best dry street race I've seen. It was all topped off, of course, by "The Incident."
It was genuinely exciting to watch IndyCar that day. Hopefully, 2010 will give us more of that.
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