The Indianapolis 500 has long been known as the greatest spectacle in racing. After Sunday’s exhilarating experience, it may be on its way to being the greatest event in all of modern sport.
Some 300,000 smiling spectators were treated to a heart-pounding marathon featuring wheel-to-wheel excitement, sunshine, and more than enough pre-race entertainment to go around. If you have any doubts about how intense the race was both live and on television, Google Mike Conway’s amazing crash (where he coincidently only broke a leg) and give it a look.
The fans weren’t the only ones fired up to watch 33 of the world’s top drivers. Oscar-winning actor Jack Nicholson was apparently so thrilled to be the official starter of the race that he decided he wasn’t coming down from the starter’s box until around 30 laps had been completed.
The race was stellar from start to finish. The expected conglomerate of Target/Chip Ganassi, Andretti Autosport, and Penske Racing showed why they are the dominant forces in the new IndyCar series, which merged with former rival CART in 2008.
Dario Franchitti, the eventual winner, showed early that he was a force to be reckoned with, passing three-time winner Helio Castroneves on the first lap and never looking back. The Scotsman led an astounding 155 laps, fighting off late challenges from the likes of Castroneves, fan-favorite Tony Kanaan, and former winner Dan Wheldon for his second victory at the Brickyard in three years.
Danica Patrick had a rough month of May, and it stayed rough from start to finish. From the boos that rang out after a less than tactful qualifying interview, to the lack of outright cheering during driver introductions, it wasn’t in the cards for Indycar’s most marketable star. Although she was able to garner a respectable fifth-place finish, Patrick was pretty much a non-factor.
The World Cup, the Super Bowl, and World Series are presently the three podium finishers of sporting greatness. If Indycar has its way, however, that pantheon will be challenged immediately.
The Indy 500 has always had a special place in the hearts of sports and non-sports fans alike due to the sheer spectacle and emotion of at all. There is no other single event that can bring together a quarter of a million plus people for one afternoon of good food, good times, fantastic wrecks, and flat-out great racing.
If Danica Patrick (or perhaps Lady Gaga and Betty White?) decides to show up for the party next year, we’ll have a whole other animal on our hands. And that’s a good thing.
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