Looking Back And Looking Ahead
It’s amazing what a week away from something can do for your attitude. Even if that something is something you love; too much of a good thing can be exhausting. Such was the case with blogging. In the past week, I’ve been able to clear my head and take a step away from racing. It’s been a good thing and I’m happy to be back at it.
To celebrate jumping back into it I thought I’d get with my old buddy, John McLallen, and do an episode of One Take Only – the videoblog of Oilpressure.com. It is unscripted, unrehearsed and uncut. We just sit down and start talking racing. Whatever we get, we get – hence the name.
In this episode, we look back and look ahead. We discuss the Indianapolis 500 and aero kits at length. We also discuss the other races that have taken place since Indianapolis and we look ahead to Fontana. I’m not sure if it was our mood, the hot weather or what – but we have less banter and more focused racing talk in this edition. That may or may not be a good thing.
If you don’t like these, come back Friday for the obligatory preview of Fontana. But as always; thanks for reading and following Oilpressure.com.
George Phillips
Oilpressure 
June 24, 2015 at 4:08 am
Thank you for blogging and for doing One Take Only. I’ll watch that after breakfast.
June 24, 2015 at 8:00 am
For added fun, may I suggest turning on the automatic YouTube closed captioning, turning off the volume, and try to follow the conversation. I wish I could post the screen grab of one of my favorites from this week..
June 24, 2015 at 8:34 am
If John’s comments become true with Steak & Shake, maybe that is another car for the series. And maybe Conor Daly could get that seat?
June 24, 2015 at 8:53 am
George where did you get that awesome Marlboro Team Penske Shirt? I want one!
June 24, 2015 at 8:58 am
By the way, I was wrong about Andretti and Honda in 2012. Back then they were a Chevy team.
June 24, 2015 at 10:12 am
Thanks to both of you for another episode of OTO. While you were talking about aero kits, the accompanying airplane noise was strangely ironic. But that’s One Take Only 😉
George, what do you think of the rumors Milwaukee might not be back next year? I hope this race returns. I’d love to go there if I ever travel to the US in person. It’s even ahead of Indy on my wish list as the IndyCar race to visit.
June 24, 2015 at 10:54 am
The Milwaukee Mile is the oldest operating race track in the world. The owners and drivers love it. If it is in any danger of not returning it is because IndyCar keeps jerking the promotor (Andretti) around with a different date and time each year. This year the race will start at 4:30 PM to please the TV suits. That means that fans from surrounding states will get home very late on a Sunday and it allows no time for a rain delay. Inevitably then, on Monday fans who watched the race on TV will say: “Gee, the stands looked a bit empty.” That makes me crazy, but I will be there in person as I have been for most years since 1949. If you can make the race some year I hope I can still be around to welcome you to Milwaukee.
June 24, 2015 at 3:08 pm
Thanks Ron for the welcome 🙂
It’s too bad the series has done this to other promoters previously, too, and they went away. Surfers Paradise comes to mind, and more recently, Houston. And we’ll see what happens or does not happen with Fontana soon enough. You cannot really afford to do that as a sports governing body when you’re competing against International Speedway Corporation’s owner NASCAR.
June 24, 2015 at 12:52 pm
Sadly, my prediction is that Milwaukee and Fontana will be off the schedule after next year. And Pocono the year after that.
The VSCS ( Verison Sonoma Car Series ) doesn’t do ovals any more.
June 25, 2015 at 7:26 am
If you are right about that, Indycar will be dead.
June 24, 2015 at 10:45 am
Great episode. You look refreshed, George
June 24, 2015 at 12:48 pm
Perhaps putting all ovals (Indy excluded of course) on Saturday isn’t a bad idea. There aren’t as many support races to take up track time so lack of practice time is not an issue. You avoid head to head competition with Cup races with the added bonus of having a built in rain date. Thoughts?
June 24, 2015 at 1:03 pm
That would likely work well at Milwaukee, but alas there is apparently no room in IndyCar for well- thought- out logical ideas such as yours.
June 24, 2015 at 9:34 pm
Only a matter of time until it is Indy 500 and the twisties
June 25, 2015 at 10:26 am
Thank you. I needed something to bring my natural optimism into balance.