A Rough Start to Race Week
The start of the season for the NTT IndyCar Series is upon us. It is finally Race Week, with the season-opening race at St. Petersburg this weekend. While it is still February, I thought it would be a good chance to have an in-depth discussion about the upcoming season with my good friend and fellow IndyCar blogger Paul Dalbey, from Fieldof33.com on our combined videoblog – Two Sites Unite.
Until we were ready to record, I didn’t realize that this was the first time we had done one of these videos since last May, just before the Indianapolis 500. Apparently, we haven’t been missed. Let’s just say that I don’t think Hinch and Rossi, or the Bus Bros are feeling threatened by Two Sites Unite.
You don’t really need to see our smiling faces. All we do is just sit in the same spot and talk. But we did get into some deep topics, and also went down a few rabbit holes – like discussing ugly Indianapolis 500 winning cars from the 70s.
So pour some coffee or load up your phone as you get into the car and give us a listen. It’s probably not the greatest way to start off your week, but It’s early on Race Week. Where else are you going to get an IndyCar conversation this early in the week?
George Phillips
Oilpressure 
February 27, 2023 at 9:19 am
Good morning.
That 2013 Indy 500-winning car was ugly.
— the end —
February 27, 2023 at 9:29 am
Marcus Ericsson lucked into that Indy 500 win because Scott Dixon entered pit lane one mile-per-hour too fast. I don’t rate Ericsson as an ‘oval master.’ He was fortunate to have a Honda-propelled car and a Ganassi-team-prepared car.
February 27, 2023 at 4:52 pm
Tyler Reddick is the NASCAR driver Paul was thinking of, he was signed by 23XI to race in 2024 and was set to be a lame duck at Childress in 2023. Things aligned for Reddick when Kurt Busch could not continue for 23XI and he could move there for 2023, which suited Childress just fine.
Here’s a wild stat, Josef Newgarden has been the top-finishing Penske car at each of the last 3 Indy 500s, with finishes of 5th, 12th, and 13th. His 5th place in 2020 was pretty much a perfect run… but Honda had a very clear advantage that year.
The ugliest era of Indycar, I think, is the brief era of wedge-shaped cars that ran from 1969-1971. Fortunately for us, among the best-looking of these ugly cars (the Hawk and the PJ Colt) were the ones that won the 500. Look at the 1971 McNamara that Mario drove… *shudder* The wings that came in 1972 did a lot for the look of the cars even as they continued to use wedges in the body work (except for the Antares).
Among early winners, I find George Robson’s 1946 winner to be one of the ugliest. The 1912 winning National is also pretty unattractive, but I give it some leeway on looks because of how early in history it was made.
Love the bench racing, guys. See you all in Texas!