Nobody really cares what I think about things. Don't believe me? You haven't seen the e-mails I get. With that said, and knowing I'm too far down the road to stop doing what I've been doing for more than 30 years, I offer you some idle thoughts.
Nobody asked, but it wouldn't surprise me if the IRL title chase goes right down to the last lap of the last race Sept. 15 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Speaking of Texas, I expect more than 33 cars to make that race. Heck, all the chassis are good for after that race are show cars or expensive coffee tables.
A.J. Foyt has been smiling a lot this year. Is he happy with his Harrah's team's results or just looking forward to the day he has Airton Dare and grandson A.J. IV running his cars in the Indianapolis 500 next season?
With the shake-up at Petty Enterprises in NASCAR, might there be two Andrettis next year in the IRL? What was the "Patty Duke Show" tune? "They're cousins ... identical cousins ..."
If Sam Hornish Jr. does do a deal with Dale Earnhardt Inc., to run some NASCAR races, why doesn't Pennzoil get Dale Earnhardt Jr. to run Richmond, Va., as Hornish's teammate in the SunTrust Indy Challenge next year? NASCAR has the weekend off.
What happened to all the experts that predicted Roger Penske would come into the IRL and pillage it, winning the title and all the races? Are they still counting tickets from the Cleveland Grand Prix?
Chris Pook has done a good job of giving CART some direction. Don't believe all the stuff Pook spouts publicly. He has to say some of it to appease his stockholders. Behind the scenes, Pook has navigated through some very rough waters and the CART ship is still afloat.
Why are the new 2003 IRL chassis equipped with both right- and left-side fuel filler areas?
Is Davey Hamilton headed back to driving? Hamilton recently took some laps out at IRP in a Silver Crown car. This week he walked in -- that's right, walked in without cane or crutch -- to pick up credentials for the St. Louis race.
When the IRL goes to tracks that host NASCAR events, too, why do they bunch up their pit stalls? Give everyone some more room by lengthening them out a bit.
Where are all the females and minorities that the other series keep talking about? Is there only room at the top for Sarah Fisher and George Mack?
If the IRL is the 'sanctioning body' for the Infiniti Pro Series, what should we call the IRL's top series? IRL? Indy Cars?
Why can the IRL cars drive and pass with an aero push and Winston Cup cars can't?
Talents like Hornish, Fisher, Felipe Giaffone, Bruno Junqueria and Alex Barron started their careers in karting. Why doesn't TV cover some karting?
If the big crowds are at NASCAR races, why not run an IRL race on the Saturday of a Cup weekend at the same track?
If Major League Baseball does go on strike it will have to worry about more than the NFL. NASCAR was nowhere near as popular in 1994 when the "Boys of Summer" last walked out.
Why wasn't more stink made when Christian Fittipaldi decided to go NASCAR?
If Tony Stewart ever gets tired of the "pressures" of NASCAR, I'm sure there's room for him in the IRL.
If NASCAR wants to solve its no passing problem at some of its tracks it should watch ESPN Classic. That's where you see stock cars that really looked like stock cars. I still can't find that Pontiac Grand Prix or two-door Ford Taurus with the NASCAR valance on my dealer's showroom floor.
Racing season is coming to an end much too quickly. I like Al Michaels and John Madden, but there's nothing like a whiff of methanol or Union 76 racing fuel to get you started in the morning.
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