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[LenAshburn]

Indy 500 @Speed Reports, Carb Day, May 25, 2007


Carb Day and hot weather is upon us in Indy this week. The weather is hot and dry, very similar to what one expects in late July and August. Our grass is browning and the airconditioning is now turned on.

Here on Carb Day we usually drive into the track but 16th Street was logjammed at the end of my street. I waited about 15 minutes and the line never moved so I turned around, parked the car at home, and continued the journey by bicycle. One cannot get very far into the speedway by bicycle and it is, hopefully, safety parked near the motel.

Indycar practice is ending with Andretti Green cars heading the practicees with Tony Kanaan fastest at 225.467 MPH. Ashley's husband was next at 223.807 MPH, and bossman Michael Andretti right behind at 223.575 MPH.

Helio Castroneves was next at 223.527 MPH but the surprise of the morning was Buddy Lazier appearing in the fifth spot at 223.MPH, good enough to be called to the press room for interviews. All of the qualified cars made it out for Carb Day.

Honda Racings H17R Indy V-8 engines will power all 33 starters in Sunday's 91st Running of the Indy 500. Honda is the single provider of engines for Indycar and the last three Indy 500 winners have used Honda engines.

The only impact typewriter in the press room rests in spot number A-1, the seat reserved for octogenarian Chris Economaki, for whom the interview room on the first floor is named. Chris never accomodated computers much less the internet. One has to be a subscriber to get any information from the National Speed Sport News website.

Alex Lloyd driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports with Lucas Oil on the side pods, has won the Freedom 100 for Indy Pro Series cars. Lloyd led most of the way in the 100 mile event which finished under the yellow due to raindrops on the south end of the speedway. Chris Festa was second and Jaime Camara was third. The IPS cars put on a whale of a show as they dipped and diced in maneuvers not seen on their Indycar brothers.

The sky is clouding up so I think it is time to head for the barn. The loud music is about to begin over in the pagoda plaza, loud enough to rattle the pictures on the walls of the houses for blocks around. You can't get away from it so it must be endured as part of the fabric of the Indy
500.

The vintage Indy Cars will take to the track for their annual parade. They are so beautiful but with every passing year they appear more primitive compared to the speed vessels we see coming from the computers today. One cannot help but admire the courage of the drivers who ran these rigid beasts from 1909 to 1964.

Check the Open Wheel News & Info forum for releases from the track on other events of the day. Our @Speed team will be back with you live on Sunday to give you the blow by blow of the 91st running of the Indy 500.
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Len in Indy