Michael Andretti: Owning His Heritage

75% of Andretti's driver lineup
hails from the U.S.

Sure, I love me some T.K., Willy P., and the always rootable, Swiss Miss but, personally, nothing compares to watching homegrown talent tear it up on the track.

With that in mind, AHOI would like to recognize Michael Andretti, of Andretti Autosport, with major ups for six of his eight full-time drivers having grown up amongst the Amber Waves of Grain.

Coincidence? Maybe, but I'll choose to take it at face value. 

Michael is very quietly doing his part to ensure indigenous talent has an opportunity to compete on America's premier open-wheel stage.

Good on ya, Mike.

Below, is a list of all the drivers who regularly attend AA meetings:

IZOD IndyCar Series

• Marco Andretti—Nazareth, PA USA
• Ryan Hunter-Reay—Boca Raton, FL USA
• Tony Kanaan—Salvador, Brazil
• Danica Patrick—Roscoe, IL USA

Firestone Indy Lights Series

• Charlie Kimball—Camarillo, CA USA
• Martin Plowman—Tamworth, England

USF2000 Series

• Sage Karam—Bethlehem, PA USA
• Zach Veach—Stockdale, OH USA

—JM

Size Matters: Put Something in That Man’s Hands He Can be Proud of

This isn’t Latvian Formula 3... THIS is the IZOD IndyCar Series. The most absurdly challenging open-wheel discipline on the planet. So, as a fan, every time I see a driver whip out his tiny bottle of bubbly and attempt to celebrate a hard-earned victory, as Mr. Judd did last weekend, I feel like donning a dress.

It’s embarrassing. IndyCar may not be ruling the popularity wars just yet but, as the saying goes, “act like you’ve been there before.”

With props to you, Mr. Bernard, for your accomplishments, thus far, and with due respect, my charge to you is to allow that champion to wrap his hands around something that turns the dudes green with envy and the ladies rosy with embarrassment—in other words, CHAMPAGNE SHOCK AND AWE.

A monumental magnum of the authentic stuff (or a nice domestic sparkling wine, would also be lovely) that allows the winner to put his full manhood on display and bathe those adoring fans, over and over again, in the shared fruits of victory—a bottle that shadows Wilson and Rahal... one that Viso could swim in.

Not too much to ask, I dare say. I’m confident there’s a plethora of fine vintners out there that would leap at the chance to provide the goods, F.O.C., in exchange for a bit of pub with the Series.

Are there bigger fish to fry? Nope. It's a small thing, but one that will make a measurable difference in the perception of IndyCar.

Cheers.

—JM

Smooth Sailing

[You’re screaming down the front stretch at Indy and about to inhale the car in front of you when, unexpectedly, he pulls down into your line and BAM—you’re airborne. {Freeze Frame} Pop up the visor, take a deep breath, and have a look around. You’re 10 feet off the deck and staring down the throat of the Turn 1 catch fence at over 200 mph.]

So, while you’re temporarily spared a very unenviable fate and just hanging out, ask yourself this: Would I rather slam into the current cheese-grater of a fence that will summarily shred my car (and maybe me) into 1.3 million pieces and shower them like pixy dust all over my fellow competitors; or, maybe hit something a bit more forgiving? Something considerably less ferocious? Something smooth... yea, smooth, that might bang me around and ring my noggin like a cheap kabuki gong, but essentially spit me back out on track in remarkably good shape, all things considered?

Now, I don’t know whose idea a smooth, “hockey-style” catch fence was—some cursory research revealed it being bantered about on the Net at least as far back as ’04—but I think it’s something the IZOD IndyCar Series owes its competitors and fans to, at least, investigate.

No, I don’t know if it will work; no, I don’t know how much it will cost and; selfishly, no, I don’t know if I want to be staring through a clear plastic screen while sitting in the stands. But in light of recent (and not-so-distantly past) events, it seems like something worth considering.

Sure, racing will always have a danger element, but is that a super-license to dismiss safety opportunities [insert HANS Device and SAFER Barrier arguments here]?

I’m not blindly endorsing the idea, just bringing it up for discussion. I suspect you have an opinion on the subject, so please share it via the poll, above, or the comment section, below. I also imagine these guys might have a word or two to say about it: Mike Conway, Ryan Briscoe, Kenny Bräck, Davey Hamilton, Tony Renna (1976–2003).

[Now, back to the action. Drop that visor... {Roll Tape}]

—JM

Editor’s note: I’m not one for sensationalism, but if you absolutely can’t help yourself from wanting to see what sort of carnage the current iteration of catch fence can cause, click here, then scroll down.

Wheels of Fortune: An Open Letter to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

Dear Dennis, Robbie, and Larry:

Hey, whassup? So, since the 24 car has already been a rolling paradise to such driver cast-offs as Tomas Scheckter, Graham Rahal, and Paul Tracy, why not make it official?

For the remainder of the 2010 season, dedicate the 24 as home to the super-subs—sanctuary to all the rideless and semi-rideless shoes we’d love to see in the series full-time, but can’t... maybe throw a rookie in the deep end while you’re at it.

I knew you’d ask, so here’s my suggested lineup for the remaining races:

Toronto: Bruno Junqueira
Edmonton: Oriol Servia
Mid-Ohio: Graham Rahal
Infineon: Paul Tracy
Chicagoland: Graham Rahal
Kentucky: Ed Carpenter
Motegi: JR Hildebrand
Homestead: Wade Cunningham

Seems easy enough. Larry? Robbie? Bueller... anyone?

Much love,

Johnny Montona
Chairman, Unemployed IZOD IndyCar Drivers’ Advocacy Coalition

[Um... that’s a lie. I’m not, not the chairman. And, well... there’s actually no coalition. Sorry. Uh, never mind. I feel dirty...]

P.S. Get well soon, M. Conway.