This weekend IndyCar heads to the short oval of Iowa Speedway and for the first time it will be ran under the lights. Better still (at lease for me) is I am heading there with them. This is my replacement for Chicagoland Speedway and Barber. (I always go to Chicagoland but sense IndyCar does not race there this year I will give my money to Rusty Wallace instead. I also had tickets and pit passes for all three days at Barber earlier this year but was unable to go so I talked myself in to going to Iowa to make up for it). This is a very nifty little track with changing banking (done right, more and more tracks are going to different banking in the turns but Iowa did it right with a nice smooth parabolic curve). The one thing learned from years passed at this track is aggressiveness does NOT always pay off. Please take not Mr. EJ Viso! This is also a track where the Death Stars dominance should be at its lease. As aerodynamics means next to nothing here, they are very important on road courses and extremely important on most ovals this however is that exception. Here you need mechanical grip not aero grip. So if “Pork Chop” was going to have a good race this is her best shot.
For predictions, contrary to what I just said about “Pork Chop” I am not going to go with Simona. Sentimental favorite yes but I just do not think she can pull it off with her confidence shaken as badly as it is. Pole is going to be hard to pick, as I am afraid that it might come down to track temperatures. Qualifying is right smack in the middle of the afternoon high so catch a cloud and your golden otherwise be prepared to slip and slide. Should be interesting how teams attack qualifying as the track conditions will be nothing like race but they do have a hour fifteen minute practice that will also have hot slippery track conditions so we will see. Meanwhile I have to pick someone so I will go with the hot hand of Dario Franchitti. For the win, I would love to see Tony Kanaan pull it off and his showing at the Mile gives me enough hope to go with it! One note though Tony you have to finish to win and this has not been the best track for Tony when it comes to rolling the car home. Second, I will go with Dario after all if anyone other then his BFF (TK) beats him we know we will have two whole weeks of him crying about it but then again he is likely to cry about something anyway. To close out the podium I well say Helio brings it home. Unless you are extreme anti-Helio, you just had to fill heart broken for him last week. Leading pulling away flat tire no matter still fastest car on the track yellow had to come in. I strongly believe without TK spinning Helio would have stayed out and brought it home but with the yellow bunching up the field and cooling off the tires he really had no choice but to come in can change. For the story of the race I am going to say, keep an eye on Danica this week. This is a very good track for her and she just might be able to back up that top five finish from last week. The “Legend in His Own Mind” award I am going to say steer clear of Charlie Kimball. He is in a “Ganassi” car that has no business being a back marker week in and week out. I try not to pick on rookies too much here but it is well passed the time Kimball needs to show an effort that he is worthy of such a ride. (*note* he really was not that impressive in lights either)
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