All-purpose open-wheel (F1, IRL) racing thread

I'm just thrilled to see Alfa Romeo (sorta) returning to F1.

 

Toronto used to be one of the premier dates for CART and IndyCar but those days are long gone, they have vastly reduced the number of seats, Friday is free, corporate interest is low and the buzz around town during the event - which was huge, making it one of the biggest events of the summer - is non existent.

 

James Hinchcliffe addressed the lack of car culture as well.
James Hinchcliffe says IndyCar needs to attract more fans who aren't 'car guys'

 

Not the best story, and a typo in the headline, but I'm amazed how strong Penske is still going at 81. I'm half his age, and probably don't have half of his energy.
Roger Penske still going strong at 81

 

This one kinda stinks.
IndyCar crash: Port-a-potty truck rams into Chip Ganassi Racing hospitality motorhome

Would have made me chuckle if it had been a Penske truck.

 

Pretty entertaining stuff in St. Pete's yesterday once the race got going. Lot of early yellows but the late yellows really made the last few laps very interesting.

 

Sebastien Bourdais getting back to the winners' circle less than a year after that ugly crash at Indianapolis qualifying last year was a sports story that got lost in the shuffle of a busy news day yesterday.

 

Indeed, Bourdais was steady all day, moved through the field and was in the right place at the right time when Wickens and Rossi got into it late

 

Johnny Rutherford turned 80 this week. Foyt, Andretti, Bobby and Al Unser, Parnelli Jones and Gordon Johncock are all still living. Seems like the top drivers who beat the odds by not getting killed in a race car when dying was a regular outcome have continued to beat the odds.

 

Was it my imagination, or was the ABC IndyCar broadcast team even worse than usual in the season opener?

 

Unser? Andretti?
Turns out A.J. Foyt's biggest rival is actually killer bees.

A.J. Foyt briefly hospitalized after attack of killer bees