Once again, racing spanned the globe, bringing us the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.
Anyone guess what I used to watch a lot of as a kid?
I think it’s great Danica Patrick got her first IRL victory — and the first IRL win by a woman — in Japan, but I was of two minds on how to celebrate this historic first.
Patrick is a talented racer, as I observed in seeing her come from the back of the field in St. Pete’s, so somehow getting overly excited over her win seems, well, wrong. I mean, it wasn’t unexpected, was it? She works hard and everyone knew it was only a matter of time.
And less than 24 hours later Simona De Silvestro, the only woman in the 23-car field, earned her first win in the Champ Atlantic race in Long Beach, Calif.
The 19-year-old De Silvestro joined Katherine Legge as the only female winners in Champ Atlantic history — a series that Patrick also raced in, by the way.
These are indications that women are continuing to become forces to be reckoned with in big-time racing — just as they are on local racetracks.
Patrick, De Silvestro, Legge, Erin Crocker, Chrissy Wallace, Ashley Force, and Melanie Troxel are cut from the same cloth as Jill Lang, Kim Lang, Mindy Harriss, Nikki Bristol and Danielle Huson, to name just a few (and my sincere apologies to the many I didn’t list).
I know we’re not there yet, but I’d like to think we can advance beyond needing to single someone out as an example for a larger group in terms of race, gender, creed or whatever. Someday.
In the meantime, I’m going to think of the wins by Patrick and De Silvestro as a milestone event first for two talented drivers, and second for the sport of auto racing.
What else did we learn?
1. Evergreen Speedway.
The weather didn’t halt all the racing — which was pretty good considering the conditions — just the super stocks.
My pick for the bomber race, Jim Foti, led the most laps but faded late. Jerry Head returned from a nine-year layoff from racing to climb victory stage. John “The Cowboy” Carlson scored his second straight super figure eight win, although my pick, Steve Peters was in the front until clipping a car in the intersection.
2. IndyCar/Champ Car.
Well, obviously my pick, Tony Kanaan, didn’t win in Japan.
The other half of the half-a-world away open wheel doubleheader — the Champ Car race in Long Beach, Calif. — went to Australian Will Power, not my pick, Graham Rahal, who spun twice and finished 13th in the last-ever Champ Car race.
3. Nationwide.
Check that block in the Grand Slam of Prognostication! My pick, Kyle Busch, continued his hot run with a 3rd straight Nationwide victory in Mexico.
I thought Busch did a good job in winning his first road race, and thanks ESPN for not having a camera on him when he finally passed Scott Pruett for the lead in the closing laps. I mean, why would you want to show the two leaders battling?
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