Sunday is the big race!

For myself, it has not been the same since the infernal restrictor plates.

For my money they need to knock down the high banking and make the tracks wider so they can run wo plats at Daytona and Talledega. These belly button cars don't do it for me.

Juan Pablo Montoya will make an interesting sub plot to watch. When he was driving the Indy cars he was amazing. He could drive a loose car better than anybody. Amazingly quick hands. I think and hope he will do well.

The nearest parallel I can draw is Nigel Mansell coming from F1 Champion to Indy cars back in 95? He was a quick study. Very very fast but driving a road race line (I read....I really don't know what that means) he spun and hit the wall hard at a one mile oval...must have been Phoneix. And drove at Indy with a seriously bruised and bleeding back, but managed to finish second or third after grazing the wall on about the 197th lap. It seems as if he may have won the championship that year as well.

Of course Mansell stepped into Michael Andrettis car, a first class ride.

Montoya's Ganassi team has not been top tier in Nascar for a few years now. I hope they can give him a winning capable horse.

Bill Elliot has headed home already, having failed to qualify. I love watching him run but am glad he is retiring without suffering any serious injury.

I will be holding my breath...waiting for the inevitable BIG ONE... and praying for a safe one.

Tom W

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.