It’s only January, but I’m preparing for the Indy 500 and the IZOD IndyCar season.
My daughter is trying to pick 3 drivers to cheer for in 2011, with more than a little well-meaning advice and encouragement from her father. She knows Ed Carpenter is one, since that’s Sarah Fisher’s driver, but the other two are up in the air. Clearly, our household has not seen a decision of this importance since my spouse decided birth control was optional. My wife is giving me looks that say any additional analysis of Which Driver She Should Cheer For will be considered an overt act of spousal abuse, if not outright war. Philosophical musings in regards to the importance of Jim Nabors, Paul Tracy getting a good ride for the ’11 season, and my epic dissertation on Why I Need To Sit In J-Stand This Year seem lost on the audience I have at hand.
I try to avoid it, honest. I try to internalize my excitement of this amazing offseason when I’m around the family. Apparently, calling my wife from work, telling her I have amazingly great news, and then talking about Charlie Kimball signing with Ganassi is wearing a bit thin. Now, I begin statements such as “You know, I really think that DeFerran should….,” before remembering that I am not among the hardcore IndyCar fandom at that precise moment and trailing off meekly. Recounting anecdotes to the family about what Graham Rahal and Tomas Scheckter said on Twitter fails to merit the proper appreciation of their humorous and interesting nature (at least in my opinion). I scour YouTube for IndyCar videos yet unseen, scavenging among the leavings like some woodland creature trying to eat grass poking out from the snow. The frigid months stand between me and my beloved IndyCar like Milka Duno on a road course, but the heart wants what it wants.
Oh, the winter wind outside is cold, but my IndyCar fervor burns hotter than ever. Now if you’ll excuse me, if I have to call the wife and tell her where I think Dan Wheldon will end up.
Suggest to your daughter that she could cheer for Simona de Silvestro. I became a Danica fan when she burst onto the Indycar scene several years ago, but lately she has obviously become more concerned with promoting her "brand" and less with racing. I am especially disappointed in her decision to chase the money and shortchange her open wheel roots. I see Simona as not only a breath of fresh air in her behavior as a person, but as someone whose is obviously focused upon her racing career rather than self-promotion.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Zachary! There is so much going on this winter that I HAVE to tell someone about it!
ReplyDeleteDelta3, I suggested that on my own blog, that people are going to be drawn to Simona the same way they are Sarah Fisher, because she is a down-to-earth person who is focused on the fans and her driving career. Right now, Danica's "brand" isn't predicated on winning or losing. Maybe someday it will, but for now it looks like racing is just an absolute cash grab for her.
Excellent call on Simona, guys. My daughter knows her dad will definitely be cheering for Simona, at the least. :)
ReplyDeleteI think she probably will end up cheering for her. As I've mentioned before, I see her as a great role model with an enthusiastic, wonderful attitude. She's a racer, and she's approachable, down-to-earth, and relatable.