Kentucky Speedway is as good a venue as there is on the IndyCar schedule to watch a race.  Some live for the thrill of the wheel-to-wheel action a 1.5 mile oval offers, others loath what the style of racing stands for.  Either way, this facility is great and the sight lines are second to none.  Moving the race the evening made the event that much more enjoyable.

27 cars are entered for this year’s race.  Will Power’s lead for the championship has been shrunk to a mere 23 points over Dario Franchitti.

2009 Review

Last year’s race (check out Ed’s restart around the 3:15 mark) produced one of the best finishes in recent IndyCar history. The mighty Penske driver, Ryan Briscoe, edging Ed Carpenter, playing the role of David, by a few feet at the finish line.  There wasn’t a person in the Speedway sitting down for the last 10 laps.  Ed Carpenter was trying to overcome what so many others have failed to do-be a small budget team to knock off the Giant’s of American Open Wheel Racing.

The finish aside, you’ll remember this was the first oval race to utilize the Honda Overtake Assist button.  Many were skeptical, but after the lackluster races that the series had produced on the earlier ovals last season, something had to be done to improve the show.  Since new cars and engines weren’t going to be rolled off the line, this seemed like a logical patch.

Many people will argue the gimmick of something like an overtake assist, but given the situation the series has put itself in with the car specifications this was the only direction.  It seems fair to say the overtake assist succeeded in improving the racing for the fans.  And for the haters, remember that less than 1% of the fan base probably has any idea about technical specifications of these cars.  I’m not saying it isn’t important, but at the end of the day people just want to see fast cars and dramatic racing, anything else is secondary.

Last year when Briscoe edged Carpenter at the line I doubt many people were leaving saying, "if only those cars had a turbocharged V6 that would have been a better race".  No.  They left feeling the thrill and excitement of the action on the track.  And I’m guessing more than one person walked away remembering what it was like to attend an IndyCar race.

Last 5 winners

• 2009 – Ryan Briscoe
• 2008 – Scott Dixon
• 2007 – Tony Kanaan
• 2006 – Sam Hornish Jr.
• 2005 – Scott Sharp

Track Record

The fastest qualifying lap is held by Sarah Fisher (2002) with a speed of 221.390 mph (24.0661 secs). 

Track Distance

1.5 miles with 14 degrees banking in the turns.

IZOD IndyCar Series Track Schedule (All times local – Eastern)

Friday

• Practice Session – 10:15a – 11:15a
• Qualifying – 1:30 – 3:00p
• Practice Session – 7:00p – 7:30p

Saturday

• Race – 8:45p Live on Versus

For tickets go here.

Kentucky Area Info

• Visit the only public sign museum in America.
• Head to King’s Island.
• Or go gambling at Belterra.

For weather info go here.