http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/home.aspxMike Thomsen's Racing Blogen-usCopyright 2013, WIBC-FMMon, 20 May 2013 12:23:10 GMTThu, 16 May 2013 20:23:50 GMT1http://emmisinteractive.comAfter an incident-free week of practice, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway finally saw an incident Thursday, when popular rookie Conor Daly hit the wall in turn one. As I mentioned on Twitter, I'm gutted for Daly and the A.J. Foyt crew, because the Noblesville native is one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. I first got to know the Daly family in 1988. I was an 18-year old kid just out of high school, working for WTOL-TV in my hometown of Toledo, Ohio. I was sent to cover a personal appearance Derek Daly was making on behalf of his sponsor, Raynor Garage Doors, at a business in my neighborhood. I interviewed Derek for a few minutes, and then chatted with him after I stopped rolling tape. He was extremely friendly to me, and said that I should look him up at the Michigan 500. I wasn't sure if ...http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10545718http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10545718Thu, 16 May 2013 20:23:50 GMTOne of my favorite parts of the Month of May are the practice days.  The drivers are still fairly relaxed, and the crews always seem to have that Cheshire Cat grin when you ask them what tricks they plan to pull out of the bag to find the speed needed for a run for the pole.  Yesterday's practice session was especially entertaining, as Marco Andretti and James Hinchcliffe swapped rides, each going faster in the other machine as the primary driver.  It was a small throwback to years gone by when "test-hopping" was common. It didn't matter what team you drove for, you could just wander to another drivers pit and work out a deal to borrow their car for a few laps.  Hinch had another busy day, in addition to his driving duties he, and Will Power stopped to sign dozens of autographs for the students of Arlington Elementary ...http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10544828http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10544828Wed, 15 May 2013 11:37:39 GMTAs I first tweeted yesterday, you can expect a fresh face to be announced to a top IndyCar ride tomorrow at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Penske Racing is expected to announce that A.J. Allmendinger will join Will Power and Helio Castroneves at the Speedway in May, in a strong 3-car assault on another Borg Warner Trophy for the team. You may recall that Allmendinger was actually fired by Penske's NASCAR team last year, after the driver failed a random drug test. Allmendinger claimed he tested positve for Adderall after unknowingly taking the substance which he believed to be an "energy pill". But despite the fact that Penske removed the driver from his NASCAR lineup, the racing legend never turned his back on the young driver. Now, he's giving the 31-year old a chance at redemption behind the wheel of the car that won last year's pole with Ryan Briscoe at ...http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10514187http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10514187Mon, 06 May 2013 16:33:10 GMTOne of the most compelling stories this May could be the return of 1996 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier to the Brickyard. Lazier last competed in the 500 in 2008, after a dramatic "Bump Day" run put him in the field of 33. Now, our spy cameras have found his name on the Dallara that Jean Alesi drove in last year's Indianapolis 500. That car is currently sitting in the Dallara factory on Main Street in Speedway, Indiana getting a few modifications. A deal is currently being worked on to put Lazier in that car for this year's 500, with an engine deal in the works according to one key team principle. Lazier was a popular winner at the 500 in 1996 with Ron Hemelgarn's team. He has 5 top-5 finishes in the "500", including two second-place runs in 1998 and 2000.http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10535777http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10535777Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:53:43 GMTAfter what seems like an eternity, Izod IndyCar Series drivers are back on track at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. The test is giving fans a chance to see several new car-and-driver combinations in action, in addition to the debut of several new paint schemes, or "liveries" if you prefer. Another will be announced tomorrow, when popular sophomore sensation Josef Newgarden picks up a deal with Century 21 Realty for the Indianapolis 500. The deal will be a one-off for the Indianapolis 500, and is expected to be announced at Century 21's big national convention at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Newgarden's Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing ride showed up for the open test at Barber today,  looking sharp with Klipsch on the side of the car. In addition to the test, the series will have a bit of a "get to know you" session at Barber, with new Hulman & ...http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10516253http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10516253Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:19:51 GMTIt's been a long off-season, but the Izod IndyCar Series is getting ready to roar to life. And if you're looking for a way to get revved up for the season, the Series is ready to take you for a ride. The Indy Racing Experience's street-legal two-seater will be giving rides during a celebration on Georgia Street tomorrow from 11:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. In addition to the two-seater rides, drivers Ed Carpenter, Josef Newgarden, Sebastian Saavedra, and James Hinchcliffe, along with popular team owner Sarah Fisher will sign autographs from noon to 1:00 P.M. at the Lids Locker Room.    http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10512454http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10512454Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:03:53 GMTIf you've ever wanted to meet two of the all-time greats of in the history of the Indianapolis 500, Wednesday night is your chance. Three-time Indianapolis 500 winners Johnny Rutherford and Bobby Unser will sign autographs at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum as part of the Speedway's Fan Appreciation Night from 6:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. Admission to the Museum will be free during the fan appreciation event. Unser and Rutherford are two of the most fan-friendly drivers in Indianapolis 500 history, and this is your chance to meet these legendary stars of the Speedway.  http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10464795http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10464795Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:10:25 GMTThe Brickyard Grand Prix has picked up another superstar entry. 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner Scott Dixon will join fellow 500-winner Juan Pablo Montoya, and Brickyard 400 winner Jamie McMurray in the 02 car for Chip Ganassi's team. Dixon joins five other Indianapolis 500 drivers in the field, Montoya, Paul Tracy, Scott Pruett, Eliseo Salazar and Sebastien Bourdais.http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10407250http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10407250Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:31:47 GMTGreat news for fans checking out next week's first Brickyard Grand Prix Grand-Am race. IndyCar star Sebastien Bourdais has been added to the lineup with the Starworks team. Bourdais drove a spirited final stint at the recent Sahlen's Six Hours Of The Glen, where the team finished third. Bourdais is one of the finest road-racers in the world, having won four Champ Car championships. The French driver has also competed in two Indianapolis 500's.http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10405288http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10405288Wed, 18 Jul 2012 19:35:36 GMT  There are only so many ways you can shoot yourself in the foot. IndyCar seems to invent new ones all the time. Last Sunday we were treated to one of the greatest Indianapolis 500 mile races in history. The new DW-12 provided plenty of passing through the field all day, and the race ended with one of those dramatic moments that will be talked about for years. So you would expect that the big story heading into this weekend's race in Detroit would be the amazing Dario Franchitti's dramatic victory in the 500, one that put him back into title contention. You would think that the buzz being talked about would center on how Will Power would bounce back from another disappointment at the Speedway. You might expect that the story of the week would be the continued resurgence of Rahal Letterman Lanigan racing, who is once again a major player in IndyCar with Takuma ...http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10388775http://www.wibc.com/MikeThomsen/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10388775Thu, 31 May 2012 15:46:18 GMT