Hoosier Daddy

Hoosier Grinch Dentist "Steals" Halloween

Madison (IN) dentist Ben Canida became the Grinch Dentist who stole Halloween this week -- sort of.

The Indianapolis Star reported (click here for story)that Canida dressed up as a giant tube of toothpaste and paid kids to turn in their Halloween candy.  It's a cute idea, but . . .

Some of my best childhood memories -- and even my best memories as a parent -- are dressing up and marching door-to-door on Halloween, then at night's end upending the bag of candy searching for bite-size Snickers and mini Reese's Cups.  

Surely, a once-a-year stash of candy does more good for a kid's soul than turning hard candy into hard cash. 

BEST MOVIES FOR HALLOWEEN

'm never acquired a taste for slasher movies, so here's my list of 10 favorite movies to watch Halloween night.

1. Young Frankenstein.    Okay, its not scary.  But its full of classic lines:  "What knockers"  "Thank you, Doctor";   "Frau Blucher"  "Neeiiiiiiggghhh;  "Werewolf"  "There wolf" -- and of course the blind man serving boiling soup to the monster.
2. Rocky Horror Picture Show.   Okay, its not scary either.  But Tim Curry is simply amazing.  Let's toast the bride and all do the Time Warp.
3. Night of the Living Dead.   The original black and white zombie horror movie is simply made for dark and stormy nights.
4. The Exorcist.  The head-turning, pea-soup spewing movie has become such a part of our pop culture that we sometimes overlook that it was a well-done movie where the real horror may not be Satan, but may be what is inside all of us.
5. 28 Days Later.   This is a great take on the zombie, sole survivor movie.  Only thing that would have made it better -- if the rescue plane at the end would have been manned by zombies.
6. Alien / Aliens.  Intense.  The only movie I've ever had to leave the room from to catch my breath.
7. From Dusk Till Dawn.  One of the strangest movies ever made.  A bad guys gone wild movie, that turns into a stripper movie, that turns into a vampire movie.  And George Clooney with a bad ass tattoo!
8. Dracula -- the original is still great.  But also check out the hard-to-find public television version with Louis Jourdan.  His Dracula is attractive, sensual and romantic, and finally you understand why Lucy gives herself to him.  His appeal makes him even move evil and frightening
9. Invasion of the Body Snatchers.  Both the 1950s version and the later remake are excellent.  But the 50s version maintains a closer connection to its symbolism of McCarthyism -- which is perhaps scarier than any of these movies
10. The Ring.  What's better than a movie that takes every day acts of watching a video on TV and turns it into a horrific tale of pre-destination and fate. 

Stupid Criminal Tricks -- Hoosier Style

Seems Hoosiers aren't imune to stupid criminals. 

Dwayne Roberts decided to rob an Indianapolis bank -- the one where he worked.  To conceal his theft of $200,000, Dwayne decided to set fire to a box of money inside the bank vault, then seal it.  It was only after he sealed the vault that he realized that he left his truck keys inside.

Looks like Ol' Dwayne will have about 10 years to think over that age-old question:  "Where did I leave my keys."

Click HERE for the story in the Indianapolis Star.

THE OVERLOOK -- Perfect Place for an October Afternoon Getaway

The Overlook Restaurant sits high atop a bluff overlooking the Ohio River (hence it's name).  It is the absolutely perfect place to spend a beautiful fall afternoon.

The Overlook is located in Leavenworth, about 35 miles east of Jeffersonville.  You can get there by I-65, to 264, to 64 West.  But the better route is straight south on SR 37 through Bloomington, Bedford & Paoli.  At English, avoid the right turn and keep going straight south on 237 through some of Indiana's most gorgeous scenery.  At the intersection of with highways 66 & 62, go west 8 miles to Leavenworth.

The drive alone is worth it.  But the view from the restaurant's deck is simply awe-inspiring.  You look out on a horseshoe in the river as it flows between tree-covered hills.  Ocassionally a barge passes by. 

The food is traditional southern Indiana fare -- fried chicken & mashed potatoes.  But that's not why you make the drive.

And if you want a closer view of the river, head about a mile east and follow the road down to Old Leavenworth and The Dock, a local bar/restaurant right on the river.  It's popular with motorcycles, but its a worthwhile stop even if you aren't on your hog.

Tony George - A Mixed Legacy

Tony George leaves the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy Racing League with a mixed legacy.  Those who blame him for all the ills of open wheel racing have short memories of the mess the sport has been in since the formation of CART and the days of popoff valves. (Remember Bob Collins' classic column about his new organization:  Fan Against Racing Temper Tantrums -- FARTT)

George suffered from an aloofness that did not play well with fans or racing insiders.  But he was an outstanding caretaker and a gutsy risk-taker, whose vision, however flawed, lead an IMS organization mired in its past, into the 21st Century.

Here's my grades on Tony George's tenure at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

Caretaker: Grade A+.  The new Pagoda is a brilliant symbol of the modern track.  George added the plaza which hosts autograph signings and live music, turned a rundown 27-hole golf course into the world-class Pete Dye designed Brickyard at the Crossing, and added the road coarse, new stands, and beautiful spectator mounds.  The facility is stunning and by far the world's finest race course.

Fan innovations: Grade A.  Carb day was moved to Friday and became a full-day kickoff to race weekend, with not only final practice, but the pit stop competition, the Independence 100, and a big concert.   At all events, there are more things happening than the race, and much more fun for non-gearheads

New Events: Grade A.  NASCAR, GP & MotoGP have brought millions to city.  The glitches have not been the fault of Tony George or the Speedway.  GP's failure was on the Michelin engineers and Bernie E.  Until last year, the Brickyard was a HUGE success.  Whatever went through the Goodyear tire engineers' head after 15 years of racing at Indy is beyond my understanding, but the Speedway cannot make tire companies bring the correct tire. Hopefully the event will bounce back.  And MotoGP is a stroke of genius -- it was a big hit, and will grow into one of the nation's leading motorcycle events

Race Innovations: Grade B. Qualification crowds will never be like the 150,000 that crowed the first day in the 1960s & 1970s.  Race records are not falling every year - otherwise we would be looking 300 mph laps.  And with NASCAR on television every week, and an entire Speed network on cable, speed junkies no longer need to get their first racing fix of the year at the first weekend of qualifying.  But give Tony credit for approving an innovative approach that is drawing more interest and attention.  Also give him credit for changing traditions when needed, such as changing the time of the race to accommodate better TV ratings. 

Indy Racing League:  Vision: Grade C-; Execution Grade D.    The BIG one. This is the great detractor from Tony George's legacy.but he is often unfairly blamed for all the problems of open wheel racing when in fact those problems existed before he ever took over.   The problems -runaway cost, limited fields, unknown drivers whose names fans can't pronounce -were there before the split

George's vision was for an oval track series, with American drivers with whom fans could identify, and with controlled costs so that drivers would get rides based on talent, not sponsorship clout.  But it was a vision that never came to be.  Jeff Gordan had already left open wheel, Tony Stewart followed, and then a steady stream of racers who cut their teeth in open wheel headed to NASCAR -- Carl Edwards, Casey Kahne, Casey Mears, Ryan Newman -- then worse, Indy champions Sam Hornish, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, and worst of all Sam Hornish.  Drivers like Milka Duno buy their rides into the 500, while true talents like Paul Tracey and Buddy Rice struggle for any type of ride.

George's impatience & power play badly hurt the sport, the prominent place of the 500, and the image and appeal of open wheel racing.  As someone commented to me, he "George Bushed it"   Instead of working patiently and building a consensus among the important players, he played cowboy, or better yet, spoiled little kid.  If they wouldn't play by his rules, he'd take his ball and go home.  With more maturity, more patience, and with persuasion backed by his position as the economic engine of the sport, George likely could have redirected the sport without nearly destroying it.

The failure to get a title sponsor for the series is also a huge black mark.  This series can never evolve without the financial backing and notoriety that a title sponsor can bring.  It is also a signal to the corporate and advertising world -- no sponsor means no one has enough faith in this series to put their money and name behind it.

The only thing that saved this from an F was the post-2000 development of the IRL into the most competitive, exciting and closest racing series anywhere, and the explosion of Danica Patrick onto the racing scene.

Indy Lights Series:  Grade B+.  Indy car racing now has a competitive and enjoyable support and developmental series.  Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal, Scott Carpenter and others have made their way up through Indy Lights.  Just as important, its a breeding ground for new car owners and new teams.  Gils Ferran is the latest to start with Indy Lights with plans of starting his own Indy car team.  It's grown to be a very strong asset to the IRL.

Team Owner: Grade D+.Tony George deserves some credit for getting Tomas Schechter into the 500 and for Scott Carpenter's solid drives at the Speedway.  But after 5 years, Vision Racing is still primarily a back marker and has yet to post a win.  

The final word on Tony George's Speedway legacy is left to be written by others.  But for the sake of racing fans, and the City of Indianapolis, I hope the new leadership builds on the things which Tony George did very well, and is able to learn from his mistakes in those areas where improvement is needed.

Mama Don't Take My Kodachrome Away

More of my life has disappeared.

Last week Kodak ceased production of Kodachrome -- that marvelous film that several generations used to capture lifetimes of memories in vibrant colors, and which Paul Simon immortalized in his 1970s song.  But like Burma Shave signs and the family stationwagon, now its gone, a victim of digital photography.

Kodachrome was there when my kids were born and when I took my first trip to Florida.  It was with me on my first trip to Florida, on vacations, on hot summer picnics and cool fall days for a walk in the woods. 

Recently I've been converting prints and slides on to digital images.  It is a bitter-sweet journey -- sweet memories tempored with pangs about how fast time has gone.

So one more time, before Kodachrome is relegated to the scrapheap of outmoded products with milk bottles and record players, let's think back on Paul Simon's Kodachrome:

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away

HELIO ON WHEELS -- CASTRONEVES TO JOIN 3-TIME WINNER CLUB

Everyone makes sports predictions -- and I think I do better than most when it comes to the Indianapolis 500.  So in this most unpredictable of all sporting events, here are my observations and predictions for the 93rd running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Race day it will be Helio Castroneves taking the winner's drink of milk in Victory Lane.  He's fast, patient, prepared, and overdue for that third win.  And if it comes down to the last few laps, he is more determined than ever, and no one sets up a car at the end of the race better than Team Penske.

Here are a few more observations about what to look for on Race Day.

Preparation:  Victory is 90% preparation, and when it comes to preparation the top three names are:  Penske, Penske, & Penske

Race Strategy:  Andretti Green has shown a great ability to adapt and change strategy to make the best of situation.   The down side is that AGR seems to be a bit behind Penske and Ganassi, and not even showing much of a speed advantage over Panther, Newman Hass or even the new KV team.

Early speed:   Look for Scott Dixon and Ryan Briscoe to lead much of the first 200 miles.  But the real race won't start until the last 100 miles.

Patience -- Al Unser and Rick Mears were the masters at being patient in the early stages of the race, and getting in position to win during the last 30 laps.  The best current driver at doing this -- Helio Castroneves.  Another driver who has shown surprising patience in allowing the race to come to her is Danica Patrick.  If AGR can give her a good car, she'll be there at the end on Race Day

Bad luck factor:    When the Speedway takes a dislike to you, it doesn't "even up the sccore" -- just ask the Andrettis or the Bettenhausens.  Unfortunately Tony Kanaan is the current "bad luck" driver at the track.  Everyone in racing would be happy to see TK win, and the Speedway owes him one -- but then again the Speedway owes the Andretti family about a dozen. 

Best driver in a 10 lap shoot-out:  If it gets down to the final laps, who's the best driver in a shootout?  With Sam Hornish spinning his wheels in Nascar, it comes down to a very slight edge for Helio Castroneves and Scott Dixon -- but not by much over Tony Kanaan.

Best chance outside Big 3 teams:  Graham Rahal.  Rahal has been steady and quick all month, flying just under the radar of the Big 3 teams.  He may need more experience at the Speedway, and Newman Haas suffers from not having an experienced driver on the team to help give feedback.  But don't be shocked if the winner of the 500 asks for a Big Mac to go with his bottle of milk.

Dark Horse:  Will Power.  It's hard to call someone driving for Penske a dark horse, but Power is not on anyone's list of favorites.  He's a part-time substitute driver who has shown real talent and speed.  If he has the fastest car at the end, Power has the talent to bring it home in first.

Rookie of the Year:  Raphael Matos.  Fast steady rookie all month.  Robert Doorbos is the other likely competitor, but he's been in the wall twice, and I would expect him to be extra cautious in the race.  Alex Tagliani may well out-perform the other rookies, but I don't think the award goes to someone who was not able to qualify his way into the race.

Person I'm most looking forward to having a good race:  Sarah Fisher.  She's proving she belongs at the Speedway -- not only as a driver but as an owner.  Driving her own car, I'm sure she will be on the cautious side.  But she's been competitive all month.  She won't win, or place in the top 5, but last year she had to mortgage her house just to get a race car.  If she can run all day and finish in the top 10, it would be a remarkable accomplishment.

Indy 500 Centennial: The All-Time Best Drivers Starting Lineup

 Race fans often talk about which drivers in the storied history of the Indianapolis 500 were the best.  But how do you compare drivers from such different eras?  Until the 1970s, the incredible danger of auto racing made for short careers.  Few drivers made more than 10 starts.  But starting with the late 1960s, careers expanded to 20 or more races.  How do you compare Bill Vukovich, who won 2 races, and nearly won 4 in just a 5-year career, with A.J. Foyt who won 4 races in an incredible span of 35 races?

The real answer is that there is no way to objectively make the comparison.  But here's my own subjective compilation of the 33 best driver starting lineup.

 

 

Row 1:  Rick Mears   -- In 15 races, Mears won 4 times, took the pole position a record 6 times, and started on the front row 11 times -- all records. Simply the best

            A.J. Foyt  - the legend.  35 races, 4 wins, and more stories than anyone can count. 

            Al Unser, Sr. -- 4 time winner. He simply knew how to win the 500.

Row 2:  Wilbur Shaw -- 3 time winner, & saved the 500 after World War II by convincing Tony Hulman to purchase the track.  Until his death in a 1954 plane crash, it was Shaw who served as President of the Speedway and who each year started the race with command "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines", which was the title of his popular autobiography.

            Bill Vukovich -- nearly won 4 consecutive races. Vukie crashed in 1952 on lap 192 when his steering broke.  In 1953 he won and was only driver to complete the sweltering race without relief.  Vukie dominated won in 1954. In 1955, Vukie was leading on lap 55 when a car spun into his path.  His car catapulted over the wall, flipping end over end, and bursting into flames, fatally injuring Vukie. 

            Bobby Unser -- 3 time winner, and started on front row 9 times

Row 3: Johnny Rutherford -- 3 time winner

            Louis Meyer -- first 3 time winner

            Maurie Rose -- 3 time winner

 

 

Row 4:  Helio Castroneves -- won his first 2 500s, only driver to do so.  Finished second in his third race, coming within one position of winning three consecutive 500s, a feat no one has accomplished

            Mario Andretti -- A victim of so many bad luck days, that the phrase "Mario is slowing down" became part of the Speedway lexicon.  Mario won only 1 500, but finished second to Danny Sullivan's "spin and win", and was 2d, then declared winner, then finally returned to 2d in the controversial 1981 finish with Bobby Unser that took nearly a year of legal wrangling to finally decide.

            Emerson Fittipaldi -- 2 time winner, including wheel to wheel duel with Al Unser Sr.  Would have had 3 wins if not for late race crash while leading by nearly a lap.

Row 5:  Jim Clark -- In his short Indy career, 2-time world champion Jim Clark ignited the rear-engine revolution when he finished 2d his rookie run in 1963.  He followed with a win in 1965 and another 2d place in 1966, although car owner Andy Granitelli maintained there was a scoring error and that Clark won that race, too. 

            Ralph DePalma -- Known most for the race he didn't win, the 1912 race where he led 196 laps, before breaking down on lap 198.  DePalma and his mechanic created an Indy legend when they pushed their disabled car down the main straight.  But DePalma did win in 1915, and nearly a century after he raced, he still appears in the Top 10 list for most laps lead in the 500.

            Al Unser, Jr.-- Two time winner, winning the closest race in Indianapolis 500 history over Scott Goodyear, and losing out in a wheel to wheel duel with Emerson Fittipaldi.

Row 6:  Roger Ward -- 2 time winner and a class act.  Always wore white dinner jacket to Awards Banquet, where in 1966 he announced, "I promised myself that when racing wasn't fun anymore, I'd retire.  Yesterday, it wasn't fun."

             Tommy Milton -- First 2-time Indy winner

            Gordon Johncock -- Winner of the rain-delayed crash-marred1973 race that no one wanted to remember, Johncock got his due in 1982 when he won the race no one could forget, out-dueling Rick Mears in perhaps the most exciting final 20 laps ever at the Speedway.

Row 7:  Tom Sneva -- Winner, 3-time second place finisher, and broke the 200 mph barrier

            Parnelli Jones:  In a short Indy career, Jones won in 1963, and broke the 150 mph barrier in 1962.  But he may be best remembered for the one that got away.  In 1967 he drove the unique STP turbine car and dominated the 500, only to stop just 2 laps short when a small part failed, giving A.J. Foyt his 3d 500 win. 

            Ray Harroun     -- He started it all.  One race, one win -- and the invention of the rear view mirror for good measure.    

Row 8:  Arie Luyendyk -- The Flying Dutchman was popular and a 2-time winner

            Jimmy Murphy -- The 1922 winner was an early race superstar who was successful in both the United States and Europe.

            Jim Rathmann -- Finished 2d three times before winning in 1960 in one of the most exciting 2-car races in Speedway history.  Over the last 80 laps of the race, Rathmann and Roger Ward exchanged the lead 14 times, not counting the times they passed and repassed so that the official leader at the end of the lap remained the same. 

Row 9    Bill Holland --  The 1949 winner also finished 2d in 1948 and 1947.  But he was leading in 1947 when confusion in hand signals caused him to ease up and let teammate Maurie Rose pass him.  Otherwise, Holland would have had 2 wins.  

            Mark Donohue -- The 1972 winner started Roger Penske's success at the Speedway

             Jimmy Bryan  -- Cigar in mouth, the 1958 winner was a larger-than-life legend      

Row 10: Sam Hanks -- 1957 winner (driving the car Bryan would drive in 1958) won then promply retired in Victory Lane, the only driver ever to do so.

             Jules Goux -- Drank 6 pints of wine during the course of the race and won by the widest margin ever, over 13 minutes -- REALLY

            Michael Andretti  -- Inherited family's bad luck.  In Indy's top 10 list for laps competed, laps lead, and prize money -- the only non-winner on any of those lists

Row 11:   Billy Arnold -- Arnold's 1930 win was the most dominent performance in 500 history, leading 198 laps.

            Rex Mays -- Never a win, but 4 poles (a record until Mears), and led 9 races at a time when cars did not bunch up under the yellow.  Deprived of 4 years during the peak of his racing career while the track was closed for WWII, Mays was among the best of his time.

            Ted Horn -- Most consistent driver ever at the Speedway.  After his rookie year, Horn competed in 9 500s, and never finished lower than 4th.  He too was deprived of four prime racing years during WWII.

            

            

Indy 500 Centennial: Most Spectacular Walk-Away Crashes

1.  Tom Sneva 1975:  Always fast. Always spectacular.  Tom Sneva won the 500 in 1983, broke the 200 mph barrier in 1977, and finished 2d three times, but his introduction to many racing fans came when he touched wheels with Eldon Rasmuessen in Turn 2 and went flipping airborne directly at the then-new corporate suites. For the ABC broadcast video, CLICK HERE.

2.  Patrick Bedard -- 1984.  Bedard was a sportswriter who tried racing.  Many thought he should stick to his typewriter, and eventually he concurred.  But not until after one of the most spectacular crashes ever at the Indianapolis 500.  Coming out of turn 3, he spun into the infield, became airborne, and flipped repeatedly with his car dissentigrating around him.  In the end, only the driving compartment and Bedard were left in tact.  He walked away from the wreck and his on-track career.

3.  Mario Andretti in Practice -- 2003:  Thirty-four years later, Andretti came out of retirement, planning to qualify a car for his son, Michael.  But in practice, a car hit the wall in front of Andretti, and he ran over debris.  His car became airborne at 220 mph, doing two complete end-over-end flips before landing on all four wheels.  It was the most spectacular ride of Andretti's long career, and his last in competition.  For the video,CLICK HERE.

4.  Salt Walther - 1973.  As the green fllag flew, mayhem broke out in the front straight.  Salt Walther's car few into the fence, then went upside down, pinwheeling down the main straight with his feet hanging from the front of the car.  Walther sustained burns on his hands, but was otherwise okay, and returned to race as one of the most popular drivers at Indy.  For the ABC broadcast video, CLICK HERE

5.  Wilbur Shaw - 1936  Shaw was an Indy racing star in the 1930s and 40s.  Before he became a 3-time winner, he flipped over the wall while running near the front of the pack.  Unhurt, he got back in his teammates car and got back in the race.  In his memoirs, Shaw wrote that one of his competitors saw his flip, then later in the race thought he was seeing a ghost when Shaw passed him in his teammate's nearly identical car.

 

Indy Centennial: My 5 Best Days at the Track

Everyone has their own stories from the Speedway.  I attended my first race in 1968, and have been at the track in many capacities since then -- reporter, photographer, lawyer, and of course spectator.  Here are my 5 most memorable days in the more than 41 years since I first walked into IMS.

1.  1977 --  Mother, A.J. and Tony.    I was living about 8 blocks from the Speedway, just finishing my first year of law school.  My mother, who was then 70 years old, had never seen the race.   My ex-wife and I invited her for the entire weekend -- the parade, making home-made ice cream with friends, and the race.  A.J. Foyt won his fourth 500, and Tony Hulman took a victory lap with A.J. in the pace car.  Hulman would be dead before the next race, and A.J. would never win again.  Within three years, my mother was suffering the early signs of Alzheimer's and would not attend any more races.  But for that one marvelous Memorial Day weekend, we didn't think about such things yet to come. 

2.  1968 -- the first race.  I had grown up listening to the 500 every Memorial Day.  But actually going to the race seemed something beyond my reach.  But in 1968, my high school band was invited to perform at the 500 Festival Parade, and then march around the track race day morning.  Our reward -- infield tickets!   We left the school at 3 a.m. riding through pouring rain.  But the rain stopped by the time we arrived.  After marching around the 2 1/2 mile track, we changed out of our uniforms.  The infield was packed, but a couple of friends and I snaked our way to a small spot not far from the fence.  It wasn't a great view, but it was all I needed.  The turbines broke down, Bobby Unser won, and I was hooked on attending the Indianapolis 500.

3.  1981 -- On the pit wall.  After graduating law school in 1980, I joined Ice Miller, which represents the Speedway.  Litigation associates worked shifts at the track, and in 1981 I worked the first of 10 straight race days at the Speedway.  A great benefit at that time was that we received pit passes.  I finished my shift just before the race, and watched the start from the pit wall, then watched much of the race from the 1st turn photographers' fence.    Bobby Unser, driving for Penske, dominated the race.  But on a restart, Mario Andretti got the jump and passed Unser, the only time he was passed on the track the entire day.  Standing at the pit wall, I took a photo (see above) which still hangs in my office.  I finished the day standing 10 feet from Bobby Unser as he got ready to take a victory lap in the pace car.

4.  1975 -- Working journalist -- A year out of college, I was working for a small newspaper chain.  On the first weekend of practice in 1975, I went to the Speedway as a working journalist.  I still remember the excitement of the first time walking past the guard and in to the garages at the Speedway.  Spike Gelhausen gave me an interview, but  Johnny Rutherford brushed me off by agreeing to meet, then not showing.  But the head tech guy with Penske graciously spent 15 minutes going over the cockpit of an Indy car.  My article ran in all the chain's newspapers, and I won a sportswriting award for the article.  Race day was equally memorable.  With about 100 miles to go, the sky turned gray, then black, then green, then cut loose with a vengeance.  It rained so hard that the track became an instant lake.  Cars slowed to 10 mph, and still were hydroplaning out of control.  Everyone looked to the sky expecting a tornado, but no twister.  It was one of the wildest, and certainly the wettest finish in Indy 500 history.   

2006  -- Sharing the race.    In 2006 I took my son, oldest daughter and her fiance to the race.  It was a perfect, if hot day.  We went to the track mid-morning (using my secret route, and getting dropped off only two blocks from the gate).  We spent the pre-race time sitting under a tree at the edge of the golf course, talking, listening to the radio, people watching and just relaxing.   We were rewarded with an exciting race, with Sam Hornish passing Marco Andretti at the finish line. All-in-all, it was a near perfect day.