May 25

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN FANS SET THEIR SPRING SCHEDULE AROUND MEMORIAL DAY AND WHAT USED TO BE CALLED THE "GREATEST SINGLE-DAY SPORTING EVENT IN NORTH AMERICA". THE INDIANPOLIS 500 WAS A MONSTER. EVERYONE KNEW THE NAMES.

A.J. AND MARIO. THE UNSERS, JOHNNY RUTHERFORD. RICK MEARS. I WAS PART OF THE CTV TELECASTS OF THE 500 FOR 7 YEARS AND BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY IT WAS THE "GREATEST SINGLE DAY SPORTING EVENT IN NORTH AMERICA". BUT THEN WAS THEN. 11 YEARS AGO, THE OWNER OF THE INDIANAPOLIS SPEEDWAY TRIED TO IMPOSE HIS OWN SET OF RULES ON "CART" SERIES CAUSING THE CHAMP CARS TO BREAK AWAY FROM INDY. TONY GEORGE THEN FORMED THE INDY RACING LEAGUE AND OVER 11 YEARS BOTH SERIES HAVE SUFFERED. BOTH CART AND THE IRL HAVE TELEVISION RATINGS WORSE THAN THE NHL IN THE U.S. THE CHAMP CAR RACE IN MONTREAL IS NOW HISTORY---REPLACED BY A DEVELOPMENT RACE FOR NASCAR. NASCAR HAS BECOME NORTH AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE RACING SERIES.

SO OUTSIDE OF THE THREE WOMEN WHO WILL BE PART OF THE FIELD FOR TOMORROW'S RACE, WHY WOULD YOU WATCH THE INDY 500. I'VE HARDLY BEEN CHEWING MY FINGERNAILS DOWN WORRYING ABOUT HOW SAM HORNISH JUNIOR IS GOING TO DO.

AND I'M SORRY ALL YOU DAN WHELDON FANS...BUT I JUST CAN'T WORK UP ANY EMOTIONAL CONNECTION. SO GO DANICA....GO SARAH FISCHER AND MILKA DUNO. WHATEVER SALVATION THERE IS FOR A ONCE-GREAT EVENT...YOU'RE IT.