Author: thepitwindow

I'm a retired educator and lifelong racing fan. I hope to return to fostering greyhounds in the near future. Living mainly in Indy and wintering in Florida. I attend about 10 Indycar races a year as well as some sports car events

A Nashville Dining Guide

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It’s Race Week in Nashville as Indycar returns to action after a month long break. The inaugural Music City Grand Prix begins Friday. I had not spent any time in Nashville until this week, and in my time away from the hospital I have been able to explore the city and sample some places to eat and drink. Most of the places in this piece are out of the downtown area. If you are staying downtown, you will need to drive to these spots. Fortunately Nashville is a very compact area and nothing is really far away.

I began a conversation with a man at a bar this evening who added to my experiences. He has an office in a high rise building downtown and has a great view of the track from there. He was well aware of the race and is excited to see it. The guy has even heard of Josef Newgarden.

Closer to downtown on West End around 20th Avenue, three places I enjoyed are Las Palmas for Mexican food, Amerigo, for Italian, and Jasper’s. Las Palmas is very economical , America is a bit on the high end but not outrageous, and Jasper’s is somewhere in the middle. My new friend made several barbecue recommendations as well. Martin’s BBQ on Elliston Point, Peg Leg Porker on Leads St., Central Barbecue on 21st Avenue South.

I discovered a nice little area with many shops, restaurants, and bars just a block or so from Vanderbilt University Hospital. It’s a three block area called Hillsboro Village. My favorite place in the village is Pizza Perfect. The name is not a lie. The pizza is outstanding.

I had a drink at Double Dogs, a sports bar with large television screens on every wall.

I am planning to have breakfast at Pancake Pantry tomorrow. I hear you need to get there early. The sign boasts 23 different pancakes. I probably won’t try them all.

Yesterday I had lunch at Athens, a Greek restaurant on Belmont, directly across from Belmont University. It is worth the drive, which really isn’t that long.

Marti Update: The doctors at Vanderbilt believe she has an autoimmune issue and are treating it. She is in the middle of the course of treatment. Her blood pressure is improving and is more consistent. She has a PET scan this morning to see if there are any other issues. Thanks for all your thoughts, prayers, and cards. We think we are on the right track.

I will be heading back to Indy for a few days and return to Nashville Thursday. Look for race coverage all week.

An Afternoon at the Track

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I had some free time yesterday afternoon and I drove to Nisissan Stadium to see how much of the track I could see. It was an adventure. The streets of downtown Nashville are very narrow, but the stadium was easy to find. It is a very nice looking stadium.

Not only could I se the track, part of it is still open t traffic, including the bridge. The bridge will be fast. There is a rise in it and a downhill. The turnaround ds at each end could make for some action. As for a car going off the bridge and into the water, I don’t see that even remotely happening. This isn’t Driven.

Here are a few photos I took from my car. I wanted to stop to get some better shots but the cars behind me didn’t realize or care that I was doing important research.

From the bridge

Approaching the bridge

I turned right to enter the track and access the bridge here

Othan than the bridge the track looks very tight. Most passing will be on the bridge or just coming off of it. I’m looking forward to the event and the race.

Grosjean Oval Test; Special Liveries for Nashville

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Update- We are in Nashville. Marti is still undergoing tests and seeing many doctors. The two most difficult tests are coming today and tomorrow. Thanks again for your continued thoughts and prayers. I had a nice afternoon yesterday visiting with George Phi.lips. Thanks, George, for the much needed break. If time permits I will go take a look at the track today.

Arrow McLaren SP and the 48 car of Jimmie Johnson revealed special liveries for the Music City Grand Prix next weekend. The designs all had some fan involvement.

AMSP:

Felux Rosenqvist
Pato O’Ward

Johnson:

The Arrow cars look similar to their testing camo liveries. I like the looks of the 48. I think it’s a nice shade of blue. I’m not a huge fan of the dark Carvana car.

Grosjean Looking to Future?

Romain Grosjean complete his rookie oval test at World Wide Technology Raceway a couple days ago. He was eighth fastest in an 11 car test. He has been saying since he joined the series that he wanted to race at this track.

Is Grosjean also looking at next year’s Indianapolis 500?. If the rumors of him moving to another team are true, he would definitely need to run the full schedule.

Jimmie Johnson said this week he wants to do an oval test with an eye toward running the106th 500.

I knew it was just a matter of time before these two rookies would want to try ovals. It’s what racers do.

A Yard of Bricks with Two Feet of Bronze

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Photo: The four 4 time winners. Chris Owens, Indycar

  • Marti Uprate. She is at Vanderbilt Hospital and saw numerous doctors today. I had to come home to take care of a problem and will be heading back tomorrow. Her length of stay is unknown, but I might still be there for the race next weekend.

Just Catching Up

It’s the little things Roger Penske thinks of that make him a success. The photo above is an example of one of those little things- getting the four four time Indianapolis 500 winners together for a group photo. There might not be many more opportunities to get this group together. A. J. Foyt, the first four time winner, had a commemorative bronze brick installed in the yard of bricks at the start/finish line. The other three will have their own bricks installed this fall.

It is a fitting tribute to these four drivers who have collectively won 15% of the 105 Indianapolis 500s. Will more of these bricks appear in the future? It will be a long time before that happens, if ever. Only two other drivers in this year’s race, Juan Pablo Montoya and Takuma Sato, have won twice. Whether either of them runs another 500 is uncertain right now.

I will be on the road during tomorrow’s Jimmie Johnson media conference tomorrow, but I will get up to date on it tomorrow night and share what I find out.

Off to Nashville!

thepitwindow

This is a Marti Update:

Last night Vanderbilt opened up a space and Marti will go by ambulance to Nashville this morning. She should arrive by noon. I will follow in my car. After 38 days in the hospital in Indy, there is now a chance of recovery. We are hopeful that her issue can be resolved and we can return to a more normal life.

I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers. We really need them this coming week. I’m not sure how long she will be at Vanderbilt, but I plan to post some racing stories and post updates on Marti’s progress in what will likely be copious amounts of free time. Nashville should be an inspiring place to write as it is home to a world famous blogger .

Reverse Youth Movement at MSR First Silly Season Volley

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Don’t tell me you saw this coming. Buoyed by Helio Castroneves’ fourth win in the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500in his second car, Mike Shank has decided to bump up his usual schedule to becoming a full time two car entry. Meyer Shank Racing announced that 47 year old Castroneves will drive the number 06 car full time next year. If the team had stuck to the plan as they did with Jack Harvey, Castroneves, who is running six races this season, would have entered 10 races next year.

In this season where the younger drivers have had a lot of success, Shank decided to go the other way. It is a bold move, and I am curious to see how it plays out.

A bit of irony in the second part of the announcement is that Jack Harvey will race elsewhere in 2022. Harvey has been with Meyer Shank Racing the Indycar program began. No one knows where harvey will end up next season. My guess is he will replace Ryan Hunter-Reay in the 28 car at Andretti Autosport. The 2021 season for Harvey has been marked by good qualifying and not so great results, partly due to team strategy.

Here is the story from Indycar:

Helio Castroneves will return for a full NTT INDYCAR SERIES season in 2022 with Meyer Shank Racing (MSR), driving the No. 06 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda.

Castroneves’ attempt to become the first five-time Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner will be a highlight of the season for MSR, and the Ohio-based team is using the “Drive for Five” theme in 2022.

Brazilian Castroneves, 46, joined A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears in the exclusive club of four-time “500” winners with his emotional victory for Meyer Shank – the team’s first win in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES – on May 30. He also is racing this season for MSR at Nashville, Tennessee (Aug. 8), the Indianapolis road course (Aug. 15) and in the season-closing West Coast swing at Portland, Oregon (Sept. 12), Monterey, California (Sept. 19) and Long Beach, California (Sept. 26).

“I am thrilled to get the chance to go for a fifth Indianapolis 500 win and so excited to fight for the INDYCAR championship again with a full season of races next year with Meyer Shank Racing,” Castroneves said. “Mike (Shank) and Jim (Meyer) have developed some incredible sponsorships with AutoNation and SiriusXM, and having that support is critical. I have been missing racing in INDYCAR full time so much! So, I cannot wait to get a head start on next year with some strong races to finish this season.”

With the full-time addition of Castroneves, MSR plans to field two full-time entries in 2022. The No. 60 AutoNation/ SiriusXM Honda, which has been driven by Jack Harvey for the past few seasons, has been renewed for two years, with a new driver who will be announced soon.

“We wish Jack much success, and we know he will continue to be a driver to watch,” MSR co-owner Mike Shank said. “MSR is excited to have Helio on the 06 car next season, and we’re looking forward to adding a driver, who will turn heads in the 60 car.”

In just 42 INDYCAR SERIES races, MSR has collected an Indianapolis 500 victory, two podium finishes, two-front row starts and 12 top-10 finishes. In addition to the team’s on-track accomplishments, MSR is also in the final stages of building a brand new 43,000 square-foot shop in Pataskala, Ohio.

“There are so many people around us that have given us the opportunity to expand to two full-season entries for next year,” Shank said. “My partner Jim Meyer and I have done this in a way that makes sense for us. I am very excited to have Helio onboard for the 2022 season, and I think there will be a lot of excitement around our second driver when we make that announcement, as well.”

Notes

  • Castroneves career stats:

31 Indycar victories and 50 poles

Second in the points standings four times- 2002, 2008, 2013, 2014

  • The 2022 full time grid might be as high as 27 cars.
  • Dario Franchitti will be the Grand Marshall for the Music City Grand Prix

NBC/Indycar Package-A Peek into the Future

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The future is upon us. In the extension of the current broadcast package with NBC Indycar has kept the traditional television component and is dipping its toes into the future. I am ecstatic about the 13 races on NBC. It will save a lot of time and angst every race week. I can pretty much know where to find the race.

The two races on USA, one of which I assume will be the Texas night race, should be easy to remember, as should the two races on Peacock. Which races will be on USA and Peacock? Besides the Texas night race, I’m guessing another nioght oval joins the schedule. As for the other two, I have no idea right now.

Streaming two races is quite a gamble for both the series and the network. Mark Miles said yesterday showing races exclusively on Peacock is an attempt to draw in younger fans, who are more likely to watch on their phones. I applaud the strategy. I have no desire to watch a live race on my phone, but if others do, great. Regardless of the broadcast channel, give me a television set.

I do see streaming as the wave of the future. Broadcasting and viewing is changing rapidly. The races on peacock are just the beginning. Eventually, our viewing habits will change. As long as I can watch on a large screen, I don’t care how the race is delivered.

Miles also said something about being able to follow the race on your phone while you are at the track. If I am at the track, I’m not going to be looking at my phone. I might take a look during a caution to get some details of what caused the yellow, but otherwise, I will just watch the live action and the video boards.

Next year will be interesting as afr the race broadcasts go. I hope NBC keeps improving the race graphics. I really like the pit stop clock and the tire choice images they have begun showing. I like all the information given in Formula 1 races and I would love it if Indycar races got to that point.

Notes

Josef Newgarden led testing at laguna Seca yesterday. The test included Team pernske, Andretti Autosport, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

Each of the remaining six races should have at least 25 cars on the grid. Helio Castroneves will participate in every race except Gateway. Romain Grosjean is expected to race at gateway, but i’m not sure if he will be in the 51 or a third car.

Miles hinted that some of Indiainpolis 500 qualifying will be on NBC as it was last year. All qualifying qwill be on Peacock in 2022.