HAMMOND, IN- In 1975, a thought-provoking film called “Rollerball” was released. It suggested that the future of professional sports would be the creation of a new “game”…one which would see a limited number of corporate teams battle “to the death” for the championship. No one player would be allowed to become
bigger than the “game”.
Is it just me, or does the IRL…and NASCAR for that matter…seem to rapidly approaching this sad state of
affairs?
Team tactics have been an accepted part of Formula One, and other forms of road racing, since the beginning. However, such activities have only recently become part of the landscape of American motorsport. Since the trend toward larger multi-car teams and fewer individual efforts has become reality, it seems
that the path toward “Rollerball” may be inevitable.
Andretti-Green driver Tony Kanaan may well be the prototype “Rollerball” driver of the future. At the California Speedway in 2004, Kanaan gave up a certain victory by lifting in sight of the checkered flag to allow teammate Dario Franchitti to blow by for the win. Kanaan’s lame excuse of “electrical glitches”
certainly didn’t rig true then…or now.
Since then, blocking and other forms of artificial maneuvering have become an unfortunate part of Indy Car racing. A few weeks ago at Infineon Raceway, Kanaan was up to his old tricks, assisting buddie Dario by holding up Ganassi’s Scott Dixon in an effort to help Franchitti maintain his point lead. And, like his “California Gift” of 2004, Kanaan accomplished his
mission with little or no finesse. Shamefull…
And now, the IRL prepares to stage it’s final event of the 2007 season at Chicagoland Speedway, with the championship on the line. Ganassi’s two car team, featuring championship contender Scott Dixon, and defending race winner Dan Wheldon, will face off against the Andretti-Green Juggernaut of point leader Dario Franchitti, Kanaan, Marco Andretti and Danica
Patrick.
With so much on the line, can cooler heads prevail? Have Franchitti’s two recent near-lethal un-scheduled flights at Michigan and Kentucky reminded everyone involved that Indy Cars on superspeedways can be VERY dangerous if they touch? Can team tactics, involving blocking, be safely employed in high speed, open wheel
racing?
The two team owners involved in the championship fight, former drivers Chip Ganassi and Michael Andretti, can only do so much. It’s up to the drivers to present the type of exiting, safe, honest show that fans and friends of Indy Car racing have come to
rightfully expect.
Let’s hope they can pull it off…because I don’t
think we’re ready for “Rollerball” just yet.
IndyCar SeriesJohn AtlasThe Dirt Guy