Mansell Leading a Charmed Life

I’ve been an Indy car fan since I was a kid and I’ve never seen anybody get away with murder the way Nigel Mansell has. He won in Australia last year after passing the leader under yellow without penalty.

They black-flagged people last season more than in any other year, but Mansell didn’t get penalized once.

It continues this year. He spun two or three times in Australia, once under yellow, but everybody praised his determination. Last week at Phoenix, he lost it in the warm-up lane, and except for Scott Goodyear’s heads-up driving, he would have caused an accident as he entered the racing line before the merge line.

This is a blatant violation of the rules, but he was not penalized. It seems like they’re constantly trying to hand this guy points on a silver platter.

I agree with Bobby Rahal, who said “Mansell’s not God.” I just wish the officials knew that.

PATRICK V. BOALES

Oxnard