Readers Say Indy Isn’t the Wheel Deal

No disrespect to Eddie Cheever, but he has to be kidding when he says that the IRL is, “by definition, America’s premier open wheel racing series.” What I saw on Sunday was anything but first-rate racing. Never mind the no-name drivers. Let’s talk about attrition instead. How many race leaders were taken out by early mechanical failures? How many blown engines and gear box failures did we see? Before Tony George’s beloved normally aspirated engines took over, I never saw an Indy 500 finish with so many cars out of the race, except maybe during the carnage year of 1973.

Race fans will just have to wait until George’s temper tantrum against CART finally bankrupts his organization and he is forced to sell out to Roger Penske, before real open-wheel racing will return to Indianapolis.

PAUL McELLIGOTT

Lake Forest

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Watching Indy now is like watching the NFL during the strike. Replacement players with interesting stories, but so what? I have nothing against Eddie Cheever, but his list of victories in higher-echelon racing series seems a bit thin.

It’s a shame Mr. Glick couldn’t have written a report on the St. Louis CART race too. I hope we’ll see Billy Boat evolve to a CART car.

STERLING SMITH

Hollywood

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The Indianapolis 500 has become the greatest debacle in motor sports.

BRIAN M. KOWALCHUK

Los Angeles

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