#daytona 500 memes

[sortanonymous]

Guess who decided to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday (and the weekend before the Daytona 500) with a C-grade Kirby meme way better in my head than it was in Google Slides?

Why your friendly neighborhood Sorta!!!

[mendullaoblongota]

[coimbrabertone]

Le Mans vs. Daytona, Two Sides of the Endurance Racing Coin.

A bit of a belated blog on the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans, how it compares to the other major 24-hour race - the Rolex 24 at Daytona - and how IMSA and WEC differ.

First things first, sports car racing in general is at a peak right now.

The largest prototype fields in decades, interclass competition of sorts with LMDh/GTP cars on one end and Hypercars on the other, and equally diverse GT3 fields to go with it. It's not a competition between IMSA and WEC as far as I'm concerned, both series collaborated on these regulations and that has benefitted endurance racing as a whole.

That being said, I've noticed some differences between the two, and I've had some discussions with friends about it lately.

The crux is this: the Rolex 24 at Daytona is the curtain raiser for the racing season, where drivers from every discipline from Formula One to NASCAR to half the Indycar field, plus all the regular cast of characters from endurance racing come to play. It's all within the confines of a 2.5-mile oval with big grandstands and clear sightlines, and the lights are all over the track, meaning you can see all the action pretty well. It's also in Daytona Beach a few weeks ahead of the Daytona 500.

Daytona is a party, a celebration of motorsport to kick off the next season of racing.

Le Mans, meanwhile, is a beacon of history. The start-finish line is where it has always been, the Dunlop Bridge has outlasted Dunlop itself making racing tyres, and it's an old school reminder to when those types of circular bridges were all over racing. Then onto the Mulsanne, the long, dark highway, with bits of civilization interspersed with woods, a theme with continues in the back half of the track. Some corners are named after historic tracks, like Indianapolis, others are named after the marques which defined era of Le Mans history - Corvette, Porsche, and Ford in particular.

Corvette, which has dominated GT racing at Le Mans for decades now.

Porsche, which is the most successful brand at Le Mans, and

Ford, who went back-to-back-to-back-to-back in the late 60s with the GT40, and then returned with the GT1 and GTE models in more recent decades.

That dedication to history shows in the broadcast too, with the broadcast often cutting to Tom Kristensen for interviews or by harkening back to similar events in Le Mans' past. Obviously, that's something that comes up in all racing broadcasts, but it was very apparent at Le Mans this year.

For the record, I'm not saying that's bad, this blog is proof that I'm a massive nerd when it comes to racing history, and I love that, I'm just noting it's a difference.

The crowd burning a couch in celebration after the 12 Hours of Sebring? Fans celebrating the misadventures of the Sean Creech Motorsports American flag Ligier LMP2 with its many cautions at Daytona and now Watkins Glen? You don't really see that at Le Mans.

In fact, there was one very fun thing from the 2023 Le Mans that was missing this year: the Garage 56 NASCAR. Now, i understand that was a one-off thing, and I do get the impression that the hydrogen car they showed off before the race - which was numbered #24, just like the NASCAR had been - was supposed to be a G56 entry for this year but they couldn't quite get it working yet, so I know that it's a bit of an unfair criticism to levy against Le Mans.

Still, 2023 had the big Camaro memes, the V8 sound, all those Freebird on the Mulsanne edits, it made Le Mans more fun.

And of course, Le Mans is fun even without those things - ferris wheels, fireworks, and, you know, the whole twenty-four hours of motor racing thing - all make for appointment television for racing nerds like me, but it is something I've noticed coming out of the 2024 race.

So does Le Mans need to change? No, i don't think so.

I like seeing cars coming down the Mulsanne, I like seeing the Ferrari hypercar racing against Toyota in addition to all the cars that do both IMSA and WEC, I like the announcers getting increasingly delirious as it gets into the night stint, and I like the fact that Valentino Rossi is now a BMW GT3 driver who competed at Le Mans.

The Rolex 24 at Daytona is probably more fun that Le Mans and its position on the calendar probably lets it get a handful of one-off drivers that may not be able to do Le Mans, but Le Mans also attracts plenty of unique talent as well. Ferrari doesn't do IMSA, nor does Toyota, nor does Valentino Rossi.

Would I like them to? Absolutely.

Am I fine with just having two different, successful endurance racing series on either side of the Atlantic? Absolutely. It's like the modern version of CART vs. Formula One as far as I'm concerned, only this time, I'm in a position to enjoy it.

So yeah, there are some things I prefer about IMSA, but there's plenty I love about Le Mans as well.

Hell, the fact that after the sister Ferrari won last year, we got to see the #50 Ferrari of Nicklas Nielsen, Miguel Molina, and Antonio Fuoco win. Both cars have now won Le Mans, and this means that last year's Antonio Giovinazzi, and this year's Antonio Fuoco - two drivers I've followed since the mid-to-late 2010s when they were actively in the open wheel junior series - are both Le Mans winners.

That's cool. I love the fact that drivers can fulfill their dream of winning for Ferrari, not just in Formula One, but now at Le Mans too. It's a great time to see, and between this and Indycar, I'm developing a lot of hope for talented junior drivers without F1 prospects.

Hell, on that very note, Felipe Drugovich raced at Le Mans for Action Express Cadillac this year, which seems to be his first time back in a major racing series since his F2 title campaign. Glad to see him back behind the wheel, just wish it went better for him.

Anyway, this last weekend of racing was a bit of a dud for me and I find myself busy yet again, so I'll leave the blogpost here, but do let you know what you think!

[sinceileftyoublog]

Home Is Where Interview: We’re Already Here

Photo by Texas Smith

BY JORDAN MAINZER

“It’s a whale.” That’s how Home Is Where vocalist Brandon MacDonald answered to me, over email, my question, “What’s the story behind the cover art?” referring to the front of their incredible sophomore record the whaler (Wax Bodega). On the surface, given the amount of energy she poured into writing and recording the record--along with performing the songs on a nightly basis--I don’t blame her for the brevity. Dig deeper, and the whaler is riddled with simple verses, or at least direct statements chiding life’s paradoxes. They come sandwiched between comparatively complex verses likening the world to a self-eating organism, an animal or a human devouring its own entrails in an act of desperation. In its 35-minute runtime, the whaler journeys through cultural and sociopolitical history, from 9/11 to the death of Dale Earnhardt (Florida’s 9/11, as MacDonald says). It’s an emo concept record whose concept isn’t that far-fetched: We live in a world where we’re getting used to every day life getting more horrifying.

You can understand why the whaler is a mere reflection of real life for the Palm Coast, Florida quartet. It’s been an emotionally trying few years for MacDonald, who suffered a nervous breakdown in 2021. As the band released their debut album i became birds to critical acclaim, rendering them the unofficial ambassadors of fifth-wave emo, MacDonald transitioned. But as a result of horrific anti-trans legislation passed earlier this year in Florida, both she and guitarist Tilley Komorny, also trans, left the home state they loved in order to protect themselves. With this added context, the emotional outpour of the whaler becomes all the more powerful. MacDonald describes it on opener “skin meadow” as “spilling guts to the gutless;” “Forgive me for giving a shit!” she barks, on a song that contrasts Komorny’s gorgeous, twinkling Midwest emo guitar arpeggios with warbling singing saw, horns, and gang vocals scream-chanting the title. In general, the instrumentation and composition on the whaler thrillingly wavers between emo/hardcore and Americana, sometimes within the same song, emphasizing the band’s influences, and something that’s actually a positive cultural output from this godforsaken country.

The narrator on the whaler--whether that’s MacDonald herself, a character, or a collection of characters--concerns themselves with how we interact with both other individuals and society as a whole. On “lily pad pupils”, the titular whaler kills whales because, simply, it’s what they do. “I am the whaler,” MacDonald repeats as if to give the narrator’s life meaning, over Komorny’s banjo and Dan Pot’s pedal steel. A hangman brings flowers to an execution. Everyone is trying to extract beauty from an ugly situation. On the flipside, the loveless couple at the altar on “yes! yes! a thousand times yes!” are lying to themselves and each other, faking normalcy, getting eaten up by mosquitos as the song transforms from disco beat to hardcore blast, their camouflage wearing off. “9/12″ consists of twinkly piano, a sample of children speaking, and a single line: “And on September 12th, 2001, everyone went back to work.” It recalls the oft-memed picture of George W. Bush reading to a classroom, dumbfounded as he’s being told that planes have crashed into the Twin Towers. Everyone’s numb, and nobody knows how to react or move on. On a smaller scale, the twangy “daytona 500″ illustrates the cyclical aftermath of localized death: “Animal control came to collect last night’s roadkill form the roadside / Where fathers of drunk drivers plant a cross / For their loss when the wreck is hauled off,” MacDonald sings. Her sneer, knotty delivery, and imagery all recall Jeff Mangum, an admitted influence, from fever dreams of fluids and loose teeth to “lips knitted kissin' like pigeons shittin' on windshields.”

If there’s a line on the whaler that acts as the album’s thesis statement, it’s on “whaling for sport”. MacDonald knocks down the idea of a traditional higher being when she sings, “An all-knowing God doesn’t know what it’s like / To not know anything at all.” Twenty three years ago, Isaac Brock sang, “The universe is shaped exactly like the Earth / If you go straight long enough, you’ll end up where you were,” and MacDonald’s pearls of wisdom recall a similar idea. The folks uniquely positioned to comment on our hell-scape are not the usual talking heads--they’re the ones who on “chris farley” watch as a garden grows over a buried body, who on “floral organs” are “spitting teeth into each other's mouths back and forth until we make a smile.” The wheels of their racecars spin and spin, until they lurch into forward motion, even if they crash. the whaler ends on a tape loop, the same as the start of “skin meadow”. We wake up and do it all over again.

In the middle of their tour, MacDonald was nice enough to answer a few questions over email about the whaler, her writing style and mindset, and playing live. Read our exchange below, edited for length and clarity.

Photo credit: Texas Smith (Prairie Creek Productions)

Since I Left You: the whaler imagines a world where every day is 9/11 and we've become numb to tragedy. How close do you think we are to that world in reality?

Brandon MacDonald: Reality is subjective and easily manipulated. I wouldn't recognize it if you pointed it out. We’re already here. We've been here for a long time.

SILY: As sad as it is, some folks become numb to tragedy as a means of self-protection. Would you say that's the case for any of the characters on the record?

BM: I don't see it as self protection, I just see it as what happens after being inflicted with endless tragedy. The characters on the record are all different people, and at the same time, the same person. I don't feel protected by the numbness, just bored and afraid.

SILY: There's some tongue-in-cheek humor on the record, from Florida lore to a song named after Chris Farley. How important is humor to you as a coping mechanism, writing strategy, or both?

BM: My grandmother always says after something rough happens that, “If I didn’t laugh, I’d cry.” That's where some of the funny comes from. It’s hysterical and unnerving.

SILY: Despite the song "9/12", you've posited that 9/11 was the true turning point in our history, a before-and-after type event. Do you feel that way about any other world events or eras, even if not quite as impactful?

BM: When Dale Earnhardt died. That was Florida's 9/11. Praise Dale.

SILY: Were there any newfound musical influences on the record?

BM: Not really. We just stuck to what we like. Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, Joan Of Arc, Hank Williams. things like that.

SILY: Do you pay attention to reviews of your music or what the general public says about it? Has your relationship to the record changed at all since it's come out?

BM: I see some--I don't really think about it too much. The record is complicated for me because the writing happened during a really dark period, but recording it and touring on it has been the most fun I've had. I like that some folks like it.

SILY: The record has such a wide array of instruments on it. How do you adapt these songs to a live performance?

BM: We have very different approaches to playing them live than in the studio. I want the songs live to be intimate and fun. In the studio, I can't help but want to add layers and mess around. Some of the more dense songs are strange to play at first, but folks don’t seem to mind the absence of certain instruments. Maybe we don’t need them at all?

SILY: You recently shared a tribute compilation for I Became Birds. Even if not part of the same "scene," how would you describe the kinship you feel with the bands that were included on there?

BM: I don't really know what the scene is. I just have some friends, and they make good music. I admire all the acts on the comp. We all owe a lot to Heccra for what all of us are doing with music, whether we know it or not. He's the first.

SILY: What's next for Home Is Where?

BM: LP3. DVD copy of Barnyard.

Home Is Where tour dates:

7/13/2023 Nashville, TN Drkmttr 7/14/2023 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade 7/15/2023 Orlando, FL Wills Pub 9/13/2023 Phoenix, AZ The Rebel Lounge 9/14/2023 Santa Ana, CA Constellation Room 9/15/2023 Los Angeles, CA Knitting Factory NoHo 9/16/2023 Berkeley, CA 924 Gilman 9/19/2023 Portland, OR Holocene 9/20/2023 Seattle, WA El Corazón 9/22/2023 Salt Lake City, UT The Beehive 9/23/2023 Colorado Springs, CO Vultures

[snewshub]

snewshub

[sheepfulsheepyardinspace]

[anakin skywalker voice]: u haven't known the triumphs and defeats, the epic highs and lows of child podracing

[whatwememeintheshadows]

[thejdog2000]

2020 Spoilers So Far

Don’t mind me, I’m just coming up with my own interpretations for this post here.

January: The Muppets from Sesame Street do impressions of each other. (OK, so this video technically came out in December 2019, but just for the sake of this post, we’re going to pretend it was released in January 2020.)

February: Probably that crash at the Daytona 500 (or something).

March: Is it my allergies or corona?

April: People who are not used to being inside all the time find new ways to entertain themselves.

Again, this is all based on my personal views of that post. I don’t know if I should be amused or afraid.

[sumukhcomedy]

The Rebel Flag, The Noose, and Racial Intimidation

A month ago, I had no idea who Bubba Wallace was. While I love sports, I can’t say I’m a NASCAR fan. I know a certain number of drivers. I’ve watched a Daytona 500 here and there over the years. That’s about the extent of it. If you want to know how confused I was, when I heard Bubba’s father’s name was Darrell Wallace, I assumed he was the son of a driver but then realized I combined two drivers in Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip to make a driver.

I grew up in the Midwest and so NASCAR never was exactly accessible. It was highly popular in the South and it didn’t appear like its fans were exactly the most open or inviting people. The sport didn’t feel that way either. It’s not as if I could hop into a car and start racing around a track the way I could grab a basketball and head to a court. If I did watch any racing, it was usually the Indianapolis 500 and I preferred IndyCar. I remember watching the magnitude of Dale Earnhardt’s death as I was waiting to watch FOX’s Sunday night comedy lineup. Regardless, I grew to appreciate the sport even if I didn’t watch it with any regularity or understand the inner details of it.

Over the past month, from an outsider like myself, NASCAR has made incredible leaps and unbelievable stances that I would never have expected out of the organization. For NASCAR to make a public statement on the removal of the Confederate flag was huge. For Bubba Wallace to then get behind the wheel of a Black Lives Matter car seems unthinkable. For a legend in Richard Petty to be behind that car and be fully supportive is wild. In the same way that the well-meaning white person may be overrun with guilt over the past month, the racist white person is likely losing their mind over the decisions of NASCAR.

Then, late last week, a noose was found discovered in the garage at Talladega for Bubba Wallace’s team. An investigation proved that the noose had been there since late 2019. But, in understanding race and intimidation, the investigation was necessary and its transparency important to our current discussion on race.

Almost immediately after the investigation began, extreme conservative Twitter wanted to spread the doubts over the situation. They began to compare Bubba Wallace to Jussie Smollett. They began to throw out inaccurate and made-up stats about hoax hate crimes.

First, we need to understand how intimidation plays such a strong role in racism. The Confederate flag is a symbol of intimidation whether its supporters or “free speech” lovers want to believe it or not. It’s basically now associated with racists and white supremacists. It’s carried around and worn by those who are aggressively racist. It’s been connected with murderers like Dylann Roof and so many other violent individuals. There is nothing about this flag that seems peaceful or open to a connection with people of other races. If I see a Confederate flag (and I have seen plenty as someone that travels the country and enjoys nature), it is a message by that property owner or that individual that I am not welcome. I steer clear because there is no need for me to possibly die at the hands of a racist.

So, first, for NASCAR to make the step to remove the Confederate flag was to say to all their fans that they no longer support the presence of racism and intimidation on their tracks and in their organization.

So soon after such an announcement and the sweeping, positive decisions of NASCAR, a noose is found in Wallace’s garage. Wallace is the Black driver of NASCAR. He is driving the Black Lives Matter car. He is the focal point of all these decisions. As a result, he is also the focal point for racists and the opposing side to target. Simply hearing the word “noose” or seeing that image conjures up one memory for people of color: lynching. For white people, it should do the same thing but perhaps they think of hangings and executions of 15th and 16th Century England. I have no clue what goes on in the minds of white people towards this. But, plain and simple, in understanding how race functions in this country, a noose is equated to the country’s history of lynching Black people.

So, for Wallace and NASCAR to be outspoken, a noose appearing in a garage just days after seemed too coincidental. No one does that without a message being sent. That message is you are unwanted and we could kill you just like we killed Black people in the past (and, even how Black people are being killed right now given the wave of suspect public “suicides” occurring).

For the FBI to investigate such high-profile intimidation is necessary. For it to turn out that it was, in fact, coincidental are quite the odds. But NASCAR’s transparency should be hailed. They’ve supported the investigation. They’ve supported Wallace as part of their family. They shared a photo of the noose that was hanging from the garage door. They’ve expressed that such a type of noose is not present in any other garage doors within Talladega. So, these are a massive amount of coincidences that could be investigated more thoroughly to understand how this even could happen. Or, we could just understand that the investigation was still positive in presenting the importance of intimidation in our discussion of systemic racism as well as to firmly show NASCAR is taking an appropriate antiracist business approach: they are condemning racism’s presence in their sport while also being transparent about race and its discussion both inside and outside the sport.

Of course, those who defend the racists and are unwilling to have a real discussion on race were frothing from the mouth at these results. It allowed them to spin their conspiracies. It allowed them to say that so many allegations of racism are hoaxes, that everything is about race now, or worst, equating Bubba Wallace to Jussie Smollett, which is racist and inaccurate commentary.

What Jussie Smollett did was his choice and a poor, inept choice. Once the investigation revealed that it was all his plan, it’s not as if Black and Brown people came to his defense at all. In fact, most understood this was a terrible decision on his part because a false or made-up allegation puts the lives of Black and Brown people back a couple steps. The moment may have been made fun of no better than by another Black man, Charles Barkley, on live television.

But comparing Smollett to Wallace is just plain wrong. The accuracy is wrong. The jokes are wrong. The numerous memes are wrong. Smollett MADE UP a hate crime in the most dumb way possible apparently to further his career. Wallace did not make up a hate crime. A possible hate crime HAPPENED to him. It was investigated and determined that what happened was not a blatant act of intimidation by someone. It also determined that Wallace was not responsible for that act.

This is where the line between race, accuracy, and comedy gets all blurry. A responsible comedian or meme creator would not make jokes connecting Smollett to Wallace because it’s simply not the same thing. It’s not a good joke based in that comparative way that so many jokes are. Also, just a responsible person would understand that Smollett and Wallace are two very different situations. Also, a responsible person would know that Smollett and Wallace are two different people. But that’s not the case in the world we live in. Smollett and Wallace are the same because they experienced a hate crime. Smollett and Wallace are the same because they are high-profile individuals. Smollett and Wallace are the same because they are biracial men with Black blood. Smollett and Wallace are the same because their allegations did not prove without a shadow of a doubt that a hate crime occurred. If you add up enough of these comparisons, you should be able to understand that comparing Smollett and Wallace is racist in and of itself.

I applaud NASCAR. They are strangely well ahead of our more prominent sports organizations in handling the country’s current racial dynamic. They still have a lot to learn. We all do.

But, in this case, they fully supported Bubba Wallace. They investigated the matter and have done so in a transparent, nuanced way deserving of the issues that come up with systemic racism. They still support Bubba Wallace and all other drivers as they are part of their family. The other drivers support Bubba Wallace as one of their own.

Rather than get angry over race, a Confederate flag, or a noose, one should actually realize that NASCAR is going down the right path to the unity and equal justice that is the reason so many people are vocal and protesting.

[indycar-series]

INDYCAR 101: Drivers

In this installment of INDYCAR 101, we’ll be introducing the drivers for the 2020 season and giving some background information about each of them. This comprehensive list will include both full- and part-time drivers. I’ve put this post under a read more, as this is going to be quite lengthy.

CURRENT FULL-TIME DRIVERS

Marco Andretti

Grandson of legendary driver Mario Andretti and son of Michael Andretti. One of two owner/drivers in the field, racing for Andretti Autosport with Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian. Has two race wins, five poles, 42 top fives, and 234 starts. This will be his 15th season in INDYCAR.

Oliver Askew

A rookie, this will be his first ever season with INDYCAR. Races for Arrow McLaren SP. Winner of the 2019 Indy Lights Championship.

Conor Daly

Son of Derek Daly (Formula 1 Driver) and step-son of Doug Boles (President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway). Has three top 5 finishes in his career. This year he will drive for four different teams: Ed Carpenter Racing for road/street courses, Andretti Autosport for Laguna Seca, Carlin for four races, and Arrow Schmidt SP for Portland. Tested with Force India and won at Barcelona in GP3.

Scott Dixon

The man, the myth the legend. One of the all-time winningest drivers in INDYCAR history, with 46 race wins (third all-time), 26 poles, and 165 top 5 finishes. Has five series championships under his belt and one Indy 500 win. Races for Chip Ganassi Racing. This will be his 19th season, and he has raced for Chip Ganassi all 19 seasons. Always a strong racer, and can never be counted out.

Marcus Ericsson

Has one top 5 finish. Races for Chip Ganassi Racing. This will be his second season in INDYCAR. A former F1 driver for Sauber, has won championships in British Formula BMW and Japanese F3.

Santino Ferrucci

Probably the most disliked driver on the INDYCAR grid. Has three top 5 finishes. This will be his second season in INDYCAR. Races for Dale Coyne with Vasser-Sullivan. Notorious for his reckless and dangerous driving (see Gateway 2019). Josef Newgarden has strong opinions on him.

Jack Harvey

Has one top 5 finish. Races for Meyer Shank Racing. This will be his first full season in INDYCAR. Has won 10 championships in various racing series and finished runner-up twice in Indy Lights.

Colton Herta

Son of Bryan Herta. INDYCAR’s youngest ever race winner with two race wins, three poles, and three top 5 finishes all in his rookie season. Drives for Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport. A highly talented driver, and certainly one to keep an eye on this season.

Ryan Hunter-Reay

Listed as the most successful active American driver in open-wheel racing. Has one championship, 18 wins, seven poles, and 68 top 5 finishes, with one of his wins being the Indy 500. Races for Andretti Autosport. Has raced in the Race of Champions for the last six events. Often called RHR or Captain America. The Butterball Sandwich commercial he was in is the subject of many memes.

Charlie Kimball

Has one win, one pole, and 14 top 5 finishes. Races for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. The first driver with Type 1 diabetes to win an INDYCAR race. Won the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona with Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Pruett, and Memo Rojas.

Josef Newgarden

The defending series champion and a fan favorite driver. Has two championships, 14 wins, 8 poles, and 45 top 5 finishes. Races for Team Penske. Won an Indy Lights Championship in 2011. This will be his ninth season in INDYCAR. Voted Himbo Supreme by the six people who participated in the poll.

Pato O’Ward

A rookie, this will be his first full season in INDYCAR. Raced a partial season for Carlin last year. Races for Arrow McLaren SP.

Simon Pagenaud

Defending Indy 500 Champion. Has one championship, 14 wins, 13 poles, and 63 top 5 finishes. Drives for Team Penske. This will be his sixth season in INDYCAR. A strong finisher on track. Was recently involved in some controversy in the final round of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge.

Alex Palou

A rookie, this is his first season in INDYCAR. Races for Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh. Has participated in Formula 3 and won the Super Formula Championship race last year.

Will Power

One of the most successful drivers in the field, with one championship, 37 wins (tied seventh all-time), 57 poles, and 102 top 5 finishes, with one win being the Indy 500. Has finished runner up in the championship four times. Races for Team Penske. Almost always a championship contender and a strong finisher.

Graham Rahal

Son of Bobby Rahal and Courtney Force’s husband. Has six wins, three poles, and 52 top 5 finishes. Races for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Has a high approval rating among lesbians.

Felix Rosenqvist

Has one pole position and six top 5 finishes. Races for Chip Ganassi Racing. This is his second season in INDYCAR. Winner of the 2015 F3 European Championship.

Alexander Rossi

Winner of the 100th Running of the Indy 500, and a fan favorite. Has seven race wins, six poles, and 28 top 5 finishes. Races for Andretti Autosport. This will be his fourth season in INDYCAR. Hosts a podcast with part-time driver James Hinchcliffe.

Takuma Sato

Announcers refer to him as “No Attack, No Chance”. Has five wins, nine poles, and 24 top 5 finishes, including one Indy 500 win. Races for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Former F1 driver, became the first Japanese driver to win an INDYCAR race and the Indy 500.

Zach Veach

Has two top 5 finishes. Drives for Andretti Autosport. This is his third season in INDYCAR. Voted Honorary Lesbian by the six people that participated in the poll.

Rinus VeeKay

A rookie, this is his first season in INDYCAR. Drives for Ed Carpenter Racing. Graduated the Road to Indy program in 2019.

CURRENT PART-TIME DRIVERS

Sebastian Bourdais

One of the most successful drivers in INDYCAR history. Has four championships (ChampCar), 37 wins (tied for seventh all-time), 34 podiums, and 78 top 5 finishes. Racing part-time for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. He will be sharing the 14 car with Dalton Kellett and Tony Kanaan this season.

Ed Carpenter

One of two owner/drivers in the field. Has three wins (all on ovals), three poles (all at Indy), and 15 top 5 finishes. Races ovals for Ed Carpenter Racing. Won the inaugural Freedom 100 Indy Lights race in 2003. Nicknamed the “Oval Master”.

Max Chilton

Has one top 5 finish. Races road/street courses for Carlin. Competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and raced in F1 for Marussia. Winner of the longest commute to work (he flies from England to every race).

Ben Hanley

Only has 3 INDYCAR starts. Races part time for DragonSpeed. Was a Pirelli development driver for F2 and F3.

James Hinchcliffe

A fan favorite, known as the Mayor of Hinchtown. Has six wins, one pole, and 32 top 5 finishes. Races part time for Andretti Autosport. Competed on Dancing with the Stars Season 23. Hosts a podcast with full-time driver Alexander Rossi.

Tony Kanaan

A fan favorite, voted most popular driver in 2013. Has one championship, 17 wins, 15 poles, and 133 top 5 finishes. Racing part-time for A.J. Foyt Enterprises, shares the 14 car with Sebastian Bourdais and Dalton Kellett. This will be his last season racing in INDYCAR.

Sage Karam

Has two top 5 finishes. Races for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. A top finisher in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge.

Dalton Kellett

A rookie, this will be his first season in INDYCAR. Racing for A.J. Foyt Enterprises, shares the 14 car with Sebastian Bourdais and Tony Kanaan. He is not a fan of spiders.

Felipe Nasr

A rookie, this is his first season in INDYCAR. Races part-time for Carlin. Raced in F1 for Sauber and in FE.

Spencer Pigot

Has four top 5 finishes. Racing part-time for Rahal Letterman Lanigan with Citrone/Buhl Autosport. Winningest driver in the Road to Indy with 24 wins across all 3 levels.

[illlicitaffair]

i just wanted to make sure you were okay. / @skye

x.   sentence   meme   from   85   years   ago

            There’s   a   story   to   be   told   about   the   girl   who   never   could   find   her   place   in   life,   &&   it’s   not   one   that   comes   packaged   NEATLY,   instead   the   threads   of   the   backing   barely   hold   together   the   pages.   They   say   HAPPY   ENDINGS   are   only   for   those   who   haven’t   reached   their   final   conclusion   &&   there   is   a   place   in   her   heart   that   believes   that   to   be   untrue.   What   was   the   POINT   of   all   of   this,   if   not   to   achieve   some   sort   of   fulfillment   that   wasn’t   hallowed   out   by   constant   tragedy.   Why   else   would   she   find   herself   working   with   the   epitome   of   tribulation   ?   Looking   for   a   man   who   SET   her   up   on   this   path   of   DISAPPOINTMENT.   If   she   had   learned   one   thing   from   her   childhood   it   was   to   HOLD   on   to   that   simple   phrase   –   God   is   LOVE,   there   was   a   lucidity   to   it,   an   ease   to   understand   the   message.   It’s   why   her   aptitude   to   FORGIVE   was   taken   advantage   of   more   times   than   she   cares   to   remember.   It’s   why   as   the   days   span   to   weeks   &&   those   to   months,   the   wall   she   built   to   keep   him   OUT   had   begun   to   crumble.   It   was   impossible   to   be   ignorant   to   the   fact   he   FELT   something   for   her   (   THEY’RE   REAL,   SKYE,   THEY   ALWAYS   HAVE   BEEN   )   &&   it   was   growing   more   difficult   to   deny   the   reciprocation.   She   had   fallen   for   the   GOLDEN   boy   but   even   gold   was   capable   of   being   TARNISHED   –      things   may   CHANGE,   new   truths   may   be   discovered   but   that   underlying   concept   still   remains,   much   like   her   feelings   for   him.  

           There   were   days   that   it   made   her   feel   WEAK   –   for   showing   him   any   sort   of   compassion,   for   letting   herself   get   wrapped   up   in   the   man   who   hid   underneath   a   LIFETIME   of   wrong   doings.   There   were   days   that   she   couldn’t   stand   the   idea   of   him   taking   CARE   of   her   –   she   let   him   out   of   the   vault,   she   had   carefully   constructed   an   armor   around   the   parts   of   her   that   had   soften   –   but   she   was   terrified   of   losing   them.   Isn’t   that   what   SEPARATED   them   from   people   like   RAINA   &&   HYDRA   ?   She   couldn’t   be   like   May,   she   didn’t   want   to   be,   she   wanted   to   grasp   onto   HOPE,   that   she   could   function   in   this   WAR   they   were   facing   &&   come   up   with   the   resemblance   of   who   she   was.   Although   she   was   grateful   for   gaining   the   ability   to   no   longer   simply   say   BANG   when   it   came   to   pulling   the   trigger   –   both   her   SO’S   had   given   her   strength   in   areas   she   lacked,   but   her   mind   would   remain   her   own.   Those   quirks   she   possessed,   the   ability   to   let   things   roll   off   her   back,   to   believe   in   forgiveness   –   those   values   are   what   gave   her   an   edge.   ❝         I’m   FINE         –         ❞   The   words   are   muffled   through   the   flimsy   wood   of   the   restroom   door   but   they   come   out   with   a   BITE   –   one   he   doesn’t   deserve,   but   one   she   knows   he’ll   take.   The   lie   escaped   her   chest   as   she   peeled   back   the   SOAKED   gauze   at   her   side,   it’s   nothing   in   comparison   to   the   last   time   she   found   herself   in   trouble,   but   it’s   enough.   File   this   one   under   the   former   SUPER   SPY’S   description   of   ‘just   a   graze’   –   she   didn’t   need   some   magic   alien   DRUG   to   get   her   through   this.   Wincing   as   crimson   coated   digits   dab   at   the   IRRITATED   wound   earned   from   their   recent   run   in   with   Whitehall’s   groupies,   her   choice   to   HIDE   it   from   Grant   bred   from   her   need   to   keep   GOING,   she   didn’t   come   all   this   way   to   get   this   close,  &&   lose   any   lead   because   he’d   insist   in   making   sure   she   was   OKAY.  

           It’s   times   like   these   that   she   misses   Fitz   &&   Simmons   most   –   the   bickering   that   filled   the   med   bay   as   their   brilliant   brains   clashed   on   the   most    minuscule   issues.   She   could   ALMOST   hear   the   accent   that   coated   each   of   Jemma’s   words   as   she   scolded   her   for   trying   to   PROVE   her   resilience   by   refusing   help.   She   can   only   imagine   what   they   thought   of   her   now.   Once   the   bandage   is   changed,   she   carefully   washes   away   the   reminder,   water   running   until   it   FADES   from   pink   to   clear,   &&   her   hands   are   clean   –   if   only   it   were   that   simple.      Zipping   her   jacket,   her   features   displaying   a   wince   as   she   tossed   her   bag   over   her   shoulder   before   finally   yanking   the   door   open,   unsurprised   to   see   him   still   standing   GUARD.   The   brunette   isn’t   convinced   on   which   is   lending   heavier   to   her   lightheadedness   –   the   blood   loss   or   the   way   his   tawny   shaded   orbs   soak   her   in   the   moment   he   catches   sight   of   her.      There   was   this   way   that   he   looked   at   her   –   especially   when   he   thought   she   wasn’t   looking   –   like   she   was   the   ocean   &&   all   he   craved   was   to   DROWN.   He   had   told   her   things   –   things   she   never   expected,   never   wanted,   &&   every   time   he   opened   himself   up   to   her   instead   of   having   feelings   of   abhorrence   –   empathy   began   to   claw   at   her   throat   willing   her   to   admit   that   SOMEDAY   –   wasn’t   nearly   far   away   as   he   may   have   thought.   ❝      Your   face   is   doing   that   THING   again         –         ❞   She   didn’t   have   the   capacity   to   look   at   him   &&   lie   when   he   was   staring   at   her   with   these   melted   honey   eyes   begging   her   to   unlock   her   soul   &&   grant   him   access   to   everything   she   had.   Not   even   he   could   fake   that,   right   ?   ❝      We   should   probably   get   back   on   the   road   –   ❞   &&   maybe   if   she   was   LUCKY   enough,   he   wouldn’t   drive   like   he   was   participating   in   the   Daytona   500   this   time.  

[sortanonymous]

💔

[toekneetv]

40 Car Etiquette Rules We Wish Everyone Would Follow

No Feet on the DashboardAside from being dangerous, it's just gross. This isn't your living-room sofa, it's our precious car! Keep your stinky feet off the dash.Getty Images

Passengers Shouldn't Touch the Climate ControlsThis etiquette rule has our office divided: Half of us agree that the passenger should let the driver set the temperature, while the other half think passengers should get a say. Maybe play it safe and ask the driver first in case they're part of the second group. If you're riding in a car with dual-zone climate control, all of our editors agree that your zone is fair game.Getty Images

Use the Zipper Merge MethodThis one isn't just courteous; research has proved that it's more efficient and safer. Instead of queuing up in one lane because the adjacent lane is closed miles down the road, continue to use the open lane and merge at the last minute, combining the two lanes in a zipperlike left-right-left-right fashion.Getty Images

Don't Eat or Smoke in the Car without the Driver's PermissionPlease wait until you get to your destination before tearing into your Crunchwrap or popping the lid and getting into your beef lo mein. Crumbs and debris can fall into hard-to-reach places between the seat and the console, and food smells can be hard to eradicate. Don't even get us started on lighting up a cigarette. Getty Images

Only Use Fog Lamps When There's FogThe extra light from having your fog lamps on can be distracting to drivers of oncoming cars. Not to mention, if you're in a tall truck or SUV, those lights might shine directly into the back window of lower cars. Fog lamps are intended only for use in foggy conditions where lights particularly low to the ground will help improve visibility for the driver.Getty Images

Don't Hold Up Traffic by Very Slowly Passing Other VehiclesWe all get furious when we see it happening. A driver in a semi truck is ever so slowly passing another semi truck that is going only 0.001 mph slower. It takes forever and goes on for miles. Please stop this madness! Pass only when you have enough speed to do so quickly. And it's not only big trucks who are guilty; a lot of passenger-car drivers do this, too.Getty Images

Use Your Turn SignalReally. For the love of God. Please signal. Letting other drivers know your intention to merge or turn is not only the courteous thing to do, it's also safer.Car and Driver

Stay in the Right Lane Except When PassingNo one loves being held up on the highway because another driver is camped out in the left lane doing exactly the speed limit. Move over to the right or middle lane and let faster traffic get by.Getty Images

Pay Attention When Sitting at a StoplightWe're all tempted to stare at our phones for a few brief moments while waiting at a stoplight, but please resist. If you're distracted and don't see that the light has turned green or that traffic ahead of you has moved on, you'll be holding up other motorists who have places to be. Some cars, such as Subarus with EyeSight driver-assistance features, have an audible reminder if you're guilty of this. Getty Images

Don't Text and DriveSpeaking of phones, how about no texting while driving? It's incredibly dangerous and everyone knows it. Yet Americans do this regularly, putting themselves, their passengers, and fellow motorists at risk of injury or death. Put the phone down and drive.Getty Images

Don't Drink and Drive. . . or smoke or otherwise ingest marijuana and drive. This one is rather obvious, but like texting and driving, despite understanding the danger involved, Americans still often take this risk. Stay sober behind the wheel, please.Getty Images

Pull Over for Emergency VehiclesAmbulances, fire trucks, and police cars have ear-piercingly loud sirens and bright flashing lights, yet some drivers pretend not to notice and fail to pull over to clear a path for these emergency vehicles. Why? Don't be a jerk, get out of the way.Getty Images

Let the Driver Choose the TunesIf we're putting in the wheel work, we'd like the final say on what's playing through the speakers. Feel free to suggest songs, podcasts, or radio stations, but don't take it personally if the driver vetoes your suggestion.Getty Images

No Kids or Pets Left Inside Hot CarsUnless you're driving one of those new Teslas with Dog Mode, you shouldn't be leaving your pet (or your kid!) inside the car, especially on hot days. It is literally deadly, so please don't do it.Getty Images

Park between the LinesWe've all been there: The Trader Joe's parking lot is packed (it always is), and some creep in a dented Chevy is taking up two spaces because he couldn't manage to navigate his heap between the lines. Be courteous to your fellow errand runners and take the time to make sure you're not taking up two (or more) spaces.Getty Images

Yield to the Right at Four-Way IntersectionsMaybe you forgot, or maybe you were never learned it in the first place, but at four-way intersections you're supposed to yield to the vehicle on your right if you both pulled up at the same time. This also applies to four-way intersections that are normally controlled by stoplights if those lights are no longer working, such as in a power outage.Getty Images

Remove the Tow Ball When Not in UseWe're the #SaveTheManuals people, but we're also the #SaveTheShins people. Please, help us save the shins by removing the ball from your receiver when you don't have a trailer hooked up. We're tired of bashing our legs when walking through parking lots. Plus, these things can do a lot of damage in rear-end accidents or if the driver unknowingly backs a little too close to another car in a parking lot.Getty Images

Thank Helpful Drivers in Traffic with a WaveIf someone makes room for you to merge in during heavy traffic, give them a nod or a wave. That sort of recognition shows goodwill and might encourage them to be more courteous in the future. At the very least, it will brighten their day.RUNSTUDIO - Getty Images

Use the Proper Lanes at RoundaboutsLook, we get it: Roundabouts are annoying and a little intimidating. But they work only when drivers adhere strictly to the rules. Use the proper lane and yield only if you need to when entering the circle. Getty Images

Use Headlamps in Rainy or Low-Visibility SituationsSometimes it rains or snows during the day when automatic headlamps won't turn themselves on. So turn them on manually. It increases the likelihood that other drivers will see you and will help prevent accidents.Getty Images

Passenger Should Clean the Windshield at Fuel StopsPolite passengers should offer to scrub and squeegee the windshield if it's spattered with bugs while the driver fuels up. It's not a horribly laborious task and it's usually quick work, but your driver will appreciate the effort. Getty Images

Don't Leave Your Car Parked at the Gas PumpRunning in for a soda and some Slim Jims after topping up the tank? Do everyone a favor and move your car to a parking spot instead of leaving it at the pump. Even if the gas station is deserted when you go in, there's no way to know if it will stay that way while you shop.Getty Images

Don't LitterI mean, c'mon. Did we learn nothing from the Keep America Beautiful ad campaign? Keep your trash contained inside your car until you can properly dispose of it. American highways have enough issues with potholes; don't add a bunch of garbage to the equation.Getty Images

Give Other Drivers the Courtesy Headlamp FlashSee a Smokey hiding out with his radar gun at the ready? Maybe there's a family of deer waiting to cross the road? Alert oncoming cars to potential hazards up ahead with a quick flash of your bright lights. That's brotherhood, my friend.Getty Images

Yield to PedestriansThis should go without saying, but be watchful and let pedestrians cross. Not only can you be ticketed for failure to yield, you could potentially maim or kill someone on foot. Be safe.Getty Images

Make Room for CyclistsSame goes for bicycles. Give them space on the road, even if that means waiting to drive around them until oncoming traffic subsides. You have an entire car made of metal, plastic, and glass to protect you in a collision. Bikers might only have a helmet.Getty Images

Don't Drive below the Posted Speed LimitIf it says 55, you'd better be doing 55. Not 45, not 52. We're talking 55 mph or higher. We'll give you a break if the conditions warrant it.Getty Images

Don't Block an Open LaneThis goes for intentional and unintentional blocking. If you think you're the hero for blocking the adjacent lane to force those behind you to merge while queuing up for a lane closure, you need to read up on the zipper merge method because you're screwing it up for everyone.Getty Images

Drive a Steady Speed on the HighwayNo one likes an indecisive driver. Don't tailgate us so we hurry up and get over to let you around only to slow down again. Can we please just go a steady speed? It makes the flow of traffic far less annoying. Getty Images

Don't TailgateSpeaking of tailgating, how about not doing it. Ever. It's dangerous and anxiety-inducing. This isn't the Daytona 500 and your hatchback doesn't need to be drafting that minivan for better fuel economy. Back off and drive at a safe distance. Getty Images

Don't Slam the DoorsThis one is for passengers: Don't disrespect the driver's car by slamming the door when you get out. Uber drivers are known to give their fares lower star ratings if they slam the door getting out. Don't do it to your friends either.Getty Images

Don't Distract the DriverThat funny meme you just got on Snapchat can wait until later. Don't try to show the driver something on your phone while he or she is driving. It's just as dangerous as if they were texting and driving, which is likely something you'd chastise them for. Likewise, minimize other distracting behaviors while riding shotgun.Getty Images

Give Semi Trucks SpaceDon't tailgate semi trucks. Don't hang out in an adjacent lane next to them. And especially don't cut them off in traffic. These large vehicles require more distance to stop than passenger cars and more room to maneuver. Getty Images

Don't Bump the Manual-Transmission LeverWatch your knees if you're the front-seat passenger in a manual transmission car. Depending on where the stick is, your appendage could accidentally bump the transmission out of gear. This could potentially cause damage to the car's powertrain or even result in an accident. Getty Images

Don't Dillydally on Highway On-RampsEver get behind a slow-moving vehicle that's facing an impending merge with fast-moving highway traffic and think, "What is this person even doing?" Yep. It's a highway, and the on-ramp is intended as a runway to get up to a speed that matches traffic. Get on it, Gramps!Getty Images

Give Motorcycles Extra SpaceJust as semi trucks need extra space on the road, motorcycles do, too. It's polite to keep your distance, especially when following from behind. Motorcycles, because of their light weight, can stop in very short distances much quicker than passenger cars, so following too close from behind can result in a rear-end accident that a motorcyclist might not survive. Getty Images

Dim Your Headlights for Oncoming TrafficIf you're driving with your high-beams on at night, be aware that oncoming traffic can be completely blinded by them. Just because you can see great doesn't mean that they can. Dim your lights and stop searing our retinas. Getty Images

Don't Be a Back-Seat DriverSeriously, guy? If you know where we're going better than the driver, offer to drive or keep your mouth shut.Getty Images

All Occupants Buckle UpDon't make the driver have to remind you. Buckle up for safety and out of respect for your driver.Getty Images

Curb Your Road RageWe all have places to go. Mistakes happen. The road doesn't belong to you. Whatever gets you hot while behind the wheel, let it go. Breathe in; breathe out. Life is too short to be a jerk.Getty Images

How Many of These Rules Are You Guilty of Breaking?We want to know which of our 40 rules you don't abide by. Take our poll and see if the ones you're guilty of breaking are ones our other readers also ignore.Getty Images

Read the full article

[thatguythensome]

Full video 😂🚨🚒👩‍🚒 #Remotecontrolblunt . . . . . #firememes #memesdaily😂 #memesdaily #meme #funnymemez #dank #danklife #fastandfurious #fastandfurious9 #fashionblog #hairtutorial #fashionnova #actorslife🎬 #cosplayforfun #wshh #jenniferlopez #bigdogs (at Daytona 500) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Ld6TKBNVH/?igshid=12e4agiya93mv

[mystlnewsonline]

LAS VEGAS | Kyle Larson says he'll watch his words after Hendrick gaffe

LAS VEGAS | Kyle Larson says he’ll watch his words after Hendrick gaffe

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Blunt Larson will try to be a bit more delicate with his words in the future.

Kyle Larson personally apologized to team owner Rick Hendrick this week after jokingly saying during an interview that Hendrick Motorsports cheats.

While the Chip Ganassi Racing star doesn’t plan to stop the opinionated honesty that earned him that catchy new nickname and spawned a few accompanying…

[sortanonymous]

Me watching David Ragan right now at Daytona