Today’s 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500 is taking place at a weird time in motorsport. Actually, there really never isn’t a weird time in motorsport, but the ongoing financial collapse and tepid, sort-of, kind-of recovery, coupled with tanking sales and bankruptcies in the auto industry, has made this moment extra-weird.
Just for background, there are three main types of car racing that matter: IRL, of which the Indy 500 is a marquee event; Formula One; and NASCAR. Each has its own flavor. The first two are “open wheel” categories, featuring the exotic-looking race cars outfitted with sculptural aerodynamic technologies and uncovered wheels. NASCAR showcases “stock” cars that are supposed to be based on existing Chevys and Fords but that are, in fact, custom-built …Â Details