INDY 500 BLOG: Pole Daze

May 23, 2010

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Pole Daze

The yellow shirts were outright derogatory and unnecessarily restrictive this morning. At 6:15 am , I arrived at the credential gate off of Georgetown Road where I was brutally informed by the lemon patrol that I wouldn't be allowed entrance to the track until the clock struck 7.  Normally, I would have gone in through Tunnel 7 but it was closed and locked tight. So the banana brigade directed me to their cohorts at Gate 10 and said that they would let me in over there to allow me entrance to the turn 3 lot. Once I got to gate 10 however, the situation only grew worse. It turns out that they should have let me in at the credential gate, but rather than follow proper procedure, they sent me purposely away to others they knew perfectly well were not going to let me in either. In my old line of work, we call that a punt. In that regard, the morning had not started off well at all. I have to be totally honest. The fact that they pull this whole endeavor off every year is a much more impressive feat of overcoming the odds than our space program. At least NASA has strict governmental controls.

The weather on Pole Day was serene and stunning. You could tell immediately that it was going to be a perfect day for practice and pole qualifications. Even before the day's schedule began, I personally and quietly predicted that Ed would be in the top 9 along with Dan. I felt strongly that at least one of our cars would be in that Fast 9, if not both. Only time and a long slate of qualification attempts would sort out the accuracy of that prediction.

There were 3 practice groups in the morning warm-up. Cars were split into two groups, one at 8, followed by another 30 minutes later. Finally, all cars could practice from 9-10. Both Ed and Dan were assigned to the second practice group slated to hit the track at 8:30. The cars in the first group fired up and were out running at precisely 8:00. Their buzzing could be heard resonating outside the transporter window. As mentioned, things take place like clockwork at Indy. After a few moments in the transporter war room, we prepared to head out for Ed and Dan's first round of practice.

Ed's speeds were delightfully fast right out of the box in that second practice session. They were likely due to the cool morning temperatures and the accompanying dense, moist air, but nonetheless, everyone wore smiles. I kept thinking to myself that there's nowhere else to be than at the track on race day. I've been at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on race day, but never before for qualifications. This was another first. Living in Texas is not conducive to making the trip every year, so I've only come for the race and left immediately afterward. Not this year. This year I moved up here to take in every bit of it.

It is nearly impossible to describe what happened from a team perspective on pole day, but as that is the intent of the blog I will definitely give it my best try. Pat informed me later in the day that she purposely did not reveal any information about what pole day was like to experience because there was no possible way she could prepare me for the ordeal I would endure.

After the practice session concluded, I walked over to the garage and shadowed the car from the time it was pulled out of the garage bay through the time it was inspected and put into line in Gasoline Alley. I walked along with the team as they ferried the car out and under the famous Gasoline Alley bridge until they pulled it out onto pit road. Heretofore, they had always hooked up a tow cable to the car and pulled it along on tow tires. Not today. The change in procedure today was to elevate the rear end using a wheeled pivot jack, then push and steer the car out to pit road. At the point we reached pit road one of the delightful yellow shirts spotlighted me and segregated me back behind the pit wall, telling me that I was to stay behind it. With that, I had to join the crowd back along the pit lane between the catch fence and pit wall and fight everyone for the opportunity to take photos of the #20 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka machine. Worse than that, I had to sit and watch the rest of the team walk about out on pit road while I remained separated during the arduous march toward the front of the qualifying line. It was the only time I felt lonely during the entire day, but I remembered that even with that separation, I was incredibly lucky to be where I was and given the close proximity I did have.

Once Ed and the team made it up to the front of the qualification line, I was able to squeeze out in front of the crowd and take some good photographs as they fired the car up and Ed took off for his first qualification attempt. I called my wife on the telephone so she would be able to hear the proceedings in a more personal and live fashion. I wanted her to feel as if she were part of the ordeal as well, though she sat back home in Texas. As soon as Ed tore out of the chute, I weaseled my way back through the gathering Danica congregation and began walking north. I glanced over and noticed that the Fuzzy's team was doing the same thing out on pit road. Each time Ed came by, I reported to my wife how fast he was turning laps. Ed turned the first green lap at 225.346 mph. The second one was faster, 225.537. He dropped back a little on lap 3 with a 225.445, and finished the run on lap 4 with a 224.343. His final average speed was 225.167. As the PA announcer kept reporting Ed's times, I was overjoyed at each one. All week long, Dan Wheldon's #4 car was faster than the #20 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka machine. But on Pole Day, when it counted, Ed raised the bar. Before Saturday, the thought of us being in the "Fast 9" was unfathomable. With his magnificent run, Ed went to P8 on the big board and by the time we walked into the media center he had been dropped down one slot to P9, leaving us in the fast 9 for the day. Ryan Briscoe was the one who moved Ed down on the speed chart. Grr.

I stood between the pit wall and IMS pagoda and photographed Ed when he came back in from his scintillating run. While standing there taking picture after picture, Mari Hulman George, the Chairman of of Indianapolis Motor Speedway herself, walked up in an attempt to find an easy way to get over the pit wall to spend time with her family and grandson that had just qualified in spectacular fashion for the Indianapolis 500. One of the yellow shirts beside her instructed her that she would either have to hop over the wall or walk all the way back to the nearest entryway. That entryway was a good ways off from where we were standing. So I stuck out my hand and offered to assist her over the wall. Before fully realizing what I was actually doing, I grabbed a hold of the matriarch of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and guided her over the pit wall to be with her family. Wait. What. Did. I. Just. Do?

I had to pause for a moment to fully understand what just took place. There I was just one year removed from being nothing more than a seasoned fan of the Indianapolis 500 and on Pole Day 2010, I stood helping the mother of the entire operation I adored, safely maneuver over the wall as a friend and acquaintance. What a difference a year can make. I truly cannot believe this good fortune. God has been so good over this entire month.

When I noticed Laura George, along the pit wall, holding Ed's son Ryder, I asked her if it was OK for me to come back over the wall at that point. As soon as she nodded, I hopped right over to join the celebration.

It was fabulous.

The entire immediate area surrounding the #20 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka machine was overrun with jubilation at Ed's accomplishment. The George family was happily mingling with each other and circulating the necessary congratulations amongst themselves and the assembled crew members. It was a gorgeous scene to behold.

The car was then put in line for the traditional IMS qualification photograph. Someone handed me a red Firestone cap and then a white DEEM one and we were instructed to stand among the family and crew members for the first round of full-crew photographs. Those photos will become official IMS qualification photos for the #20 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka machine. At this point, I'm not sure words can fully express how absolutely enthused I was about being a part of that photograph. All my life I have dreamed about being a member of a racing team that qualified for the Indianapolis 500. On Saturday, May 22nd, 2010, that lifelong dream perished to reality. It means that yours truly has officially become part of the Vision/Panther Racing team and will now forever live as part of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis 500 history. It will take weeks, if not months for the realization of that fact to sink in. That is no lie. In that one precious, tender moment, every vision I ever had about being part of the Indianapolis 500 came true in a heartbeat. The fact that I quit my job and threw caution to the wind for a chance at this opportunity was completely validated in that moment. If the good Lord sees fit to strike your author and reporter dead at any moment, I can safely claim to have accomplished the greatest of all my life's goals and shall be forever content.

From there, the whole entourage moved from the pit lane surface to the pagoda porch and then off to watch Ed do innumerable media interviews. There was a line of them in front of Victory Lane. We moved on to the IMS media center, guarded by a bevy of Indiana State Patrolmen for crowd control. For the second time in the past week, an experience delivered the feeling of what it must be like to be a rock star. Ten years ago, I was on the other side of that fence, pointing out celebrities and seeking autographs. Returning to the present, I got to be part of that excitement. Back then, there was no way I could have handled the placement. Now, I soaked up as much of it as possible since I know it is only temporary and fleeting.

We went with Ed into the media center to conduct his post-qualification press conference alongside Indiana golf legend Fuzzy Zoeller. The duo was tremendously entertaining to watch. They lit up the room with their collective joy in Ed's qualification, sprinkling the entire discussion with humor. Within a few moments, it was over and the group headed back out to face the crowd amassed outside. As I opened the door to let Ed vacate the premises, someone ran hard into my back. I turned around and realized that Danica Patrick and I had just collided. I apologized and moved on. She never said a word. The team returned to the garage and enjoyed some celebratory sandwich wraps before the PR folks and I headed back to the transporter. At the time, I was still lost in the burden of the sudden deluge of attention. It was difficult to grasp then, just as it is now in writing these words. I'm not sure the full gravity of the situation will ever find me, but it will take time for it to occur if it does.

Back in the war room, we sweated through the first round of qualifications as we tried to make account for our own team's display. Thankfully, nobody bumped us out of the Fast 9. The closest challenger was Townsend Bell right before the gun, but he fell off enough to drop much further back in the grid. There was a short pause before the beginning of the shootout. We thus had time to let what just happened to all of us sink in. We were happy to make the shootout, but disappointed that Dan wouldn't be joining us. Dan had been faster than Ed ever since the cars started hitting the track last weekend. That outcome was unexpected, but Ed's spot in the Fast 9 was something that the Vision team believed could happen all week long.  

When it came time for the 9-car shootout, all the cars went back out in line according to their position on the initial grid. This time, I walked in lock-step with other team members so that I would be right out there with them on pit lane for the whole affair. There was no way I was missing out on the shootout. The strategy worked and out onto pit road I went with the rest of the Fuzzy's team. Nobody so much as ever batted an eye. For once on this glorious day, the yellow shirts left me alone and without harassment.

Being that we were 9th, it put us dead last for the mandatory round of re-qualifications. As each car went out in order, Helio Castroneves started putting up some blistering speeds. The crowd erupted with applause as the numbers above 228 were read off by the PA announcer. At that moment I was standing next to Laura George, who exclaimed "I don't want to sound negative, but I don't think anybody can beat that."
It not only stunned the crowd, but everyone standing out there on pit road too. As I shook my head, the PA announcer noted that Helio's feat left those on pit lane shaking their heads. It was obvious that I wasn't alone in my surprise.

When Hideki Mutoh went for his run, you could easily hear him lift off the throttle as he was going into turn 1 and his time suffered tremendously for it. I knew at that juncture that we were going to gain at least one position and we hadn't even run yet. Mutoh's final lap was in the 218 mph range. That was quite a poor showing after his having had such a great run earlier in the day.

One by one, the cars clicked off their mandatory qualification attempts. It was finally Ed's time to go. I made my way right up to the corral fence and took some great photographs of the car as it sped away from Brian Barnhart and the qualification line. Ed went out and turned 4 solid laps. Those laps were slower than his initial attempt, but they were all that was necessary to supplant Mutoh on the position pylon. Upon his return to pit lane and exiting the #20 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka machine, Ed was greeted with an entire new round of congratulations from teammates and seemingly every other passer by. Ed Carpenter, the hometown boy, rose in popularity and stature on Pole Day. It could be heard in the crowd that he's won their hearts all over again. Right then, you could feel a special sensation in the air and it could be perceived by every member of the team. I felt it and I know they felt it too.

With Ed securely in the top 9 and now slotted up another position to 8th, the Fuzzy's team sat and watched the fireworks as the Penske and Ganassi brigades battled it out for the pole position prize. We knew that we didn't have enough speed, so there was no sense in trying to go back out and risk Ed or the car. Contentment reigned supreme. So we just sat there and waited. When you can't run with the big dogs, the smart thing to do it just sit back and let them fight it out. Alex Tagliani made several more attempts to try and improve his starting position and Hideki Mutoh returned in similar fashion to try and move himself out of the 9th position he'd dropped down to. Each of his attempts concluded in the same disappointing fashion. He just couldn't make it into turns 1 or 3.

To be standing on pit road to witness the shootout among the top 9 drivers was absolutely breathtaking. Again, only a year removed from being nothing more than a dedicated Indy 500 fan, it was not only the first time here for pole day, but came with the grand honor of being out on pit road during the final shootout. Even upon immediate reflection, I cannot even begin to fathom how amazing the opportunity was. Eventually it will sink in and I'll be able to talk about it.

Several special things happened during the afternoon.

While the Fuzzy's/Vision/Panther team waited in line, Tony George walked up and took a spot along the fence right next to me. He looked over and said, "It's nice to have something to blog about, isn't it Charles?" I told him yes, that this was an absolutely amazing opportunity and I knew from the moment it began last fall that I sensed that something special was going to come from the experience. I also told him that so far, everything has greatly exceeded those expectations. Last year, I was a fan at home in Texas, watching the qualifications on television from the comfort of my recliner. This year, I stood on pit road at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and chatted with Speedway icon Tony George. To say that this experience has meant the world to me would be the understatement of the century. I cannot believe the amount of trust, acceptance, and camaraderie that the Vision Racing and Panther Racing teams have shown me over this past couple of weeks. It really is the experience of a lifetime and one I will tell my grandchildren about someday. Pole Day itself was unforgettable. For a fan to have the opportunity to do these things, the notion itself is unthinkable. Then again, this is Vision Racing and the George family and only through them would such a wonderful thing like this be possible. I am more sure of that than the sunrise tomorrow.

We sat there in the oppressive sunlight and baked upon the surface of the asphalt and concrete. I told one of the guys that I've never been so happy to stand around in the sun and get so sweaty in my life. It's no lie. I could have stood out there for days, if not weeks. When the qualifications drew down to a crescendo, Trevor Mitchner, Ed's turn 3 spotter, and I were sitting together on the pit lane wall next to the #20 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka machine when TG walked by to shake our hands. He said "Congratulations guys. I'm gonna go have a vodka." The line from TG was classic and poignant. What an absolutely magnificent day for Panther/Vision Racing and the Carpenter and George families. Tony and Laura were happy. Ed was happy. Heather and their children were happy. Every last soul on the team was thrilled by what had just taken place before our eyes. Ed Carpenter and the Panther/Vision Racing entry had just secured the middle of the 3rd row for the 94th Indianapolis 500. It will be coming to you live a week from Sunday. May I suggest you watch it?

At the end of the day Helio Castroneves walked away with pole position for next week's Indianapolis 500. This is the fourth time he has garnered that honor. Of course, he's obviously now the favorite to win come race day, but I still feel that something special is going to come about with the Vision and Panther folks. I don't know what it is. I can't quite put my finger on it. But the feeling is definitely there. You want proof? Gregg Grahn, the turn 1 spotter I had the opportunity to sit with yesterday, predicted Ed's qualification speed with eerie precision. Gregg told Laura George that Ed was going to go out and run a 225.167 and we'd have nothing to worry about. Ed ran a 225.166. You cannot get a more accurate prediction than Gregg's. When Gregg told TG about the prediction, TG didn't initially believe him. Gregg actually had to grab Trevor and I and stand us before Tony to testify that we had indeed witnessed said prediction. We told him. It was no lie. Gregg called it.

With things like Gregg's prediction happening in the Fuzzy's garage, something special is definitely on the way. Ed Carpenter spoke during his press conference earlier and said that he felt that he was given the best chance to win this year and that he was going to make the best of that chance. I cannot even begin to fathom what it would be like if it were to come to fruition. Standing out there for the qualification shootout was one thing. Standing in Victory Lane with Ed and the team would be nothing short of a gift from the heavens above.

One funny final note for the day, Trevor Mitchner brought in one of the original Motorola mobile "brick" phones in order to play a trick on PCap. The entire PR staff got a huge kick out of posing and playing with the darned thing. When Ed Carpenter walked into the war room, MK handed the humongous contraption to him and told him that President Carter was calling to offer his congratulations for making the 500. It is amazing how technology has changed over the last 20 years. I remember when those phones came out. Of course, I also remember what it was like to watch Pole Day on a television set. My how far we've come.

--CW

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