Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti knows how to drive strategically on the track. But he also has a few suggestions about what racing fans should look for when watching the 500 on television.
Unlike folks watching from the stands, people following the race in their living rooms or dens have the luxury of good viewing angles on every part of the track. Dozens of stationary and mobile cameras follow the cars closely and catch a lot of details we would probably miss otherwise. To get the most from the at-home viewing experience, Franchitti says, fans should take full advantage of those cameras.
“This style of racing is all about the subtleties,” he says. ”Look very closely at the rear of the cars as they go through the corners.” From behind it is easier to tell when a car is sliding or “loose” in the turns, which are especially tight on the nearly rectangular Indianapolis track. While this tail-out driving style works well on relatively low-speed dirt tracks, it’s an emblem of failure at Indy.
“If a car is sliding, it’s not going as fast as it could,” Franchitti says.
Viewers should also focus on cars that are running close together. The fastest route around the track, known as the racing line, dictates single-file racing most of the time. But when racers are following within a few inches of one another they are often setting up for a pass. The real cut-and-thrust happens on the long straights, where drivers try to quickly whip around the cars in front of them before having to resume a single file in the next turn.
The 500 is a long race, but the first few laps still do a good job of identifying the fastest drivers. Franchitti, who is among the handful of drivers favored to win tomorrow, says he plans to try to move from his not-so-great 9th-place starting position to the front of the pack as quickly as possible.
You want to be in front to avoid the air turbulence created by other cars and the increased risk of collisions in mid-pack traffic, he says. Last year he won the race after leading most of the 200 laps.
Lastly, please don’t miss the last 10 laps. Because Indy race cars are largely alike, the racing is often still close toward the end of the race and drivers take more chances in the closing laps. Drivers are also especially nervous at this point in the race.
“If you’re leading you start to wonder what might go wrong or what’s going to break.” You never get that feeling that you have it won,” Franchitti says.
Racing drivers have good reasons for not celebrating until the race is over, especially at Indianapolis. “There’s a statistic for how many people leading the race with 10 laps to go actually wind up winning,” the driver says. “I’m not quite sure of the exact percentage, but it’s not a big number.”
Pre-race coverage begins at 9 a.m. E.T. on ABC and the green flag flies at noon.
Unlike folks watching from the stands, people following the race in their living rooms or dens have the luxury of good viewing angles on every part of the track. Dozens of stationary and mobile cameras follow the cars closely and catch a lot of details we would probably miss otherwise. To get the most from the at-home viewing experience, Franchitti says, fans should take full advantage of those cameras.
“This style of racing is all about the subtleties,” he says. ”Look very closely at the rear of the cars as they go through the corners.” From behind it is easier to tell when a car is sliding or “loose” in the turns, which are especially tight on the nearly rectangular Indianapolis track. While this tail-out driving style works well on relatively low-speed dirt tracks, it’s an emblem of failure at Indy.
“If a car is sliding, it’s not going as fast as it could,” Franchitti says.
Viewers should also focus on cars that are running close together. The fastest route around the track, known as the racing line, dictates single-file racing most of the time. But when racers are following within a few inches of one another they are often setting up for a pass. The real cut-and-thrust happens on the long straights, where drivers try to quickly whip around the cars in front of them before having to resume a single file in the next turn.
The 500 is a long race, but the first few laps still do a good job of identifying the fastest drivers. Franchitti, who is among the handful of drivers favored to win tomorrow, says he plans to try to move from his not-so-great 9th-place starting position to the front of the pack as quickly as possible.
You want to be in front to avoid the air turbulence created by other cars and the increased risk of collisions in mid-pack traffic, he says. Last year he won the race after leading most of the 200 laps.
“If you’re leading you start to wonder what might go wrong or what’s going to break.” You never get that feeling that you have it won,” Franchitti says.
Racing drivers have good reasons for not celebrating until the race is over, especially at Indianapolis. “There’s a statistic for how many people leading the race with 10 laps to go actually wind up winning,” the driver says. “I’m not quite sure of the exact percentage, but it’s not a big number.”
Pre-race coverage begins at 9 a.m. E.T. on ABC and the green flag flies at noon.