T he 2017 Indycar season had not been going so well for Graham Rahal and the Rahal-Letterman Racing Team. With a 6th place at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis being their best showing of the year, the team needed to find a combination to get back on the winning track. They definitely found it at the Belle Isle street course for the Chevrolet Grand Prix of Detroit. Taking the pole in qualifying for Race I on Saturday June 3rd, Rahal dominated the field from the get go in his Honda. Rahal set a new speed record on the 2.350 mile temporary street course. Starting next to him was Helio Castroneves in a Penske Chevy. As the green flag dropped and the race began Rahal took immediate command with the team employing a two pit stop strategy that worked.
There were no major incidents during the race. Rahal led 55 of the 70 laps run. Castroneves led 11 but a late stop dropped him to 7th. Scott Dixon finished 2nd. Yes, the same Scott Dixon who walked away from a heart stopping crash at Indy just a week before with just badly bruised foot. He finished 6 seconds behind, with James Hinchcliffe fighting off Joseph Newgarden for 3rd place. Honda powered cars took 7 of the top 10 finishing positions.
Sunday, June 4th saw Indy winner Takuma Sato take the pole with a new course record of 1:13.6732. Andretti Autosport teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay started next to him, with Rahal and Castroneves comprising the second row. Sato led early but it wasn’t long before Rahal was back in command. Again the team employed a 2 pit stop strategy. There were no serious incidents during race 2. On lap 65, Spencer Pigot’s engine blew, bringing out a red flag. stopping the race for 20 minutes to clean up the track. Everyone held position on the restart and Rahal held on to beat Newgarden by a second. Penske teammate Will Power finished 3rd and Sato took 4th.
Rahal’s dominating weekend moved him up to sixth in the points chase. It was the first time he has won back-to-back races. It was the first time that any driver had swept the “Dual at Detroit.” He was the first driver to win a second race. There have been 7 winners in 8 races. Honda now holds a 5 to 3 edge in wins. Scott Dixon’s fine weekend showing, a 2nd and 6th, moved him into 1st place in the chase for the championship. Castroneves dropped to 2nd and Sato has a firm hold on 3rd. Next stop, the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth for the Rainguard Water Sealers 600 run under the lights in the cool of the evening. That’s this coming coming Saturday, June 10th. Graham Rahal is the defending champion of this race.
The National Scripps Spelling Bee
The National Spelling Bee is America’s premier event of mental gymnastics and requires as much physical fitness as any other sporting event. To be intellectually fit one must be physically fit and that is why it’s such a challenge. Twelve-year-old Ananya Vinay took the hardware home by correctly spelling “marocain.” The California kid is from Sacramento and is of Indian heritage. She is a 6th grader and also a big Golden State Warrior fan and was glad that she could get back to following her team through the NBA playoffs, although she will have to engage in all the duties and tour appearances required of a champion.
Ms. Vinay was something of an unknown when the competition started, but as some of the better known and more heavily favored contenders started falling by the wayside her confidence grew. “The words, I knew them all.” she said.
She engaged in a long duel with Oklahoma 8th grader Rohan Rajeev before Rajeev finally stumbled on the word “marram.” The young lady confidently spelled the winning word and then took time to console her devastated opponent. Ananya is the 13th consecutive “Indian American” to win the Bee and the 18th of the last 22. Her post Bee celebration was marred by an incredibly racist interview by two CNN commentators the day after her win. I won’t go into it except to say that the old stereotype about the bubble headed brainless blonde came through. The interview is all over the net if you really want to see it. As to Ananya Vinay, my most heartfelt congratulations.
As a spelling challenged writer I stand in awe of your achievement. You are a true sportsman and champion in every sense of the word.
snicewanger@yahoo.com