The Kids (Atlantics) continue to put on a great show, congratulations to Andreas Wirth for capturing the checkered flag in Houston. Boy, I tell you, looking back on that race, there was interesting moves taking place on the track and some of it resembled the ChampCar race. I can’t imagine that Matos was very happy with Rahal after the race and thought it was interesting how Rahal was holding out, despite being given that black flag. But, I shouldn’t write too much more, considering the race hasn’t aired yet and it’s not fair to the people, who haven’t seen it yet. But watch it on Speed, cause it was a dandy!

I am trying to figure out a way to solve the television issue without being unrealistic. This past race in Houston became a timed event. We all know what happened. An extended yellow near the end forced the race to go green/white on the ensuing re-start. That’s the reality of our game right now. But I do wish they could have restarted the race, given them a couple of green flag laps, then bring out the white. Now, I understand how it works. They have a pre-race segment, the race, then post-race interviews. It’s a full story, with a beginning, middle and ending. You have to have post-race interviews. You should have a pre-race segment to set up the storylines. But why is it that it’s the race that always gets shorten? Could the pre and post race segment get shorten instead? These would have to be in-the-moment decision, with Cotman or whoever in race control coordinating with the television crew, telling them to go to plan B or whatever they would have worked out before. Some sort of contingency plan so that the race doesn’t have to get shorten too much (at least have two or three laps of green flag racing at the end) and still be able to get an interview, at least with the winner or something.
Again, I don’t mind shortening a race, that’s the reality of it. But, in a case like Houston where Tracy was pushing for Bourdais’ spot, at least two laps at the end could have given Tracy the opportunity to make a run at Bourdais. One lap simply wasn’t enough time.
The good news is that this Houston race had a lot of action throughout the race and that extended yellow at the end was a bizarre circumstance that hardly ever happens. Nobody felt cheated out of this one, that’s for sure. But I can’t help but wish that we could have had at least one more green flag lap. Its something, in my opinion, that could be worked out between Race Control, the television crews and most importantly, the teams and winning drivers. I’m not suggesting Tracy necessarily had anything for Bourdais, but a couple of green laps would have proved whether he did or not.

p.s. I saw the face of Champcar on the television the Grill Room last night, she was wearing the tiniest of bikinis known to humankind. classy.