Well that was interesting, wasn't it? Last night, I watched my first ever IndyCar race, and it was certainly a good one. So what did I think of it?

I don’t think there is a better place to start this than the aero kits. I know these are new, and from what I can see from Twitter, they made for a much different race than usual. With winglets being knocked off cars everywhere, the caution came out very often for the first half of the race, which ruined it for me a bit. At one point I was expecting the pace car to have to come in and refuel! I'm sure I'm not the only person who expects that IndyCar might change something about them to improve the racing quality. Then again, it is a narrow street circuit. Perhaps it will be better at NOLA.

I decided to support Juan Pablo Montoya, as I know him better than the others thanks to his days in Formula One and NASCAR. It turns out that this was a good pick, with him winning the race.


I couldn't help but compare it to Formula One: and I would say that it seems much better. I haven’t been an F1 fan for a year or so now, with the rules getting worse, the cars more boring and the racing less interesting. The IndyCar engines certainly sound much better than the F1 V6s, and the cars look slightly like late 80s F1 cars, only with much more aero. The pit stops seemed quite unsophisticated, nowhere near as fast as Formula 1, but better than NASCAR.

Norm Sellgren first race was with his son to Edmonton in 2008, my son met and hung out with Dan Weldon and got a Diecast signed which he still has seven years later.

And finally, Adrian Rickard, having follow CART with late night highlights on Channel 5's Live and Dangerous shows, this teenager was extremely excited when they announced they were coming to Rockingham in Northamptonshire. The lead up was somewhat muted having been only a matter of weeks since the terror attacks in New York and Washington. Compounded with the horrific accident that nearly took Alex Zanardi's life in Lausitz the week before, the atmosphere leading was subdude. But come race day you could focus on the track, and it was weeping... which delayed the start, which resulted in a shorter race due to loosing daylight. Memories of the race... the noise, the speed, the cars, anyone following CART during this period will fully know and understand how breathaking these cars were seeing them first hand. Then we come to the last laps. My dad and I were sat high in the Turn 1 grandstand, surrounded by Swedes, heavily backing Kenny Bräck, we, on the basis that they had a facotry close(ish) to where we were from were supporting Penske and Gil de Ferren. I'll let the video below explain the rest...

Again thank you to everyone who contributed to the three parts of 'My First Indycar Race', hopefully some new fans will make first memories in the coming months. I would appreciate if you took a little time to check out Sporting Memories and read about the work they do, and understanding the importance of sharing your memories with friends and family.

Part One

Part Two

When I tweeted @IndycarUK early last week, asking about TV times, and explaining that I was new to IndyCar, Adrian asked me if I would be interested in writing a guest article for the site, about my experiences watching my first ever IndyCar race. I said I'd be delighted to, and so here I am! I've decided to do this in two parts - my thoughts before the race, and my thoughts after the race. But to start with, I'll introduce myself.

I'm Jake Kilshaw (@jakekilshaw - yes I know, a very creative username), and 15. I'm currently in my GCSE year at school, and my goal is for a career in motorsport journalism. I'm a fan of a wide variety of motorsports: bikes; touring cars; sports cars; endurance; F1; rally; NASCAR, you name it. But I've never watched IndyCar. I've known what it is, and had a rough idea of how it works, just never followed it. I decided after having seeing some IndyCar drivers in other categories such as Formula E, and discovering that some of the NASCAR teams like Penske are also in the series, that I should give it a go.

So what do I know about IndyCar already? Looking at the entry list, I can see some familiar names: Takuma Sato, Sebastien Bourdais and Juan Pablo Montoya will all, of course, be known to any F1 fan from a few years back. And the latter, from NASCAR, too. There are some Formula E names as well: Simona de Silvestro, for example. And then, there are some people that I seem to know, but from where, I'm not sure. Will Power, and Ryan Hunter-Reay - perhaps I have just seen their names on motor sports news websites.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to contribute, read and share in Part One of this blog. 

I still have plenty more stories to tell and memories to share, so lets start with a track from an area of the US that many fans would like to see a return to Portland, Oregon, Christine Miles tells us her memory of the race from 2002, the heat... 96 degrees Fahrenheit all weekend - lobster status! And the fan access, I have never been so close to race car in my life.

Jo Husband made a long distance trip from England, but travelled east. In October 1999 I had the chance to go out to the Surfers Paradise Indy but, busy with my equestrian work, I decided the timing wasn't quite right. It was a decision I was to bitterly regret as a month later one of my favourite drivers lost his life at Fontana & I'd missed my only chance to have seen him race. I vowed there & then to get to Surfers the next year as a tribute to Greg & in spite of still being on crutches following knee surgery, I did just that.

It was a truly fantastic experience. They literally shut down this normally hectic city for 4 day to hold a massive party with a race on the side! It certainly wasn't called the IndyCarnival for nothing. With sun, sea, sand & even a mariachi band it sure beat a soggy summer's day at Silverstone. The place was manic & buzzing but warm & welcoming too. I even got a thank you hug from Barry Green for flying out there!

I could probably write a book about that weekend but the race itself didn't exactly go to plan. Australia is a heck of a long way to go for 'your' driver to not even complete the first lap, but sure enough the top three on the grid, Montoya, De Ferran & Franchitti tangled at the notorious first chicane. The strange thing is it didn't really matter. Adrian Fernandez went on to win but the result wasn't the most important thing that day. It was all about the atmosphere, the fun & the camaraderie, borne out by post-crash Franchitti & Montoya watching the race together eating ice cream! And for me personally, it was about keeping my promise to Greg Moore.

I Loved Cart on twitter first race was to Detroit in 2012 (the one with the road surface getting loose) I met my racing idol MarioAndretti that day.

Back to Indianapolis and firstly Gary Blinebury's first race in 1981, I watched AJ win his last 500-mile race in a torrential downpour. Few Silver Crown cars in the field too.

Jimmy Gray, we went every year so not sure but I'd guess '76-'77 and my first memory is sleeping in the shade of the car in the infield.

James Alban was in 1990, and saw Arie Luyendyk win his first Indy 500, I sat in turn one...I was just 11 years of age, but the event kept my attention the entire time! 

Back to 1962, Mike Silver, the best memory was meeting Louis Meyer after the race. Watching drivers wrestle the steering wheel was exciting.

Andy Baker made his first trip to the speedway in 1988, I was 8. Race was fun & memorable, but bummed AJ didn't win. Same seat every year since.

And finally for Part Two, 1978 and the Ontario Speedway in California, Patsy White went, with husband LeRoy, who was the refueller for the 98 Parnelli Car.

Our final look back through people's first Indycar race, Part Three will be posted in the next few days, with stories from Rockingham, Indianapolis and Edmonton, to name but a few. You can also check out Part One of this series and also Sporting Memories Network and the Alzheimer's Society.

Twitter never lets you down! Just one tweet sent my phone into battery meltdown. Looking forward to the new Indycar season I asked for your memories of your first Indycar race, where it was, when, who you were with any memories of that day.

So lets get things underway with Rick Snodie, My first race was at Elkhart Lake, WI in 1991 and I went with a friend and my brother. We camped all weekend. I remember having pit access and seeing Paul Tracy in the pits. My daughter and Mom came on Sunday and my daughter got Arie Luyendyk's autograph. Michael Andretti won the race. The other series running that weekend had Walter Peyton competing in a stock car.

The first of many 'first races' came from Indianapolis, Mike Patterson remembers 1976, My Mom, Dad, younger brother and I piled into a station wagon with my Dad's co-worker and his wife and son. We watched from Reserved Parking which was up against the fence outside of the backstretch. Got poured on and the race was called after 102 laps but my hero, Lonestar JR, Johnny Rutherford won the race which made my day!

Aaryn Ryan from 1996 Indy 500, the most vivid memories was parking at Don's Guns and sitting behind the pits.

Moving south westerly to Pheonix, Matt Archuleta remembers a visit from the mid 1970's, loud and glorious. Here's a blurry pic of me on the left and my family

North of the boarder, and Steve Wittich first trip to an Indycar race was the Molson Indy at Mosport in 1978 won by Danny Ongais, I was seven, and all I remember was the blur of colour.

A return to Indianapolis for a few stories and memories, firstly from Andrew Loviseck, and the 1985 500, I was sat against the fence between Turn 1-2. Saw Sullivan spin & win and saw a lot of other things I was prob too young to see.

Michael Miller's first race was a more recent memory, the 2012 Indy 500 two days after I graduated from High School. I had been going to the track for years for practice, but I won some race tickets.

A few years earlier and to the 1972, when Mark Donohue was victorious, Tom Waitt remembers, I was a kid and was mesmerized by Mark Donohue and the beautiful blue 66 Sunoco car at IMS.

DJ's first Indy 500 was in 2001, thinking that Michael Andretti was going to win when there was a rain delay after halfway. And the Aerosmith "incident"...

Chris Meinaltowski was 6 and a half for his first trip to the Indy 500, 
at that age I was blown away by the sounds, the smell of the fuel, & the odd little bump at pit out.

We round off part one of this trip down memory lane with a journey to these shores, in 1987 to Silverstone and Brands Hatch, Andy Hallbery remembers, when USAC brought the Indycars to Silverstone and Brands Hatch. I was eleven! I got Gordon Johncock and Danny Ongais autographs.

A few months later, after a lot of badgering from Liza that I should blog, this website started, it's her fault!

Why I thought getting up at 3:30 am on an hours sleep was a good idea I'll never know, well apart from beating the traffic to get to Birmingham... anyway.

I know about the walking at these events, but it wasn't until I arrived at the NEC I remembered (just) how big the place was, it was my first time there since the early 90's when my head was about elbow height walking around the venue. This was my first trip to the ASI, first impression, its huge, I work in a venue where we have exhibitions, this blows it away, threeish halls plus other demonstration areas make for one of the largest car, motor sport and trade shows out there. 

So Day One, start of the trade days, these days are a lot quieter, which gives you more opportunity to get to see more stands, discuss with the exhibitors, pick up freebies, you know, the usual's. A fantastic chance to get up close and look at some current and historic racing cars. Throughout the day (and weekend) there are a lot of stages with various Motorsport personalities being interviewed. A must see is the amazing Pop Bang Colour art stand by Ian Cook, artwork created with... toy cars... really! If I was arranging to meet anyone throughout the day, I would describe myself as the guy in the Indycar jacket looking vague, as was the case through most of the day on little sleep. Although being a faceless [twitter] account I did have a lot of fun seeing people and saying "Hi, X..." and them looking at me, knowing full well they are thinking who the hell are you?

A restaurant recommendation for you passed onto me by Nic, I was looking for a good curry house and being in Birmingham thought my chances were high, they were - Al Frash on Ladypool Road, a fantastic curry, and magnificent (huge) naan bread!

Day Two, see day one. Just less tired. Followed by a visit to Coventry to see an old friend. One thing you will never appreciate in the Midlands is how close everything is to each other, I have discovered everything is about an hour away. Unlike Plymouth where it is two and a bit hours to Bristol and that is just to start to get going to somewhere else!!

Day Three, Saturday, I skipped. Braved a shopping trip to the Bullring where the most exciting thing I bought was some new lights for my living room, the exciting life of Adrian, aged 30 and 3/4's... Followed by a trip to the Hawthorns to see the Baggies take on Hull. £26 for a Premier League game, excellent, but, I have seen less depressing sights at Home Park this season! (Plymouth Argyle, League 2, three divisions below West Brom for those not in the know).

I did however return in time to get to the NEC to watch the Dan Wheldon Karting Trophy that evening. You can read about the event HERE as well as catching up with some highlights and chat from the event on Downforce UK Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3. This is a great event that I urge to to check out if you can, Saturday is a better fit to get more public attending than in the previous races. You get to see some pro, up and coming as well as the enthusiastic amateurs race all for a good cause, the Alzheimer Society.

Finally onto day four... by day four your feet are tired, you think you've seen all the stands, oh no, as I previously stated you are walking in some kind of motor sport labyrinth.  Come the weekend and the public days so out go the trade stands, and in come the ovals, stock cars, racing clubs and more. And now, ample more opportunities to pick up some racing memorabilia, die casts and team wear. I did manage to grab a good bargain of some DW12's from Race Gear UK. Shortly after easily persuaded to sign up for Project Brahbam, cheers James, after chatting (at some length) with Sam Brabham you can understand and appreciate what they are undertaking and unlike some other crowd funding efforts that left me feeling cold recently, this is something I would urge you to check out, if not support.

This was my first visit to the ASI and if you don't think you can fill your days, you'd be wrong, plenty of exhibitors to visit, cars to photograph and most importantly, people to meet. You never know what can lead from just a conversation. 

Go back to the 29th May 2011, you may remember Dan Wheldon’s speech in victory lane just after he had won one of the most dramatic Indy 500s of all time he paid tribute to his mother, Sue who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2009. In April of last year, Sue Wheldon sadly passed away. 

It was Dan’s drive to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s in the US that the Wheldon family has carried forward in the UK too. As someone who has had a personal experience with grandparents who have suffered with Dementia, I can appreciate what close family members go through whilst living through their later years.

Now into its third year, Saturday saw the now annual running of the Dan Wheldon Karting Trophy held at the Autosport International Show at the NEC in Birmingham.

Guest Pro drivers included Sennan Fielding & Ben Barnicoat (finalists from the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award), Sam Brahbam (Project Brahbam), Craig Dolby (Super Formula), Steve Parrish (BBC / Moto GP) to name but a few. From our screens, Kevin Fletcher (Emmerdale) and Tony Hirst (Coronation Street).

Two teams I was, and many others, were supporting, on the competitive Am’ sides, we had a team from Dementia Friends made up of volunteers and champions of their cause and of course Team Wheldon, comprising of Ash, Elliot, Austen with one of Dan’s childhood friend and former Karting competitor Gavin McFayden joining their line up.

So the green flag flies, three hours racing, all fair, all nice, all straight forward... right? No, you don’t put a collection of competitive drivers on track a track and tell them to calm down; it’s not in their nature! After several early red flags for some on track ‘indiscretions’  and some stern words from the stewards, the race finally settled into a smoother(ish) pattern. Further yellows did occur for some friendly nudges, spins and well, driver errors! 

One particular corner towards the end of the lap was a real challenge, too wide into the previous corner and you would be flirting more with the barrier than speed dating night. When the phrase the ‘track is evolving’ was created, I believe this corner evolved several times over as piece by piece the barrier was adjusted by force, probably not the meaning it was intended for. 

The race was won by Team #18 Vincenzo Sospirio (yes, he the one-time practice’r of the 1997 Mastercard Lola), runner up with #2 Team Titan 2 and #3 Tockwith 1 in third.

More highlights and chat from the race can be found at Downforce UK. Full results are HERE supplied by Alpha Timing.

It was fairly competitive on track to say the least, what are your thoughts on the way your Team Wheldon #21 did?
Definitely was very competitive on the track that night, which is great to see. Team Wheldon had an ok night, finishing 12th out of 30 teams. Didn't help when both Elliott & Ashley got black flagged. Great to see Austen and Gavin putting in some very quick laps. To be honest we thought we would hold back and let someone else win for once.






Tell us about the Alzheimer's Society and the work they carry out?
The Alzheimer's Society is a charity very close to my family and I. As you probably know we lost my mum to the illness last April. Dementia describes a set of symptoms that may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. Dementia is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease or a series of strokes. It's progressive, which means the symptoms will gradually get worse. Alzheimer's Society is a membership organisation, which works to improve the quality of life for people affected by dementia in UK. Alzheimer's Society staff and volunteers provide both local information and over 2,000 services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to people affected by dementia in their communities. There local services include day care and home care for people with dementia, as well as support and befriending services to help partners and families cope with the demands of caring. From Dementia Cafes and innovative Singing For The Brian sessions to memory-book projects and group outings, their services provide both practical support and an essential point of human contact.

Links
Alzheimer's Society
Demnetia Friends
Dan's Fundraising Page for Alzheimer's Society
Dan Wheldon Karting Challenge - Facebook / Twitter
Teeside Karting 

... and onto the somewhat thorny issue of TV ratings, with thanks to Tom Firth for trawling through endless BARB pages and statistics. Here are your ratings for the 2014 Indycar season. On average they are still below where they were with Sky Sports but are on the up compared to the first year with ESPN and BT Sport. There are some very good figures, understandable the Indy 500, Houston and Mid-Ohio, and some lowish ones, overnight races will always be low and when maybe you don't have control of the remote and somehow Im Strictly X-Factor Get Me On Ice wins over (why, just why?!). 

Indycar had a very settled and long term home on Sky and switching channels, include a name change 6 months in, has knocked it somewhat but the good think to take into 2015 is that BT Sport and the producers are very keen on motor sport and developing their coverage. The non 500 races used to be around 15-20,000 and are on the up from 2013.

Here's the disclaimer, I do not work within any TV organisation, data collecting or anything other than plonked on the sofa on a Saturday or Sunday evening, how accurate these figures are is sometimes debated, but that's what is out there! 

Following Indycar in the UK does come at an extra cost, anything up to £16 per month, especially if Premier League football or Rugby isn't your thing... 

Worthy side note - These figures are for live coverage only. Sometimes at unsociable hours, up against competition, like Downtown or something, looking back at some of the highlights ratings, Milwaukee pulled a 6 live, but 13 highlights the day after.

Every month during the race season, I would estimate around 80-85% of the search terms that bring people to this site are about Indycar coverage in the UK, how, when, where and more. 

So for those finding this blog by asking... Yep, Indycar is on BT Sport 1 / BT Sport 2 / ESPN this year (2015). I know the possibility of growing the coverage here is on their radar, but can't promise anything, so to ensure Indycar stays live on UK TV, each race day just tweet about it, it helps! 

Also good promotion helps, twitter, facebook, actual advertising on the channel, there is no coincidence that the Indy 500 was as high and better than when on Sky Sports after BT Sport aired their own commercial in the weeks prior to the race.

A good blog to follow is F1 Broadcasting, if TV news and stats are your thing, mainly concentrates on F1 and Moto GP but does cover other series from time to time. 

And onto a couple other series show on Pay TV...

Moto GP - Live on BT Sport.

NASCAR Sprint Cup - Live on Premier Sports

And finally, Formula 1 - Sky F1 only (BBC is around 75% of the normal total figure)