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Stefan Armijo
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Motorsports always has been about humans pushing themselves and their machines to the limit to extract maximum performance. From the earliest days of the automobile, racing fans have been captivated by the displays of skill, courage and technical prowess. They also enjoy the thrill of knowing that when cars are pushed to the edge, anything can go wrong. Schadenfreude is part of the sport, even if it is not politically correct to admit it.
The Izod IndyCar Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway delivered on all the promise of great racing. Series leader Will Power handily won the race from pole position one year to the day after a devastating collision there with Nelson Phillipe. "This track owes me," he told reporters on race weekend, and it seems the track paid him back with his fifth win of the season.
It made for a great race. But spending time in tech briefings with Team Penske, Indy Racing League officials and the go-fast guys from Honda Performance Development and Firestone left us pondering a question on the eve of this weekend's Kentucky Indy 300:
What's more important to fans -- the human element or racing or the technology?
Above: Team Penske driver Will Power hammers out of Turn 9a at Infineon Raceway during qualifying. The 29-year-old cut his teeth racing Formula Ford and Formula 3 in Australia before heading to Europe in 2003. He made the jump to the Champ Car World Series in 2005 and then to IndyCar in 2008.
Photo: Stefan Armijo / Wired
