Cheat Sheet: Mid Ohio 2008

I love a parade,the tramping of feet,
I love every beat I hear of a drum.
I love a parade, when I hear a band
I just want to stand and cheer as they come.
That rat-a tat-tat, the blare of a horn.
That rat-a tat-tat, a bright uniform;
The sight of a drill will give me a thrill,
I thrill at the skill of everything military.
I love a parade, a handful of vets,
A line of cadets or any brigade,
For I love a parade

And with that, we welcome you to Mid Ohio. No, it's not that it isn't a beautiful course or a well supported event - it is, and it is. The problem is that as road courses go the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course (MOSCC - go ahead, say "Mosque") seems to be much narrower than the other scheduled road courses, which means that passing among the leaders will only occur in the pits.

I realize being an uneducated neanderthal of an oval fan I say this at nearly every road course, but this time I really mean it.

Favorite: Dixon, blah blah, winner last year, blah blah, incredible road course record, blah blah blah.

Contender: Team Penske. Finding the speed to take the top two starting positions bodes very well for Castroneves and Briscoe. Especially on a course where there's hardly any passing on the track.

Longshot: Justin Wilson. He's the longest driver there is. *rimshot* Seriously folks, he's got to break through at some point - he's just too good not to finish well at one of these road course dealies.

Driver to watch: Graham Rahal. For all intents an purposes this is his home course. He's been at this track more than a few times, so he's well versed with all two or three places that passing can occur. Plus, expect ESPN to break out cute pictures of baby Graham at the track.

And no, N/H/L hasn't put me on the payroll this week.

Danica Threat Level: DanCon Four. Despite a gaffe at the start by a few closely packed AGR cars that sent her backwards (as well as flipping Marco on his lid), Danica! actually marched back through the field here last year. Unforutnately she's starting 20th this year and she doesn't get Power To Pass back there.

Stat of the race: Helio Castroneves is the only driver running at the finish of every race in 2008, and yet he still hasn't won a race. Let me know when this horse is beaten to death.

Drinking term: "Pit stops". Get ready for excitment in 7-second increments, followed by much lock steppage. Marty will by dying if he can't drop a lock step Sunday.

pressdog says: "Call me a freak, but I'm going to triple dip this week -- first, Dixon will probably win. That's the standard disclaimer although he's looked human recently. But I'm going to instead call it for The Tall Polite one, Justin Wilson. Finally, rounding out my podium of picks, is dark-horse Marco Polo. If he's not on his lid by Lap 4, he may win it."

The entire My Name Is IRL family will be live in the living room on Sunday, trying to come up with games to make the race more interesting so we can all make it through this together. Join us, and enjoy the show.