Grand Prix of St Petersburg 2010 highlights

The freebie promotional shot from Cooper Tire. (And yes, I fully realize how much of a dork I look like in this photo....Katherine....)

Although I didn't get up early enough to make it out to the track this morning, and watched it on TV like I do every other IRL race, I thought I would post some of my favorite shots I got from yesterday. Sure, some of the ones I posted last night are ok, but I really like these ;) So, Today, bonus IZOD IndyCar coverage for you ;)


The braking markers leading down into Turn 10. You need to be on the brakes by where I am shooting or you will NOT make the turn. As we will see later.

Tony Kanaan roars his ride to the Turn 1 entry

Graham Rahal, who would go on to post Sarah Fisher Racing's first ever top 10, rolls into Turn 10

Helio Castroneves misjudges the braking and slides past Turn 10

Here Marco Andretti leads Milka Duno and EJ Viso into the corner

Alex Loyd rolls the corner ahead of Hideki Mutoh

Scott Dixon takes the shortest....and bumpiest....line

Will Power, eventual winner, roars around Turn 1

Alex Tagliani's car completely stripped down.

Walking across the track between races. Steve and I wandered over to the garage/paddock areas for the "Support Series" for the weekend, as the race program stated.

Star Mazda Championship racer

The Indy Lights cars lined up to hit the track

Indy Lights car of Pippa Mann

SCCA World Challenge Championships series cars:

GT class Nissan GT-R

down the side of the Brass Monkey GT-R. She obviously hit the wall.

GT Class Dodge Viper of the SCCA

GT Class Porsche 911 GT3

Loading the GT3

SCCA Acura TSX of the GTS class

You want to know how heavy the rain was? This was INSIDE the Paddock Garage area

Here are the top ten finishers of the IZOD IndyCar race today, for those who didn't get to see the race. Position, car number, driver, and race team listed.

1. 12 Will Power for Team Penske
2. 22 Justin Wilson for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
3. 6 Ryan Briscoe for Team Penske
4. 3 Hélio Castroneves for Team Penske
5. 10 Dario Franchitti for Chip Ganassi Racing
6. 77 Alex Tagliani for FAZZT Race Team
7. 7 Danica Patrick for Andretti Autosport
8. 2 Raphael Matos for De Ferran Luczo Dragon Racing
9. 67 Graham Rahal for Sarah Fisher Racing
10. 11 Tony Kanaan for Andretti Autosport

St Pete Grand Prix try 1

Steve and I got to the track earlier than we expected, because traffic was NOT heavy at all. We tooled around the Paddock for a while and watched the Indy Lights cars practice, then it was time for the IZOD IndyCar drivers to hit the track for the morning practice. Our seats were on the end of the grandstand, but we had a damned good view of pit out and turns 1 and 2.
Here come Takuma Sato (5) and Simona De Silvestro out of the pits

Tag, Alex Tagliani, sweeps into Turn 1 off the front straight

Danica Patrick whoahs the Go Daddy machine down into turn 10

Scott Dixon hops the curb on Turn 10

After practice, the cars were towed back to the Paddock. There goes the mean green machine of Tony Kanaan

Between races, Steve and I wandered over the track to go to the Acura Sports car and Indy Lights Paddocks as well. Check this flat black Corvette

We also found the Toyo Tires booth, with this pearl 2010 Camaro SS on 24s. Steve tried to take it home.

Back in the IndyCar paddock, we watched the crew tear down Graham Rahal's Dollar General machine for Sarah Fisher Racing.

I also got to meet Sarah herself, a long time favorite driver of mine, and the first ever female owner-racer in IndyCar!

And then........during the Lights race, the rain came. When the thunderstorms didn't let up by 4:30pm, they postponed the IZOD IndyCar series until 10:00am tomorrow.

Check the rooster tails!!! I'm going to bed, but will be back up and at it in the morning to catch attempt 2 to get the 2010 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg run!!

It's the "F" Day!

Meaning, I went to Fantasy of Flight and the Florida Air Museum today.

I started off by heading up to Fantasy Of Flight to see the second of the "Living History" symposiums, featuring the WASPs (Women Airforces Service Pilots). I didn't get to meet any of the three surviving WASPs that were there, as I got to spot them for about 30 seconds before they left for the day. I'm batting 1000 on these symposiums, I tell ya.

Pause for some Tower Love

One of my absolute favourite fighters EVER. The Fokker DR1 triplane, made famous, unfortunately for him, by Manfred von Richthofen dying in one.
The B-17F "Piccadilly Princess" that Hurricane Andrew tossed about a bit. She doesn't fly thanks to 'drew, but....
You CAN walk through her. This is ALL the room the bombardier had. Yeah. Um......nice view, but I'd like to be able to move.....

So, yeah, I was laying on my stomach for this underwing shot of the GeeBee Y two-seater. This is, obviously, a replica. I say obviously because all of the originals crashed, killing the pilot at the time.

Since Kermit wasn't around, Ken Kellet (Yes, the stunt pilot that did Flyboys) took the Storch through its paces. That camo works well against the trees, no?

From FOF I hit the Florida Air Museum on my way back to the house. Since they are in the middle of setting up for Sun N Fun, I got to shoot some of the normally hangared birds outside.

Now, I'm tall....but not taller than the F-14D Super Tomcat.......until I stand on the roof of the truck, that is....

The Lockheed XFV-1 Salmon, recently restored, sitting outside. This is the only XFV-1 ever to fly, and, as such, needs to stay inside as it is a true treasure. I made a point of mentioning it to the staff, who assured me she would be a Hangar Queen once again after Sun N Fun.......unlike......

.........her sister in uniqueness, the Convair XF2Y-1 Sea Dart. This is one of only four Sea Darts, and, as you can see, she's in pretty bad shape. But there is nowhere inside to put her, so she's probably going to go to waste in the FL sun. We discussed the need for new hangar space for a while, as well.

I don't think I'd ever seen a Cobra in civilian guise before. In Civil parlance it is called the Bell 209. She's used by the Florida Forestry Department.

I like the shadow, too ;)

Ok, tomorrow is the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg with Mouse!

Spring Training: Red Sox v Blue Jays

Today Robin and I headed on down to Ft. Myers to catch a Spring Training (Grapefruit League) game between the Boston Red Sox (Home team) and the Toronto Blue Jays.

Early on, it was 1-0 Toronto.

Nuts. Make that 2-0 Toronto.

They don't call it "City of Palms Park" for nothing.......

You, Sir, are out.

Ninth Inning. Red Sox down 0-2. Time for the Nation to give voice!

The Red Sox. Time for a sea change.....

YOUK!!!!!! Light it up!
(Hey Mills....Why are they Boooing?)

Runners on 1st AND 2nd Safe

Papi snaps his bat dropping one into Right Center. A run scores.

Thanks to Big Papi and Youk, the Sox rally in the 9th to win 3-2.

And the 4-game streak of the Sox losing when Robin and I are in the crowd is snapped.

All in all, a Great Game!!!!