Who else is suffering through this silly Indy 500 Prerace Coverage?

Good grief. It gets worse every year. They opened with some made up scene with a bunch of actors acting out a skit. I had to flip the channel. When I flipped back, there was Castroneves staring at and talkin to a bunch of mirrors, wearing his dancing with the stars banana suit. I flipped again. I flipped back to learn that Robin Roberts from Good Morning America suddenly has become a car nut qualified to drive the pace car and also to learn that Danica (used to be cute now just annoying) Patrick "loves chocolate".

God help us.

I can't watch that pre-race drivel called "entertainment". When the race starts, that's when I begin watching - for a while anyway.

I have it on in the background. I am going to force the girlfriend off of the "big TV" when the race starts.

Indy is more important than True Blood reruns...barely.

In reply to plance1:

Not me, I just tuned in so I could fast forward through it. Additionally, this is the first time I'll be watching it since the CART era. And that's only because it's getting me out of going to my inlaws.

In reply to bravenrace:

Eww, I just stopped forwarding when Jim Neighbors came on. Can't say he has a bad singning voice, but that song is one of the worst ever written. And Mary Hulman George looks like a 40 year old that died last year.

Oh, and I absolutely hate Scott Goodyear and Eddie Cheever as commentators, like nails on a chalkboard.

I don't mind Goodyear or Cheever, but did anyone else notice that ABC completely missed a lead change due to their fixation on Danica Patrick????? I don't understand the hold this woman has on everyone, she is a non-factor in the race yet they continue to obsess over her. And the commercials for the upcoming shows on ABC, does the world really need another cop drama, or a show about an exclusive neighborhood where the people are really vampires lol. Wow, not only is the coverage bad but so are the commercials.

I hear your comments about not watching since the Cart era, kinda of like how some stopped watching baseball when they had a strike. I noticed they no longer give the driver control over his fuel, instead they have a button for the driver to give him a momentary 20 hp boost but it only lasts for a few seconds. While I thought indy car was becoming more and more like nascar (with every car being the same) it looks like they have gone further down hill and have tried to turn the would be racing into some sort of video game.

Normally I'm a much happier person, I swear.

Haha, I don't have cable right now, but I have a radio and Indycar.com has four cameras streaming, three in-car and the helicopter. The fun of trying to catch live racing with no cable.

griffin729 wrote: Haha, I don't have cable right now, but I have a radio and Indycar.com has four cameras streaming, three in-car and the helicopter. The fun of trying to catch live racing with no cable.

Do you have a newer TV and an antenna? It's on ABC.

I missed the first 50 laps because I was outside giving my dog a haircut. No, really. I have it on now, but I'm half paying attention. This race is a faint shadow of it's former self.

Berkeley Tony George!!!

I didn't watch. I decided playing soccer was a better use of my time then watching then the same cars turn left for hours on end.

yeah, I recorded it and watched the first hour in 15 minutes. I have attended 20 Indianapolis 500's and the first hour used to be cool.

What they cut out that sends massive chills down your back when you attend:

Better coverage of the flyover - what they showed sucked.

The opening prayer - That is totally cut out here - PC.

Better shots of the fans during the national anthem.

400,000 fans standing the first few laps and cheering - awesome

The parade, Purdue marching band, celebrities, and the Indiana State Police motorcycle team performing.

I like Helio; but I don't really care about his dancing with the stars.

I watched off and on-mostly off- because it is just too irritating to watch. I did yard work with the radio coverage on. I did see Hamilton call Schecter and idiot, though. Let's see, going around a much slower car on the left and you get startled because you're not paying attention around you, and turn hard right and lose it.......yeah, Schecter's the idiot. Hamilton couldn't even complete 2 turns, much less a full lap!

minimac wrote: I did see Hamilton call Schecter and idiot, though. Let's see, going around a much slower car on the left and you get startled because you're not paying attention around you, and turn hard right and lose it.......yeah, Schecter's the idiot. Hamilton couldn't even complete 2 turns, much less a full lap!

I heard a little on the radio coming home today and he called him a knucklehead, twice

It could be worse though.....like if it was pre-race coverage of any of the horseracing triple crown events......hours of pre-race for like a minute of action. At least Indy you get a few hours of actual racing....

Indy 500?

Are they still running that?

I watched the start. Napped until the last 10 laps and watched the finish. Turned off TV.

In reply to Tom_Spangler:

I live in Indiana, but there are actually only four ABC affliates in the state the closest of those is in Indy. I'm 90 miles from IMS. The closest affiliate at all is Champaign, IL and that is still 60 miles. Nope the only broadcast TV I can watch is CBS, WLFI in Lafayette 25 miles away. Hulu and Netflix are fine for watching most of my TV needs, but the racing I have to get creative.

Tom_Spangler wrote: Berkeley Tony George!!!

Is he even involved anymore? I thought he got fired or something...?

The only time I heard his name mentioned was (I think) he's a co-owner of Hamilton's car...

In reply to shadetree30:

No, he's not, but he is largely responsible for the sad state of open wheel racing.

bravenrace wrote: Oh, and I absolutely hate Scott Goodyear and Eddie Cheever as commentators, like nails on a chalkboard.

They don't bother me so much but I'd like to see Bobby Unser and Sam Posey back...

I agree with the pre race drivel going too far. Luckily I was at a friends place and missed most of it, but dont worry the coca cola 600 had more than enough crap to catch me up. By the way as far as nascar goes just substitute dale jr. for danica and its all the same.

egoman wrote: By the way as far as nascar goes just substitute dale jr. for danica and its all the same.

Awesome! I love it.

Great the way they've figured out how to use split screen and run commercials 95% of the time. Maybe more.

bravenrace wrote: In reply to shadetree30: No, he's not, but he is largely responsible for the sad state of open wheel racing.

Largely responsible? I swear if I ever see Tony George in the flesh I'll kick him straight in the wedding tackle.

I can't stand Marco Andretti!! That is all.

dinger wrote:

bravenrace wrote: In reply to shadetree30: No, he's not, but he is largely responsible for the sad state of open wheel racing.

Largely responsible? I swear if I ever see Tony George in the flesh I'll kick him straight in the wedding tackle.

Ha! I thought if I said he WAS responsible, I'd get all kinds of replies telling me how CART did itself in with bad management, etc... Figures.