What's not ballsy is her now backing away from those comments. We're more inclined to believe what she said first as opposed to what she's saying now. Here was her initial comments to Dan Patrick:

Dan: "If you could take a performance-enhancing drug and not get caught, would you do it if it allowed you to win Indy?

Danica: Well, then it's not cheating, is it? If nobody finds out?

Dan: So you would do it?

Danica: Yeah, it would be like finding a gray area. In motorsports we work in the gray areas a lot. You're trying to find where the holes are in the rule book."

(Hat tip to John!) [via SI.com]

Photo Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Two quick observations:

1. Watching the leading pack drop into the pits in a synchronized move is very pretty
2. The speed of Milka Duno is inversely proportional to her pulchritude hotness

Via: kottke.org

Vitor Plays With Fire

During a pit stop towards the end of the race, Meira was given an ambiguous hand signal from one of the pit crew, which looked for all intents and purposes like a go, which he proceeded to do. Problem was the fuel probe was still attached and sprayed ethanol all over the car, resulting in an instant fireball. Unbelievably, after the safety and pit crews put the fire out, Meira returned to the race and managed to stay on the lead lap. Keep in mind, this is right at the end of the race, his cockpit is now full of water, and if any of the electronics get wet it could be lights out.

Vitor Meira and Raphael Matos Get Friendly

After Meira's incredibly ballsy return to the field, he and Raphael Matos got tangled up in turn one with only 27 laps remaining. Meira hit the wall hard and obliterated the front end, then through the magic of open-wheel contact, Meira ended up on his side, backwards, sliding down the retaining wall for about a quarter mile. Emergency workers gingerly removed him from the wreck and took him to the hospital on complaints of back pain. Turns out he broke two vertebra and will probably be out on rehab for the rest of the season.

He might not have taken home the Borg Warner trophy this year, but we feel he should be recognized for outstanding accomplishments in being a badass. Not too many drivers would have returned to the field after being on fire, and then to be involved in one of the most unique accidents we've ever seen only adds to the mystique.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Bill Friel, Indy500.com

The Crowds

It's the largest open air arena in the world, with a total capacity of 400,000 people, officially. Race operators don't actually release total attendance number, so that figure is actually more of a recommendation. Getting from one point to any other place is a battle and gets tiresome pretty fast. We won't get into the bathroom situation by the end of the day.

Parking

We're pretty sure every single person drives to the Indy 500 in their own vehicle and parks them as lazily as possible. Parking inside the ring is fairly orderly, but outside it's a free for all, with home owners for miles charging upwards of $50 for street parking and campgrounds running as high as $150 for a spot for the Saturday to Sunday stay.

The Caution Laps

With the Indy 500 being such a high speed oval crashes are very common and debris fields get to be pretty big. As a result the caution laps seem to drag on and on and on. It's especially disappointing when the race actually finishes under caution.

The Escape

Without a doubt the worst part of the Indy 500 is leaving it. If you're dumb enough to stay to the end, expect to wade through hours of traffic and rivers of drunken sunburned fans. The nearest freeway is only about two miles away, but it might as well be a hundred. Do yourself a favor, hang around and take a nap under a tree for a few hours till the madness quiets down.

Rednecks

With the heat and the sun you've got a weapons-grade concentration of shirtless rednecks who shouldn't be shirtless. When future anthropologists study our civilization, footage of race fans from the Indy 500 will serve as an invaluable cross section of the species Homo-Redneckus, as all varietals are represented in their most resplendent forms.

It's Really Just Stock Car Racing

The Indy 500 began so many years ago with an open entry, cars in the past have used turbine engines, diesels, turbochargers, V16's and even wooden body work. Now every car has a Honda supplied engine and every chassis is supplied by Dallara. It's basically becoming the personality-centric NASCAR with prettier race cars.

The Weather

Hey, here's an idea, run a race in the middle of the Indiana at the end of May, right when the weather is least predictable. Nothing is more frustrating than watching a race finish because of a rain storm, but the crazy humidity and wildly fluctuating temperatures sometimes make the Indy 500 a hot and sweaty mess.

The Size

This place is huge. It's a full mile down the long side and a half a mile across down the short side. If you're one of the many without a golf cart you best bring comfy shoes as there's a lot to see and do in the infield, plus you might be better off just walking home considering the traffic.

The Ad Orgy

Everybody with something to sell and an ad budget to sell it with is here, and they've got their logo plastered on everything from the cars to the umbrellas to the giveaway backpacks. Yes, we realize that's just part of racing, but that won't stop us from bellyaching about it.

Traffic

Okay, let's see, we've got parking, the escape from the race and now we have to add the traffic. This one goes out to the actual inhabitants of Indianapolis. When the Indy 500 comes to the Brickyard it makes a good portion of the city impassable every year and we can't imagine how annoying that can be every single year.

It was 185 laps in when Helio put the peddle to the metal and pulled away from Dan Wheldon and Danica Patrick, who dueled for second but didn't have a chance in the end. Castroneves eagerly climbed the fence in celebration and was overcome by emotion when he returned to the pits. The 34-year-old hoisted the ceremonial bottle of milk in victory only weeks after being acquitted of charges of tax evasion — the winners circle is a way better place to be than behind bars.

Coming in at third place, Danica Patrick scored the highest finish for any woman at the Indy 500, while Sarah Fisher and Milka Duno finished 17th and 20th respectively.

1. Helio Castroneves
2. Dan Wheldon
3. Danica Patrick
4. Townsend Bell
5. Will Power
6. Scott Dixon
7. Dario Franchitti
8. Ed Carpenter
9. Paul Tracy
10. Hideki Mutoh
11. Alex Tagliani
12. Tomas Scheckter
13. Alex Lloyd
14. Scott Sharp
15. Ryan Briscoe
16. AJ Foyt IV
17. Sarah Fisher
18. Mike Conway
19. John Andretti
20. Milka Duno
21. Vitor Meira - Contact
22. Raphael Matos - Contact
23. Justin Wilson - 160 laps
24. EJ Viso - 139 laps
25. Nelson Phillipe - 130 laps
26. Oriol Servia - 98 laps
27. Tony Kannan - Contact
28. Robert Doombos - Contact
29. Davey Hamilton - Contact
30. Marco Andretti - Contact
31. Graham Rahal - Contact
32. Ryan Hunter-Reay - Contact
33. Mario Moraes - Contact

The two were successfully extracted from their cars with Matos getting out all by himself, Meira seemed to be beaten up a bit more and walked to the ambulance assisted, he's since been taken to an area hospital complaining of lower back pain. The two cars struck the Safer Barrier so hard it needed some new plates welded in place. We'll have video of the crash as soon as we can because this is one you have to see to believe.

Meanwhile the competition has narrowed to only 23 from the starting field of 33 and Helio Castroneves maintains his lead while Danica Patrick has just snapped up second place. Naturally, the announcers are flipping out at the prospect of a win from Patrick. Ten laps to go folks.

Photo via Indy500.com

The accident occurred on lap 56 as Rahal got high on the track into the loose stuff and with the help of some dirty air from the car ahead of him. We're currently back to green after a full field pit under yellow, Ryan Briscoe lost all of his grip and will pit, as a result the field is mixing it up, Scott Dixon takes the lead followed by Franchitti, Kanaan, Matos and Patrick. Things are getting interesting.

Marco Andretti didn't pull any punches in a track-side interview saying "The kid just doesn't get it," expressing obvious anger at being out of the race only moments after it began. Moraes of course didn't see it that way, saying "He hit me" and immediately following his release from medical announced he was directly on his way to confront Andretti about the crash... cat fight! We'll be watching this one.

We're back to green now with Franchchitti leading Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe in third. We'll be breaking in with quick posts whenever something monumental happens (crashes) but until then we'll be going deaf here in Indy.

The Starting Grid

The Schedule

• 11:15 AM "On the Banks of the Wabash" played by the Purdue University Marching band. Cars begin to grid on the track
• 11:50 AM Engine warm-up
• 12:00 PM Pre-race ceremonies begin
• 12:31 PM Driver Introductions
• 12:45 PM "America the Beautiful" performed by Miss America, Katie Stam
• 12:48 PM General McKinley addresses the crowd in remembrance of Memorial Day
• 12:51 PM "God Bless America" performed by Florence Henderson
• 12:54 PM National Anthem performed by Major Lisa Kopczyniski, Air Force flyover
• 12:56 PM "Drivers to your cars"
• 12:58 PM Invocations performed by Archbishop Daniel Buechlein
• 1:00 PM Rifle Volley and "Taps" performed by Joseph Young
• 1:02 PM "Back Home Again in Indiana" performed by Jim Nabors, balloon spectacle
• 1:03 PM "Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines!" - Mari Hulman George
• 1:04 PM 2010 Camaro Pace car driven by Josh Duhamel (Captain Lennox in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen") leads the field
• 1:09 PM Pace laps
• 1:11 PM Official start of the 2009 Indianapolis 500

Weather

Forecasters are predicting a high temperature of 79 degrees F with a 30% chance of thunderstorms about an hour after the scheduled start of the race. The front is approaching from the south and is building strength on the back of high humidity and warm ground temps.

What to watch for

• Helio Castroneves has been on fire this week, setting the pole and winning the pit competition. Momentum has him high on the list of racers to watch for the leader's position
• It's the 40th anniversary of the only Andretti win here at Indy, when Mario Andretti took the checker in 1969. Amusingly, Marco will be racing without the guidance of his grandfather, who will be calling the race for Danica Patrick instead. If Miss Patrick goes for a pass on Andretti and backs off, make a joke.
• Tony Kannan has led at some point during all of the last seven races, but has never taken the win. With this underdog status, he's likely to be the crowd favorite.
• Danica Patrick's car will be wearing its new livery as former sponsor Motorola has been usurped by Sprint's Boost Mobile as the main sponsor.
• Be sure to point and laugh at Alex Lloyd in the #99 car, as he'll be running in hot pink livery with a matching hot pink racing suit. Laugh at him even more as the sponsor is "her ENERGY," "her" being an acronym for "health, energy, revitalizer." Yes, it's an energy drink being marketed specifically for women and it comes in a pink can.

Shhhh, those are probably just "speed weights," you know, to keep the car firmly on the ground during high speed pace car duties.

As we bounced like a pinball from rental counter to rental counter yesterday morning, contemplating the horrible possibility of an all-access pass to the Indy 500 and no way to get there, the prudence of reservations came into crystalline focus. We eventually found a well worn Kia Rondo which would serve as home base for the weekend. There's not much to say about driving from Detroit to Indianapolis, other than the miles pass like the cups of coffee required to maintain consciousness while counting tractors kicking up clouds of dust as farmers ply their trade.

When we finally made it to the corner of Indianapolis' 16th Street and Georgetown yesterday evening, the shirtless, intoxicated, howling masses had already begun to clog the intersections, making the side streets filled with side-show parties the only passable route. The Indy 500 is called the greatest spectacle in racing, but in truth it's not necessarily for the race itself. The tsunami of humanity which washes over western Indianapolis for a single race is something which cannot be properly translated to words. All walks of life descend upon this event and practice their own rituals around it. You get the feeling the event is secondary to the spectacle.

We're here in the press room, choking down black coffee and eager to dive into the day. The die-hards are already streaming into the infield and the haze is a thick blanket over the 2.5 mile track. We are a long, long way from LeMons.

We'll be live-blogging everything from the inane to the stupendous with A.J. Daulerio at Deadspin over the course of Saturday and the buildup and race on Sunday. If you can pry yourself away from backyard barbecues and pool and beach openings, you can follow along at the tag "I AM INDY." Why "I AM INDY"? Well because we still haven't made enough fun of the horriful Gene Simmons theme song of the same name from two years ago.

If we manage it, and you plan on attending, watch out for impromptu meetups and/or swag bag giveaways via Ben's Twitter feed, should there be swags or bags. Hey, it's a recession you know.

It's the fifth time the Camaro's been selected as the pace car and the 44th time a GM product's been leading the pack o' Indy Cars around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. No driver has yet been announced, but man, we're really hoping they'll have a mullet. Press release below.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced Feb. 26 it has selected the all-new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro to pace the 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 24, 2009.

The Camaro Pace Car was unveiled during a ceremony at the IMS Hall of Fame Museum with IMS President and Chief Operating Officer Joie Chitwood, and Indianapolis 500 winners Johnny Rutherford, Al Unser Jr. and Eddie Cheever Jr.

"The Chevrolet Camaro first paced the Indianapolis 500 in 1967 with one of the most loved Pace Cars of all times, followed by the 1969 Indy 500 Camaro Pace Car with the hugger orange paint scheme," Chitwood said. "Just 40 years after that car made its mark as a Pace Car favorite, we're pleased to have Camaro return to the streets and to the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to start our Centennial Era."

2009 marks the fifth time the Chevrolet Camaro has been selected to pace the Indianapolis 500 (1967, 1969, 1982, 1993, 2009). It will be the 44th time a General Motors vehicle has paced "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," with 20 by a Chevrolet.

Powered by the 6.2-liter LS3 all-aluminum Chevy V-8, the all-new 2010 Camaro produces 426 horsepower at 5,900 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm. It features a Tremec six-speed manual transmission and 3.45 axle ratio.

No drivetrain or suspension modifications are required to prepare the Camaro for its Pace Car duties. The only modifications to the vehicle include a fully integrated strobe system, including a GM-designed custom light bar utilizing Whelen 500 series linear strobes.

The car carries a bold paint scheme for the Indianapolis 500, created by GM Design. More information on the production version of the all-new 2010 Camaro can be found at chevy.com/camaro.

The 2009 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car driver will be announced at a later date.

[Indy 500 via Camaro5]

Chevrolet Unveils Two Unique '08 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Cars

Two-time Indy 500 Champion Emerson Fittipaldi to Drive Corvette Z06 E85 Concept Pace Car at 92nd Indianapolis 500

INDIANAPOLIS - Known for their charismatic designs and superior performance, the pack-leading pace cars share a special place in Indianapolis 500 lore. History will be made at the 2008 Indianapolis 500 when a pair of distinctive yet highly differentiated Corvette models will serve as the official pace cars - one highlighting Chevrolet's commitment to fuel solutions and the other marking 30 years of Corvette's pace car heritage.

Chevrolet and Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials gathered at the Indianapolis Auto Show to make the historic announcement.

One of the pace cars is a customized Corvette Z06 E85 concept that runs on E85 ethanol fuel, a domestically produced alternative fuel similar to the E100 fuel that powers all of the racecars in the IndyCar Series. It will be driven during the race's pace lap by two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Emerson Fittipaldi.

The other official pace car is a black-and-silver commemorative edition that marks the 30th anniversary of the celebrated 1978 pace car - the first Corvette to pace the field at the Indianapolis 500. Chevrolet will produce a total of 500 pace car replicas in both coupe and convertible form, each signed personally by Fittipaldi at the Corvette's Bowling Green, Ky., assembly plant.

"Although not a production FlexFuel vehicle, the Corvette Z06 E85 concept pace car is a high-performance example of Chevrolet's gas-friendly to gas-free initiative, demonstrating viable fuel solutions," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "As an ethanol refiner in his native Brazil, Emerson Fittipaldi is the fitting Chevrolet champion to help support GM's efforts with E85 and celebrate 30 years of the Corvette pacing the Indianapolis 500."

The 92nd Indianapolis 500 takes place on Sunday, May 25, 2008. It will be the Corvette's 10th appearance as the official pace car - a record unmatched by any other vehicle.

"It's only fitting that Corvette will be the first car to earn the distinction of having two models pace the Indianapolis 500 in the same year," said Joie Chitwood, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president and chief operating officer. "Chevrolet and Corvette are a vital part of the rich history of 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,' and we're honored to have a great champion of the race and of alternative fuels, Emerson Fittipaldi, as this year's pace car driver."

Corvette Z06 E85 concept
The Corvette Z06 E85 concept pace car is based on the production Z06 - already one of the fastest and most powerful cars on the market - and blends its performance with the high-octane, renewable alternative fuel that is derived from a variety of crops grown across the United States.

E85 is blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Its benefits include reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and a reduced dependence on petroleum. GM is the leader in E85 production models, with more than 2.5 million E85-capable cars, trucks and SUVs on the road - with more on the way. Chevrolet offers seven E85-capable models in 2008.

Apart from the fuel system and powertrain controller revisions required to run E85, the Z06 concept pace car is mechanically stock. It is distinguished by a unique Gold Rush Green color-shifting paint scheme that changes between hues of green and gold when viewed from different angles and in different light. A subtle checkered flag pattern also is part of the paint scheme. Safety equipment and strobe lights are the only other equipment added to the car.

Emerson Fittipaldi: ambassador of racing and ethanol
After winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1989 and 1993 while driving for Chevrolet - and spending 30 years in his native Brazil as a refiner of ethanol - Emerson Fittipaldi is the perfect ambassador to lead the Indianapolis 500 in an E85-powered Corvette Z06.

"Most of the vehicles in Brazil are powered by ethanol produced from crops grown in the country, so I understand how a domestically produced renewable fuel can help the energy solutions of a nation," Fittipaldi said. "And the E85-powered Z06 concept pace car proves economic and environmental consciousness can be fun and exhilarating. I can't wait to get it on the racetrack."

Fittipaldi, whose personal cars include a Corvette Z06 and a Camaro awarded after winning the 1993 Indianapolis 500, resides in both Florida and Brazil. He has interests in several Brazilian ethanol companies and is an ardent champion of ethanol as a viable alternative to gasoline.

Brazil - the fifth-largest country in the world - is a global leader in ethanol usage in automobiles. Approximately 70 percent of Brazilian new cars are equipped with FlexFuel systems that allow the use of a gasoline/ethanol mix or pure ethanol. Ethanol production has grown tremendously during the last three decades and has allowed the country to practically wean itself completely from imported oil.

30th Anniversary commemorative edition
Commemorating one of the most recognizable Indianapolis 500 pace cars, the Corvette 30th Anniversary Pace Car features a black exterior with silver graphics that honors the 1978 model - the production replicas of which became instant collectibles and continue to stand as an iconic symbol of Corvette's heritage at the front of the Indy field.

In addition to the exterior color scheme, the anniversary models are equipped with a special, two-tone titanium-color interior, with the Indianapolis 500 logo embroidered on the seats. Coupe and convertible models are available. Each replica will be personally signed and numbered by Emerson Fittipaldi.

Both the coupe and convertible come equipped with Corvette's 3LT option package, Z51 performance package and dual-mode exhaust. Additional features include:

* Choice of six-speed manual or six-speed paddle-shift automatic transmissions
* LS3 small block V8 with 436 hp
* New-for-2008 forged chrome five-spoke aluminum wheels
* Corvette Z06 rear spoiler
* Silver checkered flag graphics
* Indy 500 logo fender badges

More information on pricing and availability will be announced a later date.

Corvette at Indy
The 2008 edition of the Indianapolis 500 represents Corvette's 10th time as the official pace car - and a record fifth-consecutive year - and Chevrolet's 19th time as the manufacturer selected to lead the field. Corvette's pace years and details include:

* 1978 - Driven by 1960 race winner Jim Rathmann; Chevrolet produced 6,502 production replicas
* 1986 - Driven by famed pilot Chuck Yeager; all 7,315 production convertibles were considered pace car convertibles and included official graphics (to be installed at the owner's discretion)
* 1995 - Driven by then Chevrolet General Manager Jim Perkins; 527 production replicas produced
* 1998 - Driven by 1963 race winner Parnelli Jones when an injury prevented golfer Greg Norman from performing the duty; 1,158 production replicas produced
* 2002 - Driven by actor Jim Caviezel; no production replicas produced but graphics were available through SPO - approximately 300 sets sold
* 2004 - Driven by actor Morgan Freeman; no production replicas produced
* 2005 - Driven by General Colin Powell; no production replicas produced
* 2006 - Driven by cycling champion Lance Armstrong; first Corvette Z06 pace car; no production replicas produced
* 2007 - Driven by actor Patrick Dempsey; 500 production replicas - all convertibles
* 2008 - Driven by Emerson Fittipaldi; 500 production replicas - coupes and convertibles

The Indianapolis 500 is the largest single-day spectator sporting event and the most prestigious auto race in the world. "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" has been run every year since 1911 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, except for the periods during the United States' participation in world wars in 1917-18 and 1942-45. The winner of the 92nd Indianapolis 500 will earn racing immortality, a spot on the famed Borg-Warner Trophy and a record winner's purse of at least $2.5 million.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 76 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 280,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2006, nearly 9.1 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

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