Alonso Shines, Sato Wins and Dixon Flies at the Indy 500

[ears]

That crash was shocking and it is testament to safety standards that nobody was hurt. The US commentators were right to be positive but it made me sad thinking about the lives that have been lost in similar incidents in recent history.

 

[pontoonsan]

That is so wonderful!!

それはとても素晴らしいです

The Japanese announcers were very excited!

http://www.sportingnews.com/other-s...satos-indy-500-win/1jewcjodtbuzm1xzzdv68g71eu

Yeah!
The announcer who screamed have been doing a commentary on indycar series since 2005 indy500.
He watched every Sato's indycar race (of course 2012 indy500 too!),
so he might get very very very emotional as a Japanese indycar fan!

 

[Brandon Wright]

Yeah!
The announcer who screamed have been doing a commentary on indycar series since 2005 indy500.
He watched every Sato's indycar race (of course 2012 indy500 too!),
so he might get very very very emotional as a Japanese indycar fan!

I'm very happy for all the Japanese fans! I really enjoyed hearing the passion of the broadcasters. I know Sato-san is very popular there and the fans are very passionate, I hope the celebrations were huge!

 

[Rob]

delighted to pick up the biggest trophy in American racing

Correction. Biggest trophy in racing. Just ask F1 wannabe Rossi, who is now a real threat on ovals and road courses (in any series). That's why Alonso was there. And that's why great drivers need "something ethereal" to win. Monaco should be dropped from the "triple crown" until it's open to anyone who can qualify, like Indy and LeMans.

It stretches back to the 30's.. weird but nice tradition

The 500 pre-dates WWI. Some 25 years before Monaco was even a pipe dream. Fifty years before LeMans started. So, there are many many "traditions" at Indy that most of the world is not familiar with because they obsess with F1, which has done a good job recently with marketing and TV.

...for me one of the best drivers EVER

Now he is. And I'm sure he will be back. Great racers don't want to languish in a series where only 2-3 cars can win. All he wants is a fair shot...and not only was he brave enough to take it (Indy highlights how sterile many other racing series' have become...and Alonso detailed this in some of this in his comments to the American media) but he did not make a wrong step. He's clearly in the class of Nigel Mansell. Very rare indeed. Kimi's the same, having raced NASCAR and WRC before. I think Vettel will attempt it at some point. But Indy is so special because it not only requires skill and guts, but also luck. Getting to the end is part of that. Honda clearly had a reliability issue at Indy too. Shame, since I'd have loved to see Alonso at the end...although I doubt he could have bested those oval racers (who started as road course masters,since it is easier to go from road to oval) who have been there for years, like Sato, since it was not a fuel race. Again, Rossi's win was very skillful, but also 50% strategy.

I'm very happy for all the Japanese fans! I really enjoyed hearing the passion of the broadcasters. I know Sato-san is very popular there and the fans are very passionate, I hope the celebrations were huge!

I am too. Sato has been so faithful to IndyCar (like Rossi) after they accepted him with open arms. A.J. Foyt's fingerprints were all over that victory.

 

[Nick Hill]

The Japanese broadcast was mentioned in this thread earlier this week, but I've just heard it for myself today - it's awesome and worth a listen!
http://www.sportingnews.com/other-s...satos-indy-500-win/1jewcjodtbuzm1xzzdv68g71eu

Of course, the only words I understood were "Sato", "Helio Castroneves", and "Final Lap", but the excitement transcends language!

I'm going to assume the translation is something along the lines of "YES! C'mon! GO! GO! YES!!!"