Wheldon Schools Everyone at IRL Opener

Well, one of the other signs that the end of busy season is near is also here. IRL is back! But like Formula 1, some things don't change. Here's the highlights of the action at Homestead:

Everyone is running 100% ethanol. Yes, while the N-word just switched from LEADED GASOLINE last season, IRL is once again cutting edge in choice of fuels, and is still the safest series out there. This is what Paul Dana wanted, and it's tragic that he never got to see it come to fruition.

Sparks flew on the first lap. At first I thought it was some sort of terrorist attack, but it was because the cars were so weighed down with fuel, they were actually dragging the track. It made for a dramatic opening.

Danica is now with Andretti Green, and she was clearly not happy starting 10th, and let everyone know it. While the pouty bit might look cute to her husband, it annoys me. Put on your big girl panties on and start driving like you mean it! She held her own, but crashed into the wall during a pit stop after a steering malfunction.

Sarah Fisher is back. Dreyer and Reinbold Racing brought her back, along with Buddy Rice, who was fired from Rahal Letterman. Sarah surprised me by actually finishing the race, three places ahead of Danica. However, she was three laps down.

Marco Andretti was surprisingly the first car to go out due to tire problems. I chalk this up to being a fluke, as he will go to F1 in two years and make everyone say "Scott who?"

Tomas Scheckter (my favorite driver)actually finished the race 8th and surged as far as 3rd at one point. I think the move to Vision Racing will pay off for Tomas this season.

A.J. Foyt IV is back. But is he driving for his grandfather? Hell no. Super Tex has brought back Darren Manning, the Geordie no one can understand. These two collided early on and went out. I can't say I was surprised.

Dan Wheldon took the whole pack to school by leading 170+ laps, with teammate Scott Dixon right behind. Sam Hornish finished third with a strong showing. So, the song remains the same. It comes down to Target Chip Ganassi vs. Penske. And those guys couldn't be happier, or friendlier. Last year, when the rains in Pennsylvania flooded out Penske's Reading IRL shop, Ganassi offered the Captain his Charlotte N***** shop until they could get everything set up in Detroit. I shudder to think what the 2006 season would've been like had this natural disaster ended the competition between those two. It turned up being a race down to the last lap for the title.

I'm hoping 2007 will be just as exciting. Guess we'll find out Sunday at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix. I got two new people hooked this weekend. Now I think they know why I love this stuff so much. It's like crack!