Originally Posted by ossuks:
Foyt, Unser, Helio, Mears (this is a guy that never seems to be on a best all time list ), Vogler, Larson ( which one? ), Ward, Jones, ect... Who is the best will always be debated with no real way of picking "the best" but,its the off season.... Also, all the comparing of the talent needed to drive todays Indy Car is a product of time to kill, I do not think there are any Indy Car drivers on this thread?
What we do know to be a fact is that last years Indy 500 starting line-up should have an asterick next to the drivers names. 2012 was the year that 26 teams and 7 "buy a ride and your in" cars made up the starting field. There were 33 cars, no one had to compete to make the race. There have always been bought rides at Indy, but 2012 was the only year in modern times that 4 laps made the race. Also, in the last 10 years there have been several Rookies almost win at Indy, so if you give a talented driver a good ride, then winning Indy is not out of reach.
I welcome all that want to try Indy, every entry adds to the event, and the event needs more than 33 or the day may come when?
The reason there were only 33 cars took time is the fact that Lotus would have been bumped and that would have been a huge black eye for Indycar after having let all the regular teams but HVM switch to Honda or Chevy and dump thier Lotus engines and contracts. After Indycar touted their "multiple engine manufacturers" to only have 2 make the field would have been disasterous. Only the diehards and a few teams knew what was going on behind the scenes, the general public didn't know anything. Several drivers (Pippa Mann and Jay Howard are two) had cars lined. But, Indycar management wouldn't push for an extra Honda or Chevy engine to be released by Illmor or HPD. Indycar knew they had left HVM and Fan Force United hanging out to dry with Lotus. Now that decision by Indycar to not help HVM out has cost HVM it's driver and sponsor to go to KV and HVM is basically DOA for 2013.