Townsend Bell resolve have one of the finest seats in the house when Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban waves the ecological flag to start Sundays 98th running of the Indianapolis 500.
It resolve easily be THE finest seat for anyone who was graduated from a Central Coast High Teach in this case San Luis Obispo High, class of 93.
Bell, 42, resolve be on the trail eight rows put a bet on from pole-sitter Ed Carpenter.
Bell resolve be on the trail on the inside lane of the ninth row gone qualifying 25th in his KV Racing Chevrolet.
Not to a large extent separates whichever of the 33 Indy racers.
Carpenter won the pole with a four-lap usual of 231.067 mph.
Bells four-lap usual was 228.508 mph.
Whilst drivers similar Carpenter, James Hinchcliffe and Resolve Power - the pinnacle three qualifiers for the 500 - are well known to IndyCar fans, Bell is to a large extent supplementary of an unknown.
Drawn though this resolve be Bells eighth Indy 500 he came in fourth in 2009 for his highest lacquer it is the no more than IndyCar race hell coop this day.
I similar our chances this day, believed Bell for the period of a recent telephone interview. We have the similar squad as our fourth place squad from 2009 nevertheless I assume this day we are better prepared.
The rest of the day, Bell container be found behind the wheel of a Tudor United Sportscar Championship racer or in the broadcast booth responsibility color commentary for the NBC Networks (NBC, NBCSN) auto racing coverage. The Indy 500 is aired by ABC.
I race Sportscar rounded schedule, then Im in the broadcast booth, then I race the Indy 500 all day, believed Bell. In Sportscar, we race on road courses similar Laguna Seca I was here just a duo of weeks previously. We won the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona to open the day. Here are 11 races in our circuit all day and so far weve come in primary, second and 14th. Luckily, we are still top the points race.
His Smooth as glass 5 Motorsports squad won the Rolex 24 by just 1.3 seconds, sharing schedule driving the road course with teammates Scott Tucker, Bill Sweeder, Jeff Segal and Alessandro Pier Guido in their souped in the lead Ferrari.
Bell spends some weeks in Indianapolis preparing for the switch to IndyCars and the 2.5-mile 500s elliptical.
We practice for a week more willingly than the qualifying begins, believed Bell. Then we have some days of qualifying. Then this week, we had practice on Monday, I flew to New York to do testing at Watkins Glen for Ferrari on Tuesday and Wednesday, flew put a bet on Thursday and well be put a bet on at our final practice Friday, then race on Sunday. Its a busy a small amount of weeks nevertheless I wouldnt have it whichever other way.
The transition from Sportscar to IndyCar is a fragment easier said than done, believed Bell. Nevertheless providentially, we move a ration of practice, a ration of schedule on the trail, more willingly than the 500 so that makes the transition a fragment easier.
And whilst ABC broadcasts the Indy 500 (Sunday 8 am. PDT), todays final practice resolve be aired on NBCSN at 8 am. PDT.
Gone practice, Ill be in the NBCSN broadcast booth offering commentary.
As with every part of racers, Bells KVR squad relies heavily on its sponsors.
Their Chevy is sponsored by mens clothier Robert Graham, the Royal Purple Oil Company and BMW of Santa Maria.
BMW? On a Chevrolet?
I have a long-standing relation with Marshall Williams (the General Sales ManagerPartner at BMW of Santa Maria), believed Bell.
I sold him his primary car, a Ford Voyager, when he was a teenager and weve been friends still since believed Williams.
Yeah, I hammered him on the price, believed Bell. Actually, the car was for my parents. My dad asked me to broker the deal which I did over the buzz. He didnt go through I was 15 living old nevertheless, Ill tell you, nobody resolve pleasure you better or give you a better price.
He sounded similar an adult and he really knew what he was captivating with reference to, believed Williams.
I watched a ration of Miami Vice so I just talked similar they did, believed Bell. Nevertheless Marshall is just great and he helps corroborate our squad.
He brought a bunch of people from Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo in the lead to Laguna Seca recently to cheer me on. It was great, believed Bell.
Bell and his partner Heather have two young sons, Jaxon and Jensen.
He began his career with reference to 35 living previously at the Santa Maria Karting Association trail.
I began racing when I was five or six living old at the Kart trail prevented at the airport with Jon Capps, Ron Capps younger brother, believed Bell. The Capps brothers are as well from SLO. Theyre still friends and still racing, nevertheless in the NHRA Funny Car series.
So they are straight stock racing. In the Sportscar series, we race road courses that are similar grownup versions of the SMKA trail. At the Indy 500, I am racing on a two-and-a-half mile elliptical see open 230 miles an hour then you have to bring about a 90-degree attack to the left, then hit 230 again. Its different than either drag racing or Sportscar nevertheless its fantastic.
Gone graduating from SLO High Go Tigers, believed Bell Bell went to UCSB.
In my junior day (1996), I transferred to the Skip Barber Racing Teach. They existing me a degree in three days, which sounded pretty good, believed Bell. Since then, Ive been paying attention on racing.
