The Highlight Reel presents This Week's Recap for May 28th

THIS WEEK’S RECAP…

Superstar of the Week: Tony Kanaan



On Sunday, the greatest spectacle in sports took place with the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500. At the end of 500 grueling miles, one driver drove into Victory Lane and able to enjoy the ceremonial bottle of milk. One driver reigned supreme. That driver was Tony Kanaan. 

Kanaan’s victory was one of the most popular wins in the history of the Indianapolis 500. On par with Dale Earnhardt’s 1998 Daytona 500 victory or Dan Wheldon’s Indianapolis victory in 2011, tears flowed all over the garage and pit road area as everybody from the fans watching to the drivers and crews who competed for the victory felt joy and elation with Tony Kanaan’s victory. After going 0-11 in his previous Indy 500 starts, including leading the most laps in three of them, 2013 was TK’s year. The popular victory aside, the 2013 Indianapolis 500 will also go down as one of the greatest Indy 500 races of all-time because of the incredible on-track action. This was the most competitive race in Indy 500 history. 

There were a record 68 lead changes among 14 different drivers, also a race record. This was the fastest Indy 500 of all-time with a final average speed of 187.433 mph. As action-packed as the race was, it ended under caution after three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti crashed in Turn Two to bring out the fifth and final yellow of the day. Mere moments earlier, Tony Kanaan went to the inside and Carlos Munoz went to the outside of then-race leader Ryan Hunter-Reay with Kanaan coming out with the lead. Franchitti’s accident with two to go sealed the deal for the driver of the #11 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet. Munoz, the top finishing rookie of the race, finished second while Hunter-Reay took third. Marco Andretti led a race-high 37 laps before finishing fourth while Justin Wilson scored a fifth-place finish. 

I have been a Tony Kanaan fan since I really started following open-wheel racing a decade ago. As if I needed more of a reason to love this victory, Kanaan’s charming self-deprecating style won me over more when his speech in Victory Lane included the quote, “Finally, they’re going to put my ugly face on this trophy.” However, the coolest part of Kanaan’s trip to Victory Lane was the story of Kanaan’s special good luck charm. A day before the 2004 Indianapolis 500, Tony Kanaan visited the hospital and met the family of a then-15-year-old Andrea Irwin, a young woman in a coma and about to undergo brain surgery in the aftermath of suffering a brain hemorrhage. He gave her family a good luck charm, telling the family that she needed it more than him. Not only did she survive that surgery, she is now married and a mother to a young son. Nine years later, two days before this year’s race, a now 24-year-old Irwin returned that good luck charm to Kanaan. She told him how he needed the good luck now and to win the Indy 500. That charm was in the pocket of Kanaan’s firesuit for all 500 miles on Sunday. 

Tony Kanaan, with Andrea and her son, days before this year's Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500 is one of those events that I look forward to each year. The 2013 event will be one I will cherish forever. From the amazing on-track action and most competitive event in Indianapolis 500 history to the emotional and popular win of one of racing’s great champions, fans will not forget this year’s Indy 500 anytime soon. Congratulations go out to Tony Kanaan on the biggest victory of his legendary career.

Jerk of the Week: Sergio Garcia

“We’ll have him ‘round every night. We will serve fried chicken.”

The feud between Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods has breathed fresh air into the world of golf in 2013. While Woods is in the midst of a career renaissance after his divorce and sex scandal thanks to a rededication to the game (and dating the sexy Lindsey Vonn), Sergio Garcia is still the same underachiever that he was when the rivalry between these two started in the late 90’s. During the third round of the PGA Championship, Woods and Garcia had a public incident that made headlines and reignited the feud. Unable to let it go, Garcia finally crossed a line two weeks later when he said the above quote at a dinner in Europe in response to a question about whether or not Garcia would meet Woods at the upcoming US Open. 

Sergio Garcia went stereotypical and racial with his comments about Woods. Frankly, that crossed a line both in terms of racism and in terms of pure laziness. Garcia could say many things about Tiger Woods and get laughs. The last couple of years of Tiger Woods’ life have been nothing short of an open joke book. However, Garcia channeled that racist uncle (or, in some cases, father) who lives life based on stereotypical views of other races and genders and made a fried chicken joke about Tiger Woods. You know, because black people love fried chicken. Ugh! 

Sergio Garcia’s apology afterwards was insincere as Woods’ apology after he was caught with all of the porn stars and Waffle House waitresses. Until Sergio Garcia wins something, he should not even have his name spoken in the same breath as Tiger Woods. As fun as this catfight between two diva golfers was, Garcia ruined it with a stereotypical joke based on some deep-seeded racial beliefs. That is not cool at all.

Babe of the Week: Mickie James

Bringing respect and credibility back to the Knockouts Division - one DDT at a time.

Congrats to Mickie James – new TNA Knockouts Champion and a nine-time Women’s World Champion

A Melancholy Happy Trails to…
- Hector Garza, 43 - Mexican professional wrestler best known in America for stints in WCW and TNA (May 26th)