I'm resisting the impulse to use some sort of Olympic metaphor, given that we are now in the thick of the quadrennial sporting festival. Suffice to say, we have a bunch of GOLD MEDAL links to hang around your necks this week. (Wow. So much for self-control.)

Anyway, the DeltaWing controversy continues to rage, even more so now that Lola has released their concept drawings which are so close to the current car that they are nigh indistinguishable. But fortunately (and in some cases, unfortunately - you'll see in a moment) there is other stuff to talk about. So let's get right to it!

• Remembering A Friend [SPEEDtv.com]
  I don't know whether it's a good or bad thing that some of the best racing writing is inspired by tragedy. Still, this tribute to Dave Randall from Jeff Olson at SPEEDtv.com deserves your attention and, most likely, a tissue or two to boot.

• Joe Stimola Passes Away [SPEEDtv.com]
  Veteran open-wheel crew chief and engineer Joe Stimola died over the weekend in Florida from complications following open heart surgery. Stimola was another of those influential people in racing who never got the share of the limelight they deserved. But those who knew him know full well his impact not only on their sport, but on their lives.

• The Silver Vitamin [SPEEDtv.com]
  Marshall Pruett is at it again, talking to anyone and everyone about the DeltaWing concept IndyCar. This is a three-page monster of an article that gives some interesting insight not only into the DeltaWing, but also the owners' plans for assuming the reins of the IndyCar series' technical arm. Worthy of re-reading.

• DeltaWing: After Some Time To Reflect [Oilpressure]
  George Phillips definitely doesn't share the ambivalence surrounding the proposed DeltaWing concept. He took the advice to let his first impression sink in before passing judgment but, as George says, his reaction "went from being horrified to that of pure outrage." Don't miss his followup to this article, "A House Divided," where George expresses his worries that many of us share about a potential power struggle between the owners and the league.

• The Neros Fiddle while IndyCar Burns and Fans Turn to DANICAR [pressdog.com]
  It's not often that our favorite IndyMutt gives us a glorious rant like this one. Most of the time, he rations his excellent wordkibble in small, tasty handfuls that keep us coming back for more. So when the 'Dog goes after the postman with this much growling, it's worth your while to sit down and anticipate the inevitable shredding of postal pants. (In other words, this is a great article. Read it.)

• Danicamania, the sequel [My Name is IRL]
  Danica Patrick may be the bee's knees to NASCAR right now, but Da Newch has seen it all before. His words of warning should be required reading for all those stock car nuts who think that having the GoDaddy Girl around is an indication of what Darrell Waltrip called "the rising tide."

• One Positive About Each Constructor [Is It May Yet?]
  So much angst has been spewed about the 2012 IndyCar that it was inevitable that someone would stop taking it all seriously - if only for a moment. So if your blood pressure is skyrocketing about the DeltaWing or the Lola, read this - it's as good as your nitro pills! (Not really. Keep taking the pills. And please don't sue me.)

• John Lewis, VP of Marketing, Talks about IndyCar's Effort to Talk to Fans [pressdog.com]
  Amazingly enough, John Lewis, the IRL's Vice President of Marketing and League Development, does not use an adapted Twister spinner to randomly select fan reactions to IndyCar's direction. Pressdog, with an assist from IndyCar PR, gets the real scoop.

• Yes, Virginia, there really is a Delta Wing [the_race_gIRL]
  As the first race of the season approaches, our favorite blogger-from-the-bathtub recaps some of her reactions to IndyCar offseason hijinks.

• Musings on the Daytona 500 from an IndyCar Point of View [Planet-IRL]
  Hole in da track! Hole in da track! Lookin' like a fool with a hole in da track! Tires go down, cars spin sideways, HOLE IN DA TRACK! ...*ahem.* Sorry. Got carried away. Stephanie at Planet-IRL has a much better and more reasoned recap of the Daytona 500 from an IndyCar fan's point of view.

• As the Wheel Turns [My Name Is IRL]
  And finally, Jeff Iannucci blatantly rips off the "I'm too lazy to write a story, so I'll summarize a bunch of others" format of The Paddock Pulse for his "As the Wheel Turns" segment at My Name is IRL. (What? He's been blogging for several years longer than Pop Off Valve has been around? You mean, Paddock Pulse is actually a ripoff of ATWT? Excuse me, I need to go... um... grab a glass of water.)

Final Thoughts

A sincere congratulations to Roy Hobbson at the Silent Pagoda (or is it just "Silent Pagoda"? Nobody can ever tell me for sure) for standing up to The Man and fighting the power and all of that. The Pagoda was dropped from IndyCar's website after Roy gleefully skewered Chip Ganassi and the DeltaWing in a recent post. Since the Pagoda is the closest thing to an "official" unofficial IndyCar blog, I'm pretty sure that the powers-that-be didn't appreciate the rebellious nature of the post. But as of today, the Pagoda is back on the IndyCar site after an avalanche of fan support forced them to reconsider. Welcome back, Roy!