Speedy Svedeys.

In 2020, in a weird and empty Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Takuma Sato won the 500 in a slow procession. An accident caused the last five laps to be run under the yellow flag, so everyone had to keep their positions and drive like a grandma. Dull and depressing and disappointing, like everything else in 2020.

It seems that the Powers That Be at Indy were determined not to let that happen again. So this year as the race was drawing to a close and accidents started to pile up, they pulled out the red flag multiple times, twice in the last twenty laps, putting a complete stop to the race each time, so that the laps that were run would be at full speed. 

So yeah, the race ended under green -- exactly one full-speed lap. It was dramatic, but it was also kind of stupid. 

It did result in the first American victory since 2016, as Josef Newgarden passed Swedish champion Marcus Ericsson in that one lap and roared to victory. 

Ericsson seemed sore about the whole thing after the race, which I think was related to the way officials handled the accidents. I don't have any ideas to fix the race; I'm barely a casual fan. The event was accident-free for quite a while. But track conditions and car conditions suffer through the race, and drivers take chancier moves later in the game, so it's not a problem that's going to go away. 

However, I would like to offer condolences to Ericsson -- and his countryman and contender Felix Rosenqvist, who was a victim of one of the accidents -- with a little musical tribute. 

You all know the melody; sing along! 

Here he comes

Here comes Svede Racer

He's a jäkel on wheels

He's a jäkel and he's gonna be chasin' after someone

He's leanin' on ya and you're gonna lose a fenda

He's gonna bump your car right in its big bakända

And when the odds are as lousy as lutefisk

You bet your life Svede Racer will see it through

Go Svede Racer

Go Svede Racer

Go Svede Racer GO!

I hope that makes them both feel better. Good luck on the circuit, boys!