INDY 500: Harder than it looked

Many drivers in the Verizon IndyCar series claim they want the cars to be more difficult to drive and they got their wish over the weekend at Indianapolis.

With more power for qualifying, trimmed out aero packages and tricky winds, it was a thrill show from the fastest to the slowest.

Josef Newgarden (left), who just missed out on the pole position and starts second this Sunday, said the conditions made it very tricky.

"It's been tougher than normal," said Newgarden. "The way the cars slide this year is a little more unpredictable. I was watching Scott Dixon's run yesterday and he was stupid loose and how crazy it was to control that car. I just wish it looked more spectacular."

The camera mounted over the driver's shoulders doesn't do justice to his craft and people watching television see them barely moving the steering wheel most times.

"The unfortunate thing is that it doesn't look incredibly dramatic and it's so damn dramatic in the car," said Ryan Hunter-Reay, who lines up on the outside of the front row. "I was holding my breath all four laps.

"The north wind we had is the worst thing you can have here because it blows you into the first turn at 240mph and it's a leap of faith. But I like the fact it wasn't easy flat and it wasn't about who had the best aero kit."

Will Power said on Saturday it was toughest four laps he'd ever done at Indy – and that's exactly the way it should be.

"I'm one of those guys who agrees with Will that wants to see it more difficult to drive," said Newgarden. "I just want to make sure we do it in the right way so we don't ruin the show for the fans."

So did the drivers make more of a difference on Sunday?

"I'd like to think I made more of a difference this weekend," replied JoNew.

Hinchcliffe summed up the not-made-for-TV dramatics inside the cockpit.

"I think we had to work a little harder and I think the drivers played a bigger role than they have before and I'm not just saying that because I'm up here. We're not here to make it easy for everybody.

"I think it was tougher because of the new aero configurations (dome skids), because we've had windy conditions before. What's tough is that a really difficult run or a really smooth one is absolutely indecipherable on television. We don't mind working hard or driving hard but give us some credit, because it's hair-raising out there."