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Ok, so everyone is on twitter.  Twitter is free service that allows you to let everyone know through tweets what you are doing, thinking, or how you are feeling.  Twitter is a recent phenomenon that is now used by news companies, athletes, sports teams, and even fortune 500 companies to give a live update of what is happening. 

Twitter can be used by anyone.  I even have a Twitter account to let my readers in the blogosphere know what’s going on when I am at various racing venues as well as when I update IRLblog.com.

Danica Patrick recently joined the Twitter world.  What makes this so different than anyone else that has joined is that Danica is one  of the first , if not the first athlete to join Twitter and have sponsor backing in doing so.  Tissot (watches) has signed as her sponsor.  

Tissot watches views social media as a new way of advertising in a less-invasive way.  They want to connect with social media using one of their company’s faces.  Tissot along with Danica are entering into this new venture cautiously knowing that they are treading through new territory as far as sponsorship on Twitter.  Prior to her first tweet on May 17, she already had roughly 2700 followers.

Social media is proving to be the wave of the future.  I expect to see more companies backing atheletes in the social media world.  After all, services like Twitter are free to use and for anyone that is following, it can be used as a form of direct advertising.

You can follow Danica on twitter by going to http://twitter.com/danicapatrick

…jurors acquitted him on all charges except for a single charge of conspiracy. The judge declared a mistrial on the count of conspiracy after jurors were unable to return a verdict… CBS4

Helio Castroneves has been acquitted after five days of deliberations.  Helio’s sister, Katiucia was also acquitted on all charges except the conspiracy charge.  His lawyer, Alan Miller, was acquitted on all charges since he had not been charged with conspiracy.  The government has not declared if it would re-file a new trial for the count of conspiracy.

“I love this country, and I love racing. I’m glad I’ll be able to do it,” he said.

“Instead of going to Disneyland, I want to go to Long Beach and race,” he said after thanking his racing sponsors for continuing to support him.

“Let’s go race,”

According to  16th and Georgetown , Curt Cavin has reported that Team Penske would have the #12 car ready for Will Power to ride in if Helio was cleared today.

Here’s a sneak peek at the upcoming Danica Patrick / IndyCar Series promo to be aired on the Versus Network.  I think they’ve made the folks at Andretti Green Racing proud with this one.  Check it out online in case you miss its debut during the Versus Network’s coverage of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach this weekend. Don’t get the Versus Network? Call your cable/satellite provider and request that they add it to your current programming. Those of you who would like to spread some IRL joy to those who are specifically on Dish Network, click HERE.

photo: Steve Snoddy

Paul Tracy might have landed  a part time ride this year for the 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500 with KV Racing technology.  This team which is owned by ex Champ Car owner Kevin Kalkhoven and Jimmy Vasser could field Tracy in a few other races as well.  I would think that they would be the Edmonton and Toronto races.

The last time that Paul Tracy ran in Indy was at the 86th running of the Indy 500 in 2002 where he finished second behind Helio Castroneves after a  controversial call was made stating that Paul Tracy made the pass after the yellow flag had flew in turn 3 of lap 199.

Paul Tracy showed that he still has what it takes last year when he ran at the Rexall Edmonton Indy for Vision Racing with Subway sponsoring him.  He just missed the podium finishing in P4.  This was Vision Racing’s best finish up until this years Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg where Ryan Hunter-Reay finished in P2.

Graham Rahal, while doing Versus promotions, took some time out to answer some questions on how he felt going into the first race of the season.  Graham is very optimistic and feels good going into St. Petersburg.  I don’t see why he wouldn’t be being that he won there last year in his IndyCar Series debut.  Let’s not forget that he ran really well at the off-season testing at Barber Motorsports Park.  

Graham also answered questions for fellow open wheel bloggers: Pressdog, is it May yet?, 16th and Georgetown