An all-woman front row at the Indianapolis 500? What in the wide, wide world of A.J. Foyt is going on?
There are three female drivers entered in this year’s race, so an all-woman front row isn’t out of the question. Unlikely, but not out of the question.
Danica Patrick, Sarah Fisher and a newcomer, Milka Duno of Venezuela, get their first crack at Indy immortality with Saturday’s opening-day time trials (10 a.m. and 4 p.m., ESPN2, and 1 p.m., KMGH-Channel 7). On Sunday, ESPN2 will cover time trials live at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sixty-nine cars are entered, but only 33 will make the race.
Duno passed her rookie driver’s test this week. If Patrick, Fisher and Duno all start on May 27, it will mark the first time in the 91-year history of the classic race that three women will compete at the same time.
Marty Reid anchors ESPN/ABC coverage, marking the 43rd year the network has covered the 500.
Are they still playing?
I thought it was baseball season, but the NHL and the NBA won’t give it up.
Versus cranks up its coverage of the NHL conference playoffs, starting tonight with the Ottawa-Buffalo matchup at 5 p.m. The Detroit-Anaheim Western Conference series begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
Let’s play five! ESPN brings us five NBA playoff games this weekend, including a doubleheader Saturday, matching Cleveland and New Jersey at 3 p.m. and Phoenix at San Antonio at 6:15. It’s Detroit-Chicago (7 tonight), Utah-Golden State (6 p.m. Friday) and Detroit-Chicago in a Game 4 (1:30 p.m. Sunday).
How they work
Fox Sports Net in production with “SportScience,” an eggheaded look at how athletes function.
The 13-part series, which debuts this fall, will look at “the biomechanics and mysteries” of games, including whether it hurts more to be in a NASCAR crash or get whacked by Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.
A year-old classic
NFL Network has footage dating to 1939 of more than 12,000 NFL games at its disposal, but for some odd reason has chosen to launch its “NFL Classic” series with a game from last season (6 tonight, NFL Network).
Yes, the Chicago-Arizona game, in which the Bears rallied from a 20-point deficit, was bizarre, but hardly “classic.”
Around the dial
The Colorado Rapids host Salt Lake City (7 tonight, ESPN2), the first time the teams have been paired on national TV. … Host Keith Bleyer visits the Louisville Slugger bat factory on “Rockies All Access” (10 tonight, FSN Rocky Mountain). … Quotable: “I’m not here to prove anything about being a woman. I’m here to drive a race car and try to win a race.” Lyn St. James.
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-954-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
