Indy 500 Winner Heads to Detroit Amid Controversy

June 2, 2017

Indy 500 champ Takuma Sato goes to Detroit GP after some critics lamented the Japanese driver winning on Memorial Day.

Dawn Uhl-Zifilippo/WDET

This weekend the Indycar series, fresh from its marquee event, the Indianapolis 500, travels to Belle Isle for the twin races at the Detroit Grand Prix.

The 500 featured the first Indy win for Japanese driver Takuma Sato, who barely beat veteran Helio Castroneves.

Dawn Uhl-Zifilippo/WDET

Sato’s victory generated some controversy.

A Denver newspaper columnist said a Japanese driver winning a race celebrating Memorial Day in the U.S. made the writer uncomfortable.

Dawn Uhl-Zifilippo/WDET

He’s since been fired.

WDET’s Quinn Klinefelter talked with both drivers about the controversy and their outlook for the race on Belle Isle.

 

Click here to see what it is like to take a lap around the Belle Isle track

Author

  • Quinn Klinefelter is a Senior News Editor at 101.9 WDET. In 1996, he was literally on top of the news when he interviewed then-Senator Bob Dole about his presidential campaign and stepped on his feet.

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