Press Snoop: Heading to the Brickyard.

After its brief dalliance in Montreal, the Formula One circus heads straight to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the United States Grand Prix.

Felipe Massa has been cleared to race after last weekend's horrendous accident at the Canadian Grand Prix. All Formula One drivers are required to wear the HANS device, and Massa probably had his to thank for no serious injury.

Nothing official has yet been announced as to the status of Jordan driver Giorgio Pantano, who was replaced last week by the team's reserve, Timo Glock. Money was said to be at the root of the Italian's problem, although the team said that it would continue to support a return to the cockpit.

Peter Windsor, the on-site pit reporter for the United States F1 television broadcasts on SPEED TV revealed on Wednesday's Wind Tunnel programme that the illegal Williams brake ducts were 5mm out of compliance, while the Toyota ducts were 30mm out. Windsor said that was 'way out' and not an accident - other than someone misinterpreting the regulations. Cars are checked in scrutineering before the race weekend, but not for everything, just for technical compliance. The brake duct tolerance is not something checked until after the race.

Windsor also said that, despite folks saying that Formula One is boring, TV ratings are up this season.

Indianapolis is gearing up for this year's United States Grand Prix, the fifth year it's been staged at the Brickyard. The first United States Grand Prix was the 1959 race at Sebring. It then moved to Riverside in California for a year, before a long run at Watkins Glen. In 1976, a second USGP was added, the Long Beach Grand Prix street race. The last LBGP was 1983 before Chris Pook switched to CART. By then, Watkins Glen was no longer on the calendar either.

In 1982, there were three F1 races in the United States: LBGP, the parking lot of Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, and Detroit, for another street race. I still remember Detroit, which started a day and a half late because the tyre walls weren't in place - among other things - and only the union labour could build them, while all the race officials with experience in such matters hung around watching. Detroit was fined for that.

I also remember driving around the course by on moonlight Friday night with the flag chief and a few cohorts, checking all the E holes and making sure all the corner stations were ready. The race was worth it. After the red flag on lap seven, and the subsequent down time - one had to have an hour for a red flag in those days - it was John Watson charging through the field to win after starting 17th.

Las Vegas was raced twice, Detroit ran for seven years, and then were was always the one-year wonder of Dallas in the searing heat of 1984. The track kept breaking up and, despite a ton of ice, literally, the track repairs wouldn't harden. Who can forget Nigel Mansell pushing his broken Lotus across the finish line? He finished sixth and Keke Rosberg won the crashfest.

The three grands prix in Phoenix were forgettable, especially the last one in 1991 - which drew 3000 spectators while a nearby ostrich race in Chandler drew 77,000. But at least in those days there were full fields of 34 or so drivers, and pre-qualifying determined who would race and who would go home.

There was an absence of Formula One in the United States until 2000, when the USGP came to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is the fifth year of a five-year contract between FOM and Tony George, and there has been no word on the future of the event. But IMS is proceeding on the assumption that the race will be renewed. As of Monday, those ticket holders who renew for 2005 get to drive their cars around the race track.

IMS has the longest flat-out section of any of the 18 Formula One circuits on this year's calendar. The drivers are at full chat for 23 seconds or so, from the exit of turn eleven around to turn one. The track also has some of the slowest corners on the schedule, and is considered technically challenging. It does pose a challenge to the F1 engineers, gearing a car for both scenarios.

IMS runs the Formula One cars on a modified 2.605-mile road course, going the opposite direction from the open wheel Indy Racing League cars or the NASCAR Nextel Cup cars, which run on the 2.5-mile oval configuration. The qualifying track record of 182.960mph was set in 2002 by NASCAR's Tony Stewart. Michael Schumacher holds the F1 qualifying record of 1min 10.790secs, set in 2002.

On Thursday, for the second time, Indy is hosting a pit-lane walkabout free to those who have race tickets. The event proved so popular last year that traffic was tied up for hours and latecomers lost out. Word was that some F1 drivers even showed up and signed autographs. Will wonders ever cease?

This year, the Speedway promises that 13 of the 20 drivers will sign autographs. The Ferrari boys aren't among them. However, several retired formula one drivers will be
signing, including the only two American world champions Phil Hill and Mario Andretti. Joining them will be Derek Daly, Stefan Johansson and Danny Sullivan.

There are no American drivers in Formula One this season, but there will be two young Yankees racing in the support events. Graham Rahal, son of Indy legend Bobby, will be racing in the Formula BMW USA race, while 20-year old sportscar star Patrick Long will be racing in the Michelin Porsche Supercup. He is the first American to be a factory driver for Porsche, and won the GT Class last weekend in the Michelin 24 Hours of Le Mans in a GT3, along with Jorg Bergmeister and Sascha Maassen.

Not an American, but with a well-known name is Federico Montoya, the younger brother of you-know-who, who will be racing in the BMW race. The 18-year old Colombian wants to follow the foot steps of his famous brother.

Tickets are still available for this weekend's USGP.