Danica Patrick

Here are five things to look for in today's Baltimore Grand Prix, the inaugural IndyCar race for the city: 1. Is the track/course ready for its IndyCar debut? Drivers have politely pointed out over the weekend that there are some issues with the course. We say politely because the drivers don't want to bash a city hosting its first IndyCar event. But if cars are stacked up like overturned Matchbox cars at Turn One today, or there is a crash in the pits, we can assure you the politeness will go away.

Among the tens of thousands of fans who came this weekend for the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix were a large number of racing rookies. They were attracted for a variety of reasons -- fast cars, a party atmosphere and the idea of supporting their hometown. For Tim Trochimowicz of Pasadena, it was the free tickets he won in a raffle outside the local Giant supermarket. "There was a band playing outside the Giant and people were putting their cards in for a raffle," Trochimowicz recalled.

Two of the most important car owners in the IZOD IndyCar Series, Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi, sat beside each other Saturday afternoon to discuss the rivalry between their teams as the IndyCar season heads toward its finish. Penske's Will Power and Ganassi's Dario Franchitti are locked in another tight points battle. Franchitti has the 26 point lead going in to Sunday's Baltimore Grand Prix, but Penske said that might be the key to Power winning the title.

Simona De Silvestro stepped out of her hauler Saturday afternoon after an intense meeting with her race team, only to be greeted by a pleasant surprise. A green and white birthday cake covered with candles. De Silvestro, who was born in Switzerland, actually turned 23 on Sept. 1, but her week leading up to the Baltimore Grand Prix had been such a mad rush there had been little time for celebration. Even this moment wasn't exactly ideal. She had just wrapped up qualifying — finishing a respectable 12th, one of her best of the year — and was trying to squeeze in a quick interview before she ran to an autograph session.

Danica Patrick couldn't quite believe what was happening Thursday evening. There she was, riding in a golf cart, taking a tour of the city's new 2.03-mile temporary street course, trying to get a feel for the new track that will host Sunday's inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix, when all at once she found herself in the middle of rush hour traffic. "If I was in a car, I think I would have been pretty ticked off," Patrick said. "The light changed and they sent us right into the traffic.

We're two days removed from the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix, and I haven't talked to one person who is looking forward to the big IndyCar race. Granted, I don't know every single person in Baltimore, but it seems the consensus is that this costly event is a logistical nightmare that is pretty much ruining everyone's lives. Is that a fair assessment? Everyone has been complaining about the gridlocked streets downtown . Traffic is so bad, it screwed up Buck Showalter's morning commute on Thursday (if Buck scowls when he's happy, imagine the face he made when he tried to turn onto Light Street)

Now that Baltimore's debut Grand Prix is just days away, the trash talk is revving up by the hour. And that's not counting the race car drivers. Nope, the motormouths trading good-natured insults are the fans who will watch the races up close and personal in the grandstands, and the fans who will view the proceedings from the air-conditioned comfort of a luxury penthouse suite. "You can tell the people in the penthouses that we'll wave up at them from the pits," says Lori Moore, 39, of Parkville.

If you're in Baltimore for the Grand Prix or you're simply a local looking for something to do, there's plenty to keep you occupied: driver appearances, concerts, attractions and more. Racer sightings Adobe Road Wine Dinner: With champion driver Marc Bunting and others competing in the Baltimore Grand Prix. Preview the Team Baltimore Racing show car. Wednesday, Morton's The Steakhouse, 300 S. Charles St. $125. mortons.com Al Unser Jr. and other IndyCar series racers: Appearing 7 p.m. Wednesday; chance to win tickets with Izod purchase.