Comments on: Leadership Concerns For The IRL http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/leadership-concerns-for-the-irl/ Speed is Life Thu, 23 May 2013 14:38:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Brian http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/leadership-concerns-for-the-irl/#comment-574 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:46:19 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/leadership-concerns-for-the-irl/#comment-574 Scott is absolutely right. The Hulman-George family should divest itself of the IRL and re-establish the Sweepstakes, They could take all that wasted subsidy money and add it to the purse. Put up $30 million and “they will come.”

]]> By: redd carr http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/leadership-concerns-for-the-irl/#comment-569 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:42:29 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/leadership-concerns-for-the-irl/#comment-569 Jeez. So sorry to post twice. Apology.

]]> By: redd carr http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/leadership-concerns-for-the-irl/#comment-568 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:41:07 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/leadership-concerns-for-the-irl/#comment-568 The IRL isn’t selling football. They’re selling open-wheel racing in the US and that is a niche sport now and nobody wants to watch it. It’s not 1983 anymore. The IRL isn’t really competing with Nascar–they’re competing with skeet shooting and female college bowling.

So, considering all that, I think they’re doing pretty well. Good drivers and strong personalities (we could use more, but…), adding a couple of interesting tracks for next year–for sure Brazil and maybe Barber–a good group of young drivers in FIL, Roger Penske, a new engine and chassis deal for 2012, a ten year TV deal with the ever-popular if slightly underaged Versus Network, all the Danica publicity, and the awesome Memorial Day race itself. I think it’s just more fun to predict doom and gloom and that’s why it’s so popular.

]]> By: redd carr http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/leadership-concerns-for-the-irl/#comment-567 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:31:30 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/leadership-concerns-for-the-irl/#comment-567 If you just consider what we know, as compared to supposition, the IRL looks fine to me. The mergification actually was less merge and more dissolve. Several champ teams didn’t make the merge. The recession was a killer for many businesses and certainly hurt sports across the board, especially Nascar. And the TG mutiny was very unexpected but by all public statements, things should remain basically the same.

But in spite of all that the crowds have been good, the racing is getting better. The new engine and chassis program, while slow, is still set for 2012. Corporate support from Honda and Firestone is strong. The new TV contract with Versus makes everyone happy but it would be important to get Versus into more markets. The personalities and competition in FIL has been great. They’re looking at adding races to next year–Brazil for sure and Barber for maybe. Could things be better–absolutely, but things seem okay for now.

There seems to be an “I told you so” mentality out there that everyone wants to predict the demise of the IRL. I don’t think it’s going anywhere.

]]> By: Scott http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/leadership-concerns-for-the-irl/#comment-566 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:45:02 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/leadership-concerns-for-the-irl/#comment-566 I’m not worried because I don’t believe that the 500 needs a league. If belskus were to announce today that next years race is going to be an open invitational for anyone with an open wheel car of any kind the result would be outstanding. We would see more drivers, teams, fans, and sponsors interested in next years race than any time in the past 10-20 years. I personally do not believe the series is doing anything to make the 500 stronger. It has turned into an exhibition series that bears resemblance to the globetrotters oN wheels.

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