Comments on: It’s Finally Time For The New Rules http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/ Speed is Life Thu, 23 May 2013 17:18:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: James O. http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-678 Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:48:13 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-678 I’m trying to think of another series-sport where rule changes are imposed mid-season. Can you imagine MLB saying, “we think there’s not enough scoring, so beginning Aug 1, we’re going to allow cork in the bags, lower the pitcher’s mound an inch, and move the foul lines out 10′ each direction?

Ultimately, the question is, for me anyway, WHY are they doing it? How much are “the fans” going to contribute to their bottom line? They’ve already inked a deal with VS, so unless they get some kind of cut based on ratings and ad revenue, TV doesn’t matter. I would think it’ll take a while to truly affect gate attendence. T-shirts and posters &c has never been marketed well and I can’t imagine that having a big upswing in the short term.

My guess is that they’re trying to throw bones to their teams and make them look more attractive to sponsors. There is little reason to sponsor someone like Mike Conway when you know the only airtime he’ll get is when he’s being scraped off the wall and the team’s pie-in-the-sky goal is simply to finish on lead lap. If they can make the teams more competitive and give the back markers more of a chance to finish well, it may help with sponsorship. Since the IRL is ailing, they *need* that.

But I am a cynic. ;)

]]> By: James O. http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-673 Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:38:54 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-673 People end up in the fence regardless. Cold tires seem to be far more dangerous than passing.

]]> By: Boo Boo http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-669 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:57:20 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-669 Don’t applaud the IRL for realizing anything. They made the “problem” on purpose, with “malice aforethought,” so to speak. The IRL has known all along what the solution to the fan’s complaints is, but they play dumb because they don’t want to talk about it.

Fans want side by side pack racing, and the league doesn’t. Dan Wheldon was asked on a radio broadcast about the “problem,” and his reply was (paraphrasing), “Do you want me to tell you what the problem really is? You’re going to get me in trouble!”

They—”they” meaning the league, the teams, the drivers—decided that side by side pack racing was too dangerous, and they implemented changes to spread the field out and limit speeds.

Think back to the race at Chicago last year. Was there anything wrong with that race? Looked like classic wheel to wheel IRL goodness to me, replete with the obligatory photo finish that requires atomic clock accuracy to determine the winner.

Now ask yourself a question: Why did the IRL make changes to the package for the Chicago race? I’m not talking about the recent “improvements” we’re seeing for the first time at Kentucky. I mean that after last year’s race they mandated changes to the race package for Chicago.

Gettin’ the picture?

The fans want one thing, the league wants another. Yesterday TK said what the league doesn’t really want drivers saying: we’ve been making changes because we thought the racing was too dangerous, but “now we are racing for the fans.”

Let’s just hope nobody ends up in the fence.

]]> By: Brian http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-667 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:54:28 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-667 You’re correct.

]]> By: oilpressure http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-666 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:22:22 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-666 I think this will serve as a “quick fix” until the new cars come out hopefully in 2012. I don’t see it as a panic move, but doing nothing would be bad. — GP

]]> By: James O. http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-665 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:52:51 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-665 I’m relatively new at reading the blogs, Robin Miller’s mailbag, and a lot of the extra news and background stuff you don’t normally get by simply watching the broadcasts. But I’m struck by what seems like an atmosphere of near-desperation on what to do about the racing. On one hand I like the fact that they’re trying to be active and nimble and Do Something Now. But on the other hand, I wonder what’s going under in the part of the iceberg we can’t see. It’s as if there’s an ultimatum going on: Fix It Now or We’re Closing Our Doors.

I’m skeptical that the IRL would really go under, but this whole situation feels closer to panic than intelligent design.

]]> By: Jim in Wilmington http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-664 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:23:29 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-664 Of course if the racing is good and there is a lot of pasing, the marbles stay cleaned out of the way.

]]> By: Tom http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-663 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:55:57 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-663 I’m all for trying something, anything, to make the racing better. My biggest concern however, is the marbles. On many of the ovals this season, after a long green flag run the marbles were so bad the track was reduced to a single groove for racing. Even if they had the extra power to pass, and the aero packages had not prevented them from slingshotting, they’d wouldn’t have been able to get around the car ahead of them without losing it on the marbles.

]]> By: oilpressure http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-662 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:42:53 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-662 It is my understanding that all teams will have the overtake button. If anyone knows anything different, please let me know. — GP

]]> By: Keith http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-660 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:28:16 +0000 http://oilpressure.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/its-finally-time-for-the-new-rules/#comment-660 I will be at the KY race and looking forward to the changes. I just wonder with all the changes, mostly the “Push 2 Pass” button, how will the drivers handle it without ever testing it? Another question will all the teams have the button installed? Because I also read that this was an “option” to use, and smaller teams for example Sarah Fisher Racing are they able to afford these changes?

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