Comments on: Twin Ring Motegi Preview

By: AZZO45

AZZO45 — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 18:28:16 +0000

Just look through the Indycar Flickr page of the hardcore Japanese fans that show up @Motegi That kind of fan won’t show up @Fontana even with Honda & Toyota having SoCal design + engineering facilities

By: AZZO45

AZZO45 — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 18:24:28 +0000

Springtime for sure… September is a rainy time around this part of Japan as well. Having Motegi at the end of the season is a marketing nightmare… the Indycar champion potentially being crowned in the middle of the night @ your lowest rated TV race I’ve read elsewhere that the race is not carried live in Japan as well (due to the promoter hoping to get people to make the trip t the race track).

By: Oilpressure

Oilpressure — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 11:43:02 +0000

Ron; I’m not complaining that there’s a race. I’m staying up tonight to watch it. If I only enjoyed IndyCar races during normal waking hours, I wouldn’t. I’m very happy there is a race to watch tonight. However, I would prefer this race to be in the spring when there may be more interest among non-diehards.

I’m certainly not suggesting that IndyCar should tell Honda where to put Motegi. What I hope is that Honda would consider not staging this race. Even though they are footing the bill, it is a logistical hardship on the teams. I’d be willing to bet if given all things equal – every team would opt not to go. I don’t know that, but it is my gut feeling.

That being said, I’ll nap after the Florida-Tennessee game (it’ll be so riveting); and I’ll pile up with snacks and watch the race, then jot down a probably not-so-coherent post after the race. I’ll be tired tomorrow, but yes – I’ll enjoy it. – GP

By: Ron Ford

Ron Ford — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 08:11:45 +0000

With all due respect to Carmen and Lindy, those Motegi girls will keep me awake and quite alert:)

By: The Speedgeek

The Speedgeek — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 21:35:00 +0000

I don’t think you’re understanding this part: Honda is paying *everybody* to make the trip to Japan. They are paying the sanctioning fee (something that ISC tracks are apparently not fond of, though maybe Fontana is an exception now) AND they are paying the teams to make the trip. Don’t you think that if the teams had to pay one thin dime of their own money to fly their stuff halfway around the world that we’d have heard copious complaints by now? Given the tittering that we’ve heard about the 2012 chassis in the last month or two, I sure do. Therefore, my suspicion is that every team is getting about three Samsonite briefcases worth of yen to do this, same as I believe Apex-Brazil was delivering the teams big burlap coffee bags full of Brazilian “reals” to make the trip to Sao Paulo. Those yen from Honda aren’t just paying for the trip to Motegi, they’re helping teams meet their bottom line for the rest of the season as well. Meanwhile, Fontana sure isn’t going to cut individual teams checks to show up there, so I’d quit holding my breath for IndyCar to drop Motegi for Fontana, if I were you.

I’m sorry if I sound like a Grade-A a-hole here, but I just don’t think you’re embracing the realities of the situation one bit. In the meantime, like Ron says, you can try to enjoy this weekend’s race for what it is: an IndyCar race. That’s what I’m going to do.

By: dylanpt24

dylanpt24 — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 21:22:57 +0000

Didn’t know Motegi had any defenders…. I guess people will get behind anything… (RE: Barber, Duno, Motegi, Dallara)

By: Ron Ford

Ron Ford — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 21:15:49 +0000

So, does anyone seriously think the IRL is in a position to tell Honda where to put Motegi? When was the last time there was an engine failure during a race? How many American engine manufacturers do you think will support the series in 2012? Randy Bernard went to Europe to talk to engine manufacturers, he didn’t go to Detroit.

As for sponsors not paying for it, is Honda any less a sponsor than Izod?

For the time being, it is what it is. It’s an IndyCar race. Try to enjoy it for what it is. All too soon the season will be over. The kind of change you and many of us are looking for will not happen overnight.

By: dylanpt24

dylanpt24 — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 21:12:14 +0000

I know that, also, while Motegi is the Honda track, they also had Toyota, which probably didn’t mind a race in Japan. It’s been mentioned multiple times on Indycar Trackside by Cavin that many sponsors won’t pay for the International races, especially Brazil and Motegi. I’m saying if they had multiple engines, they would have more of a choice, they might still do it, but I would hope they’d kill it off, because no one enjoys Motegi. Or, keep it and run it at 2AM local time so we can watch it at a reasonalbe hour.

By: dylanpt24

dylanpt24 — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 21:05:51 +0000

One word “Fontana”

By: The Speedgeek

The Speedgeek — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:54:57 +0000

Dylan,
Please understand this: CART used to run Motegi when Honda was just one of four engine makers. If other engine manufacturers come on board in 2012 or later, there is no guarantee that IndyCar won’t keep going there. In fact, if Honda continues to make the race a revenue stream for the teams (by paying for their expenses to go over there) and the series (by being willing to put up the sanctioning fee), I would imagine they’ll go over there for years to come. Can you provide any quotes for me from teams complaining about this race, and specifically about the cost to go over there? I don’t think I’ve read any, ever, and I think the reason for that is because the teams are well compensated. In a time where sponsorship is hard to find, it’s awful hard to say “no thanks, Honda, we’d prefer to stay home, do one less race and make $100k less (or whatever they net after recouping costs) for the season”. Motegi is not replacing any other race at any other track. The alternative for going over there is “one less race on the schedule and less money in the teams’ and the series’ coffers”. I think that’s a very easy decision to make.