Comments on: My Thoughts On Only Fifteen Races

By: billytheskink

billytheskink — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 19:03:59 +0000

Putting an IndyCar driver into a NASCAR Cup ride that is not top-35 protected is an incredibly stupid thing to do.

Maybe Andretti and Dodge are supposed to be buying someone’s points. That moves it down to just fairly stupid.

By: Carburetor

Carburetor — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:23:51 +0000

I try to keep positive about this series, expecially with all that open-wheel racing has gone through the past 15 years. However, I share many of the concerns others have expressed here. Though I am a Bernard supporter and believe he has generally done a good job, things do not look good for the future of IndyCar from my viewpoint. I expected some turmoil with the competition in the engine manufacturers; and some grumbling about the new car, but I didn’t expect the fractured effort to add/sustain races and stay financially viable. IZOD has all but disappeared; it seems a severe struggle to get oval tracks interested; and the sport does not seem to sufficiently grab enough younger generation fans to augment the aging (I am one…) fan base.

I can envision this series being relegated to ALMS series status or even an open-wheel sideshow to NASCAR Nationwide. Sometimes I wonder if the only time I’ll get to see this series in the future is on the 11:00pm Thursday night replay filler time slot on the SPEED Channel….

At the end of the day, what matters most is the Indy 500–where there will never be issues drawing interest from either fans or racers. In my opinion, it will be a bit more like the 24-Hours of Le Mans–teams putting forth extra effort for the one-off event of the year; but as for robust interest in the/a series, not so much.

By: Ron Ford

Ron Ford — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 16:55:41 +0000

Hi Tom. If George will allow I would like to respond to something you wrote on that Iowa guy’s site about a scenario of Bill France buying the series. At first I dismissed it out of hand and I don’t think it will happen, but you made some very thought provoking arguments for that. IndyCar as the “microbrew series”. Mmmm…..

By: redcar

redcar — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:39:38 +0000

I expect IZOD to exit the (sinking?) ship at the first dock they see.

The racing (and cars) has been really good this year. The politics, economics, ratings and dumb luck have not.

The down weeks (without a race) add to the feeling of instability with this racing series.

By: JohnMc

JohnMc — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:24:27 +0000

I think that INDYCAR should have rented the Nashville Superspeedway and put on a race, but that is just me.

By: Ron Ford

Ron Ford — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 13:59:53 +0000

Count me among those who think that replacing the China race with Road America in August would have worked out well for all the reasons listed above. The Road Americal promoter said that if he could have gotten the same deal that Michael Andretti got for Milwaukee it would have been a slam dunk.

That raises the question is it possible for Milwaukee or any other oval track being considered for 2013 to be viable at IndyCar’s current price point? Is it possible for IndyCar to rein in costs without cheapening the racing product which is currently very good.

By: Leigh O'Gorman

Leigh O'Gorman — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:51:35 +0000

“One of the drivers will supposedly be an IndyCar driver.”

Past or current, because I would love to see Milka Duno try her hand in the Sprint Cup.

By: Tom G.

Tom G. — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:36:59 +0000

I was bummed when Road America fell through. I was ready to buy tickets and drive down for the weekend, since it’s only 5 hours away, and I have in laws that live 15 minutes from the track.

I think the bigger issue right now is the remaining schedule. The Iowa race was June 23rd. It was the tail end of 5 straight weeks of some pretty damn good racing (let’s pretend Belle Isle didn’t happen). I know that a condensed schedule like that is tough on the teams, so I understand the need to slip in some off weeks. However, we now have 6 races remaining spread over 2 & 1/2 months. Even as a hardcore fan, it’s going to be hard for me to stay connected and follow the series. This is not going to help ratings, or attendance.

By: Bent Wickerbill

Bent Wickerbill — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 11:54:33 +0000

There are an awful lot of issues that need tending to here, almost too many to even list… The thing is, even with what to me appears to be poor judgement on managements part with regard to track choice and lack of due dilligence by race control, there has still been the bright glimmer of real racing on several occasions this year.
Unfortunately it is going to take a much greater level of managerial consistancy if this series is going to survive… There is an old Steven Wright routine that goes something like this: (I paraphrase)
“You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you lean way back in a chair and you nearly topple over backwards”? Well, thats the feeling I get when I think about the 2013 and beyond Indy Car Series.

By: JB

JB — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:42:30 +0000

Ha!

Sending Marco over there would mean instead of being at best, the 10th best driver on a 26 car grid, he’d be the 10th worst driver on a 43 car grid. Can you hear the whining from him already.

As for the schedule, RB needs to watch himself, this didn’t happen overnight. And this crap, including constantly manipulating in new rules, is getting old.