More NASCAR drivers looking at the Indy 500 in the future?

[rustyfan]

The IndyStar posted an interesting article a few days ago;

Earnhardt at Indy 500? He hopes so
Star report
June 5, 2004

Add Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the list of NASCAR drivers who might someday compete in the Indianapolis 500.

Earnhardt has driven in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona sports-car race and that has piqued his interest in other forms of racing. He told the Daytona Beach News Journal this week that Indy and the 24 Hours of LeMans (France) are high on his list to try.

"There are a couple of goals I set for myself, before I retired, that I drove in the LeMans and I drove in the Indy 500. But that's before I retire and quit driving for good," he said. "There's plenty of time."

Robby Gordon was the only NASCAR driver in this year's Indy 500. John Andretti and Tony Stewart, a close friend of Earnhardt's and his teammate in this year's 24 Hours of Daytona, have done it in the past. Stewart considered trying to qualify for the 500 on bump day and vowed to make a serious effort in 2005.

Ryan Newman, Casey Mears and Kasey Kahne, all with open-wheel backgrounds, also have said they would like to give Indy a try at some point. According to Earnhardt, there are others who harbor such desires.

"There are drivers coming into NASCAR that would love to drive an Indy 500, but they'll never get the chance because nobody would think to put them in a car," he said. "But if I went up to a prominent car owner, they might really consider it just because of the name thing. I'm going to take advantage of it if I can."

The more the merrier I say - bring 'em on (whenever they fancy a go at the '500)!

[Kicking-back]

Be even better if they did the whole series.

[Tim Northcutt]

Add Kevin Harvick to the list of "wants to race in the Indy 500"

He is from Rick Mears' hometown and Mears is his idol...

He also came to Indy in 2003 with Richard Childress and Robby and was quoted by media as saying he would love to run in the Indy 500....

[rush1]

A lot of talk. Tin top drivers stay in NASCAR unless they started in open wheel. Look for Tony Stewart next year and no one else from NASCAR

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by rush1
A lot of talk. Tin top drivers stay in NASCAR unless they started in open wheel. Look for Tony Stewart next year and no one else from NASCAR

I'd expect Robby Gordon to give it another shot though.

[rush1]

Originally posted by rustyfan
I'd expect Robby Gordon to give it another shot though.

You are right Rusty, forgot about him.

[marcus]

yep I'd love a bit more of a corss over.

lets see with have IROC which sort of does the same (but I dont really follow that series)

but look at the 500 this year we had IRL drivers, Nascar Drivers and CART drivers all thrown into the mix.

and it was great , maybe we can get some ex F1 drivers going as well and some sportscar drivers and the whole thing would go off.

If someone is willing to make this happen then Im all for it

[ghinzani]

Tim Richmond was'nt half bad at Indycar racing before moving on to Nascar.

[Down F0rce]

Jeff Gordon once said "if you haven't won Indy, you're nothing." Can't see him having a go in the next few years though.

[BootsOntheSide]

IROC has gone away from its roots too much, and increasingly everythign about it is suited to the ASCAR guys, whcih is a shame.

In the short term, having more NASCAR guys doing the 500 would boost publicicty greatly. However, in the long term it could be a bad thing if they keep cming over and winning. The most important thing is that the young American talent goes to the IRL in future.

Seeing DEJr, Kahne, Stewart, Harvick and co involved would be awesome, but it all seems optimistic.

[BSchneiderFan]

The most important step would be arranging the IRL and Nextel Cup schedules so that they don't clash. It's all very well reading about heroic attempts to do the Indy/Charlotte double, but it pretty much rules out any chance of winning. If the Nextel Cup could leave the Indy weekend free, then we might see some action. Jeff Gordon and Little E at Indy? I'd watch.

[Team Owner]

I doubt that it will ever happen. These guys have way too much on their plate to ever put the time in it would take to be competitive in the Indy 500. If they do want to cross over they need to do it while they're still young. I don't think they would run the Indy 500 just to be there.

[N I Tram]

NASCAR would need 2 free weekends in May - Pole Day adn the 500 itself. Their blanket schedule allows for major media saturation,a dn is surely one reason why the series is so big. If the 500 does really well one year (perhaps because so many NASCAR guys race), would it mean NASCAR losing its hold?

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by rush1
A lot of talk. Tin top drivers stay in NASCAR unless they started in open wheel. Look for Tony Stewart next year and no one else from NASCAR

I guess one would have to define "open wheel"....

By my definition, I could see Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newmann, and others who have driven Sprinters and Midgets before going to the Busch or Nextel Cup cars as definite candidates to run in the Indy 500...

I don't watch NASCAR enough to really know of others from that background, but I know that Matt Kenseth also ran in those types of cars...I believe that Harvick had his training in this form of "open-wheelers" as well...

Others would be Brian Vickers, Dave Blaney, Tony Raines, Mike Bliss, Tracy Hines, Casey Atwood, and Brendan Gaughan...

But one name that I left out of my original post on this subject who would definitely want to run Indy someday (because he has said so in interviews) also idolized Rick Mears....

Probably because Rick is his Dad...

Casey Mears would love to run at Indy...but he needs to set himself firmly where he is right now in Nextel Cup first...and as we all know, Casey ran in open-wheelers with wings that were not on top of his head...Toyota Atlantics, Indy Lights, etc...

[macdaddy]

Casey is Rick's nephew, Roger's son.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by macdaddy
Casey is Rick's nephew, Roger's son.

That is correct....my mistake....sorry, guys...

[macdaddy]

As we all know, it's not up to the drivers insomuch as the sponsors.

[macdaddy]

PS) I guess it's an easy mistake to make, Tim. But I'm a lifelong Rocket fan.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by macdaddy
PS) I guess it's an easy mistake to make, Tim. But I'm a lifelong Rocket fan.

He ran the cleanest lines I EVER saw at Indy.....smoother than silk and right on the marks virtually every time...