Indycar News & Rumors.

[D.R.T.]

International business model? They havent held a race off shore yet?

I cant see them racing OS if the pros dont outweigh the cons financially.

That said - none of this answers why you feel Tony George would be the most appropriate person to run Indycar

[Ncrdbl1]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

International business model? They havent held a race off shore yet?

I cant see them racing OS if the pros dont outweigh the cons financially.

That said - none of this answers why you feel Tony George would be the most appropriate person to run Indycar

First i stated the international business model they are EXPLORING, that mean looking into. Also they have held races OS for the past two years. That is unless Sao Paulo somehow became a part of the US without me knowing it. Why do i think TG would be better than what we have now? Well the last time we had the current type of mentality running US open wheel the Indy 500 TV ratings dropped from 17.4 to 6.6. Izod and Firestone both unhappy and both could be gone from the series in the next couple of years. When teams are turned away because they could not secure an engine it says something about the direction the series is headed.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Ncrdbl1

That is unless Sao Paulo somehow became a part of the US without me knowing it.

Apologies more clarification needed in my post - I was suggesting off shore being outside of North and South America. I dont think racing in Canada, Mexico or Brazil is a problem for the series.

Originally Posted by Ncrdbl1

Why do i think TG would be better than what we have now? Well the last time we had the current type of mentality running US open wheel the Indy 500 TV ratings dropped from 17.4 to 6.6. Izod and Firestone both unhappy and both could be gone from the series in the next couple of years. When teams are turned away because they could not secure an engine it says something about the direction the series is headed.

The engine issue shouldnt be a long term issue facing the series and a necessary evil with the benefit of new engine manufactuers

Nor is the suggestion that overseas racing is the reason the tv ratings dropped from 17.4 to 6.6

I am not sure what TG is going to bring to the table to reverse the trend over the past 10 - 15 years? He had a crack at running the series in the split, he had a crack running a unified series and both weren't sustainable? Rather than say why Randy's Indycar isnt working - please explain how TG's Indycar take 3 is going to work?

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by Ncrdbl1

The split was NOT the cause of Indy Cars problems. In it's prime, in it's glory days Indy Car was never what NASCAR has been for the past 30 years. Outside of Indy it's TV numbers were never near what we see at an average NASCAR Cup race. Even when it was the only game in town it's TV numbers were never near NASCAR numbers outside of Indy. It has ALWAYS been a clique sport with maybe 3 million core fans. Most Indy Car races outside of Indy saw TV ratings in the high 2s and low 3's with an occasional 4 for Long Beach. As for Indy itself. The Daytona surpassed the Indy 500 in TV ratings BEFORE the IRL was formed. From the creation of CART to 1994 the 500 lost 10 million households in TV viewership. The split was a result of the problems Indy Car racing had not the cause of the problems.

The split....Tony George.... was not the cause of Indycar's problems; it was the cause of its collapse. The Speedway went the way of a goofy skeletal series filled with 2nd raters whilst the 'strong' series had only a few low to middle profile races. The die was cast and OW became severely weakened. How Indycar weighted in relation to NASCAR is relevant only sofar as Indycar would've remained a unified force, capable of holding her own. Whether she was in second place or top dog is irrelevant.

[bjohnsonsmith]

I'm interested as to where TG is going to get his money from to buy out his mother and his sisters. There was a rumour that Gerald Forsythe 'might' return to AOWR and he and Kevin Kalkhoven have just put Cosworth up for sale.

[HJJ]

A couple of nuggets for a Tuesday.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...YCAR/121029936

http://blogs.indystar.com/racingexpe...bout-unifying/

[Canada ALMS fan]

If Randy Bernard is truly out these guys are bigger idiots than I thought.

PS. Nice meeting you at Petit Le Mans HJJ.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

If Randy Bernard is truly out these guys are bigger idiots than I thought.

PS. Nice meeting you at Petit Le Mans HJJ.

They've always been idiots, what's new?

I don't know why such moves by the irl are always such a surprise to people. If there is a decision to be made, it's always the wrong one. It's been going on for 20 years yet it's always so shocking to some.

Rodeo randy was always just an expendable sock puppet for the family, when he's no longer convenient and they need an excuse, he'll take a walk off the pier.

[JohnSSC]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

They've always been idiots, what's new?

I don't know why such moves by the irl are always such a surprise to people. If there is a decision to be made, it's always the wrong one. It's been going on for 20 years yet it's always so shocking to some.

Rodeo randy was always just an expendable sock puppet for the family, when he's no longer convenient and they need an excuse, he'll take a walk off the pier.

Like I have said before: They have shot themselves so many times in the foot/other appendages that they are out of appendages to shoot themselves in.

And again I will ask what everyone is fighting over: Control of what?

[gomick]

Do the George/Hulman family own the Indianapolis Motor Speedeway? The naming rights to the 500 etc?
What is it with this family & why do they have such an interest in AOWR?

Would it be best if they disappeared?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by gomick

Do the George/Hulman family own the Indianapolis Motor Speedeway? The naming rights to the 500 etc?
What is it with this family & why do they have such an interest in AOWR?

Would it be best if they disappeared?

Tony Hulman bought the IMS in November in 1945, this included the name and the Wing and Wheel logo.

The Hulman George family currently own the IMS, along with naming rights, logo, merchsandise and the museum, as well as the IRL. I suppose they still own it because as a stand alone event it still makes money.

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

PS. Nice meeting you at Petit Le Mans HJJ.

Same here .

We have to do it again next year. Maybe get FOD to buy us beers.

BWTM:

http://www.ibj.com/the-score-2012-10...AMS/post/37437

[pach233]

Reports that there will be an Indycar race in Italy next year during that month of September where a race is sorely needed.

http://www.racer.com/report-indycar-...rticle/265403/

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by pach233

Reports that there will be an Indycar race in Italy next year during that month of September where a race is sorely needed.

http://www.racer.com/report-indycar-...rticle/265403/

There's nothing in Autosport about it.

[Jacques Rabbit]

I can't really differentiate between George and Bernard, myself. I fail to see anything special that Bernard's done beyond make big promises and never deliver.

Fact remains, the series isn't turning a profit, the TV ratings are wretched, there's still a spec car, the owners still have their pawns...it's just like Georgian era IRL.

I don't think George or Bernard really are right for this job.

[Down F0rce]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

There's nothing in Autosport about it.

It's in the magazine, page 25. Racer pretty much copy and pasted the article, though.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Down F0rce

It's in the magazine, page 25. Racer pretty much copy and pasted the article, though.

I looked at the on-line edition and it wasn't under the Indy section; fairenough. We'll just have to see, .

[Paradise City]

It'd be interesting to see how many would turn up to an Italian race. The Andretti name might trigger a little interest. Mugello makes sense, Imola and Monza, less so.

As for who runs Indycar - anyone but mad King George. A convicted pyromaniac would do less damage.

[petemx5]

As much as I would love to see another road course added in the Sept gap, I'm extremely skeptical that they would be able to pull off a trip to Europe next year. It is good to see some interest from the promoters over there though (if the online SPEED article is to be believed).

Hey, what ever happened to Providence RI? I was kind of hoping that would materialize in a Sept time slot.

[Purist]

They couldn't get everything sorted before the schedule was supposed to come out. Also, Providence was going to be a week after Mid Ohio if it got on the calendar.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Do the Italians really want to see a load of ugly spec cars? If this were 1990s there might be some interest.

[HJJ]

Sad News - Pam Jenkins: Longtime Indianapolis-based broadcaster Bob Jenkins and friends are mourning the loss of his wife, Pam, who died Thursday evening due to a rare form of brain cancer. She had been in and out of the hospital since April. The Jenkins were married 44 years, and she was his pride and joy, at her side throughout this difficult period. He announced his retirement in a bid to spend more time with her. They did not have children. The Liberty, Ind., native and Indiana University graduate is known for his work with ESPN, NASCAR, IndyCar, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the NBC Sports Network.(Indianapolis Star), service info and more as it becomes available.(10-26-2012)

.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Jacques Rabbit

I can't really differentiate between George and Bernard, myself. I fail to see anything special that Bernard's done beyond make big promises and never deliver.

Fact remains, the series isn't turning a profit, the TV ratings are wretched, there's still a spec car, the owners still have their pawns...it's just like Georgian era IRL.

I don't think George or Bernard really are right for this job.

Bernard is hog tied by the family and always will be. They have their indy centric view of the world and that isn't going to change.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Bernard is hog tied by the family and always will be. They have their indy centric view of the world and that isn't going to change.

I will grant you that. I guess I don't see this news as being news because anyone who runs it is set up to fail.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Randy's out.

EDIT: Wait, no, now he isn't out. Apparently, Tony George and Zak Brown started a rumor that he was fired. This is almost at the point where it's funny. Almost.