Stop with defeatism!!!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Ladies and Gentlemen, please start your....engine!

[IceMan_PJN]

Originally Posted by tux

But aren't all series losing tv ratings and attendances in America?

Well, there's technically several series viewed in the US, but only technically. As far as professional-level motorsports go, NASCAR represents virtually all US race viewing. From what I've read in recent history, NASCAR attendance and viewership is down.

The problem with IndyCar viewership being down in the US is that the US is most of IRL's viewership (I think, but haven't seen solid figures). Indy commentators make the 500 out to be something that the whole motorsport world is following but nobody really gives a crap. A coworker was surprised that F1 races are held on the same day as the Indy 500, as though the 500 would overshadow it, but any given F1 race has greater viewership than the Indy 500 and Daytona 500 combined.

Indy viewership being down in the US is being down... period. That's terrible for the series. I don't have my figures handy (on my cell), but as I recall IRL viewership was terrible, and then Danica hype increased viewership from virtually nothing to almost nothing, but now that the overhype train went elsewhere viewership is sliding down the toilet bowl with a brown streak behind it and you can almost hear the flushing sound.

[Smurfer]

My very simple view on it is that there is nothing extreme about it these days. When I went to a couple of races on the Gold Coast it seemed extreme because of the power these things were putting out. This was back in 1998 and 1999. From memory, and I do have a bad memory (though I'm sure I could google it), they were 2.65 ltr turbos putting out 900+ hp. I'm probably wrong about that. They sounded both extreme and different to any other motor racing I had heard. That coupled with the light weigh of an open wheeler made for quite an experience.

It's possible the cars are just as loud now and just as exciting though I feel something extreme is missing.

If F1 downsizes their engines as planned then I think it will lose some of the lust. Some purists may subsequently look for something more extreme and less PC and I think there's an opportunity there for say Indycars. I'm not delusional and think that Indycars could take over from F1, just that it could attract a few fans that are after a more emotive formula. Not suggesting they whack big pushrod V8's in the back, more that they allow some freedom and not overly restrict engine size. yes cost would become a factor though I'm sure there's a way of controlling it somehow. maybe....

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Smurfer

My very simple view on it is that there is nothing extreme about it these days.

And that is very simply correct.