The Current State of IndyCar

[bjohnsonsmith]

I'm sure most of you, who post on the Indycar Series section of Ten-Tenths, have noticed how threads can go off topic and spiral into either a CART v IRL argument or the efficacies of Hulman Georges or whether the aesthetics of the DW12 have had a negative effect on the sport or not, sometimes it's all three debates at once and then some; the list goes on. So, I've set up this thread called The Current State of IndyCar, where all of the above and more can be discussed and debated without fear of derailing the other threads.

[DS"]

IndyCar needs to reach as much people as possible. Something, which they don't do at the NBC Sports Network, and barely at ABC. But Pocono scoring a rating over 1.0 should be encouraging for IndyCar. Therefore, the first task should be to reach an average of 1.0 (For all races EXCEPT Indy of course). But I get the feeling that the TV audience doesn't want street courses. They want the big name tracks like Pocono, Road America and so on. IndyCar should work on that front. Yes, it may not make money initially, but you've got to invest something if you want to reach something (Granted, IndyCar hasn't done the right investments since the inception of the Indy Racing League).
IndyCar also needs more names that are recognizable to the casual fan. The solution can only be to bring over as many NASCAR drivers as possible. Guys like A.J. Allmendinger, Kurt Busch or Juan-Pablo Montoya may be available for the next season and all three of them bring some recognizable name value with them. Having more well-known drivers in IndyCar should probably help raising its value to the public.

[Peat]

The racing is great but no-one (bar us) is watching. Or so we're told.

Personally, i think the goalposts have shifted significantly in the last 10 years and that measuring awareness through TV numbers is a bit archaic. But, that's what pays the bills still so it is still the key issue with the series at present.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and while we're/I'm talking about the TV. The ABC races present the best opportunity to get the series in front of people and yet it has the most disjointed presentation that even a hardened race fan like me finds it nigh on impossible to follow what's happening.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by DS"

IndyCar needs to reach as much people as possible. Something, which they don't do at the NBC Sports Network, and barely at ABC. But Pocono scoring a rating over 1.0 should be encouraging for IndyCar. Therefore, the first task should be to reach an average of 1.0 (For all races EXCEPT Indy of course). But I get the feeling that the TV audience doesn't want street courses. They want the big name tracks like Pocono, Road America and so on. IndyCar should work on that front. Yes, it may not make money initially, but you've got to invest something if you want to reach something (Granted, IndyCar hasn't done the right investments since the inception of the Indy Racing League).
IndyCar also needs more names that are recognizable to the casual fan. The solution can only be to bring over as many NASCAR drivers as possible. Guys like A.J. Allmendinger, Kurt Busch or Juan-Pablo Montoya may be available for the next season and all three of them bring some recognizable name value with them. Having more well-known drivers in IndyCar should probably help raising its value to the public.

I'd say, on top of that, IndyCar needs to get out of spec mode; not that the DW12 is a bad car but variety generates interest.

[Razzzor]

I think the car looks fine. The casual fan doesn't care about the look for the car that much.

Regarding drivers, they probably need to quit with all the new unknown names that pop up from lower european formulas. What casual american fan has heard of Luca freakin Filippi, whom they went on and on about at the last race. It is a good field of drivers, but too many that aren't big names. Stefan Wilson? I'd never heard of the guy. Obviously Indy Lights isn't broadcast in NZ, never has been, but who's even watching it over there other than the most hardcore fans?

Instead of pulling in a couple newbies, these teams should try getting some big recognisable names for their marketing, maybe from other series like Nascar. Hell even bring back some of the guys from the past. Indycar can help fund a team which focuses on bringing back a different legend at each race or every two races. You could get back guys that are even still racing somewhere or at least still open to the odd race like Junqueira, Allmendinger, Hornish, Brack, De Ferran, Scheckter hell even some of the 90s guys like Da Matta, Herta, Montoya, Luyendyk, Villenueve, Vasser, Fittipaldi, Salo, Papis, Blundell the list goes on.

Where's the recent F1 rejects, Bruno Senna, Petrov, Buemi, Alguesari? Once upon a time they'd all be going to Indycar. Maybe they're a bit unknown in America as well, but at least better than James Jakes or Saveedra!

I do think Helio winning the title might help gain some interest for 2014. Though I'm firmly behind Dixon

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

I think the car looks fine. The casual fan doesn't care about the look for the car that much.

Regarding drivers, they probably need to quit with all the new unknown names that pop up from lower european formulas. What casual american fan has heard of Luca freakin Filippi, whom they went on and on about at the last race. It is a good field of drivers, but too many that aren't big names. Stefan Wilson? I'd never heard of the guy. Obviously Indy Lights isn't broadcast in NZ, never has been, but who's even watching it over there other than the most hardcore fans?

Instead of pulling in a couple newbies, these teams should try getting some big recognisable names for their marketing, maybe from other series like Nascar. Hell even bring back some of the guys from the past. Indycar can help fund a team which focuses on bringing back a different legend at each race or every two races. You could get back guys that are even still racing somewhere or at least still open to the odd race like Junqueira, Allmendinger, Hornish, Brack, De Ferran, Scheckter hell even some of the 90s guys like Da Matta, Herta, Montoya, Luyendyk, Villenueve, Vasser, Fittipaldi, Salo, Papis, Blundell the list goes on.

Where's the recent F1 rejects, Bruno Senna, Petrov, Buemi, Alguesari? Once upon a time they'd all be going to Indycar. Maybe they're a bit unknown in America as well, but at least better than James Jakes or Saveedra!

I do think Helio winning the title might help gain some interest for 2014. Though I'm firmly behind Dixon

Oddly enough my analysis is probably the opposite of yours on this question on all points. They have Andretti and Rahal. What more is wanted? To attract other names needs money. No money, no names and that's the situation we've got.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

I think the car looks fine. The casual fan doesn't care about the look for the car that much.

True that.

On another tangent - the quicker Indycar gets an online platform (live and archived) for their races the better. This is the way sports coverage is going

[HJJ]

In the words of Dr. McCoy; "It's dead, Jim".

[cmk]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

I think the car looks fine. The casual fan doesn't care about the look for the car that much.

Regarding drivers, they probably need to quit with all the new unknown names that pop up from lower european formulas. What casual american fan has heard of Luca freakin Filippi, whom they went on and on about at the last race. It is a good field of drivers, but too many that aren't big names. Stefan Wilson? I'd never heard of the guy. Obviously Indy Lights isn't broadcast in NZ, never has been, but who's even watching it over there other than the most hardcore fans?

Instead of pulling in a couple newbies, these teams should try getting some big recognisable names for their marketing, maybe from other series like Nascar. Hell even bring back some of the guys from the past. Indycar can help fund a team which focuses on bringing back a different legend at each race or every two races. You could get back guys that are even still racing somewhere or at least still open to the odd race like Junqueira, Allmendinger, Hornish, Brack, De Ferran, Scheckter hell even some of the 90s guys like Da Matta, Herta, Montoya, Luyendyk, Villenueve, Vasser, Fittipaldi, Salo, Papis, Blundell the list goes on.

Where's the recent F1 rejects, Bruno Senna, Petrov, Buemi, Alguesari? Once upon a time they'd all be going to Indycar. Maybe they're a bit unknown in America as well, but at least better than James Jakes or Saveedra!

I do think Helio winning the title might help gain some interest for 2014. Though I'm firmly behind Dixon

I think a series that brings back has-beens to increase its reputation is even more desperate than a series that runs nearly-men (like Filippi). Remember that AJ would be running with Penske if someone would sponsor him - that says enough already, doesn't it? Junqueira is in ALMS with RSR (a waste of talent, but again, someone to pay), Brack won't drive again after the crash, De Ferran has re-retired etc. The "hell, even" list is either people who have paying gigs in sportscars, are retired, running race teams, or largely retired and fat and whiny (guess who...). Bruno Senna is likely better off at Aston Martin than in Indycar, Buemi definitely better off at Toyota, Alguersuari probably better paid on BBC radio and Petrov no more marketable than Filippi. The problems are deeper than the names in the seats.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by HJJ

In the words of Dr. McCoy; "It's dead, Jim".

Or 'It's life, not as we know it'

[Canada ALMS fan]

I could not care less about the ovals.
It sounds like they have been roped in a contract with Dallara until 2019 which they can not get out of, which ultimately be the death of the series. The fans that do care don't want spec cars. The TV ratings depress me as I feel the depth of talent on the grid and the racing is fantastic. Just need one more engine manufacturer and the bodywork opened up to development.
Just my 2 cents, this opinion is worth what you paid for it .

[DS"]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

It sounds like they have been roped in a contract with Dallara until 2019 which they can not get out of, which ultimately be the death of the series. The fans that do care don't want spec cars.

Which should crush the myth that Randy Bernard was the "savior" of IndyCar once and for all. Signing a contract with Dallara for THAT LONG, despite most of the teams not wanting Dallara clearly shows that he really had no business in auto racing, let alone IndyCar. He should have stuck to bull riding.

[Paradise City]

There's no spec car series that has good racing and has a commanding audience. Good aesthetics is required if this series is to turn heads; these chubbie mobiles don't do that.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

I could not care less about the ovals.
It sounds like they have been roped in a contract with Dallara until 2019 which they can not get out of, which ultimately be the death of the series. The fans that do care don't want spec cars. The TV ratings depress me as I feel the depth of talent on the grid and the racing is fantastic. Just need one more engine manufacturer and the bodywork opened up to development.
Just my 2 cents, this opinion is worth what you paid for it .

Totally disagree with you, about the ovals. They are an integral part of AOWR and it's why I still watch it because of the variety of tracks they race on. I don't want to see a load of street races and one or two road courses and I don't want to see racing on Tilkedromes as in F1.

As for Dallara, that was a mistake.

[Razzzor]

Originally Posted by cmk

The problems are deeper than the names in the seats.

Well yeah, you're right the problems are deeper than the names, I was just talking about that issue because it was interesting.

Re Rahal/Andretti... yeah the surnames are famous, but the invididuals in the series Graham and Marco aren't. Neither of them seem to be a shadow of their elders... Mario a world champion, Michael an all time great (and his single title could have easily been 6 or 7). Marco? 2 wins in 7 seasons with a top 3 team. Graham? 1 win in 8 years. Ouch.

But yeah, ultimately the problem is their competitor has taken over and simply got far more popular with America - blimmin Nascar. It'll take a long time for Indycar to recover, no matter what they do or what exposure and marketing they throw at it.

I also like that they still mix the ovals in, there's to many fans out there that enjoy the ovals to drop them completely. Mixes it up and makes a nice change following a place like Mid Ohio with hardly any passing.

[one five five]

Originally Posted by DS"

Signing a contract with Dallara for THAT LONG, despite most of the teams not wanting Dallara clearly shows that he really had no business in auto racing, let alone IndyCar. He should have stuck to bull riding.

Dallara were the only one's willing to do a car for the required 'price' at the time, and were willing to allow the cars to be reskinned with the body & aerokits.

While other chassis manufacturers were talked too, none were interested in 'competition' for that price.

Doesn't sound like Randy had much of a choice.... no one before him was even looking into replacing the 2003-model car before him anyway.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by one five five

Dallara were the only one's willing to do a car for the required 'price' at the time, and were willing to allow the cars to be reskinned with the body & aerokits.

While other chassis manufacturers were talked too, none were interested in 'competition' for that price.

Doesn't sound like Randy had much of a choice.... no one before him was even looking into replacing the 2003-model car before him anyway.

That's not entirely true. Lola originally came up with the concept of aero-kits as well as a universal tub, that could be used for IndyCar and Indy Lights, thus saving Indy Lights teams having to fork out for a new one, if they wanted to race in the IndyCar Series itself.

[D.R.T.]

Did Lola hit the price cap though? Lola was also a spec car so wouldn't have changed anything from the current situation.

Someone said here that the teams didn't want Dallara but Randy overruled? The rules allow for variety of aero kits for visual differences, however the teams knocked this back due to costs.

So at what point do the teams have accountability?

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Someone said here that the teams didn't want Dallara but Randy overruled?

The kicker was Dallara building their facility in Speedway. That's what won the deal for them.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by HJJ

The kicker was Dallara building their facility in Speedway. That's what won the deal for them.

Which has done just about nothing. A coffee shop and some people opening boxes from Italy.

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Which has done just about nothing. A coffee shop and some people opening boxes from Italy.

True dat. I got an email from the series this week hawking their new Nike polo shirts. I guess the writing is on the wall with regards to Izod.

[DS"]

Originally Posted by HJJ

True dat. I got an email from the series this week hawking their new Nike polo shirts. I guess the writing is on the wall with regards to Izod.

Now that'd be interesting, if Nike became IndyCar's new sponsor. But I doubt that a company like Nike wants to spend money on IndyCar racing, when they reach many more people with football sponsorship. I also prefer Adidas .

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by DS"

Now that'd be interesting, if Nike became IndyCar's new sponsor. But I doubt that a company like Nike wants to spend money on IndyCar racing, when they reach many more people with football sponsorship. I also prefer Adidas .

When you say football do you mean football as in NFL or as in Soccer?

[FordCosworthPanoz]

The Dallara 'factory' is a joke whose only real American job creation has been a coffee shop that is the main attraction in it.

[Peat]

Originally Posted by DS"

Now that'd be interesting, if Nike became IndyCar's new sponsor. But I doubt that a company like Nike wants to spend money on IndyCar racing, when they reach many more people with football sponsorship. I also prefer Adidas .

Nike won't be a title sponsor, just a clothing partner.

Did i hear right that Verizon were considering title sponsorship?