Las Vegas Finale $5m Prize

kezza7 · 22 Feb 2011, 23:26 (Ref:2835399)

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/2...ion-bonus.html

So, indycar bosses are offering $5m to any non-indycar drivers who can win the final race of the season.

Does no one else think that the timing for this is ALL wrong? There's a sprint cup race the night before, so top-line NASCAR drivers are out. It's the weekend of the Korean grand prix, so (even though it was unlikely any would enter anyway) F1 drivers are out. ALMS drivers might be free, as will European LMS drivers. But, despite this making room for the 5 drivers to enter, there was an oppertunity to arrange this race at a time where 5 World Class and World Famous drivers could enter, to really bring some prestige to the series. Imagine if an F1 driver entered. That would really give some international appeal to the series, and a NASCAR entrant or two would give it even more prestige from the US. A few very good, but not famous Le Mans or ALMS drivers is really missing the trick, In my opinion.

duke_toaster · 22 Feb 2011, 23:32 (Ref:2835401)

GP2 and WSR guys should be free, as should DTM drivers (a jump I know).

Andy Roberts · 23 Feb 2011, 00:36 (Ref:2835414)

Yeah they are missing a golden trick here!

Imagine if they could tempt Lewis Hamilton and Dale Jr over

DanicaFan · 23 Feb 2011, 00:58 (Ref:2835416)

It's just another marketing gimmick by Randy.

**GTRMagic** · 23 Feb 2011, 01:07 (Ref:2835417)

The entire V8Supercar field will be free (Bathurst is the weekend before, Gold Coast the weekend after...)

How about Jamie Whincup, Craig Lowndes, Jason Bright, James Courtney, Rick Kelly?

Canada ALMS fan · 23 Feb 2011, 01:50 (Ref:2835424)

How about using that money to get Conquest a second car full time for Tracy, help Coyne get a car for Bourdais and/or get Legge a ride? Oh wait this is $5m that will never get paid out because the guests won't have adequate prep time to win. Brilliant free press Randy

NaBUru38 · 23 Feb 2011, 21:34 (Ref:2835882)

Randy is totally insane!

I fully support both the decision, because it's a seriously big prize and a great way of getting headlines, and because finding five strangers will be interesting. I also agree with the timing of announcement - it's been three days since the last Cup race and there's no race next weekend, so there couldn't be less Nascar interference.

There's no 5 million, it's (you guessed it) a gamble. There's no active F1 driver racing in IndyCar, much less on an oval. Very few European-located drivers would try. I also doubt that a sports car or a touring car driver will feel comfortable driving at 200mph for 2 hours. This is meant first for famous Nascar Cup drivers and secondly for ALMS / Grand-Am pro drivers who dare tackle an open-wheeler.

Andy Roberts · 24 Feb 2011, 02:09 (Ref:2835967)

I'll have a go.

gttouring · 24 Feb 2011, 02:19 (Ref:2835969)

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanicaFan

It's just another marketing gimmick by Randy.

gimmick or not, this is inspired to tempt "others" to duke it out, but in what car aand what teams? I would think its awesome if any NASCAR driver and maybe an ex-v8 driver would show up and cause some ruckus. It would be great to see any number of drivers, and after a good attempt this year mayb e it can be rescheduled next year if deemed successful for any comers to fit in the schedule.

Andy Roberts · 24 Feb 2011, 08:35 (Ref:2836028)

Al Jnr has expressed an interest in it....

Jimmy Magnusson · 24 Feb 2011, 08:52 (Ref:2836039)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Roberts

Al Jnr has expressed an interest in it....

They'll need far bigger names than that for this to work as intended. And it's always going to clash with NASCAR unless you run it during that one free weekend in July. And outside of those guys, who's really famous enough to draw a crowd?

Andy77 · 24 Feb 2011, 14:48 (Ref:2836201)

Quick Virgin F1, allow Glock to take part here and allow the test driver to breath F1 air one weekend

NaBUru38 · 24 Feb 2011, 16:14 (Ref:2836242)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

outside of [Nascar] guys, who's really famous enough to draw a crowd?

This is not just about drawing crowds straight, it's about prestige. If e.g. Scott Pruett, Patrick Long, Tanner Foust and Mattias Ekstrom came, having announcers say "X-time Grand-Am / ALMS / X Games / DTM winner" would make people feel "wow, this must be serious!", even if most don't know their faces.

gttouring · 24 Feb 2011, 17:45 (Ref:2836275)

Yup and it creates more prestige if one guy shows up and can't win it easy, so a bigger assault may be tried later win win

Yannick · 24 Feb 2011, 19:24 (Ref:2836314)

Maybe by then, a team has got enough sponsors to run an additional car for a former Indy 500 winner such as Buddy Rice or Buddy Lazier? They shoulkd still be familiar with the car. I'm not hoping for a cameo from Sarah Fisher because she has effectively retired.

And for drivers from other series, Richard Petty Motorsports driver John Andretti might be interested. Or owner/driver Robby Gordon.

Maybe Rahal/Letterman/Lanigan can extend their Indy only season 2011 to 2 races to include the season finale for their driver?
Depending on who it is and how he performs in the Indy 500, that could be quite the big news ...

SimonY · 24 Feb 2011, 21:19 (Ref:2836391)

Hornish back at Penske, Montoya at Ganassi, some team tactics and maybe that money is not looking so safe..... wonder what the rules will be to stop anyone too good winning or entering?

Jacques Rabbit · 24 Feb 2011, 21:51 (Ref:2836416)

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanicaFan

It's just another marketing gimmick.

Like your favorite driver's career! Zing!

NaBUru38 · 25 Feb 2011, 13:45 (Ref:2836741)

According to Curt Cavin, Penske and ganassi wil give the call to one of their drivers for the sake of the sport.

gttouring · 25 Feb 2011, 14:48 (Ref:2836763)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yannick

Maybe by then, a team has got enough sponsors to run an additional car for a former Indy 500 winner such as Buddy Rice or Buddy Lazier? They shoulkd still be familiar with the car. I'm not hoping for a cameo from Sarah Fisher because she has effectively retired.

And for drivers from other series, Richard Petty Motorsports driver John Andretti might be interested. Or owner/driver Robby Gordon.

Maybe Rahal/Letterman/Lanigan can extend their Indy only season 2011 to 2 races to include the season finale for their driver?
Depending on who it is and how he performs in the Indy 500, that could be quite the big news ...

The idea is also not to install an also ran into the race. Nothing doing but lazier and rice and.andretti never set the track on fire, rice's indy win counts as he was outfront when it mattered in a rain soaked called race but danica's motegi win was a better earned win web if fuel strategy is blamed...and that is still andalways was a race strategy anywhere.
getting new champs and hotshoes is the idea not 500 field fillers

racer69 · 28 Feb 2011, 08:37 (Ref:2837824)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gttouring

The idea is also not to install an also ran into the race. Nothing doing but lazier and rice and.andretti never set the track on fire, rice's indy win counts as he was outfront when it mattered in a rain soaked called race but danica's motegi win was a better earned win web if fuel strategy is blamed...and that is still andalways was a race strategy anywhere.
getting new champs and hotshoes is the idea not 500 field fillers

Were we watching the same 2004 Indy 500?

Rice got pole, and raced at the front all day, he would have been unlucky not to win had the rain come 10mins earlier when everyone except Junquira had made their last stop.

deadsquirrel · 28 Feb 2011, 10:35 (Ref:2837885)

Zanardi?

duke_toaster · 28 Feb 2011, 10:41 (Ref:2837889)

Would it be viable to handcontrolize a car for just one race though? How much work would be need to be done to the car, anything radical to the actual tub? He didn't race anything in 2010, and I think he's focusing on London 2012 now.

I don't think anyone's going to be taking the cheque for five million dollars away from Vegas, but what about Davide Rigon or Craig Dolby? Jean-Eric Vergne?

icemachine · 28 Feb 2011, 12:28 (Ref:2837917)

AJ Allmendinger has said he is interested

Yannick · 28 Feb 2011, 12:50 (Ref:2837925)

Quote:

Originally Posted by icemachine

AJ Allmendinger has said he is interested

This comes as a bit of a surprise to me. Has Allmendinger driven the Dallara before of just the Panoz that ChampCar used?

Even if not, he and Sam Hornish Jr seem like the prime candidates for this kind of one-off race drive.

Here's hoping that AJ Allmendinger can attract some sponsorship to make sure his participance in the event.

captain crunch · 28 Feb 2011, 17:02 (Ref:2838026)

Neither, Allmendinger left for NASCAR before the Panoz DP01 was intoduced. And since we've all season to speculate, i'm gonna say Allmendinger, Hornish, Montoya, Robby Gordon and one of the Busch brothers as the five who'll try their luck. Most of them have Indycar experience of some sort though, so will they be judged as "outsiders" and deemed eligible?

It'll be a great send off for the dallara, that's for sure.

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