One thing bothers me about Randy Bernard’s proposal to offer $20 million to the driver who can win the IndyCar Series’
Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in the same day.
Moving the start of the Indy 500 up two hours to 11 a.m.
I’m an early riser, so moving the race start up a couple of hours isn’t the point for me.
The point is the Indianapolis 500 is supposed to be The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. The Greatest Spectacle doesn’t
adjust its schedule for others. It should be the other way around.
After all, you don’t kick-off the Super Bowl at 11 a.m. If anything, the race ought to be moved into a more prime-time
slot.
I know an earlier start time at Indianapolis is essential to make sure NASCAR drivers racing at Indy can jet down to Charlotte
in time for NASCAR’s night race.
But NASCAR, if it wants to seriously be apart of this deal, should adjust its race schedule.
I always thought NASCAR having one of its bigger races on the same day as the Indianapolis 500 was a bit of a slap in the
face to everything IndyCar. I also think both series would benefit big-time by giving NASCAR drivers a legitimate shot at
competing for the Borg-Warner Trophy.
The last time I checked Nielsen's TV viewer numbers, the Indy 500 still attracted a mighty big worldwide audience.
Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick racing alongside Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan and Danica Patrick. What gearhead
wouldn’t tune in?
More importantly, such a crossover at Indy would generate attention with mainstream sports outlets and fans. When was the
last time the Indianapolis 500 grabbed the ESPN lead? Not sure? You’re not alone.
And reaching a more mainstream audience, according to Team Ganassi Managing Director Mike Hull, is the most important task
for the IndyCar Series.
IndyCar isn't the only ones watching their fortunes fade. NASCAR is in the early phases of its own decline. And if they're
not careful, NASCAR officials will find themselves in DefCon 5 faster than you can say "What in tarnation?" All
U.S. motorsports would benefit from this crossover.
I think Harvick got it right when he called on NASCAR to move the Coca-Cola 600 to Saturday night.
“I think if [Speedway Motorsports Inc. CEO Bruton Smith is] really realistic about it then he should move his race
to Saturday night,” Harvick said. “Move your race to Saturday night and put your money where your mouth is after
that. Give everybody a realistic shot at it. Move the Coke 600 to Saturday night and let Tony Stewart and Juan (Pablo) Montoya
and Casey Mears and all these guys that really ... it’s not a show if you don’t give everybody a realistic shot.
That way those guys can really prepare for it and be in the cars at the right time and then give them a fair shot.”
Mari Hulman George, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway chairwoman, had not approved the $20 million deal. Bernard, who became
the IndyCar Series’ new CEO last month, obviously, is a big champion of the proposal. After all, the former Pro Bull
Riders boss, gave life to the idea.
Racing sources said an announcement on the deal could come as soon as this month—dually at Charlotte and Indianapolis.
Lots of tradition has been rung out of the month of May in Indianapolis. It could be argued that some of those changes are
necessary to fortify open-wheel. And I wouldn’t necessarily disagree.
But moving the start time further from prime time to accommodate NASCAR? Playing second fiddle to fendered cars?
That’s not a tradition I would imagine many in IndyCar would support.
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Welcome to The Score, your place for hard-hitting sports business news, fast-breaking updates and fuel-injected debate. Buckle up. I'm your host, Anthony Schoettle, IBJ sports reporter.
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These higher rates Co. e about only because physicians are now hospital employees. otherwise physicians couldn't charge these rates and share the windfall with the hospital. Community/rural hospitals probably not buying physicians practices and thus weren't getting the windfall anyway.
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The incentive for poor people to get themselves off public assistance and "no longer be poor" is even with help...they're STILL POOR! Being poor, even with some assistance, isn't all that pleasant. (I speak from experience) It's a stubborn myth that poor people, who are on public assistance, are sitting in the lap of luxury. You should try living on just those "freebies" that you mentioned and see how meager they actually are. By the way, I didn't mean you had to buy/own a puppy...just pet one. :)
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As near as I can tell the minority has ZERO constitutional obligation to offer a quorum to the majority. A requirement for quorum was inserted into the constitution so that tyrannical majorities could not simply shove through odious and objectionable legislation (which is exactly what they did.) By allowing a tyrannical majority to charge fines against the minority for exercising their constitutional prerogative to deny quorum the court as made a mockery of constitutional governance in the state of Indiana.
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The voters elected the Reps to make a vote not walk out on the vote. They had to the right to exercise their opinion and vote "no" to the bill. Let me ask you this if you walked out of your job for 5 straight weeks would you get paid? Would you even have a job to go back to? If any elected official walks out on the people they should be arrested for stealing tax dollars from the public. They were elected to do a job and not leave when the job gets stuff.
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I have been to several of their locations in Pennsylvania and always go in for 1 item and leave with a basket full of things. I'm very happy they decided on Indiana, now if only they would put the other store in eastside.
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It just goes to show how out of touch, even Bernard, people in the racing world are. Spoiled brats, wasting enormous sums of money, on cars going around in circles. People who are just getting by do not identify with that. What they do identify with is the hard-charging race car driver who lives down the street and races when he/she is not busy trying to make ends meet. The Tom Bigelow's of the world who drove trucks between Indy 500's. Or the Memo Gidley's who showed up in an old pickup truck. Corporate jet glitter boys earning some spare side cash trying to win two races is a farce. No wonder this sport is dying. And that includes NA$CAR.
Good lord, is the sport THAT goof'ed up that we have to resort to NASCAR BRIBERY now to generate interest?
Look, just move the Brickyard 400 to Memorial Day and call it the Indy 500. Speedway management is fixing things that don't need fixing....while leaving the broken parts un-fixed. Looks like ex-Cart owners win again!
I am very fond of the idea of moving the 600 to Saturday.
I prefered the early start time. It allows more time to run the race if there is a rain delay.
To Burl, how much more out of touch can you be? First, I am not sure of any fan who has an issue with their driver winning millions. Why else are the purses so big? Do you remember the Winston Million? Did fans pray their driver would not win it? I remember the armored car running around the track with the back door open spewing out fake dollars. People will love it because it is like the Triple Crown, it is something that is difficult to do and if accomplished, would crown the driver as one of the best drivers ever. If this goes through, this will be huge. The only reason I would imagine you would not see some of the NASCAR stars trying this is if they feel it takes away from a championship run. But I am betting you will see several including some big names try it. Besides the money, the fame will be too much for drivers to resist.
I can understand NASCARs reluctance to move the 600 back, it starts at 5pm and runs 5 hours. I am not sure a 11pm or midnight finish time is going to be good for attendance or ratings.
As for 11AM starts...it's insignificant because traditions are being sacrificed left and right for saving of face by the speedway.
Look, IF Indy was the great place it once was ALL racers from everywhere would be there. STOP FOOLING YOURSELVES with this get rich quick scheme. Most IRL owners can barely afford ONE car no less other one-offs by interloping NASCAR drivers wanting "the double".
Don't you all see what this is doing? Greatest Spectacle....and we're worried about start time? COME ON....this whole NASCAR DOUBLE GIMMICK tarnishes the great race even FURTHER. How much more will all of you Indy placefans allow this keep happening until there's nothing left? Where's the dignity once proudly displayed by 500 fans....or AOW fans for that matter?
It is funny to hear the haters talk about gimmicks when that is what racing is all about. From the first race, it has been about creating gimmicks, or marketing if you want to use a more pc word, to get good drivers to run your track, to get people to come watch the races and later to get viewers. The best race promoters, the best track owners are the best gimmick men out there. Create contests, create concerts, create reasons for people to come to your event.
Anthony,
One of the best marketing ploys you could have is touting the $20 mil for either race. It is no different then the triple crown in horse racing. Win all three races and you go down in history. Win Indy and Charlotte on the same day, 1,100 miles, and you will be famous. You will do something that few will ever be able to do. It speaks to the showman and the ego of every race car driver. You will get your ratings, guaranteed.
Rather than fixing the 9 year old ugly IRL cars to make the racing better and appeal to the eyes, instead they seek a partnership with NASCAR, whose once-champion Rusty Wallace said he "wouldn't get out of an electric chair to race in of them IRL cars". And he said it during an ABC broadcast of an IRL event. Journo Ed Hinton published a report saying NASCAR head honcho Bill France Jr. took the speedway to the cleaners.
And the haters are to blame? This NASCAR stunt just takes the focus off the bigger problems that face the IRL condensed ring circus. THE IRL racing stinks.
The PURISTS know the truth....the speedway is gambling that the great unwashed don't. That's a bad bet that will do more harm than good. Kepp deflecting ImAn.
Enough digging through your archives of hate to regurguate old articles. it is beneath you. well maybe not since you have pulled this several times.
I do like that you are not making up numbers to the nearest $1 mil. I am sure you studied the IRL financials to come up with that one. of course most numbers I have seen in print peg that number at about 1/3 of what you claim. You got that link to Fred Nation telling how much has been lost?
You said a few weeks ago you were over it. Obviously not. Obviously whatever personal issue you have with TG, the track or the series still eats at you. Truly sad. Man up and get over it.
cart killed itself, you said so yourself. move on. If you do not like the IRL, watch F1, or NASCAR or NHRA. Something so you quit obsessing over something you cannot change.
The "500" should be the "open" championship of racing accomodating the greatest drivers in the world. Make it the richest race by far again and dare the drivers of F-1 and Nascar to come and see if they can even compete.
Make racers worldwide want to be there...not some parasitic offer just for glomming onto NASCAR for interest.
Remember the faux Tony Stewart BS on Fill the Field Day a couple of years ago? Sad pathetic excuse for publicity by the speedway. This NASCAR deal is no different.
Second, with one brief exception due to track construction, the 600 has always been run on the last Sunday in May. The Indy 500 hasn't.
Third, worldwide TV rating for the Indy 500??? Very few people in the US care about the Indy 500 anymore, much less the world. If the Indy 500 had a world-wide following, they wouldn't be running those tied old spec cars again this year and those standard-issue crate motors.
Anthony, if you ever venture out of Central Indiana, you'll find that the Indy 500 doesn't mean too much anymore.
Randy Bernard isn't besotted with Indy-fever out of habit like so many in Central Indiana. He understands that the Indy 500 is damaged goods. It's probably good for the Indy 500 to have someone in charge that can see the reality of just how insignificant the Indy 500 has become.
Wasn't that what the IRL was designed to prevent....the Penske's and Ganassi's from winning everything? Is it a coincidence they both run in NASCAR too (the only ones)?
Maybe the IRL is about to run itself into the ground, huh...using your analogy. Or, keeping the IRL 500 bush league is ok as long as the speedway is in control. HYPOCRITE.
The other variant would be strict spec with heavy regulations on testing and tuning.
Most racing is in the middle. Cart showed that having unlimited budgets is tough to pull off. IRL has shown that cost containment through spec is feasible, but is it the most enjoyable racing? It does have close finishes and wheel to wheel action which is what appeals to me without the fakery and trickery of NASCAR. Unlike F1 which measures final margins of victory by minutes instead of 100ths of seconds and passing is more likely in the pits then on the track.
So what kind of racing do you want?
If they do go forward, then add $5 mil each year till someone wins it.
If NASCAR were nto able to draw five times as many fans to each race, do it for twice as many races each year, and bring in 10 times the television revenue, then maybe the IRL could dictate something.
There is a reason that women's golf has more people watching it in tv than the IRL! The sport has become a sport for whiners who don;t even want to race any more!