School is in session across Indiana this week.
So it’s only appropriate that we here at The Score review the grade of IndyCar Series boss Randy Bernard.
I’ve been criticized in the past for being too hard on Bernard, who took his post as CEO of the series March 1. Earlier this summer, I graded him a C+ on the job he’s done with the series, simply because he’s done a lot of talking, but really hadn’t accomplished much.
Well, I’m bumping him up to a B-, largely based on the addition of a handful of series and team sponsors and most notably two races (Mid-Ohio and Chicagoland) which have scored some pretty nice car counts.
Chicagoland, set for Aug. 28, has the largest number of entries (29) for an IndyCar race outside the Indianapolis 500. This is a pretty nice turnaround for a series that was worried about putting 20 cars on non-Indianapolis grids earlier this year.
I did some checking around with motorsports business experts and those close to sponsors, and most are saying the car count increase is due to an influx of sponsorship dollars, not ride buyers.
Fuzzy’s Premium Vodka helped put Ed Carpenter on the track and National Tire and Battery put Graham Rahal behind the wheel of an IndyCar.
In my book that’s a pretty good sign, especially at a time when many race grids across a variety of series are shrinking right now.
I’ve also been told by some solid sports business sources that this shows sponsors have confidence in Bernard’s vision for the series. That may be his biggest accomplishment to date. His ability to get them to pour more money into the series will be bigger yet.
Before I get lampooned by the IndyCar Series haters, I realize that TV ratings and attendance are still major issues. Nor am I convinced that Bernard’s solution for a new 2012 chassis is all that. But in the end, I’m big enough to admit, that my opinion isn’t all that important.
It’s the sponsors’ and fans’ opinions that really count. After all, it’s their cash that keeps the series going round and round. And right now, the sponsors are buying what Bernard is selling.
Who knows, at this rate, by the semester break, Bernard could earn himself a B by the professors here at The Score. Let's hope Bernard doesn't let this success go to his head, because as any good student knows, until the year is over, there's alway time to have your grade lowered.
And in the classroom of sports business, an F is never very far away.
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Twenty-nine cars are expected at Chicagoland Speedway â?? the most outside of the 33 for the Indianapolis 500 â?? to be entered for the PEAK Antifreeze& Motor Oil Indy 300 on Aug. 28 at the 1.5-mile oval. Rule 8.1(E)(5)(f) caps the starting field at 28 cars for races other than Indianapolis, Brazil, Toronto and Mid-Ohio based on pit lane space. The rule also was amended for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by Westfield Insurance on Aug. 8 to allow for a 27th entry.
Anthony, certainly you could also comment on the fact that Sir Randy has gotten the attention of NASCAR (no small feat) Direct shots over the bow with the calendar changes. Chicago/Kansas/Kentucky/New Hampshire.
More of a Brickyard concern is NASCAR heaping races around Indy around Brickyard time. In a 3 month stretch there are 5 races including 2 doubles close to Indy.
June 12: Pocono, Pa.
June 19: Brooklyn, Mich.
July 9: Sparta, Ky.
July 31: Indianapolis
Aug. 7: Pocono, Pa.
Aug. 21: Brooklyn, Mich.
NASCAR needs to quit oversaturating the market. They at least need to remove some of the doubles especially if they are not selling out. All these races on top of each other are canibalizing fans from the other races.
Heaven help Randy if there's ever rain-out....Anthony's evaluation changes on a whim!
Mr. Bernard and team has failed to put more butts in the seats: GRADE: F
Mr. Bernard has FAILED to get sizable ROI from TV ratings. GRADE: F
Mr. Bernard is being given the brush-off by NASCAR. The 800lb gorilla is unmovable. GRADE: F
Mr. Belskus is scrambling to prop up the BY 400 to pay for the IRL's failures. GRADE: F
Everything else (the Baguettes, the Dracoinian dude, the Duno's and the Carpenter's) is just urinating into the wind.
So, when asked, Anthony et al IRL Speedway types....the bell tolls for THEE.
"... nice turnaround for a series that was worried about putting 20 cars on non-Indianapolis grids earlier this year."
Uh, the lowest car count was 24 (dictated by rules because of pit lane space) at Brazil at St. Pete. Every other race has had 25 or more cars.
I grade you an F for failure to get your facts straight -- again!
If Randy would like to send former AOW fans a signal (smoke or otherwise) DO ANYTHING that might give us that impression. Like start referring to CART success by CART/CCWS drivers in the former series....in all broadcasts. Start celebrating CART as a part of the lineage of AOW, not some phoney "it's is and always was Indy Car" or "open wheel wins" BS. It's insulting to ANYONE who was a TRUE fan of the sport all these past years.
Randy can do more..err...ANYTHING to make this happen, but has failed to this point. There's the F grade Iman. $675 Million and counting....
Cart failed twice because the owners were smart enough to not spend 600 million dollars for a .14 Nielsen rating
Oh Iman, this is much betterer the IRL way: chased sponsors away, make the speedway solely responsible for providing the life-blood sucking. Instead of self sufficiency now they have to be sucking the Speedway utters for survival. No way that could cost $675+ Million over 15 years...no way. Needs more Rachel's Potato Chips.....
Officials from IndyCar and Dallara met with team leaders over the weekend
"I thought it was a joke," said Larry Curry, the general manager of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. "We still don't have any information. You'd think by this point they'd be able to hand us something in writing. They don't."
Why do they need a 2012 car when they won't finish out 2011
And just because Honda started working on its LMP engine 2 years ago and dictated the new spec for the hapless IMS racing league doesn't necessarily give it an unfair advantage.
My letter grade of F stands strong. Randy ain't done nothing but reorganize the deck chairs on the Titanic. Iman is in the front seat. Full speed ahead!
Tony Cotman has been hired to dictate the 2012 rules package. I reckon that CART PIPELINE above might have some legs. Hired because of his CCWS experience. Can't believe they didn't hire from within the IRL family to do this.
The CART/CCWS ghost rides herd at the speedway! Iman must LOVE this!
Randy Bernard, slaying sacred cows one by one.
Randy gets an INCOMPLETE grade...and he's getting a break because he should have had all this in place BEFORE that stupid ICOLONIC Committee announcement (which was nothing but an embarassment, as this Cotman appointment has proven).
IMS caught with their pants down, again.
Yet, Iman avoids the issues and chooses to attack the messenger and not the message. Typical Indy place-fan.
This article supports my F grade of Mr. Bernard. All is well, huh Iman?
He then starts going after me for addressing Chiefs babbling and not the subject. Excuse me Chief, have you not been reading your posts for low these many, many months? The vast majority are personal attacks against posters who do not agree with you then the facts they present. I would comment on your facts, but you seem to be factless. But then again so are the vast majority of your posts. If questioned about your facts, you either lean on blogs for your "facts" or you attack the questioner. Seriously, get back on the meds.
I believe the veiled writing on the wall points to someone's inflection that the IRL was the cause for the downfall of the sport and they're trying as hard as possible to return it to CART-like appearance ASAP, PRONTO. What the IRL got for $675 Million is anybody's guess as even control of the sport seems to be sketchy.
Your mileage may vary.
I thought the cause of carts demise was cart. One of the things I can agree with the haters on. Cart killed itself.
I am sure you will now claim the Twin races at Texas is stealing from cart even though it had not been done since '81.
It is baloney that cart took investors money, spent it to make themselves rich and returned nothing to the investor. Classy.
IRL, preserving America's open wheel roots...dumping OVALS handfuls at a time.
Randy gets VERY high marks for this...right Anthony?
This kind of stuff never gets reported.