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Another article on the IRL
DAYTONA BEACH — As I write this, it’s 1:30 on Wednesday afternoon. The afternoon portion of the Indy Racing League test opened for business 30 minutes ago.
Roughly 300 people stand on the Fan Deck atop one of the Daytona garages. Out on the track — nothing.
Inside the garages sit most of the cars, each with a varying number of crewmen performing various tasks.
“This is our first test of the year, and we have a lot of changes to make on the cars,” says one crewman.
Well, you certainly don’t want to argue with a man who knows infinitely more than you about the workings of an Indy car. But imagine, if you can, observing the same empty-track scene 30 minutes into the afternoon session of a preseason NASCAR test.
It just won’t happen.
And there’s this, which might smack of “inside baseball,” but still symbolizes the difference between NASCAR and all those standing in its shadow. During Wednesday’s noon-to-1 lunch break, Danica Patrick was scheduled to visit the media center and toss out some of the usual preseason comments familiar to all those who follow auto racing.
She didn’t show.
Her team reported it was having some issues with the seat in her Andretti Racing car, and she was needed in order to work out the problems. Fair enough, but again, it wouldn’t happen with NASCAR. Handlers for Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and maybe even Tony Stewart would’ve made it work, especially if they had something to promote — like, say, an entire racing series.
It sounds like a small thing, sure. But if you’re an Orlando-based TV-sports crew and you came over here for a scheduled Danica press conference, you’re suddenly on the phone explaining to your producer why he should be interested in Marco Andretti instead.
Maybe I’m wrong, but sometimes it seems there’s a good reason why the IRL isn’t in the same public-relations stratosphere as NASCAR. The IRL, it seems, appears to treat its product as automotive competition, and not show-biz — at least not to the same show-biz degree as NASCAR.
Modern sports in general, and auto racing in particular, are celebrity-driven. That’s the only reason why NASCAR from Dover will draw an 8-share while the IRL from Richmond would gladly take a 2 — even when the IndyCar race is head-and-shoulders above Dover in terms of speed and white-knuckle pack-racin’.
NASCAR leaders will never admit this, of course, probably because all the ads and press releases and, um, lunchtime interview sessions, have convinced them otherwise.
Some like to blame the IRL’s underdog status on its big number of foreign-born drivers. That might have a little to do with it, but it’s hard to imagine someone basing his (or her) racing preference on the high volume of racing Stepfords currently in the NASCAR pipeline. Especially when the IRL’s list of international talent includes Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan, who between them possess more personality than the entire Daytona 500 starting lineup.
For his part, Kanaan says the drivers are very interested in seeing the IRL chip into a bigger piece of the North American racing pie. Sure, in a perfect world, their focus would be solely on the cockpit, but that’s far from the case.
“We talk to the IRL a lot,” insists Kanaan. “We discuss a lot of things, and they listen to us a lot, trying to make it better.”
But small incidents like Wednesday’s eventually add up to big drawbacks.
“We have a lot of work to do to try to catch up,” adds Kanaan. “We have good racing, we have a very competitive series. Right now, we need to get the fans — do whatever we can do to get the fans excited.”
Here’s a free tip: Keep the engines running, and make sure the drivers and teams are willing to go against their instincts and put marketing in the forefront every now and then.
Brian R.
Agree on missing the technology as well. While I am too young to remember the Turbine, first wings, McClaren’s. I do remember such contraptions as the Cropduster, The Pepsi Challenger, and my favorite car, Danny Ongais’s batmobile. The last three years at Indy have been incredible. The racing is so close that you are standing the whole time. I also attend IRL events at Michigan, Kansas, Homestead, and Texas. All are equally incredibly exciting.
I understand the issue with spec racing, but I understand the nature of the busine$$ today. Exploding technology would take cost even more out of control. I enjoy the action more today than ever so more power to them.
BTW…The first 500 my dad attended was the race won by your relative.
Jay:
Spot on with the article’s assesement. Tony George’s grandfather, Tony Hullman is probably rolling in his grave.
And you wonder why I call it idiot racing league.
Check out the new AUTOCOURSE that came out covering last year’s F1 season. Flavio Briatore has an in depth interview and he’s saying the same things. Who cares about Carbon Fiber Brakes and Traction control. The fan doesn’t notice the difference etc etc.
Bitter, party of one out…
Faithanderic
It’s nice to know that the IRL is attracting fans. I just wish there were more of you!
I am also too young to have been around in it’s glory days. I was just lucky to know the guys who did it. AJ Watson, Wayne Leary, etc.. These were the behind the scene guys who were the innovators.
I think they should scrap what we race today and come up with a new game plan. hybrid engines, alternative fuels (Ethanol is a good step), etc.. Make it an industry again.
BR
George was my great uncle. Grandfather’s brother. My Grandpa was a 3 time veteran of the race
Brian,
You are right on with the alternative fuels. If I ran the things I would try to negotiate some deals with engine manufactures as well as special racing divisions. Here is the plan. Make the 100th anniversary a $10 million dollar event with $5 mil to the winner. Here’s the catch: NO fossil fuels can be used at all. All engines must fit within the chassis rules that encompass saftety. Then let them go!!
This would be like the space challenge of the last few years. I think the market it finally right for the alternative fuel crowd to prove that they can make power, real power.
Until then, I will enjoy the racing and not let the politics spoil what is a great series of competitive oval races. There is blame for everyone in this mess.
I blame the French for the split… If it wasn?t for Alain Prost?s move to Williams for the 1993 F1 session, Nigel Mansell would not have come to CART and won the 1993 championship as a rookie. Then there was Jacques Villeneuve’s championship in 1995. The French Canadian pushed the hatred of foreign drivers over the top and hence the split. Villeneuve then went on to Williams to get an F1 championship in 97. Hmmm? maybe we should be blaming Frank Williams for the split! But wait? Williams F1 was Williams-Renault in the 1990?s? so it was the French as after all!
Let see if Ron Dennis can do it to NASCAR via JPM now. Come to think of it, if Renault hadn?t decided to quit F1 and then change their mind, Alonso would not have come to McLaren. No wait, it was that tennis injury? and the French made tennis popular.
James #45 WF @ CRE
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