The Lazy Susan of Speed: A scheduling idea

[Indycarjunkie]

I think we can all agree that a schedule of 22 races is plenty for a open wheel racing season. Obviously we can't lump all races from the ICS and CC together to have one huge mega schedule so unfortunately some venues are left out. My suggestion is this....why not establish a core event schedule of say 12-15 races and rotate another 5 or so in and out every other year so the tracks left out of the established combined schedule are not lost to the tumbleweeds. How about something like this (in no particular order)...

Core Events Every Year
Indianapolis 500
Long Beach
Milwaukee
Texas
Chicagoland
Michigan
Cleveland
Elkhart Lake
St. Pete
Nashville
Kentucky
Montreal
Homestead

Events on Rotation - Every Other Year
Edmonton
Tronnah/Mosport
Richmond
California
Mexico City
Monterey
Sonoma
Watkins Glen
Iowa
Phoenix
Las Vegas (oval)
Belle Isle

[indyracefan]

...I myself don't care to see any rotating dates, and frankly don't believe it would work anyway. Not to mention that I truely believe that we aren't going to see any more oval races added that aren't already on the schedule. Plus I don't see anything wrong with a 25-race schedule.

[Vic Mackey]

It's hard to build up an audience for your race when you don't have one every other year. Just pick a set group and wave good bye to the rest.

[RSR]

What Vic said. I don't think this would work, ICJ.

John

[Z28]

Skipping a year won't work anyplace, no race sponsor will be willing, no track will want to have a year with an empty revenue hole.

It would work for NASCAR because they have two sets of tracks, one with one race and one with two. If they first had a core group that would have one race per year, rc's Indy, a few more then paired up the other tracks geographically and in odd numbered years group A ran two group B one then switched in the even numbered years. Those tracks would have three races in two years, for some an increase for some a decrease and fans of a given track would know which years they would spend more or less to attend.

[Indycarjunkie]

I understand it would be difficult to build fan continuity by skipping every other year. I just thought this would be a good compromise to keep as many tracks in the INDYCar family as possible. Would it be better or worse for race fans in say...Edmonton to have a race every other year or to have no race at all?

[Stage 1]

It would be a marketing nightmare to rotate. Despite the unification Open Wheel is still on the bottom of the race food chain.

[Richard Kimble]

I think we can all agree that a schedule of 22 races is plenty for a open wheel racing season. Obviously we can't lump all races from the ICS and CC together to have one huge mega schedule so unfortunately some venues are left out. My suggestion is this....why not establish a core event schedule of say 12-15 races and rotate another 5 or so in and out every other year so the tracks left out of the established combined schedule are not lost to the tumbleweeds. How about something like this (in no particular order)...

Core Events Every Year
Indianapolis 500
Long Beach
Milwaukee
Texas
Chicagoland
Michigan
Cleveland
Elkhart Lake
St. Pete
Nashville
Kentucky
Montreal
Homestead

Events on Rotation - Every Other Year
Edmonton
Tronnah/Mosport
Richmond
California
Mexico City
Monterey
Sonoma
Watkins Glen
Iowa
Phoenix
Las Vegas (oval)
Belle Isle

The way I see it, we have too many venues and not enough teams to race em' all.

My solution- we need two series [one with the ovals, the other with road / street races] to cope with the demand.

[CorvetteFan]

The FIA is doing this with the WRC and its really stupid.

[RS2]

Nürburgring and Hockenheim are also doing this in F1.

It is not stupid at all.

[debris on the track]

Maybe run Atlantics/Indy jr at those second courses with ALMS or another series.

[THX1138]

Regardless how some may feel Portland should be on the schedule. It has been a success in the past and with 24 years of history it would be a shame to see it die. It only declined in recent years because of the split. With the right promotional direction it could and would return to its former self. While I look forward to the new beginning I am disappointed as I really wanted to see the 25th running this year on the new surface and re-worked corners.

[LorenzoBandini]

I think we can all agree that a schedule of 22 races is plenty for a open wheel racing season.

In true-to-trackforum form, you can ALWAYS find someone to argue with you... and I would argue with you on this point. 22 races are NOT ENOUGH. The IRL teams only make money when they are racing. Want to make more money? Race more!

Now, if that costs too much, that is a separate problem needing a separate solution. However, I would be very happy to see the IRL racing 30+ weekends a year.

[Big Hoosier Daddy]

I think we can all agree that a schedule of 22 races is plenty for a open wheel racing season. Obviously we can't lump all races from the ICS and CC together to have one huge mega schedule so unfortunately some venues are left out. My suggestion is this....why not establish a core event schedule of say 12-15 races and rotate another 5 or so in and out every other year so the tracks left out of the established combined schedule are not lost to the tumbleweeds. How about something like this (in no particular order)...

Core Events Every Year
Indianapolis 500
Long Beach
Milwaukee
Texas
Chicagoland
Michigan
Cleveland
Elkhart Lake
St. Pete
Nashville
Kentucky
Montreal
Homestead

Events on Rotation - Every Other Year
Edmonton
Tronnah/Mosport
Richmond
California
Mexico City
Monterey
Sonoma
Watkins Glen
Iowa
Phoenix
Las Vegas (oval)
Belle Isle

I say run all of races above just start season earlier like the weekend before superbowl and run until mid to late Sept thats 35-36 weeks 31-32 weeks taking the 4 weekends at Indy out.

[LorenzoBandini]

I say run all of races above just start season earlier like the weekend before superbowl and run until mid to late Sept thats 35-36 weeks 31-32 weeks taking the 4 weekends at Indy out.

Start the first week in January. Race fans are STARVED for something to watch during the first 6 weeks of the year. What is the worst that would happen... 1.0 ratings?!