RM: Field not capped at 26 cars

[gbfan]

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-live-chat-with-miller-pruett-replay-311/

Marshall/Robin With the 26 car limit this year, do you expect to see full time drivers get bumped from any races?

robin miller:
no, the 26 rule is more about paying only 26 spots, nobody said that 27-28-29 would be sent home. that would be a HUGE mistake. you cannot send anybody home in this economy. you show, you race

So the field can be bigger then 26?

[Chris Paff]

Good

[jcmark611]

Who's going to show up and race for nothing?

Plus, Miller hasn't exactly been batting 1.00 lately.

[Grizzlor]

Number 1, I asked that exact question to Miller on Facebook and he didn't say anything! Ha ha. Obviously, I'd like to hear some kind of official word on that, but like Robin said, sending cars home is crazy.

[porscheman]

Who's going to show up and race for nothing?

Plus, Miller hasn't exactly been batting 1.00 lately.

In the IICS, exception Indy, you're racing for nothing anyway. Duh?

porscheman

[GoFastNow]

based on recent developements from RM, I say {thumbs down}

[Grizzlor]

Well, technically nobody from the IICS has said they would send anyone home.

[jcmark611]

Well, technically nobody from the IICS has said they would send anyone home.

They also said nothing about giving them a spot on pit lane.

[Grizzlor]

I think Randy should have another IndyCar.com poll to decide.

[Indy-hp]

IndyCar: Twenty-six is the limit

A maximum of 26 cars will comprise the fields for IZOD IndyCar Series races this season, excluding the Indianapolis 500 and the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

http://www.indycar.com/news/show/55-...-is-the-limit/

[Gomer Simpson]

I would like a cap (though probably 28) if they sport were a little healthier. I hate to send anyone home when teams are struggling to survive.

It would go a long way towards making qualifications more of an event, though. It's pretty obvious what having bumping vs not does to the Bump Day crowds at Indy.

[Todd Gack]

I wish we could start the season already.

[irlracingfan]

... I'd like to hear some kind of official word on that, but like Robin said, sending cars home is crazy.

I have contended this all along. Until we get to 33+ cars showing up at EVERY race, we cannot IMO afford to be sending cars/drivers home. I do think the objective should be to get 33 qualifiers at every race... and cap the field at 33 for ALL races. If and when the Series has enough healthy, fully-funded teams to send #'s 34, 35, 36, etc. home, THEN it would be an issue to discuss.

[Swaze]

http://www.indycar.com/news/show/55-...-is-the-limit/

That article is just ridiculous and an exercise in hypocrisy. Barnhart runs his mouth about how a 26 car limit will allow the series to have the absolute best drivers on the track for each race. Right.....

Yeah Brian (and Randy) you'll have some of the best drivers in the series along with some of the best and worst ride-buyers too.

Meanwhile good drivers like Dan Wheldon, Buddy Rice, Rafa Matos, Scheckter, Paul Tracy, and maybe even Tony Kanaan will all be sitting on the sidelines.............but yet somehow because of this rule Indycar will have the best drivers in the world competing in every race? Kid please.............Randy and Brian must really think the fans are stupid.

As I said the other day in a struggling economy in a series with pathetic tv ratings where teams and drivers are desperate for sponsors.......it makes absolutely no business sense to turn away teams and drivers. It costs them money to run their team and attempt to qualify for the race yet Randy and Brian would just assume send them home empty handed.......yeah that sends a great message.

This 26 car limit essentially tells new teams and sponsors that they are not wanted because since they don't qualify under the "provisional" rules, if some bad luck happens in qualifying and there are already 26 cars there...........they are going home. I'm sure new sponsors and teams will just love this rule.

Only in Indycar where finding sponsorship is like finding gold, do the powers-at-be actually go out of their way to discourage new sponsors from joining.

[jcmark611]

This 26 car limit essentially tells new teams and sponsors that they are not wanted because since they don't qualify under the "provisional" rules, if some bad luck happens in qualifying and there are already 26 cars there...........they are going home. I'm sure new sponsors and teams will just love this rule.

Only in Indycar where finding sponsorship is like finding gold, do the powers-at-be actually go out of their way to discourage new sponsors from joining.

Or... it tells those sponsors to get with a team that made the grid. Not all of those 26 cars in the race will have sponsors.