Indy vs. Daytona

[jkg]

Both great reaces, but I think the issue is settled for this year as to which one is bigger.

I guess people won't be happy until the real cars come back, or something.

According to jayski.com:

Tix: the Daytona 500 is NOT a sellout and Tickets are available, see the DIS site for info(2-9-2002)

[ghost]

You beat me to this post...

Indy has more seats, but is sold out months in advance. As of this morning, you could go to the ticket booths (not scalpers) to buy tickets for Daytona.
A great race, an incredible event!....but its not Indy

[IndyIRLman]

[Dr. Austin]

Daytona, for me, will finally mean something when it hosts an Indycar race. If those people ever see 225+mph bare knuckle IRL action, they might just be less interested in the other cars.

[dog-ring]

Daytona added more seats this year for one thing and those seats they have available are either on the backstretch or they are low in turn four. The low seats in turn four have been available every year. Reason I know? I have bought them every year up untill this year when I couldn't go. You buy those seats then raceday just before the race starts you move up where you can see something.

[hdolan]

Let's wait for TV numbers...

[dog-ring]

Originally posted by hdolan:
<STRONG>Let's wait for TV numbers...</STRONG>

Domestic, International or combined Howard?

[Racewriter]

Originally posted by dog-ring:
<STRONG>Domestic, International or combined Howard?</STRONG>

I'm pretty sure that half a billion Chinese will be watching...

[trow]

hdolan:Let's wait for TV numbers...

I was waiting to see when you chimed in Howard.

The significance of the Indy 500 is immeasurable. One time I was in a small village in third world Turkey (yes the country) and a little Arab boy who couldn't speak English heard me tell his father that I was from Indianapolis. The little guy stunned me when he motioned his hands as if he were driving a racecar. Some might say that's irrelevant, but the bottomline is when one says the word Indianapolis regardless of how far and wide you travel in this world, the name means the greatest race in the world. Now on the other hand, Daytona is rich in history too. But to compare the two, besides being apples and oranges Indianapolis is the King of Races/tracks. IMHO of course.

[ February 09, 2002: Message edited by: trow ]

[cmjc80]

Its common knowledge that no matter how bad the product is, cities with love affairs always sell out their events regardless. Top candidates Indy 500, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, New York Giants. No matter what, they will always sell out.

[ February 09, 2002: Message edited by: cmjc80 ]

[hdolan]

I will tape Daytona and watch Indy live...all I'm saying is that lately Daytona has drawn better numbers that Indy...if you care to debate that, feel free..

[Tim_racefan]

Ditto to what trow said. But, I think that Daytona has plenty of manuevering room in its future. Its a unique track and the 2nd fastest in the world. It would be a really neat place for an IRL event. There and Pocono. They are the only unique superspeedways left in the world. MI and Fontana are too identical for that to be #'s 2 and 3 of a triple crown. Indy, Pocono, and Daytona (or either MI or Fontana) makes 3 very different jewels per the crown. That has been my take on it ever since Fontana was constructed.
And, the Daytona 500 probably isn't quite as big as the INDY 500, but I'd say it was between 97-99. At least in recoqnition.

[Grinder-Tank]

Daytona is great. It's a great stock car event. In essence, it's another, yet the biggest, Winston Cup race. The Indy 500 is not just another IRL race. NASCAR drivers do it even if it means double duty. F1 drivers, dirt track drivers, and drivers from around the world have made the trip to Indy for the race. And they still do.

Daytona will always be great, but is riding the crest of Winston Cup popularity. The series is bigger than the race. Indy 500 is simply bigger than anything, far more than CART and the IRL or F1.

[jkg]

Originally posted by hdolan:
<STRONG>I will tape Daytona and watch Indy live...all I'm saying is that lately Daytona has drawn better numbers that Indy...if you care to debate that, feel free..</STRONG>

No debate here. It would be a major shock if Indy, which is on one of the biggest travel weekends in the year and at a time when most of the nation is experiencing good weather, could get more people in front of their TV's than Daytona in the middle of the winter on a normal weekend.

I wonder if the cooler policy has contributed to the empty seats. Qualifying looks more sparce than usual also.

[Belanger99]

You know, the economy may have something to do with this, a lot of people have lost jobs or are about to in the last several months-I don't imagine they can justify the trip.

Not only that, and Dolan may disagree, but some of the tracks have gone nuts with ticket prices. Good Lord, I don't know how a guy could afford to take a family to some of these places, and frankly, some can't.

I also wonder if some of the new venues might have an effect on Daytona-hey, if you can only afford one race this year, you might be inclined to stay in Chicago or Kansas City rather than make the trip.

I think too the restrictor plates and slow speeds are having an effect as well. There has to be a way to slow the cornering speeds down, and let the engines breath, and still keep lap times at 190. Ken Schrader had a good idea, stock front ends, and no spoiler. However, I imagine there would be even more whining from some of the competitors.