A good time to rant......

[Racing Truth]

And its not about unification!


You know, I read Brock Yates' article along with that of Despain, and something really bothers me. In reality, it is something at the heart, from some fans viewpoint, of the events of 1996.

Brock, Dave (esp. his W. Tunnel article), and many here want Open Wheel racing in America to be just like NASCAR, in many respects. They want the IRL to be the OW version of NASCAR. Folks, OPEN WHEEL RACING IS NOT NASCAR!!!!!! It IS different. Why should it be something it is not? Do you really think, at this point, that you can compete with them? NO!!! You CANNOT compete with the 800-lb. gorilla by emulating them. NASCAR is far too established for that too work. You have to be yourself, different than NASCAR, to eventually stand any chance of getting anyone's attention.

No, OW is not NASCAR. It features some world-class cars, driven by world-class drivers (yes, ride-buyers are a problem), on world-class circuits. Ever since 1961, it has always been this way. At this point, you cannot go back.

Instead of trying to emulate someone else, the sport needs to celebrate what it is. I like what it has to offer. Its up to the powers-that-be to show everyone else what we have.

[JBaiza]

In many respects, Nascar is alot like open wheel used to be.

[carl s]

NASCAR is popular cause it emulates what we like

[Racing Truth]

Originally posted by carl s
NASCAR is popular cause it emulates what we like

And because they market so well, and there are no politics for new fans to deal with.

[carl s]

Originally posted by Racing Truth
And because they market so well, and there are no politics for new fans to deal with.

Ahh, OK we could add that too

[NoviVespa]

They don't market NASCAR, they market the drivers.

[Grover]

Nascar marketing didn't recognize Tony Stewart's talent and pay him what he's worth to drive. The IRL's marketing department didn't insist on a nine race schedule to make it impossible to match salaries/opportunities.

And its not the marketing that will let JJ Yeley become successful in Nascar.

The number one reason people who have open-wheel racing's best interest at heart want to emulate Nascar is in how their owners operate in the best interest of both their series as a whole and teams individually. Setting up the series in a manner that will lead to that is key.

[Hardscrabble]

It is interesting that this year, you don't have the Billy Boats & Donnie Beechlers and ratings are down.

Purely coincidence? Perhaps. But then again, perhaps not.

[hdolan]

"No, OW is not NASCAR. It features some world-class cars, driven by world-class drivers (yes, ride-buyers are a problem), on world-class circuits."

World class drivers...Anthony, Shiggy....WC races at Indy...does that mean that IMS is not world class...

[AdamM]

You know, I read Brock Yates' article along with that of Despain, and something really bothers me. In reality, it is something at the heart, from some fans viewpoint, of the events of 1996.

Well it's not as if some folks on thier own just made up these crazy ideas about Indy car racing reconnecting with grass roots oval fans in the US. Maybe people don't remember or have chosen to forget, but it was the IRL and IMS that were banging that drum back big time in the early days, so I find it kind of bizzare that folks that now say the same things the IRL did back when it being formed are now a problem.

I mean it was Tony George himself who was talking about how Indy Car racing needed to be more like Nascar. Do yourself a favor, just pull out any IRL race program from 96 & 97 and you'd swear it was Racewriter or Dave Depain who wrote the material. I guess it's a good thing I've still got some laying around and can also pull up the press releases on the net, because this rewriting of history stuff is getting really silly these days.

[CamKing]

From your replies, it seems a lot of you didn't start watching Indy Cars until the 80's.

I want the IRL to do some of the things that NASCAR is doing, but not because NASCAR is doing them.
I want them to do these things because they were some of the things that made Indy car racing so popular back in the days of Foyt, Johncock, Rutherford, Andretti, and those Unser boys.

I'd like to see Indy Car go back to the days when they cared about the fans. In the 80's they got of attitude of "If we're too high-tech for some of the fans then we don't need those type of fans". This attitude is what drove the average racing fan to NASCAR.

The average racing fan can not relate to Indy cars, and that is what needs to be fixed if the IRL wants to be succesful.

[Racing Truth]

Originally posted by CamKing
From your replies, it seems a lot of you didn't start watching Indy Cars until the 80's.

I want the IRL to do some of the things that NASCAR is doing, but not because NASCAR is doing them.
I want them to do these things because they were some of the things that made Indy car racing so popular back in the days of Foyt, Johncock, Rutherford, Andretti, and those Unser boys.

I'd like to see Indy Car go back to the days when they cared about the fans. In the 80's they got of attitude of "If we're too high-tech for some of the fans then we don't need those type of fans". This attitude is what drove the average racing fan to NASCAR.

The average racing fan can not relate to Indy cars, and that is what needs to be fixed if the IRL wants to be succesful.

If you put the engine in the front, etc. etc., do you think fans will relate then? Personally, except for the short track crowd, the answer, IMHO, is a clear no. Not unless you put fenders on them, but that's what NASCAR is for. Open-wheel cars will always look "funky" to average Americans.

[CamKing]

Originally posted by Racing Truth
If you put the engine in the front, etc. etc., do you think fans will relate then? Personally, except for the short track crowd, the answer, IMHO, is a clear no. Not unless you put fenders on them, but that's what NASCAR is for. Open-wheel cars will always look "funky" to average Americans.

In 1972 the engines were in back, but the fans related to them then. It's not the location of the engines. The fans can no-longer relate to the technology or the drivers.

[hdolan]

"Open-wheel cars will always look "funky" to average Americans."

That hasn't always been the case...drivers, drivers and drivers...
It all seems quite simple to me...

[carl s]

In New England,
I watched Tony B and Johnny Thomson race midgets and move up to Indy
I watched Gordon J race jalopies, modifieds and supers and move up to Indy - same for Bentley Warren
Heck, I even watched my local NASCAR hot shoe Denny Z fulfill a lifetime wish and race at Indy.

Lately I watch the Kruzer and JJ become legends and move up to NASCAR - ditto for all the others.

Guess what series I gravitate to.
It's a shame!
carl s
Indio, CA
All the rivers, they flow into the sea - or the sea dries-up