Hey, Is There Even A Chance It Could Work ?

[Dick Ralstin]

I have been out of touch for so long I have no idea what kind of contracts owners, drivers, and sponsors sign in this day and age so maybe this is wishful suggestion. But being a stupid old fool here goes:

What would happen IF some really BIG sponsor would just ignore Tony George and the three Amigos and went directly to the selected IRl team owners, selected CC team owners and a number INDEPENDANT track owners and promoters with a proposition something like this.

The really BIG sponsor would post 15 million dollars, that is roughly what it costs to sponsor a first class team for a year, the 15 mil would be divided up between the teams according to the "points earned" in a five (?) race series, the races run at the promoters tracks.

The really BIG sponsor would only set these rules, the series would carry his company name, all the races would be at least 250 miles except the last on would be at least 400 miles and there would be a minimum of 14 cars for each event. Additional sponorships could be sold but the series would contain only the 15 million sponsor name, individual sponsor could sponsor indinidual races but it would be on a "Presented BY" basis.

In additon to the 15 mil, the really BIG sponsor would also underwrite an agreed on price for promoton an advertisement cost for the series, his name would not be required on the cars or diver's suits.

Other than that the team owner and promoters would work out the schedule, if the teams wanted to interchange cars to meet any technical rules fine and dandy.

IF a REALLY BIG sponsor would put up more money, sayn 20 or 25 million, hand a copy of the schedule to Tony George and the three Amigos and tell them this is where THE teams are GOING TO RACE and to make their schedules accordingly.

The big drawback, every one is going to have to gamble something to make it work --- but what they have now is sure as hell not working, maybe it's time the owners and promoters took another chance.

[oldtimer]

What's not working is top leadership.

I'd like to see someone buy up the Speedway entirely and start with competent leadership. Get back to the days of THE Indy 500, and the other stuff will fall into place.

[aportinga]

Excellent idea DR Frankly I am surprised this has not already happened.

[Radny]

So what does really big sponsor get out of this, except a $15 million tax deduction? If they wanted to run a car in the Indy 500, and several other races, they could probably do it for way less than $15 million and get just as much exposure. The ratings from all other races in both series combined now probably isn't much different from the ratings for the Indy 500. (And its likely a lot of those watching the other races also watch the Indy 500.)

Anyway, its a lot like the system know except there are 2 really big sponsors. Honda and KK.

[rev-ed]

Actually the idea reminds me a lot of an idea one man had back in the early 90's. Only that guy had possession of his own speedway, at 16th and Georgetown.

[Dick Ralstin]

Well I have been thinking about my opening post and I can tell you it it won't work now and it will never work in the future.

It could work if they were no team owners involved, but look in the history books.

In 1979 the owners finally figured out in order for there to be an open wheel race there was one thing required --- at least two race cars !!!!!!

So "ALMOST" all the team owners got together and told Tony George he had to run his race their way or there would be no Inidianapolis 500 because they, the irate owners, would not show up.

Well Tony found enough "owners" who had race cars that were willing to run at Indianapolis so he told the irate guys to go jump in the lake.

The irate owners said we'll show him, we will have the US 500 at Michigan International and put Tony out of businees.

The rest friends is history and now we are learning the irate owners had one thing figured wrong --- it looks as though they are going to put both series out of business but the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will survive very well with NSACR and Formula 1 races.

Now you tell me , with the same egos still involved who would be a winner the second time around ???????

[aportinga]

Who knows... Like you I am frustrated over the fact that I am somewhat disenchanted with all top forms of OW racing these days... Heck even F1 had some good competition but yet I still managed to mis a good deal of most races - basically fell asleep.

Like I said before, the IRL has some good oval races on some of them thare old CART tracks that I enjoy but I cannot stand the management and how some of her fans accept so much abuse. ChampCar has a solid foundation with good leadership (IMO) but the addition of more street races - at least in numbers is just far too much. And while I still hold on to the hope that once ChampCar finds a decent financial footing that they will add RA and more, I don't even see management hinting at this - despite the desires of CC fans who want the healthy varity of years ago.

My worst fear in all of this is that each year I tend to walk further and further away from the sport altogether... I was happy with the progress of ChampCar but again (see above) I question whether it will be worth it in the end.

We need a support group hotline

[Cant_hit_apex]

If, and I mean IF, there were a big sponsor like that with lots of money and lots of interest in racing, they'd have gone to Nascar a long time ago. Now, you might find some gazillionaire with such an interest, but how long would he be interested and at what point would he just walk away?

[LorenzoBandini]

I'd like to see someone buy up the Speedway entirely and start with competent leadership.

The management of the speedway is head-and-shoulders above management of any other open wheel racing series in the world. I know that is not saying much, but it could be much, much worse.

[Dick Ralstin]

Hey Can't Hit Apex,

If I remember rightly there were two, or maybe three, other companies talking to NASCAR about taking Winston's place but Nextel won the bidding contest --- I wonder of anyone from the irl has even talked to them.

Of course the irl is an outfit that believe you grow big by cuting the schedule and only covering half of the country, you know like 14 races a year is better than 18 and be sure none of the races are West of the Mississippi. Exceot for race in Japan, all the team sponsors give away free tickets to their customers for that one

Think of all the money the teams save in travel expenses and for paying a team for only six moths instead of a year, and you know the sponsors are absolutely delighted to see the race cars covered with canvas six months out of the year.

But just watch the irl grow, why I'll bet in 10 or 12 years they will have to have at least eigth or nine races a year --- just to meet the demand.

[Gerald Laurie]

Dick, here is my version. Said really big sponsor has about $500 million a year to spend so he goes to a lot of the original IRL Owners and new guys who want to get in. He tells them he will fund seven three car teams for IRL Competetion. They must hire at least one American Oval Track Veteran who has won races and championships in American Series on American Race Tracks. This guy will be in his thirties or forties. They will sign at least one journeyman American Oval Track Driver who has won his share of races and at least one championship on American Oval Race Tracks. This driver will be in his mid to late twenties or very early thirties. For each team's third driver, They will hire a young up and coming American Oval Track Driver who has won races and shown flashes of brilliance in his early career. This youngster will be somewhere between 18 and 24 years of age. That's twenty-one cars at each race with American Drivers that American Fans care about. Let Andretti, Rahal, et al, run whoever they please. These owners would then be able to afford the best engineers and crews. The drivers would be paid to drive by the owner and share in the prize monies. Oh yes, said really big sponsor would limit his participation and that of his teams to Oval Track Races in the USA. All IRL races on road / street courses and all races outside the continental 48 would be ignored by these 21 teams. Let's see now, that means 35 or so cars show up for all the ovals and maybe 14 show for road races and Motegi.

Also, Mr. Really Big Sponsor requires each of his seven teams to also field two MIPS cars at the Oval Track venues and these cars are driven by young American Oval Track Drivers in their mid to late teens who have demonstrated talent and great desire to succeed in open wheel competition.

On top of this, each team fields two additional cars for the Indy 500 with American Drivers, both young and old who want at least one shot at the Yard of Bricks. The only requirement would be talent at making wheeled vehicles go very fast on the very edge of control. That is 35 cars automatically entered for Indy plus those existing teams who want to fight this battle. We might see some real "Bumping".

Come on, someone give me about 20 Billion Dollars. I'll invest it in American Companies, Mutual Funds, Real Estate, and Lending Institutions and use the returns on those investments for just that purpose. Any takers?