Fix the Indy 500

[Rex Monaco]

Honda doesn't race in the Grand-Am.

Actually they do, but in the ST class in the Grand-Am Koni Challenge and not the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. So my bad.

[call_me_andrew]

One-offs don't work for drivers or manufacturers anymore. It's not the rules that are the problem, it's just the way racing is in the 21st century. If (insert the name of any Formula 1 driver here) wanted to race at the Indy 500 in 2009, do you really think he would have a chance of winning? Of course not! With no oval expierience, he'll be lucky if he beats Milka Duno.

The same would apply to a manufacturer. You don't go to a major race with the intention of throwing crap at a wall and documenting what sticks. That's what the rest of the season is for. Audi does well at Le Mans because they race at Sebring. You can't win Indy until you win Kentucky, Motegi, Long Beach, or any of the other IndyCar races. You wouldn't vote Kat Swift for President, and you wouldn't take an unproven car to Indianapolis.

Indianapolis and Le Mans aren't proving grounds anymore. They're where you go to put your best foot forward. The rest of the season is the proving ground. Now I'll admit that the track was constructed as a testing ground for the Indana based automobile manufactuers. But they're all gone now, and most (if not all) of the manufacturers in the world own their own test tracks.

[SportscarBruce]

Everyone keeps talking about getting back to the roots of Indy.. Front engined roadsters and all that crap...

But if you see the video they show at the Indy museum, it talks about how manufacturers used to come to Indy to test new vehicles and technologies.

So to me, the race car that has the most in common with the original intent of the Indy500 is a Lemans Prototype.

After IMSA's downfall conventional wisdom as voiced by sportscar racing's old guard (along with a few journalist) stated this; direct manufacturer to manufacturer competition was simply too expensive and difficult to control. Plus there was the ACO to contend with, past experience stated no American could hope to work in good faith with the French.

These old-guard types laughed as Don Panoz departed their cozy organization and dared to revive Le Mans-style sports car competition. Dr. Don proved them wrong. He proved firm, competent management plus international business skill matters more than mere records of participation or family credentials.

Granted the P1 and GT-1 categories has seen it's share of short or single-make fields, but the series has worked through or around these issues. It did so without swaying to pressures applied by major players. Also noteworthy is the ALMS brand of track officiating, strict with no exceptions. And so the result speaks for itself; ALMS is a solid entity that has grown steadly every year since inception.

And so come the question; if ALMS can do it why can't IndyCar? I believe that question has already been answered. IndyCar's business culture must move itself closer to the ALMS model and away from its overly political, good ol' boy past...

[ShiftingGears]

Easy.
If a manufacturer enters the series they are going to do it to win so they are going to spend money.

Someone needs to fix the IRL first. Then the Indy 500.

[DanicaFan]

Well, just remember there are talks now as of 2011 where there may be multiple engine manufacturers and turbos. Let's wait until then and see.

Oh, and the Indy 500 and Indy Car has Danica, doesnt get any better than that.

[MAX_THRUST]

the only problem with different rules for the indy 500, and I agree it is a good idea, those same rules often allowed drivers like Dennis Vitollo in to the field with little or no experience.

[MAX_THRUST]

Remember the Merc Ilmor engines at Indy, then the following year Penske didn't qualify, I think?????

What was so special about the Ilmor engines I can't remember....?

[anthonyvop]

Remember the Merc Ilmor engines at Indy, then the following year Penske didn't qualify, I think?????

What was so special about the Ilmor engines I can't remember....?

It was a pushrod engine. Penske found the loophole that allowed higher HP in a pushrod motor.

[Chris R]

I am not sure manufacturer involvement in the Indy 500 is nearly a important to the heritage to the race as many seem to think. In the very early days it might have been - but in the very early days someone like Roger Penske might have owned a car company too - instead of dealing with corporate car companies you were talking about companies owned and operated by individuals.... Ray Harroun was actually (someone correct me if I am wrong) - the chief designer/engineer for Marmon - it would sort of be like Chris Bangle driving the BMW entry in the 500..... The scale was completely different....

The times that are widely acknowledged as the "Golden Ages" of AOWR were basically formula car eras where one make pretty much dominated. First you had the Miller Dynasty and later the roadster era. The cars of the eras (at least the winners) were all pretty much identical with very subtle changes over time. You had more diversity through the field but not in the winners. I would argue that the thing that manufacturers served for was cannon fodder - Ford, Studebaker,Cummins, Ferrari etc all got eaten alive by the customer formula cars.

Even the CART era (the third Golden Age) was usually dominated by one chassis/engine combo at a time and generally over time - true diversity in CART was just becoming interesting and competitive when the split happened. Other than that, with few exceptions, diversity in cars and engines was more of a curiosity and ultimately a back-door tool to prove that the current "spec car" was the best....

That being said - I am all for more engines and chassis - but lets not forget that the grass is not necessarily any greener.. Open the doors to more options and one of them will still rise to the top.....

[SarahFan]

develop a formula where the competitors are flirting with a new track record every year



I know thats much MUCH harder than my typing it on my keyboard.... but that should be the goal when new chassis and engines rules are announced