some strong words from randy

[Marbles]

Dropping "IRL" and just calling it Indycar is a no-brainer. I'm impressed if he's come out and said it and I hope he executes on it immediately. They even talked of this 20 years ago when it was called CART. The casual fan has always called it Indycar in my lifetime.

[Wilf]

Just call the series CART and be done with it.

A freakin' name change ain't gonna put another ass in the seat at a real race track or put another one in front of a TV either. If he thinks a few letters mean jack squat for why people don't care anymore, he truly is clueless.

This is what you get when you bring a guy in who knows nothing about the sport and nothing about its history (which goes back a hell of a lot farther then 1996). Probably another idea he got from Miller and Cotman.

Scotty - I don't often agree with you but I have marked the calendar on this one.

[Scotty G.]

Scotty - I don't often agree with you but I have marked the calendar on this one.

Thanks Wilf.

We don't always have to agree on things. Life and racing would be boring if everybody thought exactly the same.

I don't think this whole thing is that big a deal. Just semantics.

But it was the tone that Bernard set with his remarks, that will be offensive to some. This guy has been here for a few months, and now he is talking like he's some expert on this.

He needs to realize that the term "IRL" is not met with the same derision that the CART/Champ Car set (which now dominate this sport and obviously dominate his ear) see it as. He needs to realize that there are many, many folks (although fewer by the year) that were truly behind the original IRL and what its ideals stood for. He needs to realize that speaking badly about the term "IRL", only further divides and alienates many in the sport (since the divide is obviously still there and very alive if you read message boards) in a time when he and HIS sport cannot afford to alienate ANYONE.

I think Bernard opened up a can of worms he didn't need to. Very few people even refer to it as the IRL anymore. Its the Indy Car series. Sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. Just like its Indy Lights, sanctioned by the Indy Racing League.

The Indy 500 for years was sanctioned by USAC.

Bernard should just worry about why so few Americans are in cars and watching the races and make that his #1 priority. Leave the semantics to the folks like Robin Miller and his minions.

[anthonyvop]

You are right, NO ONE goes to Indy anymore, all those other races are bigger.

Who is saying anything about changing the name of the Indy 500?

It is the series that needs a new name.

[Wilf]

Who is saying anything about changing the name of the Indy 500?

It is the series that needs a new name.

What kind of cars do they drive?

[ICWS]

To be more technical, IndyCars used to be referred to as American Championship Cars. But if Randy has considered at all renaming the IndyCar Series as the American Championship Car Series, that would conjure up a recollection of the Champ Car World Series, which I think he would want to avoid for obvious reasons.

Personally, using the IndyCar name for professional single-seater open-wheel cars based in the U.S. is still the way to go. It is just a more recognizable name for these kind of cars. I would like for the series to be bring back the IndyCar World Series name by just by itself (No IRL IndyCar World Series, USAC IndyCar World Series or CART IndyCar World Series; just IndyCar World Series). That name implies that this is a racing series that recognizes the Indianapolis 500 as its jewel and center piece (which it still is and will continue to be), but the series also competes elsewhere around the world (including the U.S.).

Also, something else I would like to see happen, if Randy hasn't considered this yet, is to revive the Vanderbilt Cup to be the series' overall championship trophy.

[ChicagocrewIRL]

The buying public settled it awhile back. Drop the "Indy" moniker.

Here we go again..... <sigh> .... WHY WHY WHY do you HATE HATE HATE Indy so much ???

Open wheel racing in North America would NOT NOT NOT exist without Indianapolis and no matter how much YOU deny it Indianapolis IS and will always be part of North American open wheel racing.

CART died because it did not have Indianapolis. You want IndyCar to die also, so I guess I can see your motivation. You frustrate me to no end. Congrats LOL

[ChicagocrewIRL]

Who is saying anything about changing the name of the Indy 500?

It is the series that needs a new name.

Why do you hate Indianapolis ?

[px400r]

So we get rid of the "IRL" moniker for a series that has cars, tracks, rules, and people that essentially make up the IRL.

[chuck34]

Who is saying anything about changing the name of the Indy 500?

It is the series that needs a new name.

You have yet to make a convincing argument that changing the name will bring in anyone. If they drop the "Indy" name will that really magically bring in hundreds of thousands of new fans?

You are the FIRST and ONLY person I have ever run into that HATES the name "Indy" ... and you seem to be watching the series. So tell me how will dropping the name build the fan base?