Your ideas to fix Indycar

[garyshell]

Enough with the "chimp" references.

I'll say no more.

Gary

[DBell]

Merged? How many chimp car team still in the IndyCar? 1 or 2? It wasn't a real merger, Chimpycar simply died, because nobody watched it.

Hmm,

Champcar simply died, because nobody watched it'

IRL simply died, because nobody watched it.

IndyCar simply died, because nobody watched it.

Amazing how many open wheel series you can plug into that sentence and have it be true.

[SoCalPVguy]

An all road course breakaway series would have had the exact same effect.

Correct. A balanced series: street, road, large super speedways and short ovals is about the one thing that the series has going for it - but more ovals would be a disaster

[Jag_Warrior]

Merged? How many chimp car team still in the IndyCar? 1 or 2? It wasn't a real merger, Chimpycar simply died, because nobody watched it.

And how many of the original IRL teams are in the series now? Give it up, dude. That song has grown old & tired now.

Look amigo, the OP wanted suggestions on what could be done to fix the series as it stands now. CART went bankrupt. CCWS was a sad shadow of what CART was, so was the IRL and so is Indy Car. I shouldn't have to waste my time presenting data which supports that factual conclusion. And I'm not going to waste my time rehashing ancient history with you. In case you haven't noticed, there are only a handful of people left on this (and every other Indy style) board who even care anymore. We're making every attempt to keep caring, but it ain't easy - and comments like you're making really don't help. Believe me.

The TV ratings now barely rival a bad, late night infomercial - they are no better than Champ Car's. This series has NEVER turned a profit. 17 consecutive quarters of losses is probably a record in the world of business... so I'm sure that 17 years has got to be worthy of a Guinness Book record of some sort. It is (by definition) a failed business model. The public has tuned out and turned off. So what purpose is there in discussing the gallons of milk that have been spilled over the past 17 years or so? Do you truly believe that will fix anything??? Really?!

The only idea that I have now (after 10+ years of repeating what I thought were decent, rational ideas) is to find a new, wealthy benefactor, maybe from the high tech sector. Someone who thinks cars and racing are cool. Someone who has the money and the desire to spend about $100 million over the next 5-7 years to rebuild this trainwreck. Probably need to set up a side fund to pay some world class drivers from F1 and NASCAR, since nobody gives a rat's hairy brown butt about the drivers who are in the series now - well except for the people who think that Danica is still an IRL/IndyCar driver.

[nigelred5]

IndyCar was mostly all oval series over 70 years. The decline started when IndyCar turn an f1 ladder in the mid 80s.

If that's what you want, that's fine, but you might as well not even bother with a network television contract, and those Dallaras are going to look really weird running backwards. TG should have adopted the gold crown car when he created the IRL if he was so convinced that's what everyone wants. The all oval IRL didn't suceed.

[C3PO]

The all oval IRL didn't suceed.

IRL was far more succesful than current CC 2.0. Since the IndyCar and the CC "merged" and the schedule full off boring street wreckfests the viewership fall every year.

[Starter]

IRL was far more succesful than current CC 2.0. Since the IndyCar and the CC "merged" and the schedule full off boring street wreckfests the viewership fall every year.

The IRL did OK during the first couple years after the split, as did CART. Over time since then though, both CART then CC as well as the IRL had substantial drop offs. Now we have today's attendances. It can be attributed to many things - poor TV availability; uninteresting cars; unknown (to the general public) drivers; poor marketing; etc. The biggest issue, IMO, is a switch in viewing habits and attitudes among the group that used to be the target demographic for auto racing. For someone to suggest that the problem is not enough ovals, too many streets or ugly cars is foolish. Those may each be a small part of the problem, but "small" is the operative word here. Even the juggernaut know as NASCAR is finding it tough going now. They have dumb cars, but they DO have major TV; known star drivers; major sponsorship -- AND, except for a couple races, they run on ovals.

So in conclusion, I'd say your premise is deeply flawed.

[Spafranco]

I loved CART. It was noisy (something the TV guys could do is not mute the engine sounds) fast , sexy and exciting. Now, it is boring even for me that goes to the race sites first thing each day.

Ever go to a race and once the anthem has finished along come the F-18's or 16's.

Well, one day I was at my one and only NASCAR race at Michigan and they had a B-17 following the F-18's. It was slow and cumbersome. I loved seeing it as it means so much to the country. But, to use it's makeup, mechanically and aesthetics it was not a pretty plane. Slow but could get the job done.

Now look at the F-18's, Noisy, fast , totally sexy and spectacular. I also love the B-17. My point is that the sexy beast aspect has to be promoted.

Has anyone ever seen the ad in Europe, I believe Tissot runs it where there is a camera behind a crowd of people in the stands. It's a practice session

with one car on track. You hear it but don't see it. The sound gets louder and the people stretch their necks to see the car. It has rained also.

The all of a sudden this screeching spray passes and then it's gone. The crowd erupts with euphoria. Thing is, the car was not seen. It was just noise and the spray and the unbridled speed of an F1 car.

[NY2IA]

Thanks for the ideas to fix Indycar. I appreciate we can learn from the past but we are looking forward! I watched a TV commerical last evening for the Honda SI. They included video of Indycar in it. Sponsors-how about including Indycar in your ads? How about the Drivers seen in print and television commericals? (Helio dancing; formerly Danica). How about Penske using his fleet of rental trucks to have Indycar images plastered on them? Where is Verizon using Indycar in their ads? The list goes on.... Yes, some of these ideas may seem ridiculious, but we need to be thinking outside the box.

[call_me_andrew]

Correct. A balanced series: street, road, large super speedways and short ovals is about the one thing that the series has going for it - but more ovals would be a disaster

Quick survey: does anyone actually care about the distinction between a road course and a street course?