DanicaFan, where art thou?

[markabilly]

While Danica was bringing in all the eyeballs (not really), maybe the IRL/IndyCar should have been doing things to fundamentally build up the series... instead of relying on a driver of average racing talent, but with an amazing talent for drawing attention to herself for things other than her (lack of) racing talent.

IMO, the series is no better off and no worse off without her. Unlike NASCAR Sprint Cup, IndyCar didn't have a strong cast of characters that it featured while she was here and they don't have them now. So... what's different? In my case, I'm more likely to now watch an IndyCar race, since I no longer have to listen to Marty Reid drone on about and fawn over somebody who is circulating around in 20th place on a road course. And if DanicaFan went with her, I can live with that too. If he doesn't post here now that she's gone, then he wasn't a true fan of this type of racing to begin with. When my favorite legendary drivers left or retired (Mario Andretti, Emmo Fittipaldi, Alex Zanardi, Juan Montoya, et al), I kept coming back. I even got over my hatred for Tony George, IMS and the IRL. So I say good riddance to the fair weather fans that came and went with a half-talent like The Danica: the Paris Hilton of auto racing.

i agree, but the problem is that "the IRL/IndyCar should have been doing things to fundamentally build up the series... instead of relying on a driver of average racing talent, but with an amazing talent for drawing attention to herself for things other than her (lack of) racing talent."

But they did not and that is the problem, a very serious, possibly fatal, problem for the health of the series.......

[Jag_Warrior]

i agree, but the problem is that "the IRL/IndyCar should have been doing things to fundamentally build up the series... instead of relying on a driver of average racing talent, but with an amazing talent for drawing attention to herself for things other than her (lack of) racing talent."

But they did not and that is the problem, a very serious, possibly fatal, problem for the health of the series.......

I completely agree with you.