Owners support return to traditional start time

[MDS]

With TG out of the way maybe this will happen now. Via Cavin @ http://www.indystar.com/article/20090830/SPORTS0107/908300351/1052/SPORTS01/Owners+seek+return+to+earlier+start+at+500+to+get+ NASCAR+drivers


JOLIET, Ill. -- The Indianapolis 500 will return to its more traditional start time -- 11 a.m. -- if some influential IndyCar Series team owners have a say in it.The leaders of Team Penske and Andretti Green Racing said Saturday they support a change back to the earlier start time to help the event attract NASCAR http://www.indystar.com/article/20090830/SPORTS0107/908300351/1052/SPORTS01/Owners+seek+return+to+earlier+start+at+500+to+get+ NASCAR+drivers#drivers, which they figure would boost television ratings for the 500.
Currently, the 1 p.m. start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway does not allow enough time for drivers to complete the 500 miles and then fly to Concord, N.C., for the Sprint Cup Series night race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Team Penske president Tim Cindric brought the subject up in an owners meeting held with Indy Racing League officials prior to the race at Chicagoland Speedway.
"It's worth one (ratings) point, at least," Cindric said after the meeting.
Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon and John Andretti have competed in both races on the same day, Gordon the last in 2004. It was the fifth time Gordon had competed in both races.


I've been maintaining that moving the start time to 1 p.m. was moronic decision because if Robby Gordon, Sam Hornish, Scott Speed, A.J. Almendinger, Juan Pablo, or any of them decided to do the double it would add competitive, marquee drivers in strong cars, would help draw in NASCAR fans and create more national interest. How unbelievably big would it be if Red Bull backed a team for Speed at KVRT, AGR or NHL, Hornish got a third Penske entry, JPM was in a third Ganassi car with the lighting bolt scheme, and AJ and Robby hooked up with strong teams, It would be the biggest 500 since Mansell ran it.

[SarahFan]

its a no brainer

[Wade91]

With TG out of the way maybe this will happen now. Via Cavin @ http://www.indystar.com/article/20090830/SPORTS0107/908300351/1052/SPORTS01/Owners+seek+return+to+earlier+start+at+500+to+get+ NASCAR+drivers



I've been maintaining that moving the start time to 1 p.m. was moronic decision because if Robby Gordon, Sam Hornish, Scott Speed, A.J. Almendinger, Juan Pablo, or any of them decided to do the double it would add competitive, marquee drivers in strong cars, would help draw in NASCAR fans and create more national interest. How unbelievably big would it be if Red Bull backed a team for Speed at KVRT, AGR or NHL, Hornish got a third Penske entry, JPM was in a third Ganassi car with the lighting bolt scheme, and AJ and Robby hooked up with strong teams, It would be the biggest 500 since Mansell ran it.
that would be awesome! :D

[NickFalzone]

I would imagine that west coast people are barely even rolling out of bed with that start and 11 am is still too early for a lot of east coasters/families with Church or what else going on in the morning. I guess if it's worth an extra ratings point it makes sense, but I don't see that happening with such an early start time. I think the current start time is great, could even start an hour later if you ask me. If all the IRL has left at this point is a vague hope that a few Cup drivers will do the double, then the IRL is a joke anyway. The 500 still claims to be a marquee event and it's clearly the biggest races of the IRL's season. Now, the IRL may well be a joke and needs a gimmick like an am race start to get a few drivers from a more successful series to compete. I think they should instead just work on improving their series and the quality of the racing at their event, and forget about these early start times and dragging CUP drivers over.

[SarahFan]

I would imagine that west coast people are barely even rolling out of bed with that start and 11 am is still too early for a lot of east coasters/families with Church or what else going on in the morning. I guess if it's worth an extra ratings point it makes sense, but I don't see that happening with such an early start time. I think the current start time is great, could even start an hour later if you ask me. If all the IRL has left at this point is a vague hope that a few Cup drivers will do the double, then the IRL is a joke anyway. The 500 still claims to be a marquee event and it's clearly the biggest races of the IRL's season. Now, the IRL may well be a joke and needs a gimmick like an am race start to get a few drivers from a more successful series to compete. I think they should instead just work on improving their series and the quality of the racing at their event, and forget about these early start times and dragging CUP drivers over.


personnallt I like the early start times.... I can watch the race, then have the afternoon and evening free....

33 starters... 21-24 regulars

I'd rather have quality cup racers (will we get them?, and do our definition of who they are differ?..probably) than field fillers

[Jag_Warrior]

They moved the Indy start time up and all the ratings have done is go down, as they can no longer attract drivers that more people (Americans anyway) care about. Grand Am proved, with the addition of Cup regulars, that ratings go up when you have drivers that more people care about and follow.

There will always be "event fans" (a term coined by IRL fans in reference to Long Beach, I believe), but other than those who watch Indy just because it's Indy, at some point all they'll be left with is the hardcore IRL viewers. And what is that these days, somewhere between a .8 and a 1.0 on network? I can't stand the guy, but I think the addition of Tony Stewart would be worth close a ratings point by himself. Montoya would certainly attract some much needed attention. And if the day ever comes when Dale Jr. will give it a try (not that I think he'd do all that well), good grief!

I'm not hammering the IRL. It is what it is. But until there is something (new) that attracts people's attention, I don't see why the "general sports fan" viewers would return. Having more manufacturers, more/different types of cars and (IMO, most importanltly) drivers with a big following would all help. Two of those three things won't happen at least until the formula changes. But this seems like a good idea to (potentially) attract a broader base of talent to me.

[SarahFan]

Jag.... Mix INS new track record and/or closed record and maybe aowr would have a platform to rebuild

*ken ducks and runs from Gary

[beachgirl]

I would imagine that west coast people are barely even rolling out of bed with that start and 11 am is still too early for a lot of east coasters/families with Church or what else going on in the morning. I guess if it's worth an extra ratings point it makes sense, but I don't see that happening with such an early start time. I think the current start time is great, could even start an hour later if you ask me. If all the IRL has left at this point is a vague hope that a few Cup drivers will do the double, then the IRL is a joke anyway. The 500 still claims to be a marquee event and it's clearly the biggest races of the IRL's season. Now, the IRL may well be a joke and needs a gimmick like an am race start to get a few drivers from a more successful series to compete. I think they should instead just work on improving their series and the quality of the racing at their event, and forget about these early start times and dragging CUP drivers over.

The 500 started for years and years at 11 am, and the ratings were very high. Didn't seem to affect those who you think might have a problem with the earlier time for all those years. IMHO.

[Jag_Warrior]

To be honest, Ken, I think a new track record would only matter (or get major media play) if the record was achieved by someone like Danica. Otherwise, who is going to pay attention? Only us gearheads, right? I don't know jack about golf. I don't really follow golf. But when Tiger does something amazing, it gets play and even I hear about it. Ebven I might watch it for a few minutes just to see what all the commotion is about.

Just my 2 cents. But at this stage, they need to do something toward a Plan B. Cause Plan C probably involves Danica in a see-thru driving suit.

[MDS]

I think any losses would be minimal. Memorial Day is a horrible day for church attendance, and if I've learned anything from watching my brother's kids is that kids get up early no matter when you'd want them to, and any young families have already been awake for a couple hours on the West Coast anyways. Also, the western time zone is smaller percentage of the population. I think something like a third of the US population lives on Eastern time. You're really not getting that much by holding off start times for the west coast.

NASCAR fans will follow their drivers where they race, and the Indy 500 wasn't built around regular drivers, but innovation, and the best drivers coming from across the world to compete at Indy. Bringing in people who aren't part of the series has been what Indy is all about. We can't get F-1 drivers anymore, but if the Indy 500 pulled in three to six NASCAR drivers you'd have more Americans in the field and more interest.

[SarahFan]

Translation

Mime and tim to the folks at ims:

A year from now we will be the owners of the league that competes in the 500 ...., and the early start will allow us to find sponsorship to run extra cars with nascar drivers in the seats

[Scheckterfan54]

I would be a fan of running the race on monday of memorial day with a 3pm start time. Get the napcar drivers here, perfect start time for all time zones, and memorial day doesnt really have very much going on as far as tv sports go.

[grungex]

The start time isn't their problem...

[garyshell]

I would imagine that west coast people are barely even rolling out of bed with that start and 11 am is still too early for a lot of east coasters/families with Church or what else going on in the morning.


It worked well at 11 for many years. Why should it be any different now?

Gary

[nigelred5]

Also, the western time zone is smaller percentage of the population. I think something like a third of the US population lives on Eastern time. You're really not getting that much by holding off start times for the west coast.

NASCAR fans will follow their drivers where they race, and the Indy 500 wasn't built around regular drivers, but innovation, and the best drivers coming from across the world to compete at Indy. Bringing in people who aren't part of the series has been what Indy is all about. We can't get F-1 drivers anymore, but if the Indy 500 pulled in three to six NASCAR drivers you'd have more Americans in the field and more interest.

Apparently far too many TV and sporting executives fail to recognize that fact.

The whole Indiana Time Zone, daylight savings time thing also always changed the equation. 11:00 local time isn't always 11:00am to the rest of us. For years, 11:00 am local was 10:00 everywhere else on the east coast. That's a big hour when contemplating the double.

[garyshell]

Apparently far too many TV and sporting executives fail to recognize that fact.

The whole Indiana Time Zone, daylight savings time thing also always changed the equation. 11:00 local time isn't always 11:00am to the rest of us. For years, 11:00 am local was 10:00 everywhere else on the east coast. That's a big hour when contemplating the double.

Changed (past tense) is the operative word here. Indiana now uses Daylight Savings Time like the rest of the country (except for Arizona and then except on the Navajo reservation which does use DST).

Gary

[BobbyC]

The start time will probably move to 12:30 PM. Current Disney policy on programming means ABC must be able to run "This Week" in entirety, so the start time would probably go to 12:30 PM, with a 30-minute pre-race at 12 Noon.

Also 11 AM pre-game shows also affected affiliates that aired church services from local churches (such as WJBF in Augusta, GA).

[ClarkFan]

Apparently far too many TV and sporting executives fail to recognize that fact.

The whole Indiana Time Zone, daylight savings time thing also always changed the equation. 11:00 local time isn't always 11:00am to the rest of us. For years, 11:00 am local was 10:00 everywhere else on the east coast. That's a big hour when contemplating the double.

You have the effect flipped. Indianapolis is in the Eastern time zone, but did not go onto Daylight time in the summer. 11AM HST (Hoosier Standard Time) was 12PM EDT and 9AM PDT. Given that Indy now uses Daylight time, a noon start would be equivalent.

ClarkFan

[nigelred5]

People that are going to attend the race aren't going to church that day, no matter what time the race starts.

Regardless, they need to do something!