Randy Says...

[Scotty G.]

(From a article I read today in the Indy Star)....

1. Not thrilled with the Versus deal and is stuck with it. Wants more races on ABC, starting next year. "Network TV is where its at", was his quote.

2. Wants the Indy 500 to go back to its 11:00 local time start next year (thank goodness!!!) :) Would help get more out of town fans home sooner and could possibly draw NASCAR drivers (which he admits, the sport could use). Says the 1:00 start time "hasn't helped with ratings".

[garyshell]

And all the naysayers said the "bull rider guy" wouldn't get it. Clearly hs DOES get it. Go Randy!

Gary

[garyshell]

Even Kravitz who is always angry is liking what he sees from Randy:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100429/SPORTS15/4290388/1052/SPORTS01?source=nletter-sports

Gary

[I am evil Homer]

Making the right noises...the idea of Montoya doing the 500 is enticing! But I still feel the two championship idea smacks of desperation/grabbing headlines rather than the 'good' of the series.

A triple crown idea where the winner of all 3 races gets a purse is much stronger IMO.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Randy gets it. Didn't take him 10 minutes to get it either......

[ICWS]

2. Wants the Indy 500 to go back to its 11:00 local time start next year (thank goodness!!!) :) Would help get more out of town fans home sooner and could possibly draw NASCAR drivers (which he admits, the sport could use). Says the 1:00 start time "hasn't helped with ratings".[/quote]

It would be cool if the Indy 500 was run on Memorial Day (Monday) so that the race would be even more unique and separate from the NASCAR race and other sporting events (NBA and NHL playoffs) usually on Sunday. I think that would intrigue some NASCAR drivers (T. Stewart, J. Montoya, R. Gordon, R. Newman, J. Gordon, K. Kahne, S. Hornish, C. Mears, S. Speed, A. Allmendinger, etc.) since the Coke 600 and Indy 500 would be on different days (although within the span of 24 hours) and would allow drivers to not miss driver meetings and not start the races in last place.

[anthonyvop]

Can you just imagine the P.R. disaster if a NASCAR driver was to win the Indy 500?

[garyshell]

Can you just imagine the P.R. disaster if a NASCAR driver was to win the Indy 500?

PR disaster? From who's perspective? The CCF crowd?

What about the HUGE bump in PR if three or four NASCAR drivers decided to run the 500? By comparison I'd say the latter out weighs the former.

Gary

[SUBARUTEAM]

and then danica/scott/dario and ryan jump in the helicopter and also do the double - it would be huge man

[ICWS]

PR disaster? From who's perspective? The CCF crowd?

What about the HUGE bump in PR if three or four NASCAR drivers decided to run the 500? By comparison I'd say the latter out weighs the former.

Gary

It could be even greater PR for the IndyCar series if the NASCAR drivers DON'T perform well in the 500. Here in the United States, ESPN and Fox Sports and and other mainstream sports news would like for us to think that the NASCAR drivers are the best in the world. If someone like Jimmie Johnson or Earnhardt, Jr. tried the Indy 500 and finished in the 20s or 30s it would certainly put those guys in perspective in comparison to Dixon, Helio, Dario, Kanaan, etc.

[anthonyvop]

PR disaster? From who's perspective? The CCF crowd?

What about the HUGE bump in PR if three or four NASCAR drivers decided to run the 500? By comparison I'd say the latter out weighs the former.

Gary

Please. Just try to calm down and think what would be the reaction if a NASCAR driver with no Formula Car experience hopped into a Dallara and won the race.

The reaction would be that a NASCAR driver can just hop in and smoke the best the IRL has to offer. That would make NASCAR look good and the ICS look like amateur hour.

[garyshell]

Please. Just try to calm down and think what would be the reaction if a NASCAR driver with no Formula Car experience hopped into a Dallara and won the race.

The reaction would be that a NASCAR driver can just hop in and smoke the best the IRL has to offer. That would make NASCAR look good and the ICS look like amateur hour.


And the odds of that happening are those of the proverbial snowball in hell, we both know that. So you are so worried about that prospect that you'd not want to see the huge amount of PR we'd have if Tony Stewart, Sam Hornish, Scott Speed, Max Papis and Juan Pablo Montoya (all with the experience) wanted to do the double? You'd rather we just cower in a corner somewhere?

Gary

[Mark in Oshawa]

Please. Just try to calm down and think what would be the reaction if a NASCAR driver with no Formula Car experience hopped into a Dallara and won the race.

The reaction would be that a NASCAR driver can just hop in and smoke the best the IRL has to offer. That would make NASCAR look good and the ICS look like amateur hour.

Tony, there are three guys who could maybe pull that off, and all three of them came from AOW. Stewart, Allmendinger and JPM. That said, I don't see Tony doing it, because I don't even think he could fit in a Dallara. JPM would do it if he could run for Ganassi...but everyone in NASCAR land knows JPM was great in the IRL so they wouldn't see it out of the ordinary. Dinger wouldn't land a good enough ride to likely make him a likely winner.

The reality is the NASCAR crowd likely watchs the 500 to an extent anyhow, and would have MORE reason to watch. Get the ratings up is the goal, and if you can maybe create new fans, or find old ones through this process, who cares?

NASCAR fans will realize after watching (if they were not paying attention before) that the competition here is a lot tougher than they realized, and even if JPM did the double and WON...the NASCAR media would be talking about an IRL event....and there is NO bad publicity is there?

[nigelred5]

I wouldn't rule out Scott Speed being able to jump in a Dallara and be competetive immediately. Don't forget there is also a two time former IRL champion running in Nascar under contract to Penske as well.

[Jag_Warrior]

Having two or more of the big name NASCAR drivers (Gordon, Stewart, Johnson, Earnhardt, Jr., et al) do the Indy 500 would probably mean a 50% jump in the ratings. Outside of ABC showing one of The Danica's uncensored Go Daddy shower scenes, there's nothing they could do that would match that.

As for getting more races on ABC, I suppose if the IRL can write big enough checks (to Versus and ABC), they can get that done. Maybe they'll impose a tax on ride-buyers and they can use that money to buy ABC airtime.

[Jag_Warrior]

That said, I don't see Tony doing it, because I don't even think he could fit in a Dallara.

Has anyone heard when the baby is due, or if he's having a boy or a girl?

[Scotty G.]

The reaction would be that a NASCAR driver can just hop in and smoke the best the IRL has to offer. That would make NASCAR look good and the ICS look like amateur hour.


John Andretti jumped into a car this weekend, on a track he'd never been to with a Indy Car, and finished 9th.

He jumped into a car a few years ago after being gone from Indy Car Racing for 13 years, and got up to the same speed his teammate (Meira) was running in a day.

And John Andretti at this stage of his life, is a backmarker talent in Cup.

You put half of the NASCAR Cup field in a good car at Indy, and they would be very competitive. Especially with a week's worth of practice to get ready and cars whose setups are pretty easy to drive. These guys in NASCAR are PAID to be versatile and are where they are at, because they are the best around. They don't just run 15 races a year, and point-and-steer at half the tracks they run on. They jump from Cup cars, to Nationwide cars to Trucks to late models to USAC dirt cars all year long. They run on pavement and dirt. All these different cars handle different and all feel different. And most of them adapt and run at the front.

Indy Car is amateur hour, compared to NASCAR. Its only a few delusional souls on message boards that don't want to admit that or don't know better. The talent level comparison between the two series, is beyond night-and-day.

And that is the truth.

[anthonyvop]

Indy Car is amateur hour, compared to NASCAR. Its only a few delusional souls on message boards that don't want to admit that or don't know better. The talent level comparison between the two series, is beyond night-and-day.

And that is the truth.

The truth is that except for a handful in each series both the IRL and NASCAR are amateur hour leagues.

NASCAR is an oval tin-top series in which the best drivers and teams are challenged by journeyman road racers when they are confronted with a right turn. To consider NASCAR as a home for great and multi-talented drivers is laughable.

[NickFalzone]

John Andretti jumped into a car this weekend, on a track he'd never been to with a Indy Car, and finished 9th.

He jumped into a car a few years ago after being gone from Indy Car Racing for 13 years, and got up to the same speed his teammate (Meira) was running in a day.

And John Andretti at this stage of his life, is a backmarker talent in Cup.

You put half of the NASCAR Cup field in a good car at Indy, and they would be very competitive. Especially with a week's worth of practice to get ready and cars whose setups are pretty easy to drive. These guys in NASCAR are PAID to be versatile and are where they are at, because they are the best around. They don't just run 15 races a year, and point-and-steer at half the tracks they run on. They jump from Cup cars, to Nationwide cars to Trucks to late models to USAC dirt cars all year long. They run on pavement and dirt. All these different cars handle different and all feel different. And most of them adapt and run at the front.

Indy Car is amateur hour, compared to NASCAR. Its only a few delusional souls on message boards that don't want to admit that or don't know better. The talent level comparison between the two series, is beyond night-and-day.

And that is the truth.

You honestly think that John Andretti's success or lackthereof is ANY indication of his skills as an Indy Car driver? Apples and oranges, why do you not understand that.

You put 90% of the NASCAR field in a mid-pack Dallara and they will be running with the Satos and Visos out there trying not to wreck. You are very naive about different types of racing.

[NickFalzone]

The truth is that except for a handful in each series both the IRL and NASCAR are amateur hour leagues.

NASCAR is an oval tin-top series in which the best drivers and teams are challenged by journeyman road racers when they are confronted with a right turn. To consider NASCAR as a home for great and multi-talented drivers is laughable.

Exactly, guys like Boris Said are still around simply because most of the NASCAR elite is lost on road courses. Top NASCAR drivers are good at one thing, running heavy and loose spec stock cars around ovals at fairly high speeds. That's it. There are some that, had they chosen a different path, might be highly successful in OW, dragster, or even moto GP. But to say that, flat out, the top NASCAR drivers could step into an open-wheel car and run competitively, let alone at the front, is ridiculous. Just as ridiculous as thinking that any top-10 IndyCar driver could step into a COT and within half a season be competitive. Just not comparable skillsets.

[Chamoo]

Exactly, guys like Boris Said are still around simply because most of the NASCAR elite is lost on road courses. Top NASCAR drivers are good at one thing, running heavy and loose spec stock cars around ovals at fairly high speeds. That's it. There are some that, had they chosen a different path, might be highly successful in OW, dragster, or even moto GP. But to say that, flat out, the top NASCAR drivers could step into an open-wheel car and run competitively, let alone at the front, is ridiculous. Just as ridiculous as thinking that any top-10 IndyCar driver could step into a COT and within half a season be competitive. Just not comparable skillsets.

Exactly. The only place a Nascar driver could pull off being competitive would be foot to the floor tracks.

Andretti was always competitive in open wheel because he has a back ground in open wheel.

[NaBUru38]

The IRL should give engines more power and take downforce out, and also pick flatter ovals.

Robby Gordon has shown incredible versatility (CART, Dakar, Baja 1000), but he's an exception.

[Mark in Oshawa]

John Andretti jumped into a car this weekend, on a track he'd never been to with a Indy Car, and finished 9th.

He jumped into a car a few years ago after being gone from Indy Car Racing for 13 years, and got up to the same speed his teammate (Meira) was running in a day.

And John Andretti at this stage of his life, is a backmarker talent in Cup.

You put half of the NASCAR Cup field in a good car at Indy, and they would be very competitive. Especially with a week's worth of practice to get ready and cars whose setups are pretty easy to drive. These guys in NASCAR are PAID to be versatile and are where they are at, because they are the best around. They don't just run 15 races a year, and point-and-steer at half the tracks they run on. They jump from Cup cars, to Nationwide cars to Trucks to late models to USAC dirt cars all year long. They run on pavement and dirt. All these different cars handle different and all feel different. And most of them adapt and run at the front.

Indy Car is amateur hour, compared to NASCAR. Its only a few delusional souls on message boards that don't want to admit that or don't know better. The talent level comparison between the two series, is beyond night-and-day.

And that is the truth.

It is the Truth as you see it. Others will point out where you are wrong, but I have noticed you march to your own agenda.

If you think the IRL guys are so stupid, and the NASCAR guys are so talented, quit watching the IRL then. Really, if it bothers you THAT much...you should go do something else. You are wrong of course, most of the NASCAR guys would be just as lost in an IRL car as the IRL guys are lost in NASCAR.

Different games kids...but take away the foot to the floor ovals like Kansas, Texas and Chicagoland...and these cars get harder to drive right away...