.8 rating for Kansas

[Scotty G.]

Tied women's golf and taped monster trucks on CBS.

I guess Mario Moraes, Hideki Mutoh and Bert Baguette don't move the dial.

Good luck Randy. You need it.

[elis]

I guess Mario Moraes, Hideki Mutoh and Bert Baguette don't move the dial.


I guess Danica Patrick, Ryan Hunter Reay, Marco Andretti, John Andretti, & Sarah Fisher don't move the dial... either.

[anthonyvop]

a .8 and of those how many were bored to tears?

[Mark in Oshawa]

Tony....don't you know that Americans WANT more oval racing? That is what Scott keeps telling me....

[Chris R]

please don't get me wrong - that is not a good rating - BUT - it is an improvement over last year isn't it? also, it is not bad for Versus right? feel free to correct me if I am wrong - but I was expecting worse....

either way, they need to improve the product pronto...

[ykiki]

please don't get me wrong - that is not a good rating - BUT - it is an improvement over last year isn't it? also, it is not bad for Versus right? feel free to correct me if I am wrong - but I was expecting worse....

either way, they need to improve the product pronto...

Actually, it was an ABC race.

[Lousada]

Last years ABC average was .9 I think. So it's a pretty good rating, also considering it was Saturday afternoon.

[disko]

well, i was all geared up to watch the race and ended up sleeping through the first 80 laps. nothing happened for the next 10 so I dozed off a again.

what i saw, well, put me to sleep.

I think indy will be the same so Im not going. Ive got 4 top row penthouse N of S/F (center track) and 4 top row behind pit stall 7 if anybody;s interested. face value.

I think I might go to quals though.

[SUBARUTEAM]

we keep hearing that americans want to watch indy cars on the ovals, but the numbers simply don't show it. i think indycar needs a mix of ovals/road courses - but i have no idea how to get people to watch the ovals.

some say different manufacturers - but that wont make the racing better, it will simply split the field into the 'haves' and the 'have nots'

make the cars faster - will do nothing for the average fan

more americans - maybe but you have two good americans that can't get anyone to sponsor them because no one is watching

i have no idea.

[NickFalzone]

.8 is about what this race has always done on ABC. Certainly nothing to be proud of, but to act like it's a drop off from years past or whatever is a mistake. The reality is that the IRL right now has the same old fanbase it's had for the last 6-7 years, and then when it goes to VS less people watch because the channel is less widely available. I don't see this as a series that's dropping off the map, it hit bottom a few years ago and the dial hasn't changed much since.

[markabilly]

maybe that is why on speed channel, we now get tow truck family, pink slips, ice truckers, dangerous drives (about driving around in africa and such, where it is only dangerous if you get out of the car and the animals are hungry), million repeats of butrite-jack auctions (i got money that says there is shilling go on there, big time), "consumer products showcase" and whatever else
that is worse than crud, like "the racing chef", monster jam.......when it ain't nascar (and not all that much of nascar either)

what was on previously like?

things such as many more ama races, irl stuff, f2 races, indy light type stuff, many repeats of the bigger races through the week

Sorry, I done forgot to mention (and I got to quote this because when I read it, i did not beleive it either):


[list:3fpilsbn]
]Fast Track to Fame[/*:m:3fpilsbn]
The new high-octane talent show on SPEED where performers can zoom from ‘nobody’ to star in 60 minutes! [/*:m:3fpilsbn]FAST TRACK TO FAME is the exciting, unpredictable talent show hosted by racing legend Michael Waltrip and co-hosted by Charissa Thompson of FOX Sports and Versus. The party atmosphere comes to life with homegrown talent straight out of NASCAR Nation. Every show is jam-packed with:

- Talented singers
- Hilarious comedians
- Dancers, Magicians, jugglers and other awesome novelty acts

Our esteemed judging panel comprised by; Riki Rachtman of Racing Rocks, Kathy Leigh Carter top Hollywood Talent Manager and a weekly Guest Judge straight from the NASCAR Circuit, are left with the task of finding the top entertainers of the evening. At the end of the show, the highest scoring acts as determined by our expert panel, will take the stage one more time and go bumper to bumper in the finals for a $5,000 prize! Simply put, FAST TRACK TO FAME is a traveling party that’s jam-packed with talent, custom-made for NASCAR Nation.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Visit us at the Fast Track to Fame (http://www.fasttracktofame.com/) website to join the race!
[/*:m:3fpilsbn][/list:u:3fpilsbn]http://www.speedtv.com/programs/fast-track-to-fame/

BETTER HURRY IT IS ON TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!


and you guys and girl, want to run danica off...for shame!!!
but she ought to fit rite in at nascar

[NickFalzone]

I like Michael Waltrip but Fast Track to Fame is one of the worst shows I've ever seen, on Speed channel or otherwise.

[nigelred5]

DVR started on time as always. Same ol ABC2 trick here as has been going on for years with CART, Champcar and the IRL. It's either a Saturday afternoon Lacrosse matchup or the Sunday afternoon Orioles Game. If the race is on ABC, we don't see it. We had UMBC and Hofstra lacrosse this week. They probably got better local ratings than either the O's or the IRL would have recorded.

[SarahFan]

for comparisons sake....the kentucky derby got a 10+ overnite

[Scotty G.]

we keep hearing that americans want to watch indy cars on the ovals, but the numbers simply don't show it.




No, we are seeing that Americans don't want to watch Indy Cars on ANY sort of course, on ANY network, anywhere.

Americans have sampled the Euro-centric form of American Indy Car Racing and have moved onto other things. And they ain't coming back. Continuing to try "a little bit of this" and a "little bit of this" (the Indy Car "diversity" excuse) ain't working either. Only confuses the masses since we have no idea what this series wants to be, who it wants to appeal to and what the point of this is, outside of Memorial Day weekend. Its a mismatch of crap.

BTW, the .8 was still better then any of the 100 MPH road and street parades we were subjected to before Saturday.

[harvick#1]

I had better things to do than watch an IRL race on an oval, the flat out non lift tracks produce such crap racing its not even worth the time to watch it. wake me up when Indy comes on then its slumbers again until they go on a real track again

[Easy Drifter]

We know that IC needs to be on network or readily available cable.
The trouble is ABC and by extension ESPN, despite being the network that has carried racing the longest, are the most inept at covering it.
Admittedly that was not a very exciting race up at the front but there was quite a bit of action further back. Just keeping a loose eye on the positions scroll showed that. A good director would have been following that with occasional shots of the leading cars instead of doing the opposite.

[SoCalPVguy]

But... but... Danica fan said open wheel racing
"belongs on ovals" I'm so confused.
He also said that Danica will excel on ovals... Ohhh the humanity.

[Mark in Oshawa]

No, we are seeing that Americans don't want to watch Indy Cars on ANY sort of course, on ANY network, anywhere.

Americans have sampled the Euro-centric form of American Indy Car Racing and have moved onto other things. And they ain't coming back. Continuing to try "a little bit of this" and a "little bit of this" (the Indy Car "diversity" excuse) ain't working either. Only confuses the masses since we have no idea what this series wants to be, who it wants to appeal to and what the point of this is, outside of Memorial Day weekend. Its a mismatch of crap.

BTW, the .8 was still better then any of the 100 MPH road and street parades we were subjected to before Saturday.

Is there a reason you still post on here? I keep trying to figure this out. You claim to love Indy, but you haven't said one good thing about anything the IRL has done in the last year...but you thought Tony George was right in 95, and you still believe in Americans in this sport. Then you turn around and rip it while explaining it is dead? I am confused by your motives or direction Scott.

AS for the better ratings, please. A test pattern draws a .4. Statistical error would get you to the .9 over the .4. This was on network TV the same day the Kentucky Derby was on. Who is the rocket scientest in Indy who signed on to be the second fiddle to NASCAR trucks on the same day as the Derby? I mean, this has someone we all know and loathe fingerprints all over this deal since it was the same last year.

At some point, someone better start attacking the TV issue, because we all know it is the key to at least frame the sport properly. I watched the IRL from the start (in spite of my loathing of Mr. George's "Vision") and I can tell you the TV has always sucked for me, and it is one of the reasons I think this sport lost a lot of viewers. ABC/ESPN just are clueless in how to show the sport and their on air talent has been so annoying that it is painful. VS is using much of the same people..

[markabilly]

Is there a reason you still post on here? I keep trying to figure this out. You claim to love Indy, but you haven't said one good thing about anything the IRL has done in the last year...but you thought Tony George was right in 95, and you still believe in Americans in this sport. Then you turn around and rip it while explaining it is dead? I am confused by your motives or direction Scott.

AS for the better ratings, please. A test pattern draws a .4. Statistical error would get you to the .9 over the .4. This was on network TV the same day the Kentucky Derby was on. Who is the rocket scientest in Indy who signed on to be the second fiddle to NASCAR trucks on the same day as the Derby? I mean, this has someone we all know and loathe fingerprints all over this deal since it was the same last year.

At some point, someone better start attacking the TV issue, because we all know it is the key to at least frame the sport properly. I watched the IRL from the start (in spite of my loathing of Mr. George's "Vision") and I can tell you the TV has always sucked for me, and it is one of the reasons I think this sport lost a lot of viewers. ABC/ESPN just are clueless in how to show the sport and their on air talent has been so annoying that it is painful. VS is using much of the same people..

unfortunately Scotty G appears to be telling it like it is....maybe.....but you are right, I do not think any of the channels has a clue.....


indeed, i do not think F1 HAS A CLUE

anyway i got to go.........racing to fame is coming on over on the Speed channel....

opps sorry...Fast Track to Fame

yep, dp should fit right in....

[EagleEye]

Last years ABC average was .9 I think. So it's a pretty good rating, also considering it was Saturday afternoon.

A piece of poo might be better than crap, but both are still ShXtty!

Anything on ABC less than 1.5, will not help at all. This does not help, and in fact hurts.

Indy needs to have a BIG rating.

[the bro]

for comparisons sake....the kentucky derby got a 10+ overnite

Aha, you can't say American's don't like oval racing, just not for open wheel cars.

[MDS]

Anything on ABC less than 1.5, will not help at all. This does not help, and in fact hurts.

Indy needs to have a BIG rating.


Yep, Yep

For the sport really to be helped Indy needs to be around a 5.0

[Jag_Warrior]

Last years ABC average was .9 I think. So it's a pretty good rating, also considering it was Saturday afternoon.

If .8 is the actual number, then I agree: pretty much within the range of expectations. Nothing has happened which would cause viewership to go up dramatically. That .8 is in the lower range of where AOWR has been for the past decade on network over-air TV.

[SUBARUTEAM]

I had better things to do than watch an IRL race on an oval, the flat out non lift tracks produce such crap racing its not even worth the time to watch it. wake me up when Indy comes on then its slumbers again until they go on a real track again

how does that differ from nascar on a 2 mile oval? thats crap racing yet it rates very well? perhaps it's because I'm not american but I simply don't get it.

[harvick#1]

how does that differ from nascar on a 2 mile oval? thats crap racing yet it rates very well? perhaps it's because I'm not american but I simply don't get it.

because the only race in which the driver can go flat out the entire race is Talladega, every other tracks forces the driver to have to life off the gas pedal and sometimes lay on the brakes a tad

at Michigan and Fontana, the cars cant stay in the flat out position, its still up to the driver to have to lift and when the go back to the throttle

[e2mtt]

how does that differ from nascar on a 2 mile oval? thats crap racing yet it rates very well? perhaps it's because I'm not american but I simply don't get it.

Actually NASCAR ratings are down from the high of a couple of years ago, and NASCAR fans complain a lot about cookie-cutter tracks. NASCAR's TV ratings on the cookie-cutter tracks are lower then they are for the super-speedways or short tracks.

[call_me_andrew]

how does that differ from nascar on a 2 mile oval? thats crap racing yet it rates very well? perhaps it's because I'm not american but I simply don't get it.

Stock cars still have to lift at Michigan and Fontana. There's still a 50mph difference between the top straightaway speed and slowest corner speed.

Hell, they're even lifting at Daytona now.


Actually NASCAR ratings are down from the high of a couple of years ago, and NASCAR fans complain a lot about cookie-cutter tracks. NASCAR's TV ratings on the cookie-cutter tracks are lower then they are for the super-speedways or short tracks.

I think he was adressing the quality of racing more than the quantity of viewers.

[e2mtt]

...

I think he was adressing the quality of racing more than the quantity of viewers.

Yes, as in NASCAR having to lift/brake rather than run flat out. My point was that the cookie-cutter tracks don't produce great racing for anybody, including NASCAR. I'm not sure why we have so many of them.

[call_me_andrew]

Cookie cutter tracks were popular among track owners because they better sightlines than traditional ovals (a fan sitting in turn 4 doesn't have to turn his head 90 degrees to see turn one).

Plus it's easy to fit a roval into a 1.5 mile trioval so when your big ticket series isn't in town, you can still have track days and club racing.

[e2mtt]

Cookie cutter tracks were popular among track owners because they better sightlines than traditional ovals (a fan sitting in turn 4 doesn't have to turn his head 90 degrees to see turn one).

Plus it's easy to fit a roval into a 1.5 mile trioval so when your big ticket series isn't in town, you can still have track days and club racing.

Interesting. I think we need are more tracks that are laid out like Phoenix & Nazareth, or else Milwaukee & New Hampshire.

good links in your sig - call_me_andrew

[DavePI2]

the nascar boom is over, why else would they be trying so hard to get a overrated driver who never learned how to draft and make a pass in their series to save it. The empty seats just keep growing at nascar races while the tv ratings continue to drop. Kansas ratings were bad but considering it was on a saturday and abc did virtually no promotion it wasn't a disaster. Empty seats at tracks like bristol and daytona are a disaster for nascar though.

[SarahFan]

the nascar boom is over, why else would they be trying so hard to get a overrated driver who never learned how to draft and make a pass in their series to save it. The empty seats just keep growing at nascar races while the tv ratings continue to drop. Kansas ratings were bad but considering it was on a saturday and abc did virtually no promotion it wasn't a disaster. Empty seats at tracks like bristol and daytona are a disaster for nascar though.

just curios...did you happen to see the stands at Kansas?

[Mark in Oshawa]

the nascar boom is over, why else would they be trying so hard to get a overrated driver who never learned how to draft and make a pass in their series to save it. The empty seats just keep growing at nascar races while the tv ratings continue to drop. Kansas ratings were bad but considering it was on a saturday and abc did virtually no promotion it wasn't a disaster. Empty seats at tracks like bristol and daytona are a disaster for nascar though.

Ya...empty Seats at a NASCAR track...their Empty seats scenario is selling only 150000 seats out of 160000 available at Daytona, and their ratings are 10 to 14 times the IRL's even on their worst day.

Boy...I would HATE to be failing like NASCAR.

Boys...there is a recession on.....in case you forgot. The economy gets going, and those seats will fill up again....

[SarahFan]

FWIW the Kansas final was .7

*thats the thing MarkINO.....nascar takes a 20-30k hit and you see some large gaps.....Insycar takes it and you what we had in kansas...5k in the stands

http://i41.tinypic.com/169jcav.jpg

[Mark in Oshawa]

FWIW the Kansas final was .7

*thats the thing MarkINO.....nascar takes a 20-30k hit and you see some large gaps.....Insycar takes it and you what we had in kansas...5k in the stands

http://i41.tinypic.com/169jcav.jpg

But of course, more ovals are needed right Scott? Don't tell me that they just need more American drivers too....because the same track had a race the next day with a similar crowd with a series that is almost all American drivers.

The IRL isn't failing because of the ovals, the street courses, or the lack of American drivers. It is failing because people don't consider it big league or relevent any more....and that is a pereception...and it is VERY hard to pin down why....

No..that picture just puts paid to the legacy of Tony George....he figured his IRL would succeed with ovals and American drivers....and 15 years later when he left, there are few Americans in the sport, and he was looking at more road/street races all the time....

Not sure how we fix things..but there is the evidence of where we are, and it wont be easy getting those stands filled any time soon. The other sad reality? The racing will likely be better this year than the previous 3 or 4 and the depth of quality in the field has grown. The guys in the cars and the competition on track is on its way back....THAT part of the merge worked....

Now we just have to argue marketing, TV ratings and promotion forever until things get better or they die...

[Scotty G.]

1. But of course, more ovals are needed right Scott? Don't tell me that they just need more American drivers too....because the same track had a race the next day with a similar crowd with a series that is almost all American drivers.


2. No..that picture just puts paid to the legacy of Tony George....he figured his IRL would succeed with ovals and American drivers....and 15 years later when he left, there are few Americans in the sport, and he was looking at more road/street races all the time....





1. Yes Marky, more ovals are needed. The series has to be oval dominated and American driver dominated AGAIN (like it was for about 50 years), if it ever wants to be relevent again. Argue it all you want, but the current formula of foreign ride-buyers with NO fanbase and more and more Euro-centric racing, only leads to fewer and fewer folks giving a damn and more and more potential fans staying away. F1 isn't popular (and never will be) here for a reason.

And you do realize that NASCAR Trucks are their AA level of racing. If you want to compare Indy Cars with AA baseball, go right ahead. I don't think that makes a good point for you though.

NASCAR's top 2 series, are almost all American and race on almost all ovals. And they have millions of more fans then Indy Cars. Wasn't that way in the 70's and 80's, when Indy Cars had almost all American drivers and raced primarily on ovals.


2. No, its more a legacy of the entire LEADERSHIP of AOW during the past 25 years. With the #1 culprit in the whole mess being the CAR OWNERS, who replaced the Mears's, Sullivan's, Andretti's, Rahal's, Vasser's, Sneva's, Rutherford's and Unser's of the sport with a bunch of unsellable, unmarketable drivers who helped drive the sport right into the gutter and where it may never get out of.

Blame TG all you want. Its what some of the "one trick pony" posters do best here. He certainly deserves blame for being a part of this complete mess. But also blame Chip Ganassi and Roger Penske and Carl Haas and Gerry Forsythe and Pat Patrick and Derrick Walker and all of those who aspired to make CART and Indy Car Racing into a F1 feeder series and aspired to take on F1, instead of realizing NASCAR was taking off right in front of them and taking their lunch money. Blame them for not building a series that better linked with the majority of American Open Wheel Racing and its crown jewel race. TG had nothing to do with that ball being dropped.

[Lousada]

But of course, more ovals are needed right Scott? Don't tell me that they just need more American drivers too....because the same track had a race the next day with a similar crowd with a series that is almost all American drivers.
Let's not compare a third rate stockcar series with the premier open wheel series :(


The IRL isn't failing because of the ovals, the street courses, or the lack of American drivers. It is failing because people don't consider it big league or relevent any more....and that is a pereception...and it is VERY hard to pin down why....
Because it's exactly the same for years now. No more than 5 years ago Indycar used to draw a full house at Kansas and most other ovals. The only thing different between than and now is that there are about 10 more cars. It's still Dallara/Honda/Firestone, it's still Penske/Ganassi/Andretti, it's still Danica, Helio, Franchitti, Kanaan, Marco, Wheldon and so on. Why would someone watch again the next race or the next year? 2011 will not be different from 2010 or 2009.
The old Champcar races aren't doing much better by the way, just take a look at the situation in Toronto.

[Easy Drifter]

The Toronto situation is caused by arrogant promoters who are alienating the fans with all sorts of rules that were not there in the old days. They have also managed to turn off the local sports car clubs who provided the course workers and brought out more fans, their families and friends.
They are not advertising the race yet and in Toronto there are all sorts of other events almost every weekend fighting for the dollar.
There is a mass exodus from the GTA every summer weekend to cottage country and more and more events up here fighting for the almighty buck. They have to provide a reason to stay and watch a race and they are doing exactly the opposite.
Molson's knew how to promote and attract people and made it a spectator and worker friendy event.
Opening expensive granstand seats to everyone free at the last minute sure didn't impress those who paid big bucks for them. Do you think they will buy those tickets again or even attend?
Fan interest in racing is not dying in Toronto, just in Indy Car. The blame is on the promoters.

The ALMS race at Mosport is drawing big crowds, not huge but big and more each year. Mosport is fan friendly now.

[Scotty G.]

the nascar boom is over, why else would they be trying so hard to get a overrated driver who never learned how to draft and make a pass in their series to save it.


Yes, the boom is over.

But they still are one of the highest (if not THE highest) rated TV sports entity most weekends during the spring and summer. You can add up the entire non-Indy season of Indy Car ratings and they would be the sum of 2 Cup races.

I think NASCAR is going to survive for the next few years.

They need to make some changes. But in the end, they will be fine. They have the best American talent coming through the pipeline to replace some of their aging stars and more will be on the way in the near future. They understand their consumer and understand what the American public wants and will follow. And good for them.

And they aren't the ones "trying so hard" to lure Miss S. Pony. Its the other way around. Her, her daddy and Go Daddy Parsons are the ones who are desperate to get into NASCAR. They don't need her to be popular. She needs them though, to keep her career and brand going. The light is about flickered out in AOW for her.

[call_me_andrew]

1. Yes Marky, more ovals are needed. The series has to be oval dominated and American driver dominated AGAIN (like it was for about 50 years), if it ever wants to be relevent again. Argue it all you want, but the current formula of foreign ride-buyers with NO fanbase and more and more Euro-centric racing, only leads to fewer and fewer folks giving a damn and more and more potential fans staying away. F1 isn't popular (and never will be) here for a reason.

And you do realize that NASCAR Trucks are their AA level of racing. If you want to compare Indy Cars with AA baseball, go right ahead. I don't think that makes a good point for you though.

NASCAR's top 2 series, are almost all American and race on almost all ovals. And they have millions of more fans then Indy Cars. Wasn't that way in the 70's and 80's, when Indy Cars had almost all American drivers and raced primarily on ovals.


2. No, its more a legacy of the entire LEADERSHIP of AOW during the past 25 years. With the #1 culprit in the whole mess being the CAR OWNERS, who replaced the Mears's, Sullivan's, Andretti's, Rahal's, Vasser's, Sneva's, Rutherford's and Unser's of the sport with a bunch of unsellable, unmarketable drivers who helped drive the sport right into the gutter and where it may never get out of.

Blame TG all you want. Its what some of the "one trick pony" posters do best here. He certainly deserves blame for being a part of this complete mess. But also blame Chip Ganassi and Roger Penske and Carl Haas and Gerry Forsythe and Pat Patrick and Derrick Walker and all of those who aspired to make CART and Indy Car Racing into a F1 feeder series and aspired to take on F1, instead of realizing NASCAR was taking off right in front of them and taking their lunch money. Blame them for not building a series that better linked with the majority of American Open Wheel Racing and its crown jewel race. TG had nothing to do with that ball being dropped.

Primarily ovals in the 70's and 80's? Checking up on history: between 1979 and 1982, ovals did dominate road courses, but there were only 15 races a year. 1983-84 ovals and road courses were tied. By 1985 road courses dominated ovals and this trend continued until the split.

As to the notion that "the #1 culprit in the whole mess being the CAR OWNERS, who replaced the Mears's, Sullivan's, Andretti's, Rahal's, Vasser's, Sneva's, Rutherford's and Unser's of the sport with a bunch of unsellable, unmarketable drivers", I declare bull****! Those were the drivers you grew up with, they got old and retired, and these were the guys that replaced them. The only reason you don't like them is because they weren't the drivers you grew up with. It is like the Star Wars prequels: kids born after the prequels were made love them and people born before the prequels hate them. I started watching AOWR in 1998 and the names Ray, Franchitti, Sharp, Brack, Lazier, Papis, and Dismore do resonate with me; I didn't know who Buddy Rahal was until Graham started qualifying for races.

NASCAR's boom is over, but it is certainly not in a bust. Stagnet, yes; bust, no.