2014 Silly season [Archive] - Motorsport Forums

bugeyedgomer

27th September 2013, 03:30

News already coming in:

GoDaddy be Bye-Bye-Daddy

GoDaddy will not return to IndyCar as a primary sponsor
James Hinchliffe could be without a sponsor

“I can’t speak for them as a company, but times have changed a little bit for them; they’re a company that relies heavily on television and they measure their return on investment based on TV,” which the IRl ain't got

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2013092 ... /130929892 (http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130925/INDYCAR/130929892)

bugeyedgomer

28th September 2013, 07:06

IZOD officially gone - as opposed to barely being there

http://www.sbnation.com/indycar/2013/9/ ... 013-season (http://www.sbnation.com/indycar/2013/9/27/4778858/izod-leaving-indycar-as-title-sponsor-after-2013-season)

bugeyedgomer

29th September 2013, 02:20

IndyCar Series monitoring Brazil situation, working on alternatives

Reports surrounding the likely cancellation of the Sao Paulo Indy 300 street race continue to filter north from Brazil, and while RACER has confirmed the event has yet to be canceled, “Where there's smoke, there's fire,” said one series official with knowledge of the situation.

The Sao Paulo street race, which made its debut in 2010 around the Anhembi park and exhibition center, has been the subject of numerous questions regarding its continuation on the IndyCar calendar.

Everything from a possible construction project interfering with the 2014 date to the race's Brazilian promoter (and TV broadcaster) Bandeirantes wanting to abandon the event to save money has been mentioned as reasons for shuttering IndyCar's lone flyaway race, and with the series close to finalizing its schedule for next year, resolving the Sao Paulo situation has become a high priority.

bugeyedgomer

20th October 2013, 01:26

HP drops support for Sam Schmidt
Honda drops sponsorship of St. Pete

bugeyedgomer

20th October 2013, 01:27

Bourdais to KV

Starter

20th October 2013, 04:29

HP drops support for Sam Schmidt
Honda drops sponsorship of St. Pete
Hinchcliff to stay at Andretti with new sponsor.

Your point is?? Stuff comes and goes in racing.

FoytFan14

28th October 2013, 01:01

I understand condensing, but whoever thought that Houston in late June was a good idea, is about to have a hell of a lot of questions to answer , when drivers and pit crew are dropping in the heat.

jarrambide

28th October 2013, 01:31

I understand condensing, but whoever thought that Houston in late June was a good idea, is about to have a hell of a lot of questions to answer , when drivers and pit crew are dropping in the heat.

Isn't Houston a night race in 2014?, I'm not saying it is cool at night during June, but it will help, hopefully qualis will also be during the night time, June is mighty humid around here, it took me almost 5 years to get use to it.

Starter

28th October 2013, 13:20

bugeyedgomer

29th October 2013, 19:42

HP drops support for Sam Schmidt
Honda drops sponsorship of St. Pete
Your point is?? Stuff comes and goes in racing.
Not TV viewers, they mostly go, and prime sponsors as well.

IndyCar posts lowest-ever viewership on NBCSN. Avg cable viewership per race (228K) down 64% since '08 (778K).

IndyCar Series Sees TV Viewership Down 22%, Including Lowest NBCSN Audience Yet

The Izod IndyCar Series saw its viewership drop 22% for 19 race telecasts across ABC and NBCSN compared to 15 telecasts last season.

Honda wants IndyCar officials to find new engine suppliers
October 14, 2013

Honda wants at least one more engine manufacturer in the IndyCar Series. And you can be that series officials will try to comply with the Japanese auto maker’s desire.

After Lotus pulled out following last season, Honda and Chevrolet became the only engine makers left in the open-wheel series.

Supplying engines for half the IndyCar field is more than Honda officials bargained for. Series officials limit the amount Honda and Chevy can charge for an engine lease at $695,000. Honda and Chevy officials say that’s well below what they spend to design, develop and make the race engines.

“When you’ve got seven or eight cars and you’re subsidizing them, that’s one thing. But when you’ve got 12 or 13 or 14 and you’re subsidizing them, that’s completely different, and it’s hard for all of us to continue to maintain that level of subsidy,” Honda Performance Development technical director Roger Griffiths told Autosport.

Honda's 2015 F1 Engine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=431h20gvm3M

bugeyedgomer

29th October 2013, 21:46

Mike King out as IMS broadcaster. Wow, condensation is taking it's toll...

No IMS Radio Network 'ceptin' Indy...
...is one of the rumors. Heard this, actually, late last year as an eventuality. Heard IMSRM would be up and running for Indy only.

bugeyedgomer

1st November 2013, 01:39

Chris R

1st November 2013, 16:59

Gheesh, enough with the negative Nancy stuff….

One can choose to look at many thing in the world today with a negative eye and they would be right about 90% of it (including much of what you say in your posts)…

The problem is that all of this negativity becomes a big self-fulfilling prophecy - the more we point out the bad, the more bad there is to point out…

I like Indycars. I know there are myriad problems for the series and I am not at all convinced the "good old days" ever truly existed. The fact of the matter is the AOWR has always been effed up somehow or another.

I am a fan. I am happy to hear more good news than normal by this time of year. I am concerned about the future of my chosen sport/form on entertainment but to paraphrase Jean-Luc Picard "it must stop HERE". If all we can do is complain about everything and point out all the bad stuff, it isn't going to get better, ever….

This sport is never going to live up to the inflated expectations of those of us who long for the "good old days" - we can't even agree what was the "good old days"…. Can't we just accept that we have some great racing by great drivers on great tracks RIGHT NOW?? If we don't there won't be any future seasons to wax poetically about 20 years down the road…..

excuse me for a minute while I climb off my soapbox…. ;)

garyshell

1st November 2013, 18:54

ibj.com 8/2012
Kellogg's rolls out IndyCar-branded cereal nationwide
Direct-to-consumer marketing of star drivers could be just what the series needs to boost interest, TV ratings.

http://www.totallytarget.com/2012/11/26 ... w-as-free/ (http://www.totallytarget.com/2012/11/26/clearanced-kelloggs-vroom-cereal-as-low-as-free/)
Watch for the limited edition 10.9 oz boxes of Kellogg’s Vroom Cereal being found on clearance stores for as low as $1 each. I’ve gotten several e-mails & comments- plus Kelley & I also both found them for $1 at our stores yesterday. Clearanced Kellogg’s Vroom Cereal = as low as FREE

Exactly what does a story from a year ago have to do with the topic of this thread. I am contemplating creating a new thread called "a rant on all that is wrong with Indycar including old dredged up year old stories and threads" and moving some messages to it.

Gary

bugeyedgomer

1st November 2013, 20:39

Rahal team signs top IndyCar engineer Bill Pappas from Dale Coyne
By Mark Glendenning Thursday, October 31st 2013, 19:19 GMT

Veteran IndyCar race engineer Bill Pappas has joined Rahal Letterman Lanigan, where he will oversee Graham Rahal's car.

Pappas' 25-year career has included stints at Roush Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, Hall Racing, Walker Racing, Panther Racing, and most recently Dale Coyne Racing, where he spent the past two seasons working with Justin Wilson.

He engineered Gil de Ferran to CART rookie of the year honours in 1995, and supervised Juan Pablo Montoya's Indianapolis 500 win in 2000.

"I'm excited that Bill is joining the team," said Rahal. "He brings not only a wealth of experience, and Indy 500 wins as well as others, he can really help take our team and engineering staff to the next level.

"I've known Bill a long time. We have had opportunities to work together before but it just didn't fall into place until now."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111012/

bugeyedgomer

1st November 2013, 20:43

Pocono IndyCar race extended to 500 miles for 2014
By Mark Glendenning Saturday, October 26th 2013, 05:52 GMT

The 2014 IndyCar race at Pocono has been extended to 500 miles.

The revised distance adds 100 miles, or 40 laps, to the race length used when the circuit returned to the IndyCar calendar this year.

"I'm very excited about these changes for 2014," said Brandon Igdalsky, Pocono Raceway President and CEO. "After last year's IndyCar Series race, droves of open-wheel fans immediately took to our social media channels, sent emails, called us to let us know they wanted more."

Newly-crowned series champion Scott Dixon, whose Pocono win in July triggered the late-season surge that ultimately delivered him the title, welcomed the change.

"It will certainly change the race strategy at Pocono next year, for sure," he said. "This year's race was highly competitive, and the addition of 100 miles is going to make it even better."

The change also means that all three of the events that make up IndyCar's Triple Crown - Indianapolis. Pocono and Fontana - will be 500 mile races.

Phoenixent

2nd November 2013, 02:51

So as of October 26, 2013 we (Indycar Family and Fans) have a true Triple Crown again after all these years. Good news is out there just have to look for it.... :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :) :cool:

Unlike negative Nancy .... bugeyedgomer or Brian Carroccio

bugeyedgomer

2nd November 2013, 05:06

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BMR41_vCAAASTEp.jpg

Spafranco

2nd November 2013, 17:29

Dragon is gone and so too McAfee and True Car. Stair Lifts or whatever they are called may also take their money and go elsewhere with James Jakes the son of the owner.

bugeyedgomer

7th November 2013, 20:03

Falken Tire says it will run in GTLM class of United Sports Car Championship next season & Derrick Walker will return as team manager.

bugeyedgomer

8th November 2013, 05:09

IndyCar owners sign new executives for motorsport division
By Mark Glendenning Thursday, November 7th 2013, 17:42 GMT

Indianapolis 500 2013

Hulman and Co CEO Mark Miles has completed the formation of the leadership team that will steer the company's motorsport division, which includes the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Former Ford marketing executive CJ O'Donnell has been named as Hulman Motorsports' chief marketing officer, while Jay Frye, whose motorsport experience includes setting up the Red Bull NASCAR team, will serve as chief revenue officer.

"We've set a new strategic direction for our motorsports entities, and Jay and C.J. are both top performers who will help us take big leaps forward," Miles said.

"Among their immediate goals are to add sponsors for INDYCAR and IMS, improve our level of fan engagement and develop strategies to build alignment among our teams, drivers, venues and sponsors.

mike15

11th November 2013, 22:21

Speaking of new engine suppliers.
Cosworth engineers were in the pits at Mid-Ohio this year, so I asked!
Will Cosworth be back in Indycar in 2014.
The response was that is their goal.

garyshell

11th November 2013, 22:47

Who owns Cosworth these days? Is it still Kevin? I am guessing they would have to find a "dance partner" in this as they have done in the recent past.

Gary

Speaking of new engine suppliers.
Cosworth engineers were in the pits at Mid-Ohio this year, so I asked!
Will Cosworth be back in Indycar in 2014.
The response was that is their goal.

bugeyedgomer

17th November 2013, 19:08

Mike Conway joins Carpenter team for road and street IndyCar races Mark Glendenning
Mike Conway has joined Ed Carpenter Racing for the 2014 IndyCar season, with the Briton set to be the team's driver on road and street courses.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111358/ - Published 15 November 2013

Doc Austin

18th November 2013, 00:49

The problem is that all of this negativity becomes a big self-fulfilling prophecy - the more we point out the bad, the more bad there is to point out…

Yep.

bugeyedgomer

18th November 2013, 06:36

Since there was no thread or posts about the season ending, champeenship deciding race, it appeared that nobody cared

garyshell

18th November 2013, 06:45

Guess that would include you as well?

Gary

Since there was no thread or posts about the season ending, champeenship deciding race, it appeared that nobody cared

journeyman racer

18th November 2013, 09:11

That's an affirmative from me. I remember looking at the wiki page thinking "Huh, finally Castroneves is going to win a title." I can't say I was surprised to hear that Dixon had won. "As if Castroneves was going to win it. 14 years (In a Penske) and counting". He's underachieved with that team.

I did see some footage of the series ending race. I was stunned, despite having low expectations in the first place, of how small the crowd was! Barely more than the attendance for amateur level races in Australia! Tony George has done a fantastic job ruining Indy racing. When does he get his commission from Nascar?

bugeyedgomer

18th November 2013, 16:55

Guess that would include you as well?

Gary

Since there was no thread or posts about the season ending, champeenship deciding race, it appeared that nobody cared
I just so happen to be one of the two who posted anything about the penultimate race

Chris R

21st November 2013, 19:29

I think the general problem is that this forum seems to be dying down/out for reasons unknown….

Starter

21st November 2013, 19:40

Many people are not following the series as much as they used to. And those that do don't seem to have the same level of passion. Thanks Tony.

Chris R

21st November 2013, 19:45

I am not sure if that is the issue with this forum though - TF seems to be rolling along as much as ever… Honestly, I have always preferred this forum as a more levelheaded place - - perhaps us levelheaded fans are dropping out…..

Starter

22nd November 2013, 00:20

Could be. I'm still very involved in motorsports at the local level. However, I've missed the broadcasts of several Indycar races this year (F1 too) because of conflicts and haven't even made the effort to record them for later viewing.

beachbum

22nd November 2013, 12:41

I follow a lot of internet forums on various topics, and I don't think the lack of activity here is a problem with the forum. Almost all racing forums for any series are very quiet compared to years past. That may be partly because many user forums have become filled with trolls and negativity. This one is still one of the civil ones, but that doesn't seem to capture interest. In same cases, it seems forums have been replaced by social media like twitter as a way to communicate thoughts.