Johnson and Kahne say "they are in"

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Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa

Being fast in a sprint or midget prepares you for NASCAR, not handling a 225mph hour lap in a Dallara at Indy. IF it was so easy, Jeff Gordon would be anxious to give it a go....

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Jeff Gordon is too old and too rich and too married to give the Indy 500 a try now. 10 years ago, it would maybe be different. But he is very content with being a multi-time Cup champion and multi-race winner at Indy.

And if complete hacks like Milka Duno, Marty Roth and all of these road racers who have no oval experience and no experience racing at anything over 150 MPH, can figure out how to run 220 MPH in a Dallara, I don't see some of the BEST American driving talent around, having any trouble.

Give any of these Cup boys a good car with a good engineer, and they will be right there. In no time. Racing will be a different animal, but getting up to speed? No problem.

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Originally Posted by Redstorm

NASCAR may still be king but it's not exactly booming right now. Indy better take it's shot while the gettings good.

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NASCAR drops a few decimal points in the ratings and now folks think they are in trouble.

Check the weekly sports TV ratings and see where NASCAR comes in most weeks.

Indy better worry about getting to Craftsman Truck levels of interest and popularity before it ever dreams of Cup. They are so far down the racing chain in this country, its not even funny.

The rest of the series will take a minor miracle to become relevent again. But saving the Indy 500 from irrelevence is still doable, with a much better and sellable driver lineup. Its still Indy, BTW. It still has 100 years of history and tradition. It just needs a whole different driver lineup to get America to care again. And getting 4 or 5 Cup guys to come compete, is what it will take to reverse the ratings trend.

I am well aware of how far down the ladder they really are. NASCAR is screwing up by all the rule changes and gimmicks it adds though. There is nothing that says they will continue to be top dog just because that's where they sit now. They just won't fall off the top on their own. Indy must push some.

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Originally Posted by Lee Roy

You're kidding, right? I can hear Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus right now.

"Hey Chad, are the engineers and the guys in the fabrication shop working on the Indy 500 car?"

"No Jimmie, we buy the same chasis from the same off-the-shelf provider as everyone else. Our engineers and fab guys are looking for work now."

"Well Chad, how about the engine shop, what's going on in there to get ready?"

"Take a look here Jimmie, our new "engine shop" is now the old broom closet, it's were we store the crate that the engine comes in."

"Well Chad, what are we doing to make it better?"

Chad: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"



What was the Daytona 500 TV rating and what was the Indy 500 TV rating?

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Likewise ask anyone outside of the continent to name a US race/circuit and they will say one of 3: Indy 500, Laguna Seca, Daytona 24 hours.

They still have the prestige and the 'brand'

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Originally Posted by I am evil Homer

Likewise ask anyone outside of the continent to name a US race/circuit and they will say one of 3: Indy 500, Laguna Seca, Daytona 24 hours.

They still have the prestige and the 'brand'

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If that meant squat, then the pole sitting car for this year's Indy 500 would have had a sponsor. The pole sitting car for the Daytona 500 did.

Indy 500 and perhaps by extension IRL should be huge but the immense mis-management means even a globally recognised brand like the "500" is losing it's sheen. But it does still have a brand to attract top drivers and sponsors.

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Originally Posted by I am evil Homer

Indy 500 and perhaps by extension IRL should be huge but the immense mis-management means even a globally recognised brand like the "500" is losing it's sheen. But it does still have a brand to attract top drivers and sponsors.

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Then why didn't the POLE WINNING car have a sponsor? And it was driven by a three time winner with the noteriety of winning Dancing With The Stars.

'Globally recognised brand'? It isn't even the biggest race in Central Indiana anymore. Guess what, I'll guarantee you that the pole winning car for the Brickyard 400 will have a sponsor.

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Originally Posted by Lee Roy

Then why didn't the POLE WINNING car have a sponsor? And it was driven by a three time winner with the noteriety of winning Dancing With The Stars.

'Globally recognised brand'? It isn't even the biggest race in Central Indiana anymore. Guess what, I'll guarantee you that the pole winning car for the Brickyard 400 will have a sponsor.

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Penske has his own brand, He's one of the richest people in America. The Indianapolis 500 is still the greatest specticle in racing. Brave men and women risk their lives at every event. It's the most dangerous and most historic racing venue in the world. So if you can't appreciate that, why don't you go on the NASCAR forum and talk about how good (7th) Jr. did this week.

What happens if the winner of the 500 isnt running in Charlotte later that day?

Makes me wonder if that happens does the whole thing fall apart the first year....?

In NASCAR does the driver or car qualify?

And this deal is with the folks in Charlotte .... Not NASCAR ... How do the head honchos feel about this whole thing, so far we haven't heard a peep from them

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Originally Posted by 00steven

Penske has his own brand, He's one of the richest people in America. The Indianapolis 500 is still the greatest specticle in racing. Brave men and women risk their lives at every event. It's the most dangerous and most historic racing venue in the world. So if you can't appreciate that, why don't you go on the NASCAR forum and talk about how good (7th) Jr. did this week.

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Let's see, I pull up the forum page and notice that there's a thread on the IndyCar board with "Johnson and Kahne", two NASCAR drivers in the title. I'm not allowed to participate in and NASCAR thread?

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Penske has his own brand . . . . .

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That has to be the most pathetic excuse I've ever seen.