Plan X

[call_me_andrew]

As it stands, the IRL is headed nowhere fast. How would you feel if NASCAR took over the IRL? I know we've discussed them taking over the 500, but I'm talking abou the whole sanctioning body. NASCAR has the cash, connections, and name recognition to save the IndyCar Series. IndyCar offers some international name recognition that could give NASCAR a boost.

[NickFalzone]

NASCAR would bury it. Although possibly slower than it's being buried now. If it comes down to it, let it die and come back fresh and new under private ownership. I'm not confident it will survive to 2011 let alone 2013, but there's a lot of money in keeping the 500 strong, so who knows how long the IRL will be propped up. Maybe long enough that it starts attracting some fans, who knows.

[garyshell]

Nick,

If it dies what makes you think it will ever come back? Who would step up to start it again? I don't see any scenario with that happening.

Gary

[F1boat]

My advice is not to bother with ratings and plans - enjoy the series while it lasts...

[beachbum]

As it stands, the IRL is headed nowhere fast. How would you feel if NASCAR took over the IRL? I know we've discussed them taking over the 500, but I'm talking abou the whole sanctioning body. NASCAR has the cash, connections, and name recognition to save the IndyCar Series. IndyCar offers some international name recognition that could give NASCAR a boost.

My suspicion is NASCAR would immediately kill it off. It is competition after all.

Here is a good article about NASCAR's attitude toward other racing. Obviously, they aren't fans of technology. A realistic scenario would be to kill the IRL, make the Brickyard the premier race at Indy (NASCAR already thinks it is), and run Grand-Am at the road course now used by the IRL.

Being bought out / merged by your biggest competitor is a sure fire way to go out of business. IHMO, the IRL faces some real issues, but so does all forms of racing. Even the powers at F1 are moaning about attendance. The key for all series is to keep the costs in line with the funding available. With the same equipment being used year to year, the IRL can sustain itself as long as the prize money / TEAM money stays realistic. The IRL is right in not making a quick move to new equipment as that would probably not be economically viable right now.

[Lee Roy]

As it stands, the IRL is headed nowhere fast. How would you feel if NASCAR took over the IRL? I know we've discussed them taking over the 500, but I'm talking abou the whole sanctioning body. NASCAR has the cash, connections, and name recognition to save the IndyCar Series. IndyCar offers some international name recognition that could give NASCAR a boost.

First question is, why would NASCAR even want the IRL? I would think that the only way NASCAR would want take the IRL would be if the Indianapolis Motor Speedway came with it . . . . . at a very good price.

[Lee Roy]

Obviously, they aren't fans of technology.

With a 6 or 7 year old kit-car and a one-size-fits-all spec-motor, can the IRL be considered a fan of technology?

A realistic scenario would be to kill the IRL, make the Brickyard the premier race at Indy (NASCAR already thinks it is), and run Grand-Am at the road course now used by the IRL.

This year's B/Y 400 got a 4.8 TV rating. What did this year's Indy 500 get?

[FIAT1]

Nascar helping irl. This is a joke right?

[Chamoo]

With a 6 or 7 year old kit-car and a one-size-fits-all spec-motor, can the IRL be considered a fan of technology?



This year's B/Y 400 got a 4.8 TV rating. What did this year's Indy 500 get?

There is still more technology in one Dallara-Honda then the entire Sprint Series line up.

[Lee Roy]

There is still more technology in one Dallara-Honda then the entire Sprint Series line up.

The top Sprint Cup teams have big engine rooms where the build their own engines. The engine room for an Indy Car team is a closet where they keep the crate the engine came on.

Most Sprint Cup teams build their own chasis. A Dallara shows up in a box with "SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED, BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED" stamped on the side.