Well, doom has been delayed at least

[SoCalPVguy]

I was among many who thought for sure that the Indy rating would trend upward, so that is what I mean by it being a shock to us.

I was one of those who thought that after "unification" that the Indy 500 rating would go up as these will be no further market confusion. However it looks like people who can't find the other races on VERSUS gave up entirely and didn't even try to watch ABC.

[MDS]

I'm not saying its perfect, its going to take some time to turn the sport around, but I believe its heading in the right direction, and I haven't been able to say that years. Yes it could still go in the tank, but there were some people on this forum hinting that the IRL could cease to operate at the end of the year, it doesn't look like that is going to happen and hopefully the teams are starting to build a decent foundation.

There is a future for Open Wheel Racing in this country, its just going to look take longer than most would like and look different than what we expect.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Unfortunately I think doom has only been delayed. Yes the car count is good but trouble signs for next year abound:

1. The VERSUS deal is a killer an assures that even a fine on track product won't be seen by any significant number of people, which leads to...

2. Lack of sponsorships due to both the low rating for the network that isn't seen any way, and coupled with...

3. A poor economy, some experts liken to 1932 depression all over again --- high taxes, high forced health care costs, and disincentives from a socialist ideologue congress and president prevent businesses for having discretionary cash for optional type sports marketing (hurts all sports, but hurts marginal specialty sports like Indy racing more than say the NFL), there is no 'recovery' now and next year will be worse, as evidenced by ...

4. IZOD's apparent upcoming pull back of sponsorship money next year, which could lead to ...

5. Small teams with already thin sponsorship being in real trouble, that causes...

6. These small teams to rely on no name foreign "ride buyer" drivers to stay afloat, which results in ...

7. Lack of fan knowledge and familiarity with no name foreign drivers, lessening their interest and causing ...

8. Even LESS people watching VERSUS and starting the cycle again.

Some of those I agree with, some I don't, but I just hope you are dead wrong on all of it.....

[SoCalPVguy]

Some of those I agree with, some I don't, but I just hope you are dead wrong on all of it.....

I love open wheel racing too and hope I am wrong, but...

1. I am certain the bad Versus deal will eventually be the death of us.

2. I doubt any one here or the general public realizes how bad our economy is now with rising taxes to support unchecked govt spending where the all time national debt is approaching $13 trillion, we are only months away for potentially becoming greece with our debt to gross product ratios. There will be no corporate money for optional things like niche sport openwheel autoracing sponsorships, and spare capital presently sitting on the sidelines due to uncertainty will be shifted to other countries such as china to avoid confiscation by the ideologue socialist president and congresss now in power. Predict no change in our economy until 1/23/2013.

[DBell]

2. I doubt any one here or the general public realizes how bad our economy is now with rising taxes to support unchecked govt spending where the all time national debt is approaching $13 trillion, we are only months away for potentially becoming greece with our debt to gross product ratios. There will be no corporate money for optional things like niche sport openwheel autoracing sponsorships, and spare capital presently sitting on the sidelines due to uncertainty will be shifted to other countries such as china to avoid confiscation by the ideologue socialist president and congresss now in power. Predict no change in our economy until 1/23/2013.

Thanks for the right wing editorial.

[grungex]

I doubt any one here or the general public realizes how bad our economy is now with rising taxes to support unchecked govt spending where the all time national debt is approaching $13 trillion, we are only months away for potentially becoming greece with our debt to gross product ratios. There will be no corporate money for optional things like niche sport openwheel autoracing sponsorships, and spare capital presently sitting on the sidelines due to uncertainty will be shifted to other countries such as china to avoid confiscation by the ideologue socialist president and congresss now in power. Predict no change in our economy until 1/23/2013.

Do you you have to spout your right-wing crap in every thread? Go to TF, they'll welcome you with open pitchforks...

[SoCalPVguy]

Thanks for the right wing editorial.

You are welcome, unfortunately the poor economic situation is affecting our sport.

[elan 02]

I would not jump to hard on SoCal for his non racing post. He is very near the truth about how many of us view the current State of Affairs. He mite be wise to post that elsewhere?

[Jag_Warrior]

All I know is, the people and companies who have solid business plans are still making money in this country. Not as much as before maybe, but anyone who can't roll with the punches is doomed to failure anyway. And any company whose business success depends on a +/- 3% change in the marginal tax rate, I would look to short sell that company as quickly as I could. If the only time you can make money is in the best of times, you're not good, you've just been lucky... dumb lucky. And any CEO dumb enough to shut down operations here, so that he could escape "socialism" (:rolleyes , and move to a state managed economy run by unabashed communists, where intellectual property rights (and human rights) mean next to nothing, ASK THAT MAN FOR A CHECK RIGHT NOW! Get him to sponsor five or six cars, or hell, the whole dang series! He's clearly an idiot, so you could promise him anything and he'd believe it. Get as much money as possible up front though. It's going to be an MCI/WorldCom type deal, so ya gotta take the money and run (fast!).

I got an interesting email today from an old pal and former co-worker. We shared a deep interest in cars and racing, so we fast became friends, even though he worked for a different division than I did. It seems that his division is sponsoring Kevin Harvick Racing now. It's not the first time the conglomerate has dipped its toe into NASCAR, but we had typically been an open wheel sponsor since the early 90's. I asked him how Harvick got the deal. He said quite dryly, "He asked." Hell, who woulda ever thought of that?! Ask! I wonder what Ivy League MBA program Kevin and DeLana attended to learn that complex business strategy???

If Michael Andretti and the other IRL team owners could cobble together a business proposal that made sense for a sponsor, and had something of value to offer, perhaps they could get more real sponsors too (instead of just ride buyers). Yeah, I know... more crazy talk, huh? NASCAR and its teams understand that sponsors aren't there to help the teams or the series. They're there so that the teams and the series can help THEM! CART forgot that. CCWS never figured it out. And the IRL (and some of its fans) continues to be a little ball lost in the tall grass on that topic. Companies are still spending money on sponsorships... for those that have the b#lls and good sense to get off their butts and ask for it. Stop crying in your soup and go out there and get some of it!!!

[call_me_andrew]

Guys, I'm very sorry for what this, but I have to get political.

I doubt any one here or the general public realizes how bad our economy is now with rising taxes to support unchecked govt spending where the all time national debt is approaching $13 trillion, we are only months away for potentially becoming greece with our debt to gross product ratios. There will be no corporate money for optional things like niche sport openwheel autoracing sponsorships, and spare capital presently sitting on the sidelines due to uncertainty will be shifted to other countries such as china to avoid confiscation by the ideologue socialist president and congresss now in power. Predict no change in our economy until 1/23/2013.

1. No one is actively raising taxes.

2. Assuming debt trends remain constant, the U.S. is years away from entering a Greece-like situation. Greece's problems are grossly inflated (no pun intended) by sharing the Euro; it cannot devalue it's own currency to minimize it's debt.

3. If the United States was nearing a debt crisis, the dollar would be inflating like mad right now. Inflation is remarkably low right now.