It really feels like IndyCar is actually coming back. It's anecdotal, but I've seen IndyCar and the 500 mentioned in places I haven't seen before, and you can't deny that the 500 is the most exciting racing in the world. Bump Day is back, and really means something now.
Yeah, seems like there are a number of people I've heard from this year that watched the 500 for the first time and commented about it being one of the most exciting races they've watched. I think Indycar is more exciting/interesting week to week than either F1 or Nascar, they've just got to figure out a way to get more viewers.
wife and I started watching with 50 laps left. I don't watch Nascar. Have tried but can't. Something about the Indy race though. Maybe the large crowd and hype helped and of course the speed is absurd, but the ability of cars and drivers to make up ground and pass, along with the leader trying to block and driving like a madman down the stretch was awesome. Then you have to recheck and realize he's on rails at 220 mph and blocking, while using the tiny little steering wheel. Nuts.
It feels like it because it is! Viewership was up over 15% from last year and the highest over the last 4 races. I’ll be curious to see how the streaming numbers look when they come in.
NBC is really pushing it, like ABC never did, or quit doing, and now all of the races are on the same network with almost half on NBC alone, so they are getting more eyeballs this year. They are currently under great leadership and have a good thing going, picking up new fans and viewers, while other racing series are losing them.
Best part is how versatile these guys are, how every discipline requires the same concentration and intensity. Next week is a Saturday/Sunday double header on a street course, the race after that is a high banked 1.5 mile oval and then they go to a 4 mile road course. And you got to be good at all of them, or you won’t make it.
The Hulmans are selling Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the NTT IndyCar Series and IMS Productions to Roger Penske.
I'm very conflicted about this. Roger is perhaps the best businessman in motorsport, he knows where to find and sponsorship and sell them on a vision. However, if he were to continue to field a team, that is a massive conflict of interest, and his ties with Chevy make that doubly so. It's clear that a more open formula than what we have currently was never likely to come back, but now the door is 100 percent shut in that regard, IMO. I also wonder what this will mean for the rules going forward. Miles and crew have done a great job of tweaking the formula and finding a balance between great racing and affordable racing with two engine manufacturers. Will Roger open it up to appease the old guard, with the knock on effect of benefitting Chevy, who are more likely to spend big? Will they push for allowing the teams to make certain parts? There's many more questions than answers when you take this at more than surface level, and that's something that you don't normally say about business dealings with Penske. Was he still a shareholder/part owner in ISC?
Yes, conflict of interest is a valid concern. He’s already said he’s stepping down from the pit box, and Cindric essentially runs the race team(s) and has for quite some time now. Given the integrity he’s run his empire with, I don’t think there’s going to be an issue with drawing the line. And do I hope the fans and media hold him accountable if that line is ever blurred. What I do think is that there’s going to be injection of cash into both the series and the track. I think that raising the purse for the 500 will attract some new names and faces, and I think that investing in marketing the series will attract some new eyeballs. The Hulmans’ effort in both areas was noble, but they didn’t have the cash to give it the push it really needs. The Hulmans moved the series forward in inches. Penske has the money to move it forward in yards. I’ll be curious to see what changes will be made to the grounds, though I think the first item on the agenda is paying off the 100 million dollar loan owned to the state. Lights, F1, and some kind of 24 hour event are all seriously on the table, as RP has mentioned. My pipe dream is V8 SuperCars but believe me when I say that I will be there anytime those cars are on the track. None of this may ever come to fruition, but it won’t be because it wasn’t explored by Penske. And whatever takes the place of those ideas instead, will be done at the highest level. If it’s true that Liberty Media was an interested party along with at least one other group of investors (and I don’t have any reason to doubt Jenna Fryer), then selling to Penske instead is the absolute best case scenario. We’ve been attending races at IMS as a family in some capacity since 1912, including almost 40 years myself. In my opinion, he’s the only person to sell it too that has the both the money AND the love, respect and reverence for IMS that it needs to make it another 100 years.
Boogity boogity boogity, let's go racin' boys! And now I'm picturing this is my head and I've never wanted Trump so say something so bad.
I was there. Fly by AF1 was awesome as well as the thunderbirds flyover. Ended the day soaked head to toe trying to make it to my Jeep after they canceled the race.
