2019 IndyCar Miscellaneous

donthaveanickname said:
I'd rather have a spec-series than hybrid engines.
I can't think of a racing series that benefitted from introducing "green" technology.
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Whatever type of hybrid solution they'd go to it'd likely be a spec component of sorts, like how Formula E started out and how IMSA plan to go. It doesn't have to be super advanced and expensive but OEMs need something like that to get board approval for a racing project now - just marketing yourself as having hybrids in general is all you need; the target audience isn't really going to know that you did or didn't develop the whole system yourself. A third OEM is too much of a need to ignore the direction of the greater auto industry.
 
Interesting to see how this unfolds over the next few years...just speculation on my part, but could it be that someone wants solely the racing assets of the Hulman-George Family? Does the family want to cash out on everything after the passing of Mary Hulman George? "Focusing solely on the racing business" is the PR response, but I very much doubt tells the whole story.

What does Hulman's Clabber Girl sale mean for its racing assets?
https://racer.com/2019/05/16/what-does-hulmans-clabber-girl-sale-mean-for-its-racing-assets/
 
FLRacingFan said:
Interesting comments here. Not much faith in the WEC anymore.
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They are not even competitive with the other privateer P1 teams, so they need to get into something that makes fiscal sense.

They are going to continue with full ELMS and some WEC P2 races, and the American enduros. Now, what do all three of those things have in common? Answer: A good privateer can be competitive and have a chance to win.

There will simply never be enough manufacturers to fill a competitive grid. You have to have privateers too, and if you want them to stay you have to give them a chance to be competitive.
 
05-24-Aeroscreen-Announcement-FullCar.jpg


INDYCAR ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR ****PIT PROTECTION INNOVATION
https://www.indycar.com/News/2019/05/05-24-Aeroscreen-Red-Bull-announcement
 
https://www.richmond.com/sports/aut...cle_1dcae454-c3a7-5034-825c-1d171796aad0.html

Richmond Raceway’s brief romance with IndyCar racing could be rekindled.

The sculpted-for-speed racers that zoom around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway made an annual stop at the 0.75-mile Richmond track for a few years, and they might be coming back.

Emphasize “might be.” So far, there is no deal. There is no memo of understanding. There is not so much as a handshake.

“We are nowhere near a deal,” said Stephen Starks, IndyCar vice president of promoter and media partner relations.

“But we have had high-level conversations,” he added.

Ah — conversations. That’s how things get started. So, Virginia fans of open-wheel racing, there is reason for hope that the IndyCar Series could come back to the commonwealth.

In a phone interview earlier this week, Starks said his organization is impressed with Richmond Raceway’s leadership and is gathering information and discussing possibilities with the track.

“A lot of people have been asking about a possible return to Richmond,” he said. “It’s a great market — the Mid-Atlantic region is important to IndyCar. And a lot of people have fond memories of our races in Richmond.

“It’s not undoable,” Starks said. “In fact, it’s doable.”

Richmond Raceway president Dennis Bickmeier said the track is willing to consider hosting the series. As he put it: “We continue to look for more opportunities for programming on our racetrack.”

More opportunities. That’s an interesting phrase at a time of great fluidity in NASCAR’s plans. After years of only minimal changes to its schedule, the stock car racing series has jumbled its 2020 schedule and made it clear that 2021 is likely to see even more change.

That could mean some tracks will lose races. It’s not unreasonable to think Richmond Raceway could be left with just one annual NASCAR Cup event rather than two, as has been the case for decades.

IndyCars would qualify as an opportunity. The series had a nine-year run at Richmond — one race a year, 2001-09. Crowds peaked at maybe 50,000. The racing was better some years than others, with the best perhaps in 2002 when Sam Hornish took the lead for the first time with two laps to go and held on to beat Gil de Ferran.

The worst IndyCar race at Richmond Raceway? Unquestionably that 2009 race.

The IndyCar rules package at the time mandated cars that didn’t suit racing on the D-shaped Richmond track. Maybe the tires didn’t quite suit either. For whatever combination of reasons, passing was nearly impossible. The leader eventually settled in behind the last car in the running order and the whole field politely ran single file to the finish.

Postrace interviews were a chorus of apologies to the fans. Dario Franchitti, who finished second, called it “an awful, awful race.”

A month later came the announcement that the series wouldn’t be back at the Richmond track. The economy had tanked. Attendance had dwindled, that sanctioning fee of $1 million was too high. And the racing had gone sour.

So why think about returning now? Well, the series rules package has continued to change, and the cars have been running successfully at Iowa Speedway, a track very similar to the Richmond venue.

Designed by driver Rusty Wallace with Richmond in mind, the Iowa track is a 7/8-mile D shape with banking very close to Richmond’s all the way around.

In nine of the 12 races at Iowa Speedway since 2007, IndyCars have had nine or more lead changes. That’s entertaining action in 300 laps on a short track.

And Richmond fans haven’t lost interest in the IndyCar racing. This past Sunday, the Richmond region registered the ninth-highest TV rating among markets nationwide for the Indy 500 telecast.

Meanwhile, the NASCAR and IndyCar organizations have come to recognize each other’s strengths. They’re looking for new ways to cooperate.

It wasn’t always so. In 1954, when NASCAR was still a relatively upstart organization, NASCAR founding father Bill France Sr. visited Indy during preparations for the 500 and was escorted out of the track’s garages by security guards.

Things could hardly have been more different this year. Indy and its new TV partner, NBC, brought in NASCAR darling Dale Earnhardt Jr. to drive the pace car to start the 500 and to join the telecast’s commentators.

During the week leading up to the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, there was talk of possible future doubleheader weekends, with IndyCar and NASCAR races on back-to-back days at the same track. Possibly the same day?

A weekend with two major league races is not likely to happen at Richmond Raceway.

While they didn’t rule out a double-dip, both IndyCar’s Starks and Richmond’s Bickmeier hesitated at the prospect of both series in one weekend. Both noted the logistical problems. For example, there’s room for only one series at a time in the track’s garage space.

Still, there have been conversations — high-level conversations, no less. And where there’s talk, there’s possibility.
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AuzGrams said:
https://www.richmond.com/sports/aut...cle_1dcae454-c3a7-5034-825c-1d171796aad0.html
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Maybe not 2019 but maybe 2020 but maybe not 2020 but maybe 2021 but mayb

They need to get on with it already and make it happen. IndyCar needs another oval, and Richmond consistently is one of IndyCar's higher-rated TV markets. Hell, for the 2017 season it was literally NBCSN's second-best market, behind only Indy. And if it races anything like Iowa did last year it'll be great.
 
FLRacingFan said:
Maybe not 2019 but maybe 2020 but maybe not 2020 but maybe 2021 but mayb

They need to get on with it already and make it happen. IndyCar needs another oval, and Richmond consistently is one of IndyCar's higher-rated TV markets. Hell, for the 2017 season it was literally NBCSN's second-best market, behind only Indy. And if it races anything like Iowa did last year it'll be great.
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IndyCar badly needs another oval or 2. I don't care where (Richmond and a Chicagoland NASCAR doubleheader IMO), but there needs to be a more equal split.
 
Regardless of what Kyle Busch says, TMS’ Eddie Gossage fired up for IndyCar

Kyle Busch ripped the IndyCar Series this weekend.

The veteran NASCAR driver told reporters “there’s no race on the IndyCar circuit that’s worth running besides the Indy 500.”

That notion led Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage to reply, in jest, “Forgive poor @KyleBusch for he does not know of what he says. @IndyCar @IndyCaronNBC @TXMotorSpeedway.”

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nascar-auto-racing/texas-motor-speedway/article231098038.html
 
StandOnIt said:
Regardless of what Kyle Busch says, TMS’ Eddie Gossage fired up for IndyCar

Kyle Busch ripped the IndyCar Series this weekend.

The veteran NASCAR driver told reporters “there’s no race on the IndyCar circuit that’s worth running besides the Indy 500.”

That notion led Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage to reply, in jest, “Forgive poor @KyleBusch for he does not know of what he says. @IndyCar @IndyCaronNBC @TXMotorSpeedway.”

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nascar-auto-racing/texas-motor-speedway/article231098038.html
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I hope Texas ages as well as it did with the initial surface, but in the meantime, there's something to be said for still having (I believe) the second-biggest purse in IndyCar. That alone makes it a big deal for these guys.
 
FLRacingFan said:
I hope Texas ages as well as it did with the initial surface, but in the meantime, there's something to be said for still having (I believe) the second-biggest purse in IndyCar. That alone makes it a big deal for these guys.
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I didn't watch Texas live last year, watched the replay the other day, and maybe it's because they moved people closer together, but I thought attendance looked real good last year, on par with Cup pretty much even....
 
AuzGrams said:
I didn't watch Texas live last year, watched the replay the other day, and maybe it's because they moved people closer together, but I thought attendance looked real good last year, on par with Cup pretty much even....
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They do close off sections so it's packed together rather than spread out like NASCAR. I think a few years ago it was still in the 40-45K range, not sure what it is now. I think as recently as 2016 it was still $75K to win as well, don't know about now.

https://www1.ticketmaster.com/event...3.1052160057.1559666834-1013962963.1559666834
 




Not bad for not including the most important quarter hour of the better race I guess.
 
Doc Austin said:
Chilton quits IndyCar ovals for 2019, Daly joins Carlin for Texas

Cites "risk management," whatever that means. Goes on to praise Indycar and Red Bull for aeroscreen development. Reading between the lines, one might think Chilton wants off the ovals until that's implemented. It probably didn't help they missed the show last month.

Alonso rules out contesting full 2020 IndyCar season

Still hopes to do Indy as a on off .................... because that worked out so well last time.
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I'm excited for Daly. That's an upgrade for Carlin, over Max. I can't fault Max for not wanting any part of ovals. He wouldn't be the first nor the last to be scared off by them, and getting married just a year ago probably plays a role in that. I think this could open the door for Daly to replace Pato at Iowa and Gateway in the #23/#31 as well.
 


Compared to some of the numbers earlier this year, these are solid and encouraging for IndyCar and NBC. Saturday's rsce was delayed and Sunday's was directly opposite NASCAR.
 
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