Iowa could host 2-for-1 IndyCar weekend in 2012

[nascage]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CAR_INDYCAR_IOWA_SPEEDWAY?SITE=GENERIC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-06-28-12-43-56

Quote:

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard says the series is looking into the possibility of holding a doubleheader at Iowa Speedway next season that would award full championship points for each race.

Bernard told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he spoke with Iowa Speedway president Jerry Jauron over the weekend about hosting races on Saturday night and the following Sunday in 2012.

IndyCar brought back doubleheaders this year at Texas for the first time in major open-wheel racing in 30 years. Each of those races were only worth half the points, though, and qualifying for the second event was set by a blind draw.

Bernard says the move would cut down costs for fans and balance the schedule between road and oval courses.

Iowa drew over 35,000 for Saturday night's race, selling out its grandstand seats, and TV ratings were up 35 percent from its 2010 event.

 

[VaDirt]

I saw Robin Miller say this on Wind Tunnel last night. A two-day double header.

 

[Mopardh9]

I saw Robin Miller say this on Wind Tunnel last night. A two-day double header.

They will have to add double the seats to make it worth while.

 

[DanicaFan]

Just another Randy Bernard scheme. He is full of them, just stick around.

 

[John Galt]

Just another Randy Bernard scheme. He is full of them, just stick around.

I can think of a number of [former] NA__AR fans who would trade you two Brian Z. France's for one Randy Bernard.

 

[Jameswnh]

I can think of a number of [former] NA__AR fans who would trade you two Brian Z. France's for one Randy Bernard.

Count me as one of them (but you already knew that). In little more than a year's time, Bernard has IndyCar on a sharp upward path, and he's done so without many tacky gimmicks to speak of. The one instance where he did make a mistake with the gimmicks, the blind draw for race 2 at Texas, he realized it was a bad move, and said it wouldn't be done again. Brian would never dream of doing anything like that.

 

[Tennessee Racing]

The one instance where he did make a mistake with the gimmicks, the blind draw for race 2 at Texas, he realized it was a bad move, and said it wouldn't be done again. Brian would never dream of doing anything like that.

He would just pass the blame off on someone else.

 

[John Galt]

Count me as one of them (but you already knew that). In little more than a year's time, Bernard has IndyCar on a sharp upward path, and he's done so without many tacky gimmicks to speak of. The one instance where he did make a mistake with the gimmicks, the blind draw for race 2 at Texas, he realized it was a bad move, and said it wouldn't be done again. Brian would never dream of doing anything like that.

Let us not forget the move from generic vehicles to more diverse power plants and encouragement of actual mechanical and design innovation, something which once drew people to NASCAR. But you, I and some others, James, have kicked about all the flexibility out of this dead horse. But then, NA__AR continues to make itself a "Target of opportunity" and it's not easy to ignore taking the shot.

 

[Jameswnh]

Let us not forget the move from generic vehicles to more diverse power plants and encouragement of actual mechanical and design innovation, something which once drew people to NASCAR. But you, I and some others, James, have kicked about all the flexibility out of this dead horse. But then, NA__AR continues to make itself a "Target of opportunity" and it's not easy to ignore taking the shot.

Would you have ever imagined that? A man with admittedly little racing knowledge takes over a struggling series, and his first course of action is to eliminate spec racing. Amazing. Right off the bat we had the idea that this guy gets it. He learns what this stuff is all about, he learns what the fans want, and he gives it to them. No wasting time, no song and dance. Spec racing is gone after this season. Look once again at NASCAR, and it's been a 5+ year struggle for anyone near the top to realize they're going in the wrong direction as far as their vehicles are concerned, and the most we can get are slightly altered front ends.

It's a microcosm of the two businesses. Everything Bernard has done, France would never dream of doing. Naturally, one of them has his series heading up at a fast pace, while the other is coming down, seemingly at a faster pace.

 

[Greg]

Open wheel thankfully is going the right way again.


I wish I had been posting here during the 500, but this year classic has residual value, the glory and drama that belongs is coming back.


I remember being impressed by the Johncock/Mears epic Indy battle. A slower Gordy just kept slamming the door, the quick dive and pit exit to the pits, he had to keep rabbit like Mears behind him. A man just goterdone.


Then this year Gnassi had Dixon on the gas for speed, and a counter Dario running economy, almost bullet proof. Just another big dog with all the cubic dollars ruling.


But No, Penkse and Andretti was down all month, and Gnassi's mighty drivers was losing the control they exerted for the 75% of the event.


Here comes a good driving rookie messing up Gnassi's perfect plan. Then there's Wheldon in a forgotten one off deal quietly working his way. Driving every inch with a mission, were the best marks must be hit, and every fiber of the soul hunts for the perfect lap. The zone were delivering is all that matters.


Then you have TK running a similar driving clinic following . Man that's racing, that's men who are ready for the war, and the biggest money guys are getting their 500 world rearranged.


There's no Nascar phantom cautions, Chip if you gonna win, Dixon and Dario will actually need to actually drive their wheels up to P1, and honestly beat JR, and keep that psycho Wheldon run behind you. The audacity!


Just thank God they allowed nature to work, a phantom caution would have destroyed the years best drama [meditate on this Brian France, Darby, and Helton]. Racing is greatness that needs no props, just believe in it and let it, let it, let the real show go on without disturbance.


That majestically last lap, the brilliant rookie's unfortunate moment, and the one off underdog whizzing by come hell or high water , he's not cracking the throttle for anything.


Then one just sits back and takes it in, hang out watch the winner drink the milk, it is good and proper, and then watching it again mid week.....


Oh, Yeah..... I like the Iowa ideal.

 

[John Galt]

Just thank God they allowed nature to work, a phantom caution would have destroyed the years best drama [meditate on this Brian France, Darby, and Helton]. Racing is greatness that needs no props, just believe in it and let it, let it, let the real show go on without disturbance.

We apparently are of like mind. I fear I date you a bit (My personal memories go back to Bill Vukovich, Tont Bettenhausen, Duke Nalon, Roger Ward and Troy Ruttman), but what you stated above is an exact discription of what auto racing once was. Racing was the show, not the driver's personalities or promoter tricks. Sometimes the show was very good and other times not so much. But, the constant in each program was drivers giving it their all and a race with twenty-five or only two drivers finishing on the lead lap was still a race that people enjoyed. The gauge of how much of a fan you were wasn't how much you spent at the souvenir booths but rather how much you loved the sport itself for what it was.

It appears that Randy has figured out early on that people attend races to see racing and not some stepping stone to a future championship. He realizes that racing is the show, period, end of report, and he has taken some steps to ensure that happens.

I don;t know about you but how many current NA__AR Cup drivers can you picture being successful in NASCAR of the 1950's and 60's? I can count my selections on the fingers of one hand.

Now, how many current IRL drivers could you see wheeling an front engined Indy car or a Maserati GP car around some of the venues they called "tracks?" The number is a whole lot higher.

Just some random thoughts on the matter.

 

[Greg]

We apparently are of like mind. I fear I date you a bit (My personal memories go back to Bill Vukovich, Tont Bettenhausen, Duke Nalon, Roger Ward and Troy Ruttman), but what you stated above is an exact discription of what auto racing once was. Racing was the show, not the driver's personalities or promoter tricks. Sometimes the show was very good and other times not so much. But, the constant in each program was drivers giving it their all and a race with twenty-five or only two drivers finishing on the lead lap was still a race that people enjoyed. The gauge of how much of a fan you were wasn't how much you spent at the souvenir booths but rather how much you loved the sport itself for what it was.

It appears that Randy has figured out early on that people attend races to see racing and not some stepping stone to a future championship. He realizes that racing is the show, period, end of report, and he has taken some steps to ensure that happens.

I don;t know about you but how many current NA__AR Cup drivers can you picture being successful in NASCAR of the 1950's and 60's? I can count my selections on the fingers of one hand.

Now, how many current IRL drivers could you see wheeling an front engined Indy car or a Maserati GP car around some of the venues they called "tracks?" The number is a whole lot higher.



Just some random thoughts on the matter.

I would have loved to seen the old roadsters race. I watched Indy from about 1970, till present. The year that Swede Savage got killed, and of Salt Water's big wreck, was when I first fully understood the dangers, and the warrior qualities.


Nascar or the old Nascar was my first love, in the 70's as a boy I carried a radio on Sundays getting my MRN fix.
I know we can't turn back the clock, and to some extent, technology got us too. A 2011 total beast would be to much, there is a limit. I also appreciate the safety innovations.

Tires also knocked us out the era too, with their higher capabilities. That's were I would retard the speeds now, and let the racers figure it out with their ingenuity.
Build a tire that can't handle a 170 plus mile corner on the super speedways, and with enough degradation to demand tire management, and ditch the plates.


I agree we are of like mind. The thing I hate about the phantom cautions is the way it forgives driver error. It should be a war, and an battle field that doesn't offer unnatural breaks. I believe racing would be better that way, and better measure of overall talent.


If only three cars finished on the lead lap and I hate winner it would still be alright, at least it would have integrity, rather than being some crappy gimmick.