The end of IndyCar?

[AndyMarquisLive]

The most popular driver, by a wide margin, is heading to NASCAR. DirecTV drops VERSUS because they want viewers to pay $30/month more for it (to stick it to us hockey fans). The races are, well, predictable.

Then, you get these headlines: http://www.indystar.com/article/20090909/SPORTS15/909090353/IRL+can+t+survive+a+Danica+defection

Is the rebirth of Open Wheel Racing over?

 

[wilson89]

I have always been an open wheel fan even before i got into Nascar. I never thought when the split happend back in 96 that it would last that long, but unfortinitly it lasted over a decade. By that time all the biggest names they had Unser, Andretti, Stewart, Fittipaldi, Montoya, Luyendyk, and Villeneuve had either retired or gotten out of the series. Now what where left with is a series that realisticly only has 4 possible winners each week. Another major problem with Indycar is there is no Innovation. In 1995 they had multiple Chassis and Engine combinations they could run. In 95 you could see Mercedes, Cosworths, Honda, and Buick engines along with Penske, Lola, and Reynard chassis. You look at this year and what do you see? Honda powered Dallara's in every car. And as for Tv i personaly have enjoyed VS coverage more than ABC's coverage but it doesnt matter if you cant even watch the race now does it. I hate to say it but if some things dont change pretty quick your looking at the dying days of American Open Wheel racing.

 

[AndyMarquisLive]

I have always been an open wheel fan even before i got into Nascar. I never thought when the split happend back in 96 that it would last that long, but unfortinitly it lasted over a decade. By that time all the biggest names they had Unser, Andretti, Stewart, Fittipaldi, Montoya, Luyendyk, and Villeneuve had either retired or gotten out of the series. Now what where left with is a series that realisticly only has 4 possible winners each week. Another major problem with Indycar is there is no Innovation. In 1995 they had multiple Chassis and Engine combinations they could run. In 95 you could see Mercedes, Cosworths, Honda, and Buick engines along with Penske, Lola, and Reynard chassis. You look at this year and what do you see? Honda powered Dallara's in every car. And as for Tv i personaly have enjoyed VS coverage more than ABC's coverage but it doesnt matter if you cant even watch the race now does it. I hate to say it but if some things dont change pretty quick your looking at the dying days of American Open Wheel racing.

I like Versus coverage of both hockey and IRL. But it looks like I'm limited to 1 hockey game a week on the Network Broadcasting Crap (NBC). It sounds like DirecTV's extorting hockey fans to buy Center Ice by taking away hockey programming. Unfortunately, IRL is in the middle of it.

 

[foehammer111]

Wilson has a point. This has been a long time coming.

Things like Danica entering the series, and the re-unification of CART and IRL have brought hope, but it's not enough. Fan attendance and ratings are way down. Races are predicable. Like in F1, there is a lack of talent. There's no parity as only 4 drivers are capable of winning. The schedule sucks, and some of the races are going head-to-head with NASCAR events.

But perhaps most important of all is a lack of sponsorship. That means no additional money for a series that since it was founded, has been running on money provided by Tony George.

If Danica defects, it will kill what little interest there is in the series. However, I doubt it will be the end of open-wheel racing in the US. Indy will probably go back to a stand-alone race (which it should be). But someone else will pick up the pieces of the series, and try to start something new.

Hell, the best thing for IRL right now might be for NASCAR to purchase it like they did with Grand-Am. Keep it an independant series, but share resources. This has been a huge boost to Grand-Am, and I think it would work for IRL too.

Can you imagine a NASCAR/IRL double-header at the same track? With drivers like Stewart, JPM, Hornish, and Gordon doing double-duty? I think I just creamed my jeans.

 

[VaDirt]

People have been saying that indy car racing is dying since 1996.

 

[Benevolent One]

I don't see it surviving much longer in it's current state?

Something has to change. Whether that change is ownership, management and whatever it is, it has to come soon. It just seems to me that there are too many open wheel fans in this country for it to just die out though.