Will the $5 million prize sway Cup drivers to run IRL finale

MRM

MRM

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$5 million bonus for win in Indy Car finale by outsider: The Izod IndyCar Series confirmed its 2011 season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with an enticing twist: A $5 million reward to any driver from another series who can win the race. IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard says a selection committee would be created to select a group of five entrants from outside IndyCar, likely determined by mid-summer. A test session also will be held at Las Vegas, and Bernard singled out the series' top teams -- Penske Racing, Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Autosport -- as prime candidates for offering rides to the interlopers. Bernard wouldn't speculate on who might be interested in the proposition, but the race date was designed with NASCAR in mind. IndyCar will make its return to Las Vegas' for the Oct. 16 race, which will be held at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Sprint Cup Series will race the night before at Charlotte, with the Bank of America 500 ending sometime between 11-11:30 p.m. in Concord, N.C. The Charlotte race is the fifth of 10 Chase for the Sprint Cup, which might dissuade many big names in Cup from participating because of focus on the title hunt. The obvious candidates would be former IndyCar drivers Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart, Sam Hornish Jr. and Juan Pablo Montoya. But Montoya has indicated no interest in racing Indy cars again, and Stewart has said he doesn't want to do a one-off. Gordon and Hornish, however, might be interested in returning, and other veterans (such as Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne) have admitted intrigue in the prospect.(USA Today)(2-23-2010)
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It will be interesting to see if any drivers make an attempt for this. My guess is Robby Gordon will be the only one to try it since the other names they're trying to lure will probably be in the middle of the Chase.
 
Sounds kind of crazy to me. I can't see any driver that has Chase hopes deciding 'mid summer' to do this. I can't see their sponsors allowing this to happen.

I'm not an open wheel fan, although I watch the Indy 500, but I know I get a little ticked when I see rookies running our season finale @ Homestead. That may be just me but I always find myself concerned that they will somehow undesirably affect the outcome of the race. Not that I have anything to base that on. Why would those IRL regulars want to run with drivers that aren't on the circuit every day? Is the IRL hurting for fans that much that they're going to a 'Humpy Wheeler' type promotion?
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Sounds kind of crazy to me. I can't see any driver that has Chase hopes deciding 'mid summer' to do this. I can't see their sponsors allowing this to happen.

I'm not an open wheel fan, although I watch the Indy 500, but I know I get a little ticked when I see rookies running our season finale @ Homestead. That may be just me but I always find myself concerned that they will somehow undesirably affect the outcome of the race. Not that I have anything to base that on. Why would those IRL regulars want to run with drivers that aren't on the circuit every day? Is the IRL hurting for fans that much that they're going to a 'Humpy Wheeler' type promotion?
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Ummm, remember 1992? A certain 4 time champion ran his first Cup race at (then season finale) Atlanta...
 
MRM said:
It will be interesting to see if any drivers make an attempt for this. My guess is Robby Gordon will be the only one to try it since the other names they're trying to lure will probably be in the middle of the Chase.
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Seems to me this is a lame attempt to lure attention and drivers to a failing series.
 
VaDirt said:
Ummm, remember 1992? A certain 4 time champion ran his first Cup race at (then season finale) Atlanta...
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Oh, I remember..... The end of an era and the beginning of another. I don't remember if Jeff helped determine the outcome but that was one heluva race. Like I said, I have nothing to base it on. I am always concerned that one of those non regulars comes in and dictates the outcome in a negative manner somehow.
 
This is just another marketing gimmick by Randy Bernard.
 
Interesting that the race is on a Sunday when the Cup race is Saturday night that weekend.
 
I always thought Izod was a baseball player for the Yankees... :D

Didn't someone offer 20 million to anyone that could win both memorial weekend races?
 
Smoke14 said:
Didn't someone offer 20 million to anyone that could win both memorial weekend races?
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I think Bruton has mentioned something about that for next year when the Indy 500 starts an hour earlier than it does now.
 
I see KYLE BUSCH trying it seeing that it's in his hometown, and he probrably will not be anywhere near winning the Cup.
 
So..... It's being reported now that this $5 million challenge is attracting some inquiries from unnamed NASCAR drivers. It's probably only a matter of time before some name or names leak out. Who's do you think we'll hear first? I still don't think anyone with Chase hopes would risk it.

Article link
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
So..... It's being reported now that this $5 million challenge is attracting some inquiries from unnamed NASCAR drivers. It's probably only a matter of time before some name or names leak out. Who's do you think we'll hear first? I still don't think anyone with Chase hopes would risk it.

Article link
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I've heard Paul Menard is all in.
 
This is an interesting attempt to gain viewership. Whether or not it works is yet to be seen. Just my opinion, but I don't think that Robby Gordon, John Andretti or Sam Hornish would be qualified for this bonus since all three of them have been regulars at one time in the open wheel series.
 
I read that any driver wanting to participate would have to be approved.

Why would any driver with no prior open wheel experience (read Indycar, F1) on a 1.5 mile oval even be considered? Let me throw some names out there and you tell me if you would give 'em the green light:

Steve Kinser (WoO)
Larry Dixon (NHRA)
Kyle Busch (NASCAR)
Dennis Anderson (monster trucks)
James Stewart (motocross)

Sounds ridiculous, right? I can maybe see a current or former F1 driver trying it. Maybe, maybe an SCCA guy. Outside of that and I think you're asking for trouble. This isn't IROC - "identically prepared" closed fendered stock cars. This is open wheel racing at high speeds. By professional high speed open wheel racers.

Please, only former IRL and CART drivers now racing in a different series need apply. J.J. Yeley, are you listening?
 
I been hearing the last couple of days Alex Zanardi may try and run the Vegas race. Now I know he is not a cup driver but if it is true think of all the plublicity it they would receive.
 
wilson89 said:
I been hearing the last couple of days Alex Zanardi may try and run the Vegas race. Now I know he is not a cup driver but if it is true think of all the plublicity it they would receive.
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Wow. That statement alone deserves it's own thread.

I always tune in to the Vegas race anyhow, but with Zanardi rumored to give it a try, I would definitely circle the date on my calendar.
 
wilson89 said:
I been hearing the last couple of days Alex Zanardi may try and run the Vegas race. Now I know he is not a cup driver but if it is true think of all the plublicity it they would receive.
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i agree. zanardi racing again would be much more interesting to me than seeing a driver from another series trying to win the race. hell, zanardi could be dead last and 10 laps behind and i'd still be rooting for him.
 
nascage said:
I read that any driver wanting to participate would have to be approved.

Why would any driver with no prior open wheel experience (read Indycar, F1) on a 1.5 mile oval even be considered? Let me throw some names out there and you tell me if you would give 'em the green light:

Steve Kinser (WoO)
Larry Dixon (NHRA)
Kyle Busch (NASCAR)
Dennis Anderson (monster trucks)
James Stewart (motocross)

Sounds ridiculous, right? I can maybe see a current or former F1 driver trying it. Maybe, maybe an SCCA guy. Outside of that and I think you're asking for trouble. This isn't IROC - "identically prepared" closed fendered stock cars. This is open wheel racing at high speeds. By professional high speed open wheel racers.

Please, only former IRL and CART drivers now racing in a different series need apply. J.J. Yeley, are you listening?
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Of that list, Steve Kinser is also a former Indy 500 competitor, finishing 14th in 1997. However, he's older and a bit larger so I don't see that working. Wouldn't mind seeing another WoO or USAC guy give it a shot though.
 
nascage said:
I read that any driver wanting to participate would have to be approved.

Why would any driver with no prior open wheel experience (read Indycar, F1) on a 1.5 mile oval even be considered? Let me throw some names out there and you tell me if you would give 'em the green light:

Steve Kinser (WoO)
Larry Dixon (NHRA)
Kyle Busch (NASCAR)
Dennis Anderson (monster trucks)
James Stewart (motocross)

Sounds ridiculous, right? I can maybe see a current or former F1 driver trying it. Maybe, maybe an SCCA guy. Outside of that and I think you're asking for trouble. This isn't IROC - "identically prepared" closed fendered stock cars. This is open wheel racing at high speeds. By professional high speed open wheel racers.

Please, only former IRL and CART drivers now racing in a different series need apply. J.J. Yeley, are you listening?
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Of that list I bet only Kinser and Busch could figure it out, I really doubt Dennis Anderson be successful at all they are like polar opposite vehicles.
 
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