Full Version: IRL What can we do?
I know the IRL and CART just re-merged. They eliminated the race at MIS to go back to Belle Isle as the exclusive race in Michigan this year and from what it looks like for years to come. I received free tickets this year to the race at Belle Isle. I payed for tickets for many years to watch the IRL cars at MIS. I will never, ever, ever ever ever pay for tickets to watch the race at Belle Isle nor will I ever go for free again. I've never been more bored in my life. Someone needs to send the message to IRL that Americans don't watch street course racing. I'm not saying ovals are the only way to go because the best race I've ever seen was held at Watkins Glen but the street course at Belle Isle can't hold a candle to the 230+ mph they were cranking out at MIS last year.
I've enjoyed the IRl races for the last several years, but historically the Belle Isle course has provided little in the way of interesting races. Most races they put on I enjoy watching on TV, I just think the Belle Isle course is not fit for that type of racing.
If you thought the Belle Isle race was boring you should have watched the NASCAR races at California. The California races were probably the worst races I ever saw.
I think in 2010 the IRL will be going to a new chassis and engine package (including turbos) that may make the racing better. I don't think the IRL cars of today were really designed for road racing.
I think in 2010 the IRL will be going to a new chassis and engine package (including turbos) that may make the racing better. I don't think the IRL cars of today were really designed for road racing.
QUOTE (MikeF @ Sep 2 2008, 12:35 AM) 
If you thought the Belle Isle race was boring you should have watched the NASCAR races at California. The California races were probably the worst races I ever saw.
I think in 2010 the IRL will be going to a new chassis and engine package (including turbos) that may make the racing better. I don't think the IRL cars of today were really designed for road racing.
I think in 2010 the IRL will be going to a new chassis and engine package (including turbos) that may make the racing better. I don't think the IRL cars of today were really designed for road racing.
I was unfortunately home in time for that too. Fell asleep before lap 100.
Attend the race at Joliet instead of Belle Isle.
QUOTE (TJSlideways @ Sep 8 2008, 05:14 PM)
Attend the race at Joliet instead of Belle Isle.
I watched it yesterday on TV. Looked very similar to the ones they used to run at MIS! Great race!
Don't let Belle Isle determine the overall IRL efforts this season. The ratings are up and NASCAR ratings are sinking, if you watched Chicago's event last week you saw Dixon and Helio put on a driving clinic the last two laps with Helio winning by a thousandth. Belle Isle is fueled by Penske and Detroit's Chamber of Commerce. They do need to widen portions of the track for passing but Motown needs the IRL. MIS threw the IRL out not vice-versa, MIS wouldn't budge on schedule and other tracks jumped to the rescue. If the IRL ratings stay strong, MIS will be forced to re-think their decision.
As far as ovals vs street courses, if you talk to the Indy teams the street courses actually bring in more PR and sponsor activity to the venues. The events are much cheaper to run opposed to hitting concrete walls at 220mph and keeping the Honda's tagged at 10,500 rpms all day on the ovals. The IRL add's Long Beach and Toronto next season and both will bring over 100,000 fans per event. Only Indy and Texas have drawn those numbers recently.
Incidently, the IRL will go to turbo's in 2011. Two weeks ago they had several engine rep's in Indy for a rules meeting and the IRL is predicting at least two more engine combo will join Honda to develop a new Indy turbo powerplant.
As far as ovals vs street courses, if you talk to the Indy teams the street courses actually bring in more PR and sponsor activity to the venues. The events are much cheaper to run opposed to hitting concrete walls at 220mph and keeping the Honda's tagged at 10,500 rpms all day on the ovals. The IRL add's Long Beach and Toronto next season and both will bring over 100,000 fans per event. Only Indy and Texas have drawn those numbers recently.
Incidently, the IRL will go to turbo's in 2011. Two weeks ago they had several engine rep's in Indy for a rules meeting and the IRL is predicting at least two more engine combo will join Honda to develop a new Indy turbo powerplant.
QUOTE (russrace @ Sep 10 2008, 02:03 AM)
As far as ovals vs street courses, if you talk to the Indy teams the street courses actually bring in more PR and sponsor activity to the venues. The events are much cheaper to run opposed to hitting concrete walls at 220mph and keeping the Honda's tagged at 10,500 rpms all day on the ovals. The IRL add's Long Beach and Toronto next season and both will bring over 100,000 fans per event. Only Indy and Texas have drawn those numbers recently
So I ask, why did the IRL go to all ovals when it was first created? Doesnt make much sense (to me) to shy away from avenues that provide more exposure and require less capital to run, ESPECIALLY in the infancy of a series.
I have come to grips that both the IRL and CART (now, one and the same) will always be a second rate series. Primarily becuase of those in charge. The paying audience will only allow you to fumble the ball so many times, mark my words they will run the IRL series into the ground before its all said and done.
QUOTE (SuperPRO56 @ Sep 10 2008, 03:29 AM)
So I ask, why did the IRL go to all ovals when it was first created? Doesnt make much sense (to me) to shy away from avenues that provide more exposure and require less capital to run, ESPECIALLY in the infancy of a series.
I have come to grips that both the IRL and CART (now, one and the same) will always be a second rate series. Primarily becuase of those in charge. The paying audience will only allow you to fumble the ball so many times, mark my words they will run the IRL series into the ground before its all said and done.
I have come to grips that both the IRL and CART (now, one and the same) will always be a second rate series. Primarily becuase of those in charge. The paying audience will only allow you to fumble the ball so many times, mark my words they will run the IRL series into the ground before its all said and done.
I was at the first IRL race at Disney in '96. The pundits were saying the series wouldn't last the year. It's 2008 last time I checked. IRL admitted at the ChampCar-IRL reunion "show" last winter that they made huge mistake going ovals only for several years but I also remember Billy Boat telling a group of us ten years ago it cost only him $1 mil to run the whole series (just under the cost of a full fledged ASA tour team at the time). Look at the sidepods of 1998 vs 2008 cars. Small Potato Chip sponsor won the Indy 500 with Eddie Cheever the previous season and today Target, Meijer, Motorola, 7-eleven, Penske Group,Menards...a little more investment?
In my opinion, NASCAR has more issues with it's COT and Chase which has fallen on it's face with ratings drops and huge areas of empty seats at most tracks. You could walk up to MIS offices and get premo tickets this year five mins before the green flag dropped. I'll mark your words but mark mine...a major title sponsor is coming within 90 days... the 09 field will be no less than 26 cars (Cart was lucky to take 22-24 to MIS most years)...2011 will return to turbo's and no less than two other engine packages will compete at Indy in 2011 for the 100 year anniversary 500.
QUOTE (russrace @ Sep 12 2008, 03:35 PM)
I was at the first IRL race at Disney in '96. The pundits were saying the series wouldn't last the year. It's 2008 last time I checked. IRL admitted at the ChampCar-IRL reunion "show" last winter that they made huge mistake going ovals only for several years but I also remember Billy Boat telling a group of us ten years ago it cost only him $1 mil to run the whole series (just under the cost of a full fledged ASA tour team at the time). Look at the sidepods of 1998 vs 2008 cars. Small Potato Chip sponsor won the Indy 500 with Eddie Cheever the previous season and today Target, Meijer, Motorola, 7-eleven, Penske Group,Menards...a little more investment?
In my opinion, NASCAR has more issues with it's COT and Chase which has fallen on it's face with ratings drops and huge areas of empty seats at most tracks. You could walk up to MIS offices and get premo tickets this year five mins before the green flag dropped. I'll mark your words but mark mine...a major title sponsor is coming within 90 days... the 09 field will be no less than 26 cars (Cart was lucky to take 22-24 to MIS most years)...2011 will return to turbo's and no less than two other engine packages will compete at Indy in 2011 for the 100 year anniversary 500.
In my opinion, NASCAR has more issues with it's COT and Chase which has fallen on it's face with ratings drops and huge areas of empty seats at most tracks. You could walk up to MIS offices and get premo tickets this year five mins before the green flag dropped. I'll mark your words but mark mine...a major title sponsor is coming within 90 days... the 09 field will be no less than 26 cars (Cart was lucky to take 22-24 to MIS most years)...2011 will return to turbo's and no less than two other engine packages will compete at Indy in 2011 for the 100 year anniversary 500.
Let's hope so! I can't make it awake through a NASCAR race. If it wasn't for the party at the campground I wouldn't go at all!
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