Comments on: The Sad Demise of American Open Wheel Racing

By: niko

niko — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:31:35 +0000

I’m from Brazil, and even with champions in CART/IRL in last decade like Gil DeFerran, Cristiano DaMatta, Tony Kanaan and Helio CastroNeves nobody in Brazil cares about Indy Racing, 99% of brazilian race fans only cares about Formula 1,
But you need to be alert: if a good brazilian driver goes to NASCAR soon lots of good foreigners will race in NASCAR and will win all races like they did in Indy.

By: Manistee Iron

Manistee Iron — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:07:31 +0000

On 10/5/2009 I saw a reprint of a Dave Despain Wind Tunnel broadcast in which the numerous callers-in tossed about hundreds of ideas for unlimited engines, aerodynamics, fuels, coachwork, tires et. al.

Why not just run large displacement Supermodifieds like in New England and the rest of the Northeast?

I grew up in Indiana and yes back then the Indy 500 drivers were all gods. NASCAR was strictly a regional thing although Richard Petty and others were noteworthy.
But NASCAR became a huge success but only because USAC and later Tony George made major errors which destroyed “the greatest spectacle in racing”. The France family is not “without sin” themselves but TG HAS been the Great Destroyer no question about it. And he’s beyond redemption re: the IRL.
Bring in the big block Supers with 4 speeds and you’ll have one awesome epic of a race again just like back int he wild & crazy 1960s.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 05:28:19 +0000

IRL is dead. NASCAR I’m sad to say has gotten to big and too expensive for its own good.

Formula one had the right idea on trying to bring down the cost of competing unfortunately it hurts the big manufacturers who have been around since its inception. I am fully backing USF1 in their attempt to break into the Formula One grid. Its highly lucrative and Americans should back a team like USF1 because Formula One is truly the pinnacle of motorsports. Naturally aspirated engines win this competition hands down.

By: Neon

Neon — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:53:31 +0000

To me the Speedway deserves much more respect than it is receiving. I think we can all agree on that….correct?
While I haven’t been to the Brickyard 400 (yet), I have been to a single 500 (the one it took three days due to rain and the first of the IRL normally aspirated engines…..arrrgh) and a single F1 (unfortunately the Michelin tire debacle race). So w/ all of the malaise on my visits, I can still truly appreciate that hallowed ground. Just please please get some real race cars, real drivers throughout the field and real tv coverage on race day (VS did ok in my book).
Helio’s story is compelling, but aside from that and Danicamania, the IRL has little to offer the gearheads that watch beyond the 500 and into the Summer.
Indy is not dead, but rest assured, w/ so many other things tugging at our time and wallets on Sunday before Memorial Day the 500 urgently needs the whole series to be a serious draw.

By: T.C.

T.C. — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:45:48 +0000

Kirk we never said the track, or open wheel racing for that matter, were dead. But the IRL doesn’t pale in comparison to what CART & USAC used to be. And while the Indy 500 is still a big draw, it still wasn’t a sellout this weekend. There is no denying that.

Journo wrote the post as an exploration of the demise of open wheel racing. He wasn’t attacking the series or the track. And I actually think its a testament to the track that the race is still as big as it is, even though the series is an after thought.

By: kirk

kirk — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:23:36 +0000

4.2 Overnight Rating For Castroneves’ Indy 500 Win

correction i said 4.0

second i did not say i hated nascar i love the brickyard race
im just partial to the track always have been
and i am SICK TO DEATH of idiotic morons that says its dead

By: Neon

Neon — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:02:06 +0000

Earth to Kirk, Earth to Kirk. What is your native tongue? Certainly not English I assume.
I can’t quite figure out your point. You like the Indy 500, hate the IRL and hate NASCAR from what I gather. Fair enough, but CART sadly is not coming back and the Indy 500 will only have the IRL. You say “that is the most idiotic thing i have ever seen put online”, yet you seem (from what I can see) to agree with Journo’s title “The Sad Demise of American Open Wheel Racing”. T or F?
For me, it is very sad indeed and less greed, less “paying” drivers, more chassis and engine combos is the only way to reverse the tide.

By: kirk

kirk — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:32:06 +0000

irl is always been a joke the ony race should be the indy 500

ill be glad when it goes back to just indy500 and brickyard 400

and as for the daytona 500 if you count ims radio
your lil daytona DOES NOT PLAY well for rest of world

EVERY ONE IN THE WORLD KNOWS INDY SOOO SORRY
you comparison is laughable at best if fact its an outright joke to try and compare the two one has worldwide following the other well you know u still have dixie

By: T.C.

T.C. — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:16:57 +0000

Hey Kirk, the Indy 500 may have earned a 4.0 rating, but the Coke 600 earned a 3.5 and they didn’t get the race in!

And since you think open wheel racing is so healthy, lets look at the TV ratings for the previous three IRL races this season:

St. Petersburg: 0.3
Long Beach: 0.5
Kansas: 0.15

Yikes! And let’s look at one other comparison:

2009 Indy 500 (IRL’s biggest race): 4.0
2009 Daytona 500 (NASCAR’s biggest race): 9.2

You were saying?

By: kirk

kirk — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:46:33 +0000

indy 500 tv rating 4.0

coca cola 600 3.5

you where saying?? hmmmm???

i thought so