Every summer brings the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. This traditional Tuesday night show draws the attention of the American audience as the race for the postseason begins. Then comes the following Wednesday and the lack of sporting events. It is an off day for all MLB teams, none of the other major sports leagues are in season and ESPN uses this night to host their annual sports award show, the ESPYs.
But what is a dead day for sports, very well could be a great chance for exposure. IndyCar fans complain when races go head-to-head on TV with The Masters, any NASCAR race, NBA or NHL playoffs and especially the NFL. But here is IndyCar's chance.
As I have said prior, I think a Wednesday night race at Richmond would be great and it would bring in good ratings if the race was on ABC. Sure you are going against the ESPYs but I think an IndyCar oval race would be way more exciting than an award show with terrible jokes and where all the winners are predictable. Richmond International Raceway is not far at all from downtown Richmond and if IndyCar could bring the festival environment they had at Milwaukee to Richmond, it could be a great draw. Obviously a Wednesday night race would be a one-day show. Keep ticket prices reasonable and with the racing that we have seen on the ovals the fans should be satisfied afterwards. One problem is timing. The teams just ran Toronto and two days off would not be a great break at all. But the teams would still have eight days until the Edmonton race weekend. Another possibility is move Toronto back a week but now, instead of having two days to turn the cars around for Richmond, the teams would have two days to turn the cars around for Toronto. It is really a catch-22 but the hectic schedule may be worth it in the end.
If Richmond is not possible, then Kansas Speedway would be a good alternative. With the same aero package used at Texas and considering they now have the casino in turn two, promotion and bringing people in should not be too difficult. Memphis International Raceway is not the first place IndyCar fans want to go to but it is a 3/4 mile oval, has lights, is only a half hour from downtown Memphis and is a market without any major NASCAR races kind like Iowa when it first opened. Plus Josef Newgarden is from Tennessee, why not give him a home race? Also, have busing to the track from these downtown areas; that way people don't have to worry about drinking and driving.
I have one final idea for a Wednesday night race but I have to warn you before I tell you because it is a little different than the usual. A dirt race. Now before you jump to conclusions and say no, hear me out. There has not been a major, nationally known racing series to run a dirt race in a long time. Most of the average fans have no one idea you can race on dirt. It would be something that the average fan has never seen before. The NHL has the Winter Classic, their annual outdoor hockey game and the fans love it. This could be IndyCar's version of that. A 50 lap race shown on ABC would brings the series back to it's roots and connect with the die-hard fans who grew up watching dirt races and maybe even once raced on dirt. The Indiana State Fairgrounds would be the perfect place for it. Most of the teams are located in Indianapolis, they are heading there after Toronto anyway, just have them quickly turn the cars around. Plus, a dirt race on ABC could draw in a title sponsor. Who would not want to be associated with the first IndyCar race on dirt in over thirty years?
As for the lack of experience on dirt for some of the drivers, they will either have to learn. No exceptions. Give them plenty of testing time and you will have those who learn quickly and those who will struggle no matter what. Nobody wants the field handicapped at Toronto because, for example, Ed Carpenter isn't a great road and street courses driver. Same here in this situation. If Carpenter and Clauson, if he got a one-off ride, dominate and Power, Franchitti and Hunter-Reay struggle then tough.
Whether on dirt or a paved oval, an IndyCar race the Wednesday after the MLB All-Star Game should be considered. For a fan base than complains about being head-to-head with other sporting events, here is a golden opportunity to be on center stage.
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