Why Isn't IndyCar Racing?

It's December, most of the country has been experiencing unusually warm weather, yet IndyCar has been off for two months, heading on three.

All other series are on a break and if there is one series that needs ratings it's IndyCar. Once again, this is an unseasonable patch of weather some are seeing and it could be snowing in the Northeast and Midwest this time next year. So the likes of Watkins Glen, Road America, Michigan and New Hampshire are out of the question. But other parts of the country rarely worry about snow.

Phoenix is pretty warm this time of the year, Florida is always an option and then there are interesting venues such as NOLA Motorsports Park and Austin which are new tracks looking for major events. We could always go international to South America, Australia or the Middle East but a race in December would most likely be the season finale; an oval and in the United States would be preferred.

Do we push Fontana back two months to December and see what type of crowd the race can get? No NFL team in the LA area there to date, no USC or UCLA game, Lakers or Clippers may have a home game but other than that, not a lot of competition for what proved to be an exciting 500 miler this year. The weather would be much cooler than it was this past September but it would probably be too cold for a night race in December.

As for fans at the track, you have to do all you can to get fans through the gate. Pre or post race concert, carnival atmosphere, whatever it takes.

Why would an event in December make sense? No NASCAR to compete with, sure there is the NFL but this Saturday there is only one college football game on network television, the Army-Navy Game on CBS. Why couldn't IndyCar work with ABC to get a race on a Saturday afternoon in December? IndyCar cannot always follow the status quo. Going there own way maybe best to draw in unlikely viewers.