What I'd like to see doesn't seem over the top to me. I'm not asking for IndyCar to magically sign another two engine manufactures for 2014 or magically get the NBC Sports broadcast team to cover the ABC races as well. Rather take advantage of the current situation and get people interested with what's on the table, not fairy tale ideas.
1. Promote the Triple Crown. During the Kentucky Derby broadcast the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes were mentioned on accident. I know the IndyCar Triple Crown returns for the first time in twenty-four years but let's not act like it doesn't exist like the Mario Andretti Road Course and AJ Foyt Oval Championships. Stating from the beginning of the Indianapolis 500 broadcast that it is leg one of the IndyCar Triple Crown with causal mentions of Pocono and Fontana is all that IndyCar should be looking for. Heck, Pocono is on ABC and we know no matter who wins Indianapolis, someone will be racing for $250,000 at Pocono. That's much more exciting than the usual $35,000 bonus a winner gets.
2. People not being afraid to cover the Oriol Serviá/Dreyer & Reinbold situation. I am not saying turn the month into a telethon to save the team but let people know what Indianapolis means to this team for the rest of 2013. It very well could be due or die for the Catalan and D&R. Serviá had a team shut down on him in 2002 when PacWest closed up shop. Hopefully that won't happen again. When Sarah Fisher started her own team in 2008 things were shaky. She had little money and Indianapolis was her only shot. When she spun and collected Tony Kanaan it appeared her career had ended. However Dollar General stepped up and now look at Sarah Fisher's little team. They have won a race, are full-time, have a good partner in Wink Hartman and have a popular driver. Not saying Dreyer & Reinbold's season will be saved but getting the story out there doesn't hurt the team, it can only help them.
3. Let's NOT blow the Kurt Busch test out of proportion. He did it. Unless he is in the race, it was only test. Let's not turn it in to speculation for what is to come in 2014. It brings nothing to the race broadcast. If Busch is to run an IndyCar race sometime during 2013, worry about it when it happens not before it's announced.
4. Let's stop talking about a road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It's the month of May and it's sickening. We can get back to this nonsense when June rolls around but one final time: NO ROAD COURSE RACE AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY! IT WOULD BE A DISGRACE!
5. An improvement in the relationship between IndyCar's television partners. Sometimes I shake my head at how ABC/ESPN and Turner/TNT have no problem cross promoting NBA playoff games but when it comes to IndyCar it's as if neither ABC nor NBC knows each other exists. I'm not sure whose arm IndyCar has to twist but they have to find them and fast.
4. Let's stop talking about a road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It's the month of May and it's sickening. We can get back to this nonsense when June rolls around but one final time: NO ROAD COURSE RACE AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY! IT WOULD BE A DISGRACE!
5. An improvement in the relationship between IndyCar's television partners. Sometimes I shake my head at how ABC/ESPN and Turner/TNT have no problem cross promoting NBA playoff games but when it comes to IndyCar it's as if neither ABC nor NBC knows each other exists. I'm not sure whose arm IndyCar has to twist but they have to find them and fast.
