Here is a rundown of what got me thinking...
Carlos Sainz became the oldest Dakar Rally winner at 61 years old, winning in the car class. American Ricky Brabec won in the bike class for the second time. The final stage did not go everyone's way. The #31 Whelen Cadillac will be on pole position for the 24 Hours of Daytona as Pipo Derani broke the track record with a lap of 92.656 seconds. There was a ceremony in Charlotte. It rained in San Diego. MotoGP teams are unveiling liveries. A lot of small things are on my mind.
Winter Slog
There is not much to speak about in January. It is rather dull. Most series are still in hibernation. I could force some evergreen topic into the conversation because there is nothing going on, but I am going to save those for a later date. There were a few things that happened in the last few days that are worth our attention.
Opening the Gates
You shouldn't get credit for what you are supposed to do. That is the case with NASCAR after what was another needless mental lapse by the sanctioning body. With the release of the format for this year's Clash at the Coliseum, we learned the heat races would move to Saturday evening while the last chance qualifier and main event would remain on Sunday. What we also learned was he Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum would not be opened to spectators on Saturday.
This immediately was met with backlash and, before the week was over, not only did NASCAR announce it would reverse its decision but it decided Saturday would be free admission.
I don't know why or how NASCAR thought holding a televised event behind closed doors would be a good thing. I cannot fathom how that was the strategy from the start. Moving the heat races to Saturday created a two-day show, and NASCAR’s first thought was it shouldn't open the gates for the first day of it.
It is nonsensical. NASCAR spends a few million dollars to turn the Coliseum into a racetrack. If it is using the track, it should be seeking to draw a crowd. It is another chance to reap some return on its investment. It is staggering when NASCAR first decided to make the Clash a two-day show, it didn't just make general admission $20 for Saturday.
The Saturday would be a better way to engage spectators coming out. It could be a chance to hold a large autograph session or Q&A session or give people a chance to meet the drivers and see the cars up close. The place isn't going to be filled, but if 10,000 people come out and receive a pleasant experience watching races and meeting drivers, it is worth it.
NASCAR doesn't get any credit for doing something that should have been done from the start. The gates should have always been open and we shouldn't be having this conversation to begin with. NASCAR failing to capitalize on the additional day of action at the Coliseum is a colossal failure.
At Least One Thing is Consistent
The response to NASCAR allowing spectators on Saturday was overwhelmingly positive. There was a thread of the Internet (Twitter) that still found a negative in what NASCAR was doing. Again, NASCAR doesn't deserve any credit and should be rightfully criticized, however, the ridiculous reasons people constructed why opening up Saturday was a bad thing was absurd.
Some people are never going to be happy. However, it wasn't only NASCAR fans expressing unreasonable displeasure.
On Saturday afternoon, when Supercross was sharing photos of a muddy track as rain fell ahead of the San Diego round, most bemoaned the conditions, dreading another muddy race after the conditions in San Francisco showcased survival skills more than sheer racing ability. The experts, of course, had a number of suggestions. Starting the season outside California, only racing in domes, etc.
People know the Supercross officials cannot control the weather, right? Supercross has been spending January in California for 50 years. Sometimes it will rain, sometimes it will not, most of the time it will not rain. This year, Supercross caught two consecutive wet weekends. San Diego turned out to be not nearly as bad as San Francisco, but the weather is a part of Supercross racing, the same way the weather is a part of all forms of motorsports.
The mud might slow down a race, but it is a great equalizer. It is a different condition a rider must master. It can be tricky and frustrating to watch, but it is part of it, and it isn't every weekend. There might be two or three wet weekends each seasons. Something like San Francisco only happens once every few seasons. It is ok. We will all live.
However, if there is one thing we can count it is people being irrational on social media.
Let's Make a Deal
Every year we joke about how basically the entire IndyCar grid is at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and that is even closer to being accurate this year.
Fourteen of the 25 announced IndyCar regulars for the 2024 season are entered in the 24 Hours of Daytona. I have written about this before, and it is worth mentioning again, IndyCar should figure out how to schedule its season opener at Daytona alongside the 24 Hours of Daytona.
It obviously would not work during the 24 Hours of Daytona race weekend, but this weekend during the Roar Before the 24 test is practical.
One, most of the drivers are there. Two, it is a test for IMSA, they can make time. Three, they can find space for the paddock. Four, there is an opening in the schedule for this race.
It has been over four months since an IndyCar race, and the next one is still just under 50 days away. IndyCar should be desperate to get on track. This is IMSA's weekend, and there are many IMSA series competing, but adding IndyCar isn't going overboard.
IndyCar could use the entire week to get ready. The Wednesday and Thursday could be the final IndyCar test. There could be an IndyCar practice session Friday among the IMSA activities, qualifying could be early Saturday, and then IndyCar could race at noon on Sunday.
That would be a full weekend for Daytona. The Roar already gets a good crowd, and the chance to see IndyCar race at Daytona would only bring more people out. Daytona could bring out people for multiple weekends and also draw people who are not going to the 24 hours, but will come out for an IndyCar race.
Along with getting a race early in the year, IndyCar would get to race somewhere notable and compete on a track that has long thought to be an impractical location. It would be a big win for IndyCar, and a chance to stand out a month before NASCAR starts.
The Roar weekend can be maneuvered to make this work. Qualifying for the 24 Hours of Daytona can return to the Thursday before the race. Nobody is interested in qualifying being six days before the race. Let it be a test with no consequences. IMSA can get the bulk of Friday and Saturday. There is plenty of time for the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge races. The big series and Michelin Pilot Challenge can get track time. Come Sunday, finish up the testing, tie in the IndyCar race and have it be the big send off before coming back for the endurance race.
For IndyCar, this Sunday is a sneaky good time to get a race in. Football season is still in swing, but with the NFL Divisional Round games starting at 3:05 p.m. and 6:40 p.m. ET, there is a window in the early afternoon open for a race. IndyCar could start at noon and be done by 2:00 p.m. and not interfere with any football.
NBC took advantage of the window this year and showed women's basketball with Caitlin Clark and Iowa facing Ohio State. That led into NBC showing the Tampa Bay vs. Detroit playoff game. It doesn't always work out that NBC has the 3:05 p.m. Sunday game during the Divisional Round, but regardless if NBC is showing it, the noon window is there for IndyCar. It could put its foot in the ground and decide that is when it is going to start its season. If it can do it at Daytona, a notable track, even better. That is a promotable event. People know what Daytona is and a race there is a big deal.
It gets IndyCar back into action after months away. It springboards IndyCar into running races earlier in the year and making the most of ending before summer is even over. This is what IndyCar should want, and Roger Penske should not be afraid to negotiate with IMSA and Daytona to make this happen. IndyCar has nothing to lose. The drivers are already there. Why not have them show off doing their regular jobs?
Winners From the Weekend
You know about Carlos Sainz and Ricky Brabec, but did you know...
Other Dakar Rally Winners:
Cristiana Gutiérrez won in the Challenger (T3) class after American Mitch Guthrie lost over 41 minutes on the final stage.
Xavier de Soultrait won in SSV (T4) by two minutes and 25 seconds over Jéróme de Sadeleer.
Manuel Andújar won in the Quad class, Andújar's second Dakar victory, by seven minutes and 59 seconds over Alexandre Giroud.
Martin Macík won in the Truck class, his first Dakar victory.
Aaron Plessinger won the Supercross race from San Diego, his first career 450cc victory. Nate Thrasher won in the 250 class.
Coming Up This Weekend
24 Hours of Daytona
Formula E's doubleheader in Diriyah.
Supercross returns to Anaheim, the first triple crown event.
Rallye Monte-Carlo
