Last night's Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway didn't feature a photo finish, didn't feature a last lap pass, it didn't even feature a surprise winner, which has been the norm in 2013 for IndyCar. But with all that said, last night was a really good race.
As I quickly mentioned last night in the First Impressions for the Texas race, it was an exciting race despite Helio Castroneves leading the final 132 laps and winning by 4.6919 seconds over Ryan Hunter-Reay. It's hard to explain but I'll try. Last night was a showcase of skill driving a race car in changing conditions which, in my opinion, is not appreciated today as it was twenty to twenty-five years ago. Five cars finished on the lead lap and that doesn't seem to be favorable to some but it clearly showed who were the best drivers last night, opposed to twenty cars finishing on the lead lap where someone going off pit strategy could jump fifteen positions at the drop of a hat. We could clearly see Graham Rahal struggled last night, we saw Justin Wilson faded after charging to the front early and we watched Dario Franchitti fade early and rally back to finish sixth. It didn't come down to late pit stops with some staying out, some taking fuel only and some getting the works. IT WAS A RACE! You had to do your all to be the best over all 550 km and those who didn't put a foot wrong all night finished up front while those who had even a minor slip up were not in contention at the end.
Part of the problem today with almost all forms of motorsport is the emphasis being only placed on the final few laps by the media. Last night was the mirror image. You had to watch most of last night's race to enjoy it. You couldn't just turn it on with five to go and appreciate the performance by Castroneves. He dominated but with that domination came the slight thought of could he hold on? Could Castroneves maintain the lead with the tires wearing down? The answer was yes but Ryan Hunter-Reay made it interesting. He was taking close to second off the interval a lap. A second here, seven-tenths there, another half second. He was reeling Castroneves in but time ran out and Castroneves won race he clearly deserved.
Think about what made the 1987 Indianapolis 500 so exciting. Was it sixty-eight lead changes? No. Was it a record number of drivers finishing on the lead lap? No. It was the unexpected. Mario Andretti had it in the bag. He dominated. It was all but over.... and then he brushed the wall and just like that it was a whole new ball game. It became a duel between Roberto Guerrero, the young Colombian who was coming off his first career win at Phoenix, the race leading into Indianapolis, and Al Unser. The veteran, a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, who was a last minute substitute for the injured Danny Ongais, driving a race car turned show car back into a race car. Imagine the people who turned the race off with 50 laps to go because of the dominant performance being put on by Andretti. Now imagine when the found out Al Unser won his fourth Indianapolis 500. Sure, the backstory and the stage and the players added to the excitement but it was exciting regardless.
As much as racing is compared to other sports, it is an unfair comparison on most accounts. You can't just turn a race off when someone has a large lead. This isn't football or basketball where a team could be up twenty-eight after the third quarter and you are moving on to other programming. An enormous lead in racing can vanish in the matter of moments and at any point in a race. It's different from other sports and it will always be different. Last night wasn't on the edge of your seat action but the door was always open for something to bite Castroneves when least expected. Fortunately for him and Roger Penske everything turned out alright.
The same way every baseball game can't end in a walk-off home run and every basketball game can't end in a half court buzzer beater, every race can't end in photo finish, last lap pass. Let's just hope those who don't usually turn on IndyCar or any form of racing understand.
Covering All Motorsports. From Indianapolis to Le Mans, Daytona to Monaco.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Texas 2013: First Impressions
1. Penske Racing has finally won a race. Everyone can calm down and Helio Castroneves is the points leader.
2. Now, Mr. Ganassi, when are you going to get back to victory lane?
3. Say what you want but this was a pretty exciting race. Yes Castroneves won by 4.6919 seconds. Yes only five cars finished on the lead lap but there was something exciting about it and I will have to explain my reasoning in depth later.
4. Great run by Tony Kanaan to pass Ed Carpenter late for third and Marco Andretti had a great run to get up to fifth.
5. Dario Franchitti and Will Power were sixth and seventh. A great day for two drivers who were having a difficult season.
6. Josef Newgarden scored his first career top ten on an oval finishing in eighth and a great run by James Hinchcliffe in ninth. His first top ten this season that wasn't a win.
7. Andretti Autosport may not have one but they had all four cars in the top ten with EJ Viso finishing tenth.
8. Late strategy saw James Jakes fall to twelfth after running in the top ten all night and Justin Wilson faded to fifteenth after quickly working his way to fifth from twentieth early in the race.
9. While James Jakes is coming into his own, his teammate Graham Rahal cannot catch a break. He finished 21st, 5 laps down.
10. Speaking of not catching breaks, Pippa Mann only got two laps tonight before her engine blew. Bummer,
11. Scott Dixon's night wasn't any better and finished twenty-third. Not to mention a few of his pit crew members were burned when gearbox fluid burst out of the car.
12. ABC's coverage gives me a brain aneurysm and makes me want to drink. Can we please have an adult conversation about how you broadcast your races ABC? Please?
13. No one had an accident in this race. Oriol Serviá spun but didn't hit anything and the other cautions were for Mann and Dixon coming to a stop on the apron. Not a bad day for Dallara after the brutal race two at Belle Isle.
13. If we can duplicate the racing at Texas at Chicago, Kentucky, Charlotte and Kansas then IndyCar can and should return to racing on more 1.5 mile ovals.
14. The race was enjoyable but I can already hear it now: The moaning over ratings, people complaining about the style of racing (though it was met so favorably after last year) and more panic.
15. But I will stay as positive as possible. It was a very good race. We have our seventh different winner in 2013 and there are eleven races remaining in 2013. Plenty to look forward to.
2. Now, Mr. Ganassi, when are you going to get back to victory lane?
3. Say what you want but this was a pretty exciting race. Yes Castroneves won by 4.6919 seconds. Yes only five cars finished on the lead lap but there was something exciting about it and I will have to explain my reasoning in depth later.
4. Great run by Tony Kanaan to pass Ed Carpenter late for third and Marco Andretti had a great run to get up to fifth.
5. Dario Franchitti and Will Power were sixth and seventh. A great day for two drivers who were having a difficult season.
6. Josef Newgarden scored his first career top ten on an oval finishing in eighth and a great run by James Hinchcliffe in ninth. His first top ten this season that wasn't a win.
7. Andretti Autosport may not have one but they had all four cars in the top ten with EJ Viso finishing tenth.
8. Late strategy saw James Jakes fall to twelfth after running in the top ten all night and Justin Wilson faded to fifteenth after quickly working his way to fifth from twentieth early in the race.
9. While James Jakes is coming into his own, his teammate Graham Rahal cannot catch a break. He finished 21st, 5 laps down.
10. Speaking of not catching breaks, Pippa Mann only got two laps tonight before her engine blew. Bummer,
11. Scott Dixon's night wasn't any better and finished twenty-third. Not to mention a few of his pit crew members were burned when gearbox fluid burst out of the car.
12. ABC's coverage gives me a brain aneurysm and makes me want to drink. Can we please have an adult conversation about how you broadcast your races ABC? Please?
13. No one had an accident in this race. Oriol Serviá spun but didn't hit anything and the other cautions were for Mann and Dixon coming to a stop on the apron. Not a bad day for Dallara after the brutal race two at Belle Isle.
13. If we can duplicate the racing at Texas at Chicago, Kentucky, Charlotte and Kansas then IndyCar can and should return to racing on more 1.5 mile ovals.
14. The race was enjoyable but I can already hear it now: The moaning over ratings, people complaining about the style of racing (though it was met so favorably after last year) and more panic.
15. But I will stay as positive as possible. It was a very good race. We have our seventh different winner in 2013 and there are eleven races remaining in 2013. Plenty to look forward to.
Morning Warm-Up: Texas 2013
IndyCar is at Texas Motor Speedway for the twenty-fifth time in the tracks seventeen year history. Justin Wilson looks to become the first driver to win back-to-back races at Texas and should he do so he would break his own record of farthest starting position for a winner. Last year, Wilson came from seventeenth to pass Graham Rahal with two laps to go after Rahal brushed the wall exiting turn four. Wilson starts twentieth tonight.
The front row is occupied by Will Power and Marco Andretti. Will Power has a win a Texas Motor Speedway. He won the second race of the Firestone Twin 275's in 2011, the only year a doubleheader was held at Texas Motor Speedway. Marco Andretti is looking for his first win since Iowa in 2011. Andretti has two top five finishes at Texas Motor Speedway.
Ryan Hunter-Reay starts third and looks to become the first Texas-born driver to win at Texas Motor Speedway. Hunter-Reay was born in Dallas. Dario Franchitti starts fourth looking for his second career win at Texas. He won the first race of the Firestone Twin 275's in 2011. EJ Viso starts in fifth position. Viso is looking for his first career victory. Three drivers have won their first career race at Texas (Billy Boat, Mark Dismore and Jeff Ward) however it was the only victory of their careers.
Helio Castroneves starts sixth and looks for his fourth career victory at Texas Motor Speedway. Castroneves is currently tied with Sam Hornish Jr. for most wins at Texas Motor Speedway at three. Josef Newgarden and Charlie Kimball make up row four. Kimball's best finish at Texas is twenty-third. Ed Carpenter and James Jakes rounds out the top ten. Carpenter's best finish at Texas is ninth on three occasions.
Scott Dixon and James Hinchcliffe start on row six. Dixon led 130 laps last year at Texas but had an accident while running second with 54 laps to go. Hinchcliffe has two wins this season but those are his only top ten finishes of the season. Tony Kanaan and Alex Tagliani make up row seven. While Kanaan won just two weeks ago at Indianapolis, Tagliani has not won since August 8, 2004 at Road America. Sébastien Bourdais starts fifteenth in his first oval race outside of Indianapolis in seven years and four days. That race was held at Milwaukee and Bourdais won after leading 117 laps. Oriol Serviá starts seventeenth in his first race for Panther Racing. His best finish at Texas is twentieth in four races.
Graham Rahal starts seventeenth. The Ohioan is fourteenth in points and is coming off back-to-back ninth place finishes at Belle Isle. Sebastián Saavedra starts eighteenth. His only starts at Texas were the Twin 275's where the Colombian finished twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth respectively. Pippa Mann starts a career best nineteen in his fourth career start. This is her first appearance at Texas Motor Speedway. She starts on the same row as her Dale Coyne teammate Justin Wilson.
Takuma Sato starts twenty-first though not making a qualifying run. A gearbox changed prevented the Japanese drivers from making an attempt. Simona de Silvestro, Simon Pagenaud and Tristan Vautier will round out the final three positions. All are serving ten grid spot penalties for engine changes.
Coverage of the Firestone 550 begins at 8:30 p.m. ET, live on ABC. This is the first IndyCar race shown on network TV in prime time.
The front row is occupied by Will Power and Marco Andretti. Will Power has a win a Texas Motor Speedway. He won the second race of the Firestone Twin 275's in 2011, the only year a doubleheader was held at Texas Motor Speedway. Marco Andretti is looking for his first win since Iowa in 2011. Andretti has two top five finishes at Texas Motor Speedway.
Ryan Hunter-Reay starts third and looks to become the first Texas-born driver to win at Texas Motor Speedway. Hunter-Reay was born in Dallas. Dario Franchitti starts fourth looking for his second career win at Texas. He won the first race of the Firestone Twin 275's in 2011. EJ Viso starts in fifth position. Viso is looking for his first career victory. Three drivers have won their first career race at Texas (Billy Boat, Mark Dismore and Jeff Ward) however it was the only victory of their careers.
Helio Castroneves starts sixth and looks for his fourth career victory at Texas Motor Speedway. Castroneves is currently tied with Sam Hornish Jr. for most wins at Texas Motor Speedway at three. Josef Newgarden and Charlie Kimball make up row four. Kimball's best finish at Texas is twenty-third. Ed Carpenter and James Jakes rounds out the top ten. Carpenter's best finish at Texas is ninth on three occasions.
Scott Dixon and James Hinchcliffe start on row six. Dixon led 130 laps last year at Texas but had an accident while running second with 54 laps to go. Hinchcliffe has two wins this season but those are his only top ten finishes of the season. Tony Kanaan and Alex Tagliani make up row seven. While Kanaan won just two weeks ago at Indianapolis, Tagliani has not won since August 8, 2004 at Road America. Sébastien Bourdais starts fifteenth in his first oval race outside of Indianapolis in seven years and four days. That race was held at Milwaukee and Bourdais won after leading 117 laps. Oriol Serviá starts seventeenth in his first race for Panther Racing. His best finish at Texas is twentieth in four races.
Graham Rahal starts seventeenth. The Ohioan is fourteenth in points and is coming off back-to-back ninth place finishes at Belle Isle. Sebastián Saavedra starts eighteenth. His only starts at Texas were the Twin 275's where the Colombian finished twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth respectively. Pippa Mann starts a career best nineteen in his fourth career start. This is her first appearance at Texas Motor Speedway. She starts on the same row as her Dale Coyne teammate Justin Wilson.
Takuma Sato starts twenty-first though not making a qualifying run. A gearbox changed prevented the Japanese drivers from making an attempt. Simona de Silvestro, Simon Pagenaud and Tristan Vautier will round out the final three positions. All are serving ten grid spot penalties for engine changes.
Coverage of the Firestone 550 begins at 8:30 p.m. ET, live on ABC. This is the first IndyCar race shown on network TV in prime time.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Will Power Powers To Texas Pole
Will Power won his second pole position of the season and third career pole on an oval with a two lap average of 219.182 MPH almost two miles an hour over second place Marco Andretti's 217.553 MPH average. Ryan Hunter-Reay was third, only twenty-nine hundredths of a MPH off his teammate with Dario Franchitti starting in fourth position. EJ Viso starts fifth with Helio Castroneves in sixth.
The Hondas of Josef Newgarden and Charlie Kimball occupy row four ahead of Indianapolis 500 pole-sitter Ed Carpenter in ninth. James Jakes continues his streak in the right direction and will start tenth. Jakes picked up his first career IndyCar top ten last year at Texas. Scott Dixon starts eleventh. Simona de Silvestro qualified twelfth but will serve a ten grid spot penalty for an unapproved engine change after Belle Isle. James Hinchcliffe will start twelfth. Simona Pagenaud will also going to the rear of the field after an engine change.
Tony Kanaan starts thirteenth ahead of Alex Tagliani. Tagliani had won the last two pole positions at Texas. Sébastien Bourdais will start fifteenth. This is the Frenchman's first start at Texas Motor Speedway. Oriol Serviá will roll off from sixteenth position in his first start for Panther Racing. Graham Rahal starts seventeenth one year after nearly winning his second career race at Texas Motor Speedway.
Sebastián Saavedra starts eighteenth. The Colombian scored his first career top ten last Sunday at Belle Isle on his twenty-second birthday. Pippa Mann will start nineteenth in her first career start at Texas and second career start for Dale Coyne Racing. He Dale Coyne teammate and defending winner at Texas Justin Wilson starts twentieth ahead of Takuma Sato who did not make a qualifying attempt after a gearbox change. Simona de Silvestro starts twenty-second after her ten grid spot penalty ahead of Simon Pagenaud after his penalty and Tristan Vautier. Vautier did not make a qualifying attempt. Vautier's crew made an unapproved engine change.
Tomorrow night's Firestone 550 from Texas Motor Speedway can be seen at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
The Hondas of Josef Newgarden and Charlie Kimball occupy row four ahead of Indianapolis 500 pole-sitter Ed Carpenter in ninth. James Jakes continues his streak in the right direction and will start tenth. Jakes picked up his first career IndyCar top ten last year at Texas. Scott Dixon starts eleventh. Simona de Silvestro qualified twelfth but will serve a ten grid spot penalty for an unapproved engine change after Belle Isle. James Hinchcliffe will start twelfth. Simona Pagenaud will also going to the rear of the field after an engine change.
Tony Kanaan starts thirteenth ahead of Alex Tagliani. Tagliani had won the last two pole positions at Texas. Sébastien Bourdais will start fifteenth. This is the Frenchman's first start at Texas Motor Speedway. Oriol Serviá will roll off from sixteenth position in his first start for Panther Racing. Graham Rahal starts seventeenth one year after nearly winning his second career race at Texas Motor Speedway.
Sebastián Saavedra starts eighteenth. The Colombian scored his first career top ten last Sunday at Belle Isle on his twenty-second birthday. Pippa Mann will start nineteenth in her first career start at Texas and second career start for Dale Coyne Racing. He Dale Coyne teammate and defending winner at Texas Justin Wilson starts twentieth ahead of Takuma Sato who did not make a qualifying attempt after a gearbox change. Simona de Silvestro starts twenty-second after her ten grid spot penalty ahead of Simon Pagenaud after his penalty and Tristan Vautier. Vautier did not make a qualifying attempt. Vautier's crew made an unapproved engine change.
Tomorrow night's Firestone 550 from Texas Motor Speedway can be seen at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Track Walk: Texas 2013
Simon Pagenaud heads to Texas as the most recent winner in the Izod IndyCar Series while Helio Castroneves and Marco Andretti are tied for the points lead. Six different drivers have won this season of which Ryan Hunter-Reay is the only one to have won a race in 2012. Justin Wilson won last year at Texas.
Serviá and Mann Return
Oriol Serviá and Pippa Mann return to the IndyCar grid this weekend. Serviá will jump behind the wheel of the National Guard Chevrolet for Panther Racing while Mann will drive CyclopsGear.com Honda for Dale Coyne Racing. Serviá was ninth in the points after Indianapolis but missed the two Detroit races after Dreyer & Reinbold Racing shut it's doors. Mann will be making her second start of the season and her first career appearance at Texas Motor Speedway. Mann finished thirtieth at Indianapolis.
Serviá has been announced as the driver of the #4 Chevrolet for Texas and Iowa in a fortnight. No announcement has been made on who will drive the car at Milwaukee next week. No driver has been announced for the #18 Dale Coyne entry past Texas.
More Turbo For Kanaan
Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan will be driving the Sunoco/Turbo Chevrolet at Texas this weekend and at three more races in 2013. The DreamWorks Animation film "Turbo" follows the story of a snails in pursuit of making his dream come true of competing in the Indianapolis 500. The film and Sunoco sponsored Townsend Bell in the Indianapolis 500. "Turbo" will be released on July 17.
Coverage and Forecast
This year's Firestone 550 from Texas Motor Speedway will be the first IndyCar race shown live in primetime. ABC's coverage begins Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. ET with the command to start engines at 8:40 p.m. Forecast for Friday calls for a high of 85 degrees Fahrenheit with partly cloudy conditions and zero percent chance of rain. Saturday calls for mostly sunny with a high of 89 degrees Fahrenheit and ten percent chance of rain.
Track Facts
Alex Tagliani has won the last two poles at Texas. He looks to tie Tomas Scheckter for most poles at Texas Motor Speedway with three. Last year Justin Wilson won from seventeenth, the furthest back a winner has come from at Texas. In 25 races at Texas Motor Speedway, the winner has come from pole position six times and from the front row twelve times. Helio Castroneves leads all active drivers with three wins at Texas, his last coming in 2009. There has never been a back-to-back winner at Texas Motor Speedway
Prediction
We will have a seventh different winner in 2013 at Texas. Last year saw a lot of passing and I expect that to continue in 2013. Only six cars finished on the lead lap last year, I expect more this year but no more than twelve. Scott Dixon led 130 laps last year before having an accident with just a little more than 50 laps to go. Dixon should be a contender. I am pulling for Oriol Serviá because Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said he will hand him the trophy in victory lane. I am going to take Marco Andretti for the win and retaking the points lead in doing so. Sleeper: Charlie Kimball.
Serviá and Mann Return
Oriol Serviá and Pippa Mann return to the IndyCar grid this weekend. Serviá will jump behind the wheel of the National Guard Chevrolet for Panther Racing while Mann will drive CyclopsGear.com Honda for Dale Coyne Racing. Serviá was ninth in the points after Indianapolis but missed the two Detroit races after Dreyer & Reinbold Racing shut it's doors. Mann will be making her second start of the season and her first career appearance at Texas Motor Speedway. Mann finished thirtieth at Indianapolis.
Serviá has been announced as the driver of the #4 Chevrolet for Texas and Iowa in a fortnight. No announcement has been made on who will drive the car at Milwaukee next week. No driver has been announced for the #18 Dale Coyne entry past Texas.
More Turbo For Kanaan
Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan will be driving the Sunoco/Turbo Chevrolet at Texas this weekend and at three more races in 2013. The DreamWorks Animation film "Turbo" follows the story of a snails in pursuit of making his dream come true of competing in the Indianapolis 500. The film and Sunoco sponsored Townsend Bell in the Indianapolis 500. "Turbo" will be released on July 17.
Coverage and Forecast
This year's Firestone 550 from Texas Motor Speedway will be the first IndyCar race shown live in primetime. ABC's coverage begins Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. ET with the command to start engines at 8:40 p.m. Forecast for Friday calls for a high of 85 degrees Fahrenheit with partly cloudy conditions and zero percent chance of rain. Saturday calls for mostly sunny with a high of 89 degrees Fahrenheit and ten percent chance of rain.
Track Facts
Alex Tagliani has won the last two poles at Texas. He looks to tie Tomas Scheckter for most poles at Texas Motor Speedway with three. Last year Justin Wilson won from seventeenth, the furthest back a winner has come from at Texas. In 25 races at Texas Motor Speedway, the winner has come from pole position six times and from the front row twelve times. Helio Castroneves leads all active drivers with three wins at Texas, his last coming in 2009. There has never been a back-to-back winner at Texas Motor Speedway
Prediction
We will have a seventh different winner in 2013 at Texas. Last year saw a lot of passing and I expect that to continue in 2013. Only six cars finished on the lead lap last year, I expect more this year but no more than twelve. Scott Dixon led 130 laps last year before having an accident with just a little more than 50 laps to go. Dixon should be a contender. I am pulling for Oriol Serviá because Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said he will hand him the trophy in victory lane. I am going to take Marco Andretti for the win and retaking the points lead in doing so. Sleeper: Charlie Kimball.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
A Way IndyCar Could Attract Younger Fans
IndyCar's history at Charlotte Motor Speedway was left with a black eye on the night of May 1, 1999. Three spectators were killed after an accident sent a tire in the stands the last time IndyCar made a trip to the Queen City.
It's been fourteen years since that dark night and IndyCar has never been in a position to return to North Carolina. However it may be the right time to consider returning to the one and a half mile oval.
ESPN executives visited Charlotte Motor Speedway today as a possible venue for the 2014 Summer X Games. The event which has been a foothold in Southern California since 2003 is looking for a new home starting in 2014. Charlotte along with Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Chicago and Detroit are all candidates. The four-day event, which includes skateboard, BMX, motorcycles and rallycross, are looking for a new home and if I am IndyCar and if Charlotte wins the bid for the 2014 Summer X Games, I try to get on the bill. With the X Games being run by ESPN, this would be an ABC race for IndyCar, the IndyCar TV partner available to most homes. The X Games attract young fans and sponsors geared towards young fans such as Red Bull, Monster Energy Drink and GoPro sponsor the event. IndyCar can only benefit and hopefully draw eyeballs should they join the X Games bill.
IndyCar currently has two weeks off in July and two weeks off in August. These gaps have to be broken up and an oval in the summer would be perfect. What could work out the best for both the X Games and IndyCar would be to hold the event on the third weekend in July, a weekend NASCAR has traditionally taken off. It would be the highlight event on ESPN that weekend and pair it with an IndyCar race on Sunday afternoon could benefit both, especially on Sunday afternoon.
IndyCar has nothing to lose and should be open to any and all partnerships possible. A Sunday doubleheader with rallycross and IndyCar would be great for race fans and either be great lead-in programming to other X Games events or be great to wrap up the X Games. Having a few crossovers with IndyCar guys running both races or Travis Pastrana running rallycross and the IndyCar race would be cool to see and I think now that Pastrana has been running in the NASCAR Nationwide Series he could hold his own in an IndyCar. A 360-mile (in honor of extreme sports) IndyCar race on a Sunday afternoon with little competition from other sporting events would be a big step for IndyCar to get out in the public spotlight.
Instead of trying to be separate, IndyCar should embrace the X Games, back the Charlotte bid and work to become apart of the four-day weekend. It would be a great opportunity for IndyCar to widen their narrow audience to include younger fans.
It's been fourteen years since that dark night and IndyCar has never been in a position to return to North Carolina. However it may be the right time to consider returning to the one and a half mile oval.
ESPN executives visited Charlotte Motor Speedway today as a possible venue for the 2014 Summer X Games. The event which has been a foothold in Southern California since 2003 is looking for a new home starting in 2014. Charlotte along with Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Chicago and Detroit are all candidates. The four-day event, which includes skateboard, BMX, motorcycles and rallycross, are looking for a new home and if I am IndyCar and if Charlotte wins the bid for the 2014 Summer X Games, I try to get on the bill. With the X Games being run by ESPN, this would be an ABC race for IndyCar, the IndyCar TV partner available to most homes. The X Games attract young fans and sponsors geared towards young fans such as Red Bull, Monster Energy Drink and GoPro sponsor the event. IndyCar can only benefit and hopefully draw eyeballs should they join the X Games bill.
IndyCar currently has two weeks off in July and two weeks off in August. These gaps have to be broken up and an oval in the summer would be perfect. What could work out the best for both the X Games and IndyCar would be to hold the event on the third weekend in July, a weekend NASCAR has traditionally taken off. It would be the highlight event on ESPN that weekend and pair it with an IndyCar race on Sunday afternoon could benefit both, especially on Sunday afternoon.
IndyCar has nothing to lose and should be open to any and all partnerships possible. A Sunday doubleheader with rallycross and IndyCar would be great for race fans and either be great lead-in programming to other X Games events or be great to wrap up the X Games. Having a few crossovers with IndyCar guys running both races or Travis Pastrana running rallycross and the IndyCar race would be cool to see and I think now that Pastrana has been running in the NASCAR Nationwide Series he could hold his own in an IndyCar. A 360-mile (in honor of extreme sports) IndyCar race on a Sunday afternoon with little competition from other sporting events would be a big step for IndyCar to get out in the public spotlight.
Instead of trying to be separate, IndyCar should embrace the X Games, back the Charlotte bid and work to become apart of the four-day weekend. It would be a great opportunity for IndyCar to widen their narrow audience to include younger fans.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Belle Isle 2013: First Impressions
1. What an amazing drive by Mike Conway. He deserves the win. A great day for Dale Coyne Racing taking two spots on the podium.
2. Great race by Ryan Hunter-Reay. Choosing the alternate tire for his second stint was a mistake but second is still great.
3. And there is a race tomorrow at Belle Isle and I am happy about that.
4. I thought this was the best race ever held at Belle Isle. The 2.3 mile configuration is much better than the 2.1 mile race.
5. Penske and Ganassi has yet to win this year. Meanwhile, Foyt, Coyne and KV have.
6. Great race for Josef Newgarden finishing seventh.
7. Tough finish for Ryan Briscoe. Had a shot at a top ten before running into the tires. Hopefully John Barnes doesn't fire him before race two.
8. Scott Dixon had a great run considering he was run over on lap one. Still finished fourth. This really speaks to the durability of the DW12 chassis.
9. Justin Wilson has finished ninth, eighth, third, twentieth, fifth and third. Not bad.
10. Will Power has finished sixteenth, fifth, sixteenth, twenty-fourth, nineteenth and eighth.
11. James Jakes has been impressive and his teammate Graham Rahal picked up his game. Rahal finished ninth, ahead of Jakes who finished tenth.
12. Tough break (hopefully not literally) for AJ Allmendinger. Hopefully he can recover for race two and hopefully tomorrow isn't his final IndyCar race of 2013.
13. Alex Tagliani didn't have much go his way today.
14. ABC needs a new broadcast crew. Murray Walker is available and turning 90 this October. I'm sure he'd be more lively than the current three in the booth.
15. Belle Isle Park looks beautiful. Track might not be the greatest but the Park sure looks like it makes up for it.
16. I cannot wait for race two tomorrow. Let's see if the rain holds off.
Race Two
1. Great win for Simon Pagenaud and a great win for Sam Schmidt, Ric Peterson and Davey Hamilton.
2. Great run by James Jakes finishing second.
3. Mike Conway might not have won the $50,000 bonus but I give him the best odds to win the $100,000 bonus at Toronto.
4. The drought continues for Penske and Ganassi.
5. Great day for Honda sweeping the top five and an even better weekend sweeping the two races in Chevrolet's backyard. Maybe Chevrolet should consider funding a second race weekend at Michigan International Speedway
6. Sebastián Saavedra got Dragon Racing their first top ten of the season on his birthday. Not a bad day for him at all.
7. How Helio Castroneves and Marco Andretti are tied for the points lead and neither has won a race is beyond me.
8. This was not as good as race one.
9. This was a long day.
10. Lots of damage heading into Texas.
11. Texas can't come soon enough.
12. Thumbs up to the doubleheader format. Maybe it should be done at most if not all road and street course races. It would get IndyCar on television much more than it is now and the more you are on television the more of a chance you catch the eye of viewers. I guess. I don't know. I am just trying to come up with another positive for doubleheaders.
13. In all seriousness though, the doubleheader format was great and I can't wait until NBCSN gets to do Toronto and Houston.
14. IndyCar has to do something to get new life in the ABC broadcast. They can't leave ABC but at least ask them to get some new bloody announcers. Marty Reid, Eddie Cheever and Scott Goodyear might all love IndyCar racing but I love IndyCar racing and would do a much better job. The pit reporters are fine. We can throw out names until we are blue in the face but not now. Let's focus on getting a new team for 2014.
15. I feel bad for AJ Allmendinger. He deserves a shot at another oval.
16. And now we are on to Texas. Which very well could be the best race of 2013.
2. Great race by Ryan Hunter-Reay. Choosing the alternate tire for his second stint was a mistake but second is still great.
3. And there is a race tomorrow at Belle Isle and I am happy about that.
4. I thought this was the best race ever held at Belle Isle. The 2.3 mile configuration is much better than the 2.1 mile race.
5. Penske and Ganassi has yet to win this year. Meanwhile, Foyt, Coyne and KV have.
6. Great race for Josef Newgarden finishing seventh.
7. Tough finish for Ryan Briscoe. Had a shot at a top ten before running into the tires. Hopefully John Barnes doesn't fire him before race two.
8. Scott Dixon had a great run considering he was run over on lap one. Still finished fourth. This really speaks to the durability of the DW12 chassis.
9. Justin Wilson has finished ninth, eighth, third, twentieth, fifth and third. Not bad.
10. Will Power has finished sixteenth, fifth, sixteenth, twenty-fourth, nineteenth and eighth.
11. James Jakes has been impressive and his teammate Graham Rahal picked up his game. Rahal finished ninth, ahead of Jakes who finished tenth.
12. Tough break (hopefully not literally) for AJ Allmendinger. Hopefully he can recover for race two and hopefully tomorrow isn't his final IndyCar race of 2013.
13. Alex Tagliani didn't have much go his way today.
14. ABC needs a new broadcast crew. Murray Walker is available and turning 90 this October. I'm sure he'd be more lively than the current three in the booth.
15. Belle Isle Park looks beautiful. Track might not be the greatest but the Park sure looks like it makes up for it.
16. I cannot wait for race two tomorrow. Let's see if the rain holds off.
Race Two
1. Great win for Simon Pagenaud and a great win for Sam Schmidt, Ric Peterson and Davey Hamilton.
2. Great run by James Jakes finishing second.
3. Mike Conway might not have won the $50,000 bonus but I give him the best odds to win the $100,000 bonus at Toronto.
4. The drought continues for Penske and Ganassi.
5. Great day for Honda sweeping the top five and an even better weekend sweeping the two races in Chevrolet's backyard. Maybe Chevrolet should consider funding a second race weekend at Michigan International Speedway
6. Sebastián Saavedra got Dragon Racing their first top ten of the season on his birthday. Not a bad day for him at all.
7. How Helio Castroneves and Marco Andretti are tied for the points lead and neither has won a race is beyond me.
8. This was not as good as race one.
9. This was a long day.
10. Lots of damage heading into Texas.
11. Texas can't come soon enough.
12. Thumbs up to the doubleheader format. Maybe it should be done at most if not all road and street course races. It would get IndyCar on television much more than it is now and the more you are on television the more of a chance you catch the eye of viewers. I guess. I don't know. I am just trying to come up with another positive for doubleheaders.
13. In all seriousness though, the doubleheader format was great and I can't wait until NBCSN gets to do Toronto and Houston.
14. IndyCar has to do something to get new life in the ABC broadcast. They can't leave ABC but at least ask them to get some new bloody announcers. Marty Reid, Eddie Cheever and Scott Goodyear might all love IndyCar racing but I love IndyCar racing and would do a much better job. The pit reporters are fine. We can throw out names until we are blue in the face but not now. Let's focus on getting a new team for 2014.
15. I feel bad for AJ Allmendinger. He deserves a shot at another oval.
16. And now we are on to Texas. Which very well could be the best race of 2013.
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