Firestone Indy 300- Homestead-Miami

[JagtechOhio]

Nice job on that math.

The point I was suggesting is that Nascar attendance is down too. IndyCar needs a major marketing overhaul which includes improving the on-track competition. Nascar has not had the need to make any such efforts.

65,000 tickets for the Nascar Championship finale would have sold out in 48 hours in previous years. Some of IndyCar's poor attendance is a result of the shrinking household budgets of racing fans across the spectrum.

Curt Cavin estimated the Homestead IndyCar attendance at about 33,000 on his radio broadcast tonight. I would have guessed a little better, but not much.

Tony George is now in direct control of nothing, except the Vision Racing Team (Ed Carpenter's car). He has made public statements that the financial security of his own team will continue to be in doubt unless additional sponsorship is acquired.

My understanding is that MR. George retains a seat on the IMS Board of Directors: that means he has a vote on potential future decisions, not a platform from which to mandate changes.

About the best news is that the season ending race was a fantastic event, and the cars are not locked in some guy's warehouse while he waits to get paid by the organization.

[mac]

I really feel for Briscoe. He did absolutely everything possible... fastest guy on track, most laps lead... but gets screwed by the fact that the race was miraculously the first ever IRL race without a single yellow!!!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by JagtechOhio

Nice job on that math.

The point I was suggesting is that Nascar attendance is down too. IndyCar needs a major marketing overhaul which includes improving the on-track competition. Nascar has not had the need to make any such efforts.

65,000 tickets for the Nascar Championship finale would have sold out in 48 hours in previous years. Some of IndyCar's poor attendance is a result of the shrinking household budgets of racing fans across the spectrum.

Curt Cavin estimated the Homestead IndyCar attendance at about 33,000 on his radio broadcast tonight. I would have guessed a little better, but not much.

Tony George is now in direct control of nothing, except the Vision Racing Team (Ed Carpenter's car). He has made public statements that the financial security of his own team will continue to be in doubt unless additional sponsorship is acquired.

My understanding is that MR. George retains a seat on the IMS Board of Directors: that means he has a vote on potential future decisions, not a platform from which to mandate changes.

About the best news is that the season ending race was a fantastic event, and the cars are not locked in some guy's warehouse while he waits to get paid by the organization.

Obviously budget restraints because of the economic climate will affect ticket sales but just watching the broadcasts of IndyCar races as opposed to NASCAR and the attendances are well down.

As for marketing, again money is tight at the moment but I think the problem with IndyCar is it is quite sterile, what with only Honda and Dallara and no variety. NASCAR has four manufacturers and NASCAR fans will each have their favourite.

I didn't know Tony George was no longer in control; I thought that was a rumour.

I would love to see a return to IndyCars like they were back in the mid to late '90s, with multiple chassis manufacturers, engines and tyres and a good mix of homegrown and foreign drivers; obviously this is unrealistic because of the costs involved and the current economic climate but it's going to need something like that to draw interest and hence an audience and money. Interestingly two of the the most popular race car simulation games, covers the 1995 and 1998 season, so there is a nostalgic element.

It was a fantastic ending to the season and a very good season overall.