IMSA Race TUSC Round 9: Indy - Page 2

Coach Ep · 21 Jul 2014, 20:02 (Ref:3436378)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

As he's no longer in the Ganassi stable and Penske don't run anything, unfortunately not. And I mean 'unfortunately' genuinely; he might be controversial but a fantastic talent and was a joy to watch in several of the GA races he ran.

You're right, I had forgotten about that...

Maybe the Penske-Chevy link could come up with a surprise, bad-ass driver pairing like Westbrook-Montoya (and Vaillante) for the Petit?!

TF110 · 21 Jul 2014, 21:50 (Ref:3436419)

Montoya has always been a hard racer. In the dp's he drove like most of his fellow racers. Bumping and rubbing was (is) normal. Hopefully they can keep it clean but Im not holding my breath!

jasonjessica09 · 21 Jul 2014, 22:53 (Ref:3436438)

Being on Friday is ok when it was grand am but not for the Tudor series. If it is going to be a support race then have it as LMPC/GTD only next year. The GTLM in particular category should not play third fiddle to NASCAR.

On a stand alone weekend you can Indy split between red/blue races or Protos/GT.

BullMan · 21 Jul 2014, 23:37 (Ref:3436448)

I always laughed at TV trying to play up this race as something super awesome. Just because they're running the crappy road course at Indy, it doesn't mean the race is special. It isn't the Indy 500. Same thing with the Brickyard 400. Good for you, you won, but you didn't win the Indy 500, the important race people care about.

Rcz · 21 Jul 2014, 23:48 (Ref:3436453)

The only way they could make it go big is if they made it a 48hour race or something with p1 cars. It is sad to see sportcars and IMS treated this way.

Even Nationwide is getting thrown under rug, there supposed to be at Lucas Oil Raceway.

Their trying too hard to save the Brickyard 400

Breitling24 · 22 Jul 2014, 01:01 (Ref:3436465)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salamus

Also known as the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_night_death_slot"]Friday night death .

But it's not The Friday night death slot, it's 5:30pm EDT. It will be shown during Happy Hour in hundreds of East Coast sports bars!

Salamus · 22 Jul 2014, 02:59 (Ref:3436488)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rcz

Their trying too hard to save the Brickyard 400

This! This is most likely the reason for this "Super Weekend at the Brickyard". The 400 hasn't lived up to expectations in recent years. And the addition of all these events is actually hurting all the championships involved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breitling24

But it's not The Friday night death slot, it's 5:30pm EDT. It will be shown during Happy Hour in hundreds of East Coast sports bars!

On the off-chance that a sports bar shows the race, the angry drunk in the back will yell "Hey! That ain't no sport! Where's the damn remote!"

TRspitfirefan · 22 Jul 2014, 04:25 (Ref:3436510)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maelochs

It's not that the NASCAR fans have never seen sports cars and will be thrilled once they see what they are missing--it is that NASCAR fans don't care about sports cars any more than sports car fans care about NASCAR.

Actually, there is a chance that NASCAR fans could become interested in sports car racing. IF they take the time to watch them.
I used to watch every NASCAR race and really didn't follow other motorsports much, until I happened upon the Daytona 24 hour race in 2001.
I was hooked...and I never looked back.
Gearheads like me will always be drawn to cool cars, and sports car racing has traditionally offered the coolest race cars on the planet. Even Tusc has some really awesome cars, especially in the GT classes.
That being said, despite the slight potential to pick up some new fans, I do think that running on a Friday...as a support series, is demeaning to the sport.

andy_b · 22 Jul 2014, 07:37 (Ref:3436551)

Spotter Guide up at... www.spotterguides.com showing new liveries for JDC and Dodge.

Note, #71 has now been withdrawn.

David Land · 22 Jul 2014, 16:36 (Ref:3436717)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TF110

Stands will look more sparse than they did for Nico Rosberg's "home race"

Theres going to be no pictures of the stands though, of course.

I will take some if you like.

Deleted · 22 Jul 2014, 19:14 (Ref:3436755)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

That being said, despite the slight potential to pick up some new fans, I do think that running on a Friday...as a support series, is demeaning to the sport.

It's not as bad as @ 2010 Spa 24 Hours when FIA GT1 World Championship acted as support series on Friday afternoon & Saturday morning with their sprint races (of which only the second was televised!), with cars that had been eglible for the big race just 12 months earlier but not anymore...

Danathar · 22 Jul 2014, 19:50 (Ref:3436774)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Running sports cars ahead of a NASCAR race is nothing new--Rolex had been doing it unsuccessfully at Indy for years before TUSC took up the tradition.

Whatever day it is doesn't matter---NASCAR fans invariably used the sports car sessions as time to get food and souvenirs and autographs, or simply as down time.

It's not that the NASCAR fans have never seen sports cars and will be thrilled once they see what they are missing--it is that NASCAR fans don't care about sports cars any more than sports car fans care about NASCAR.

Another reason for getting the TUSC race done early is that the track needs to be reconfigured for NASCAR--it can't be quickly switched back from road to oval, with emergency vehicles, flag stations, whatever temporary tire walls and whatever quickly swapped around--as far as I know.

Cup fans care about their drivers, not the cars. Sports Car fans care primarily about the cars and the drivers are secondary.

If Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmy Johnson were racing in this weekend's sports car race the fans would stay in the bleachers, otherwise forget it.

Danathar · 22 Jul 2014, 19:53 (Ref:3436777)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

Actually, there is a chance that NASCAR fans could become interested in sports car racing. IF they take the time to watch them.
I used to watch every NASCAR race and really didn't follow other motorsports much, until I happened upon the Daytona 24 hour race in 2001.
I was hooked...and I never looked back.
Gearheads like me will always be drawn to cool cars, and sports car racing has traditionally offered the coolest race cars on the planet. Even Tusc has some really awesome cars, especially in the GT classes.
That being said, despite the slight potential to pick up some new fans, I do think that running on a Friday...as a support series, is demeaning to the sport.

It's a nice dream, but you are a gearhead...that means you care about the cars.

Cup fans generally follow their drivers primarily. Without a driver they can latch on to they really don't care that much.

Deleted · 22 Jul 2014, 19:54 (Ref:3436778)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danathar

Cup fans care about their drivers, not the cars. Sports Car fans care primarily about the cars and the drivers are secondary.

I don't think Grand-Am ever understood this.

Salamus · 22 Jul 2014, 20:40 (Ref:3436789)

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_b

Spotter Guide up at... www.spotterguides.com showing new liveries for JDC and Dodge.

Note, #71 has now been withdrawn.

Thanks again Andy!

BullMan · 22 Jul 2014, 21:42 (Ref:3436803)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

I don't think Grand-Am ever understood this.

Of course not. Look at Shank's comments from last week.

TF110 · 22 Jul 2014, 22:03 (Ref:3436815)

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Land

I will take some if you like.

Good! Please do. I hope theres a decent crowd, but as big as the place is it will never look full.

Deleted · 22 Jul 2014, 22:18 (Ref:3436825)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BullMan

Of course not. Look at Shank's comments from last week.

Sure, Shank's comments have been more fun than any sitcom I've sit through this year.

DeezPutz · 22 Jul 2014, 23:22 (Ref:3436841)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TF110

Good! Please do. I hope theres a decent crowd, but as big as the place is it will never look full.

So then why do you want pictures? Who acts like this?

CyberMotor · 22 Jul 2014, 23:52 (Ref:3436843)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

Time for another one. We have the full cast and crew ready for Indy, all four classes, 2:45 minute race. The event is a bit different because it is only 2 days long and runs Thursday and Friday.

Hey, JoeB, only 43 responses to this thread after several days. Do you think this might be an indication of a lack of interest?

Do you ever wonder why?

TRspitfirefan · 23 Jul 2014, 00:01 (Ref:3436845)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danathar

It's a nice dream, but you are a gearhead...that means you care about the cars.

Cup fans generally follow their drivers primarily. Without a driver they can latch on to they really don't care that much.

There was a time when NASCAR fans were all gearheads also, but now it seems most of the general car culture have given up on motor racing entirely.
Can't say I blame them much.

**joeb** · 23 Jul 2014, 01:08 (Ref:3436859)

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

Hey, JoeB, only 43 responses to this thread after several days. Do you think this might be an indication of a lack of interest?

Do you ever wonder why?

Well since you served that one up there like that I guess I will answer. In general people are using forums less as the popularity of facebook and twitter has increased. In addition the members we do have are getting pretty sick of the tone of conversation being so negative over the past two years. We have had many long time members specifically tell us they no longer check the forum everyday because of the general negative tone.

It is also summer and people are pretty busy here so it could just be that the race being during the week and people being at work and on vacation and such could lead to the numbers.

Maelochs · 23 Jul 2014, 01:32 (Ref:3436864)

"If Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmy Johnson were racing in this weekend's sports car race the fans would stay in the bleachers, otherwise forget it."

Simply not true.

Jimmie Johnson, AJ Allmendinger, James McMurray and a bunch of other NASCAR and IndyCar drivers have been in the Rolex 24 every year, and sometimes at Indy for the Rolex race, and it's never done a thing for ratings or attendance.

When Kurt Busch did the double, the Indy 500 should have been overflowing, with thousands of people hanging out in the parking lot looking for scalped tickets---but it wasn't.

It's not just the drivers, it's the kind of racing which fans like or don't like.

And Grand Am did try to make the drivers stars ... recall the "I am a Grand Am driver" ads? People just didn't care.

TF110 · 23 Jul 2014, 03:04 (Ref:3436883)

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeezPutz

So then why do you want pictures? Who acts like this?

Acts like what? I havent seen many pictures of the stands from tusc. If you want to take pictures to show the size of crowd thatd be great. No need for the hostility. Indy has a huge seating capacity and I know most the seating will be closed off, so it will never look full. That dont automatically mean the seating that is open will be sparse. But it is of my interest to see how packed it looks.

Salamus · 23 Jul 2014, 04:24 (Ref:3436902)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

In addition the members we do have are getting pretty sick of the tone of conversation being so negative over the past two years. We have had many long time members specifically tell us they no longer check the forum everyday because of the general negative tone.

It's a shame to hear something like that.

I recently joined reddit a couple months ago and I must say the discussion over there is much more civil (not a lot of posts taking cheap shots at NASCAR et al.) and much less negative (most people like the series but will criticize it when necessary).

Though, I still think Ten Tenths is the best place to discuss motorsports. Get to hear lots of different opinions and it's much more active then most other places.

Sorry for going further off topic.

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