2013 IndyCar schedule

[NaBUru38]

According to TrackForum's BretEarl, Randy Bernard will join Roger Penske and Hélio Castroneves next Wedensday 28 for a press conference at Houston

[Purist]

If they make a return to Reliant Park, I hope they can sort out a configuration that allows them to omit that chicane in the front stretch.

[Down F0rce]

Could be a few new races for 2013...

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...-set-to-expand

I'd rather they focus on the old school tracks such as Pocono and Phoenix before adding new street races, but if that's where the crowd is...

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Purist

You probably had that same thought about people saying V8s should go back to Pukekohe for a New Zealand round not all that long ago. Now, it's under very serious consideration by people with such purse strings.

I think I did use the term "rebuild" referring to Rafaela, but it would still be a hell of a lot cheaper than a brand new, FIA Grade 2 road course being designed by Herr Tilke.

Dallara DW12s on a Tilkedrome; I hope racing never comes too that.

[Purist]

Yeah, it doesn't bear thinking about.

I'm not sure, but I think the Palm Springs mention might be Chuckwalla Valley Raceway (Desert Center). The other possibility that comes to mind would be the new Thermal Motorsports Park (La Quinta). If it's the second one, they'll have to be careful in considering which layout to use; this is another Alan Wilson track, and fast corners and long straights aren't exactly his trademark.

[NaBUru38]

Houston has been confirmed! It'll be Reliant Park on October 4-6, very clean from Forth Worth.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Can we safely assume there'll be a 2013 season?

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Can we safely assume there'll be a 2013 season?

Will the George family pull the plug on Indycar between now and 2013? No.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Will the George family pull the plug on Indycar between now and 2013? No.

I wasn't thinking of them pulling the plug but the series continuing to spirall down, as attendances and TV audiences dwindle, to the extent where the series becomes worthless.

[Paradise City]

A surge in new tracks angling to join the series means that there's still something to work with. I don't think the future is network TV - aside from the 500.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

A surge in new tracks angling to join the series means that there's still something to work with. I don't think the future is network TV - aside from the 500.

Without TV coverage how else do you give the series the exposure it needs? The one thing Bernie really got right for F1 was TV coverage.

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Without TV coverage how else do you give the series the exposure it needs? The one thing Bernie really got right for F1 was TV coverage.

Indycar executives do punch above their weight in terms of the TV deals that they do. The problem is that the Indycar 'product' has plunged in status since the split. It's now a minor series maybe on par with ARCA. It's akin to trying to get F3 live on the BBC. You might have great racing but if the perception that its a minor league formula, they won't get the ratings.

The tragedy of Indycar is that much of its fortune is just out of its hands. It's for NASCAR to implode allowing Indycar to occupy its vacuum just as NASCAR did when Indycar split. Although NASCAR has somewhat declined somewhat (albeit with last years finale giving it a boost) there's no hint of a collapse. So Indycar is left in a holding action hoping the festival atmosphere at street races stimulates attendance and struggling, using the 500 as a kind life support system. Of course it doesn't help that they've made some bizarre decisions they didn't need to make, I mean chaining themselves to this horrible car for some years.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Indycar executives do punch above their weight in terms of the TV deals that they do. The problem is that the Indycar 'product' has plunged in status since the split. It's now a minor series maybe on par with ARCA. It's akin to trying to get F3 live on the BBC. You might have great racing but if the perception that its a minor league formula, they won't get the ratings.

The tragedy of Indycar is that much of its fortune is just out of its hands. It's for NASCAR to implode allowing Indycar to occupy its vacuum just as NASCAR did when Indycar split. Although NASCAR has somewhat declined somewhat (albeit with last years finale giving it a boost) there's no hint of a collapse. So Indycar is left in a holding action hoping the festival atmosphere at street races stimulates attendance and struggling, using the 500 as a kind life support system. Of course it doesn't help that they've made some bizarre decisions they didn't need to make, I mean chaining themselves to this horrible car for some years.

The horrible car aside, the big problem the IRL always faced was lack of marketing and sponsorship. It was hoped that with the arrival of Ropin' Randy, he would inject some new thinking and new blood into the series.

The sad thing is that this season started off with a whimper, no big build up. The adverse publicity surrounding the new car hasn't helped but that could have been turned round by pointing out every new piece of technology has teething problems and requires getting used to and that it's early days. Instead the adverse publicity is allowed to continue and if it continues will the IRL pay heed? Sponsors aren't going to part with money if they see the product as a bad one.

I wonder how much Ropin' Randy listens to the fans?

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I wasn't thinking of them pulling the plug but the series continuing to spirall down, as attendances and TV audiences dwindle, to the extent where the series becomes worthless.

Last year the series still lost $22 million. I would be curious as to how this works with the IRS as businesses that repeatedly lose money year after year have limitations after 5 years. I'm sure it's all snarled up in various corporations and LLC's as to how it all works.

But it's still dependent on subsidization by the speedway or other family businesses, wherever the money comes from.

As far as promotional value goes the series is not worth much. It is said by sponsorship people in the industry the commercial value of sponsorship on an irl car is worth about $1 million.

Most of the pretty colors and "big" sponsors on irl cars are B2B or contra deals leveraged off of business arrangements or Nascar sponsorships. The Shell deal in the irl for instance is purely centered around a business relationship to be the main provider of fuels and oils for penske automotive and penskes truck businesses, not because Shell was like "wow we want to be in the irl!"(and that's a fact jack). The target stores contra deal is a long running 20 year deal that used the original Kmart Newman Haas deal as inspiration.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Last year the series still lost $22 million. I would be curious as to how this works with the IRS as businesses that repeatedly lose money year after year have limitations after 5 years. I'm sure it's all snarled up in various corporations and LLC's as to how it all works.

But it's still dependent on subsidization by the speedway or other family businesses, wherever the money comes from.

As far as promotional value goes the series is not worth much. It is said by sponsorship people in the industry the commercial value of sponsorship on an irl car is worth about $1 million.

Most of the pretty colors and "big" sponsors on irl cars are B2B or contra deals leveraged off of business arrangements or Nascar sponsorships. The Shell deal in the irl for instance is purely centered around a business relationship to be the main provider of fuels and oils for penske automotive and penskes truck businesses, not because Shell was like "wow we want to be in the irl!"(and that's a fact jack). The target stores contra deal is a long running 20 year deal that used the original Kmart Newman Haas deal as inspiration.

If the commercial value of sponsorship on an irl car is worth about $1 million, Target could very well decide that that money could be spent better else where, when the 20 year deal runs out.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

If the commercial value of sponsorship on an irl car is worth about $1 million, Target could very well decide that that money could be spent better else where, when the 20 year deal runs out.

My understanding from ganassi people is that the Target deal is now piggy backed off of the nascar deal and that the associate sponsors pay for most of it anyways. I heard a while ago that Target wasn't all that happy with the irl program, but that Nascar is what they really care about now.

Those little stickers you see on the cars from various commercial brands like Clorox or Energizer, pay Target for prime shelf space and other promotional considerations in their stores and as part of the deal contribute money to the racing program.

It's not a 20 year contracted deal, it's just been going on for 20 years.

[NaBUru38]

Schedule, please!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

My understanding from ganassi people is that the Target deal is now piggy backed off of the nascar deal and that the associate sponsors pay for most of it anyways. I heard a while ago that Target wasn't all that happy with the irl program, but that Nascar is what they really care about now.

That wouldn't surprise me, considering NASCAR's dominance.

Those little stickers you see on the cars from various commercial brands like Clorox or Energizer, pay Target for prime shelf space and other promotional considerations in their stores and as part of the deal contribute money to the racing program.

It's not a 20 year contracted deal, it's just been going on for 20 years.[/QUOTE]

I thought it might have been contracted. In that case Target could quite conceivably decide to quit the IRL at the end of this season, if they see no future in IndyCar and spend the $1 million elsewhere.

[Purist]

It's good to see the range of venues talking to them. That is, there are a number of ovals and road courses in the mix. Road America, Watkins Glen, Pocono, and Phoenix would be my calls for added races.

Part of me hopes Texas goes away, which, given the new car's likely behavior, they may not have much other choice. In that case, they could add four and still just be at 20, with the confirmed addition of Houston in place.

[jonm2]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Last year the series still lost $22 million.

Oh really?

http://espn.go.com/racing/indycar/st...-st-petersburg

His first two years on the job were not easy, but noticeable progress has been made and INDYCAR turned a profit in 2011 for the first time in its 18-year history.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by jonm2

Oh really?

http://espn.go.com/racing/indycar/st...-st-petersburg

So they did some creative accounting to show a $1.00 profit after 2 decades of business?

It was widely talked about industry wide and reported it would be another losing year($22 million roughly was the figure) and then suddenly here in March it's now suddenly a profit? Sorry, I don't believe anything rodeo randy says.

Even if I am dead wrong, it doesn't change just how deplorable and horrific things have gotten.

[Paradise City]

You'd understand and forgive them running at a loss given all the changes that are happening this year. The idea that they are making a profit seems more in the realm of the supernatural or marketing bravado than anything else.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by jonm2

Oh really?

http://espn.go.com/racing/indycar/st...-st-petersburg

Conveniently, the article doesn't say how much that profit is. I would like to know and I'm sure many others would like to know what that profit is, considering the IRL has never made a cent since its first season in 1996?

[NaBUru38]

Some websites are mentioning Gatineau, Quebec for 2015...

[icemachine]

The article gives very few specifics beyond the fact that the former Mayor of Gatineau is involved with some Gatineau and Montreal businessmen, and that Indycar told them it wouldn't happen until 2015 at the earliest due to the addition of Houston. Oh and he mentions it would test Indycar drivers with the Serpentines and Roundabouts on the one street.

I had feeling about this article, and a quick look at google maps confirms this is nothing more than an April Fool's joke. I traced the suggested outline on Google Maps, it would include a highway ramp. http://g.co/maps/bzcpf

Would be really cool if they did an Ottawa/Gatineau race crossing the river and back, though somehow I doubt the Prime Minister would be much in favour