The future of open wheel in the US

[floid2000]

Since the Cart split Indy car racing has suffered in the US.

[f1manoz]

I voted for one oval, one road racing series, and apart from merging, it seems the best idea. Obviously neither will survive on their own because Yanks are becoming confused by the criss-crossing of drivers and engines and it is ruining the sport.

IRL = ovals
CART = road/street courses

Rahal has already backed the above plan, and he should know.

Whether the Indy 500 is the 'Superbowl' is another question. Perhaps it should be like the old days, people turned up with their car, and if they qualified, they raced.

[Jay]

The Indy 500 has never really excited me. It is like the Michigan 500, but without all of the passing and wheel to wheel action. The only reason people watch it and drivers want to race in it is because of its history.

Cart has a great product on road and especially street courses. If they can use the races in Toronto and Long Beach as models for other street and road races, they would have a guaranteed success.

[Neil C]

Originally posted by Jay
The only reason people watch it and drivers want to race in it is because of its history.

Very brave to presume to know the minds of others.
You obviously have no idea why I or millions of other fans watch the Indy 500, or why drivers aspire to compete.

What makes CART unique is that it is the only top level series that competes on ovals and road courses. It would be a pity to lose the diversity that makes it so interesting to so many people

[Jay]

well...I guess you're right in a way... Since the 1995 race, I didn't watch the Indy 500 until last year's race. I guess it's the drivers too. But, if it's not the history and tradition, prestige if you will, why do drivers compete in it?

[floid2000]

Indy is just "Indy" to us Americans and lots of other people too.It's like Monaco is to F1 or Daytona is to Nascar.

[macdaddy]

Yep. Indy is just Indy.
Always has been, (always) will be.
I watched it from '96 on, just because... Indy is Indy.
Didn't enjoy it as much. Didn't recognize the cars or drivers.
But I watched Montoya and loved it.
When I watched Helio I climbed the sofa as he climbed the fence.
Because of the rain delays, I was over an hour late for work.
Why?
Because Indy is Indy.
Plan on being there next year.
But I'll only spend the money if Roger's going to.

[Liz]

Personally I don't care for ovals and Indy 500 means nothing to me since about 1988 when I started seriously following F1. But of course we have to keep one superspeedway so the Champ Car guys have a place to practice for their yearly thrashing of The Man That Ruined Indy's kids.

I notice nobody has voted to scrap Chap Cars and go with Brand X Racing. Not even the guy who started this thread.

[floid2000]

. I just started the pole . I haven't voted.

[floid2000]

I also noticed that nobody voted to let Bernie move in and ruin everything. Didn't you vote yet Liz ?