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Thread: Indy 500

  1. #31
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    7,719

    Re: Indy 500

    Bumstead, you're right, I listen to Indy beginning to end and follow the series the rest of the year but to say I'm a fan as invested as you would be a lie.

    NASCAR is more popular now, though again the ratings have been pretty disappointing as I understand, and it's gone off one network and may be working its way off another.

    NBC couldn't wait to get away from it.

    I also understand the IRL has a long way to go, and getting marketable drivers has to be the number one goal of the series.

    I think the real problem with IRL drivers leaving for NASCAR is when they go to underfunded teams and fail to perform it leaves the (incorrect in my view) opinion that they are inferior drivers. If a IRL driver like Helio went to one of the top NASCAR teams and dominated, it would actually be a boost for the circuit. As it is, people see Dario Franchitti win the 500, go to NASCAR and fail, than figure that Indy Cars are nothing more than Go-Karts.

    The other problem though, and the one I was getting at was the idea thats said by so many Indy followers that the drivers winning are just "fortunate to be with the good teams" when "enter driver name here" is actually a better driver, he/she is just being elbowed out." While there may be some truth to it, the statements denigrate the winners and make it impossible to market the series when even the die hards don't think Helio/Wheldon/Danica are that good.
    That's why the Sarah Fisher statements bother me so much. Not so much from you, because you acknowledge that Danica's a good driver, but rather from the petulant yokels who think these guys all suck and they're favorite driver is being discriminated against.


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  3. #32
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    1,602

    Re: Indy 500

    I agree that those are good drivers and those particular drivers aren't necessarily bad for the sport. But, you have to have American Drivers that are characters in quality rides or the average Joe is not going to pay any attention to it. As an obvious diehard fan of this sport, once Hornish left, I was left with nobody to cheer for. The fans that are at the track cheer for Andretti and Rahal only because they know the names. I am reduced to hoping for a miracle from Ed Carpenter or Townsend Bell...I keep hoping something changes, but it's hard to believe it will when AJ has Vitor Meira driving for him (yes, he's a good driver, but AJ was one of the 'put Americans in the cars' proponents when the split occurred...so that is a bit disheartening).

    Anyway, I have enjoyed the conversation. I will continue to support the series with my attendance and my interest and hope things turn around for the better somewhere down the line.

    Bum


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