Why CART will outlast the IRL

[Rambo]

Yeah, well a lot of drivers aren't even allowed to race outside their series now, after people got killed in F2 races and such. F1 drivers are too valuable to let them damage themselves racing for fun!

[evo]

Hmmm... about the list: Goodwood isn't really much of a race, more of a carshow with a small hillclimb in it. If you're going to count Isle of Mann TT, you definitley have to count Le Mans 24 twice (cars and bikes). And you definitely have to add CART's premier event, The GP of Long Beach. Sadly the Indy 500 is dropping down the list .

[Brian W Keske]

More folks would know who won the Indy 500 than The Isle of Man race. In fact, allot more folks have heard of the Indy 500, even if they don't know who won it.

Ask folks on the street worldwide to name one race, and I doubt the Isle of Man, Bathurst, Macau, etc. would get many votes. But I bet Indy would be mentioned. It has recognition, thus is important to sponsors and manufacturers.

If Indy drops down on the list, you are looking at it from a pure race fans perspective. Sponsors and manufacturers are looking for a broad market to attract attention.

[mac]

Mexico City, Molson Indy Toronto, Surfers Paradise.

If Spa was on at the same time as Indy, I know where the REAL drivers would want to be.

I can probably think of 100 different races I would rather go and watch, ahead of the IRL 500.

[f1manoz]

Indianapolis means nothing to people outside of America, especially since 1996...

Hell, attendance has been dropping at the event the past six years since the split. People want to see the best open-wheel racers in the USA fighting it out, not B-grade drivers who couldn't cut it in ChampCars.

Of course, now with some 'name' drivers such as the traitors, I mean the likes of Dario and Tony, the event could pick up. But don't expect us to watch it... at least not until Tony George is crucified and some sensible management is put in charge.

[Liz]

I think if you asked people outside North America "Who races at the Indianapolis 500?" a majority of them could not tell you. In fact I'd be willing to bet that a lot of people who might answer "Indy Cars" couldn't name a single driver who has raced or won there in the last five years.

If you ask people outside the United States of America "What's the most important motor race in the world?" the vast majority would say "The 24 Hours du Mans." This is similar to their answering "The World Cup" and the Americans answering "The Superbowl".

In no particular order, I'd put the 12 Hours of Sebring, Macau, Trois-Rivieres Atlantics, Monza, Spa, the Daytona 500, the Grand Prix of Long Beach, Monaco, the Paris-Dakar and the Network Q Rally Great Britain ahead of the IRL 500 in races I'd call "internationally significant." As Paul Tracy once said, "I don't think most open wheel drivers dream of driving at Indianapolis. I think most of us dream of driving in Formula One." And before he saw the Big Green Roll of Cash, Dario Franchitti said, "The Indy 500! I'd rather play ping pong."

[Brian W Keske]

So why have/are so many CART teams going racing in the IRL?

If you say money, you are right. Because the money is following the Indy 500.

This is a business, and if you could be 'given' Macau (or similar) or the Indy 500 in order to make as much money as you possibly could....which would you chose? I think the only races that rival Indy are LeMans, the Daytona 500, and perhaps Monaco in terms of money making venues.

Listen, I used to go to Indy for many years. I loved the place even though my true racing love was/is/always has been road racing. There is something very very special about the place. Very few places can hold it's majic. That said, I have never returned since TG started the IRL, not even for the F1 race, and never plan to either, as long as TG and the IRL are in charge. But I blast TG, not the track, and the history of the race. I guess I'm very upset regarding what TG has done with the place that does hold a great deal of history in world-wide motorsport.

In my mind TG has tarnished the place, (of course that happened when he let NASCAR in) and I find it regretable, but I'll never 'diss' the importance of the place anymore. When the IRL was formed I said they would never last, that the 500 was just another race, that it had lost all it's luster. Folks on TG's side said "your a fool", the IRL will succeed because of Indy. I laughed, and shrugged it off, and went to the USA 500 in Michigan instead. Well, after 7+ years, I have to say I was the one whom was wrong. I discounted the 500's importnace. Boy how we loved it when the CART teams went into the Indy 500 to kick butt, it sure was a big win for 'us' wasn't it. Well, (as we look at the situation CART is in today), little did we know that would be a very hard hurddle to overcome. CART, and it's teams should have never touched the place again. But unfortunatly money talks, and the money wanted those guy's back in Indy.

The Indy 500 has practicaly bankrupted CART all by itself. Sad. It should have never happened.

[The Other Chris]

on the side, would you guys consider Gil de Ferran a traitor? im not quite sure on my history (all i know is he went to IRL because penske did) but isnt he more of a road racing guy who would of wanted to stay in CART or did he just switch for money?

[Jay]

He didn't have a choice at the time and was tied to a contract with Penske, same with Helio. I think both have since re-upped with Penske though...not sure either could get a Cart ride anyway.

[tanalised]

Jay, I think if anyone could afford them Helio & Gil would possibly pick up CART rides. I wouldn't mind seeing de Ferran again

[f1manoz]

The difference between Gil/Helio and the last lot who left are Gil/Helio left quietly, or at least left saying great things about the CART series. The 'traitors' have done nothing but whinge since they signed their Invisible contracts.

[macdaddy]

Any team owner would give his right arm to sign Gil.

[racer69]

Originally posted by Jay
He didn't have a choice at the time and was tied to a contract with Penske, same with Helio. I think both have since re-upped with Penske though...not sure either could get a Cart ride anyway.

Penske said that he gave both a choice whether to follow the team to the IRL or not.

[Liz]

I'd sign Gil. But I have no use for his teammate, especially after his antics at the last IRL 500.

But I don't bother with that league or any of the people in it until they come back. Except of course I don't wish them any harm.

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I don't think you can sell people on what a track used to be; how many people have said that the Hungary track is now and the Nuremburgring (which I can't spell) is a ghost of its former self. I wouldn't go to either track or advertise there just because of what they wre before they were screwed up.

And I doublt if you could find more than a hatful of people in Southeast Asia who'd rather advertise in Indianapolis than Macau.

[Brian W Keske]

Originally posted by Liz
And I doublt if you could find more than a hatful of people in Southeast Asia who'd rather advertise in Indianapolis than Macau.

Does Toyota count?

How about the IRL going to Japan?

But my question wasn't about the importance of Macau in Asia. How important is Macau in France as oposed to LeMans?

Liz, you seem to missing my point about the 'big picture'. I think, unfortunatly, the sponsors and manufacturers have spoken loud and clear in regard to Indy.Like it or not. Rabid CART folks denial of it's current predicament amazes me at times. I remember when CART was practically as strong, and important, as NASCAR.

How many folks in the USA of ever heard of the Macau race? Champ Car is still a US based series, and for anyone to think they could 'take on' F1 (as example) in international dominance/exposure is wishful thinking IMO.