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Indycar: 2012 Schedule…Business Realities

After months of speculation, Indycar finally released the series schedule for 2012.  Currently, the schedule contains 15 events with the 16th event, the season finale, TBA and the possibility of a 17th event still present according to Indycar CEO Randy Bernard.   Despite the fact that Indycar hadn’t released an official schedule, all but one event had been confirmed beforehand as individual tracks had released their schedules.  The race at Texas Motor Speedway had been in question following the event in Las Vegas, but the series will return to Texas on June 9th for the typical 550K Saturday night race.

The main point of criticism of the current 15 race schedule is that only 4 races are on ovals.  In scanning the comments from Facebook users on the Indycar.com schedule release, the vast majority of fans are foaming at the mouth for more ovals.  If I had a dollar for every time the “oval(s)” is mentioned in the comments I would probably have enough money to give Paul Tracy the rest of the money he needs for a full-time ride next year.  However, where are all of these people on race day?

Whether we like to acknowledge it or not, Indycar is a business.   The series itself must function with a balanced budget just like any other company would.  Randy Bernard was tasked with making the series profitable because for years the series bled millions of dollars.  Sure, the schedule was full of ovals, but they were obviously not bringing in the money needed for the series to survive.  Indycar couldn’t, and can’t, continue to show up at places like Kentucky and Milwaukee for only 15,000 fans to show up.  The tracks lose money, the race promoters lose money, and the series loses money.  Continuing down that path would certainly lead to a quick death of the series.

Credit IZOD Indycar Media Site

Let’s take for instance the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix.  Although the promoter is currently having financial issues, the event was a huge success with sold-out stands, crowds of people atop downtown buildings, and a great buzz around it.  Many drivers, team owners, and series critics were calling the Baltimore event the “Long Beach of the East Coast”.  More importantly, the fan feedback was overwhelmingly positive.  However, contrast that with the return of the Milwaukee Mile.  The famed track had dismal attendance of only around 15,000 people.  Sure, the weather wasn’t ideal and the Fathers Day weekend date was surely not the best, but for a track with so much history it was a sad return and embarrassing flop of an event.  Even the series promoted finale in Las Vegas had disappointing attendance despite a huge promotional effort that included Indycar parade laps down The Strip, a party at Wet Republic, a celebrity poker tournament, and Fan Village located at the MGM Grand all weekend.  Indycar, sponsors, and drivers gave out massive amounts of free tickets and people still didn’t show up.

Despite the initial disappointment with the 2012 schedule, the lack of ovals may turn out for the best.  Currently the DW12 is quite the pig on ovals according to those that have tested it at Indianapolis, California, and Homestead, but the car is essentially good-to-go for road and street courses.   The series is also on the verge of breaking even and 2012 could be the year it happens.  Establishing a profitable and stable foundation to grow from will allow the series to “invest” in future races at ovals that may not be initially profitable.  Couple that with the rebranding of Versus as NBC Sports starting January 2nd, a year of development of the DW12, alternative aero kits in 2013, an as yet to-be-determined new Director in Race Control, and the now obvious emphasis on ovals and more thorough scheduling of events, 2012 could prove to the be the perfect bridge season leading into a closer to “perfect” season schedule in 2013.  Keep in mind tracks like Watkins Glen, Road America, and Phoenix have all expressed interest in working with the series to establish race dates for 2013.

Indycar fans have become jaded and fickle from years of disappointment, spec racing, poor decisions, “The Split”, low car counts, low attendance, and low TV ratings.  It is easy to get mired in the negatives and forget about the positives.  Indycar recently reported that attendance in 2011 was up 22% and TV ratings were up 28%.  There will be 2 new engine manufacturers, Chevy and Lotus, joining Honda in 2012.  As it stands, there could be 30 full-time teams on the grid next year and interest from sponsors, drivers, and teams is the highest it has been in many years despite the still sluggish economy.  Indycar has positive momentum and huge potential to grow in the coming years.  Don’t be a Debbie Downer!  Support the sport you love!  Show up to the nearest event if you can, or tune in on race day if you can’t.  Support your favorite driver and their sponsor by buying merchandise and the sponsors products whenever possible (it’s understandable if you don’t have diabetes and have no need for a Novo Nordisk Levemir Flexpen, or can’t speak Spanish and don’t watch Telemundo…just buy t-shirts instead).  I’m not going to let a schedule full of road and street courses next year get me down because it may turn out to be exactly what the doctor ordered.

Ross (@therossbynum)

The Official Indycar schedule can be found here.

Indycar: The Dallara DW12′s Bad Case of Ugly

A beautiful red rose.  A charming cottage on the New England coast.  Britney Spears (when her weave is fixed correctly).  The Mona Lisa.  A Japanese zen garden.  The Great Barrier Reef.  The Lamborghini Miura.  These are all things that are considered beautiful by the vast majority of people.  We are surrounded by a world full of pretty and attractive things.  But, for every beautiful and attractive thing in this world that exists, there exists something equally as ugly.

As humans, we are drawn to things that are attractive.  Why do you think People Magazine puts celebrities and air brushed glamour shots on the cover of their magazine?  Pretty sells.  Ugly, however, does not sell.  Lets take the much maligned Pontiac Aztek for example:  A pseudo-SUV based upon an unliked minivan platform covered in ungainly grey plastic with enough creases, dips, waves, grates, and baubles to make even the most seaworthy pirate motion sick just staring at it.  It was, and still is, hideous.  It was a business disaster never meeting even the most modest sales goals set by General Motors.

I, for one, like attractive people.  Let’s take Mr. Tomas Scheckter for example.  Just look at that body.  Even the butchest of lesbians out there have to admit that is one fine specimen of a man.  Beside the fact that he is an excellent wheel man, has an aggressive yet charming personality on and off the track, and a is proven winner…he’s…hot.  Again, people like pretty.  Heck, if Danica Patrick was a 250lb grumpy hag that resembled Jimmy Spencer, you could be rest assured GoDaddy.com wouldn’t have her plastered on every TV set in a bikini straddling the hood of a muscle car no matter if she won every race she ever entered or not.

All that brings me to the Dallara DW12.  I think Dallara naming the new Indycar after the late Dan Wheldon was a great gesture, but I have to admit that I shuddered to think that his name would be attached to such a hideous vehicle.  I know many of the things that make the DW12 so awkward looking serve a functional purpose, but you can’t tell me there wasn’t a more attractive way to achieve many of the goals set forth by the ICONIC committee.  In today’s world street cars have to pass a myriad of safety regulations with things like bumper heights heavily regulated, and Ferrari still makes beautiful cars.  Actually, I find it almost offensive that the Italians, the same folks that have brought you the jaw-dropping Lamborghini’s, Maserati’s, Ferrari’s, and Alfa Romeo’s through the years, have presented us with the Dallara DW12.

After years of having only 1 chassis in the series, the opportunity to place Indycar at the forefront of open-wheel design wasn’t seized.  Imagine Kate Winslet hyping her arrival on the red carpet of the Oscars.  In the heads of fashion critics, fans, and paparazzi visions of gorgeous Vera Wang designs appear.  Instead, Kate arrives in what appears to be a Wal-Mart sale rack special, sans make-up, and in serious need of some Spanx.

Not only is the DW12 dreadfully unattractive, it is performing about as good as it looks.  The main issue revolves around balance and weight distribution.  After one quick glance at the design, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine that the vehicle has too much junk-in-the-trunk.  The side pods extending partially over the rear wheels have been deemed “Kardashians” by many for good reason and the rear “bumper” looks like a tacked on after thought.  I’ve seen foot tall aftermarket spoilers tacked on the back of Chevy Cavaliers that look more integrated and purposeful.  And, the most maddening aspect of it all is the car doesn’t have to be so homely.  One glance at the Formula Nippon cars designed by Swift Engineering are proof that open-wheel cars can be gorgeous.  The front wing of the Swift racers alone makes me weak in the knees.  The Dallara makes me weak in the stomach.

Whether it is picking out an outfit, picking out a spouse, decorating a house, planting a flower, buying a car, or grabbing a magazine at the store, we as humans gravitate to things that are pretty and attractive.  This is a lesson Indycar, and especially Dallara, needs to learn.  Aren’t they supposed to be attracting fans, not scaring them away?

Ross (@therossbynum)

 

Brand Loyalty: Texas Pete, Pontiac, and Racing

I’ve always had an eye for pretty things.  Go ahead and make a gay joke about sequins and sparkles, but it is true.  Certain things have always caught my eye and kept my attention.  I recall a set of Porsche 928 Hot Wheels cars that rolled enough miles around our dining room table to make it to the moon and back.  At 5 years old, I thought the shape of the car was stunningly beautiful, and I still think that to this very day.  Someday a red Porsche 928 4S will find its way into my garage, you can etch that in stone.

As a young race fan, there were certain cars I was drawn to as well.  Bobby Hamilton’s electric yellow Country Time Lemonade Oldsmobile Cutlass is one I will never forget.  Every time I see a bottle of Country Time I see that car in my head.  The same goes for Kyle Petty’s black Mellow Yellow Pontiac Grand Prix.  The thought of Mellow Yellow makes me instantly think of that car.  I also loved the Buick Regal’s in NASCAR.  There was something angry and evil about that small, upright grill.  Plus, my aunt drove one, so I felt like Bobby Allison every time we went for a ride.  A particular favorite story of mine is of Texas Pete buffalo sauce.  I had a Racing Champions diecast of Joe Nemecheck’s #87 Texas Pete car that the trunk broke off of when I stepped on it (80′s shag carpet had a knack for hiding Hot Wheels and Micro Machines causing much cursing when one was stepped on).  Being a kid that always took car of his toys, I was devastated.  But, I will never forget that car.  To this very day I always buy Texas Pete buffalo sauce.

As the Chase for the NASCAR championship winds down to the last race, I am reminded of why I am a Tony Stewart fan and of that brand loyalty.  From those first years watching Kyle Petty’s car, I became a Pontiac fan.  After the end of NASCAR competition for Oldsmobile and Buick, I always rooted for Pontiac.  I thought, and still think, the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix is a great looking car.  I wanted a red GTP Coupe so bad I could taste it.  I loved how different and aggressive the cars looked from the plain Chevy Monte Carlo and the odd, egg-shaped Ford Taurus on the track.  The Grand Prix’s looked like winners.  With that, I became a huge Bobby Labonte fan and then Tony Stewart.  It had little to do with them as drivers, and a lot to do with what they drove.  I, of course, was quite sad when Pontiac left the sport.  Later, NASCAR introduced the COT which was the nail in the coffin for most of my interest.  I lost that connection with the cars I always had.  It should be noted that in 2009 when it was announced General Motors was killing the Pontiac brand, I bought a brand new 2009 Pontiac G8 GT in Liquid Red.  20 years later, General Motors investment in NASCAR paid off just a little.  You’re welcome.  That (I hope someone from NASCAR reads this) is why Australia’s V-8 Supercars are so cool.  When I watch them I think, “That’s MY CAR out there racing!”

It is from this brand loyalty that much of my excitement for the 2012 Indycar season stems.  I love Lotus cars.  True, Judd has developed the engine, and KV Racing ran the Lotus livery the past couple of years.  But, as a manufacturer, Lotus is back.  I’ve always felt that if I sat down and designed my perfect car, it would come out like a Lotus:  lightweight, sharp handling, efficient, taught, understated, sensible.  It excites me to know the Lotus engine is reportedly 45lbs lighter than the Chevy and Honda.  Maybe they didn’t set out to make the engine the Jenni Craig star pupal in design, but it seems the engine embodies some of the traits that the road cars do.  You can bet if I have it my way a Lotus Esprit will be sitting next to my 928 and Pontiac in some future garage of mine.

Credit Road & Track Magazine

 

Whether loyalty stems from a manufacturer, a sponsor, or a driver, fans have to have something to attach themselves to and cheer for long-term.  This has been lacking in the Indycar series.  A never ending rotation of drivers, little-known sponsors in one year and gone the next, and only having Honda as the engine supplier gave fans very little to cheer for.  I certainly don’t like paying $30 for a t-shirt only to show up next year and the sponsor be gone and the drivers number or team be different.  It gives me hope with the new manufacturers and more long-term agreements with drivers and sponsors that the musical chairs in Indycar will slow down.

It looks like 2012 is shaping up to be a very interesting  and exciting year for Indycar.  I think Indycar is righting many of the wrongs from the past few years.  I may not be able to drive a Lotus powered Indycar off of a dealership lot, but it puts a smile on my face knowing that one of my favorite brands is supporting my favorite series.  One day, when I can afford a new Lotus, I hope there’s a little bit of Indycar under the hood.

Indycar: Twitter Tells the Tales

All numbers below were as of the morning of October 31, 2011.

Credit Chris Jones/IZOD Indycar Media Site

I’m about to expose how nerdy I can be.  I love math.  Yes, we Mississippians are taught math and a few of us happen to be pretty good at it.  Luckily for me, my job requires a lot of math, data, and analysis.  Because I often times work with a LOT of important data, I started creating a couple of spreadsheets with “useless” data to experiment with.  If I wanted to try something new, I could use one of the “useless” sheets with no worry of screwing anything up.  One spreadsheet is the daily number of Twitter followers for each Indycar driver.  When I started, it just seemed like easy data to dump into a file that I could track daily and could be manipulated easily.  However, over the course of a few weeks the data started to become more interesting to follow.

I love Twitter and think it is an amazing way to keep up with small bleeps of information.  Instead of taking 5/10 minutes to read some article about Wall Street, I can read the same basic information in 140 characters or less.  Also, the amount of followers someone or something has can be a great indication of relative popularity and how visible someone is on the radar screen of the world.  For instance, Snooki (you know who she is) has almost 3.6 million followers.  The official White House Twitter has just over 2.4 million followers.  Heck, Snooki has more followers than the official Twitter of the NBA, NFL, and MLB.  People are more interested in knowing what a drunk girl from New Jersey is doing than what is going on in their country.  Think about that.

So, who do you think has the most Twitter followers in Indycar?  Well, if you guessed Danica Patrick you would be correct.  With 425,815 followers, Danica has 40,401 more followers than Tony Kanaan, the 2nd most followed driver.  But, TK adds about 595 new followers each day on average versus the 270 average of Danica.  It is also important to note than Danica’s average would be a good bit lower, but she experienced a huge spike in follows the day of her big announcement that she would be moving to NASCAR full-time in 2012.  In the span of a week, Danica added 5,447 followers.

Have I lost you yet or peaked your interest?  Numbers are fun!

More than 340,029 followers BEHIND Kannan in 3rd is Helio Castroneves with 45,385 followers.  This brings up an interesting thing…the strength of the Brazilian drivers.  2011 rookie Ana Beatriz is the 6th most followed driver in Indycar with 23,647 followers (this is omitting Dan Wheldon’s Twitter).  That is a very interesting statistic considering her lackluster results and 21st place in final points.  She has more followers than Ryan Briscoe, Paul Tracy, Will Power, and Graham Rahal among others.  When we see those numbers, it makes a little more sense as to why Indycar races in Brazil and is exploring a second race.

One thing is for certain, any news coverage increases follower counts for a driver whether the news is good or bad.  For example, after the New Hampshire flying fingers incident, Will Power gained 1,831 followers over the course of a week.  His daily average for August, the month of the incident, was 88.74, but his average for September was 38.14.  Before the race at Kentucky, Ed Carpenter had added just over 300 new followers since the end of July, a 2 month span.  Immediately after the Kentucky race, Carpenter added over 350 new followers in a day.  When Justin Wilson was injured at Mid-Ohio, he experienced a 519 follower jump.  However, neither Ryan Hunter-Reay nor Scott Dixon saw those kinds of jumps in followers after their respective wins.  Dixon added 212 the day after his win and Hunter-Reay added only 238 even while his win was mired in controversy.  Are these 2 guys less interesting?  Were those wins not as important to fans?  It is interesting to think that Justin Wilson’s broken back at Mid-Ohio stirred up more interest than Scott Dixon winning the race.

Sadly, after the tragic incident at Las Vegas, drivers had huge jumps in followers easily eclipsing any previous daily totals.  Indycar drivers that were not even participating in the race experienced large jumps in the number of additional daily followers.  Martin Plowman, for example, had previously averaged 4.34 followers per day.  For the 2 weeks following Las Vegas, Martin added an average of 19.14 followers a day.  The number of followers of Dan Wheldon’s official Twitter more than double in a single day after his death going from 15,699 followers to 31,856.  Drivers directly involved in the 15 car pile-up had even more dramatic increases.  Pippa Mann had added only 201 followers in the month of September, but after her injury at Las Vegas, Pippa added 2,296 followers in October.

There are also many other interesting facts.  Pippa, with only 3 starts under her belt, has 8,860 followers.  This is more than full-time rookies James Hinchcliffe (7,960) and Charlie Kimball (4,178) and more than Takuma Sato (7,804), and Kentucky race winner Ed Carpenter (7,862).  Even Katherine Legge, who didn’t even started a race in 2011 has more followers at 2,047 than full-time rookie James Jakes (1,892) and part-timer Wade Cunningham (1,905) who are the 2 least followed of the drivers tracked.

Had enough numbers yet?

In the end, why is any of this important?  Well, at a time when marketing budgets are tight and funding is hard to come by, Twitter can be a gauge to see how much “reach” a driver has for a sponsor.  Just look at Ana Beatriz.  Although on-track performance may not be stellar at this point, she can connect with over 3x more fans than Oriol Servia (7,617 vs. 23,647) who finished 4th in points.  Sadly, popularity in racing isn’t just about results anymore.  I will dub this the Junior/Patrick Syndrome.

Even though when you click “Follow” on someone’s Twitter it may not seem very important, who you follow speaks volumes about yourself and others like you.  It gives a peek into what is popular, what is interesting, and what catches the attention of people.  I’ll continue to track the trends in followers through the offseason and see what else I can unearth. So, get on Twitter and follow away!  Oh, and remember…numbers can be fun and Mississippians can do math!

Ross (@driverswanted07)

Top 15 in followers:

  • Danica Patrick – 425,815
  • Tony Kanaan – 385,414
  • Helio Castroneves – 45,385
  • Dario Franchitti – 36,826
  • Marco Andretti – 31,313
  • Ana Beatriz – 23,647
  • Will Power – 19,122
  • Graham Rahal – 19,106
  • Paul Tracy – 18,851
  • Ryan Briscoe – 17,256
  • Ryan Hunter-Reay – 17,012
  • Scott Dixon – 16,842
  • Simona de Silvestro – 13,639
  • E.J. Viso – 13,593
  • Tomas Scheckter – 12,838

Interview: Katherine Legge

I had a chance to chat with former Champ Car standout, DTM driver, and IZOD Indycar Series hopeful Katherine Legge.  Although she was unable to put together a ride for 2011, Katherine has been hard at work to get back in an open-wheel car.  Follow Katherine at @katherinelegge on Twitter to stay up to date on news and notes from this lovely lady.  Queers4Gears wishes Ms. Legge the best of luck in 2012!

Credit Katherine Legge PR

The past couple of weeks have been very hard for Indycar and the racing community.  Can you give some feedback on your thoughts about the incident in Vegas and Dan Wheldon?

KL:  I mean…it was tragic.  It was difficult to actually believe it happened in the way it did.  It was such a huge accident…the way it happened was unbelievable.  It was awful, and obviously all the thoughts and prayers are to the Wheldons.  I knew him since I was 9.  We raced go-karts together.  He was older, and I followed his footsteps so to speak.  I regret I didn’t know him better.  From all the lovely things people have said about him he sounded like a fantastic guy.  You realize as a driver things like that can happen, you take those risks knowingly and you prepare yourself and your friends and family for those risks…and how they would react if that happened.  It’s a selfish sport in that respect.

You had a spectacular crash at Road America in 2006 in a Champ Car that you were uninjured in.  Do you think something like a closed cockpit is needed?

KL:  Gosh, I really don’t know.  I’m not qualified to say.  All of the drivers and officials are getting together to decide.  Not having driven this current Indycar, I can’t really say.  At the end of the day, there are things that can be done to increase the safety, but it is racing and will always be dangerous.  But, I am for anything that will make it safer whether that be a closed cockpit or Plexi-glass over the catch fence or whatever.

You have been trying to pull together sponsorship to get back in the car, has 2011 been frustrating or has it motivated you to work even harder?

KL:  It’s been really tough actually.  I made the decision to come back here quite late and didn’t really start until January.  I did think I would have gotten the occasional 1 off race, but it has been really tough.  It has been a very long very difficult year.  I cannot wait to get back in the car.  One thing it has done, it has made me learn a lot about myself, my strengths and weaknesses, and I will be a better driver for it when I get back in a car.

Have you had any movement on the sponsorship front for 2012?

KL:  Yeah, we are in talks with a number different people and teams.  It is looking positive, but no contracts have been signed yet.  It is hard to get the bits and pieces in place.  You have to put together the primary sponsor, then associate sponsors, but you can’t sign associate sponsors until the primary has been signed and a team in place.  There is a lot of positive interest though. Right now out of respect of Dan everything has been laying low the past couple of weeks. Hopefully before the teams take delivery of the new car (December 15th) we may have something in place.

How much do you think your experience in the higher-horsepower Champ Car cars would or will help you in the new 2012 Indycar?

KL:  I am hoping it helps.  I remember when we first got the new Panoz chassis and had to develop it. I hope that experience will come in handy.  It has been a while since I’ve been in an open wheel car, but after a day or so I will be up to speed.

How would you sum up your DTM experience?

KL:  Haha…hmm…good question!  I learned a lot from going back over to Europe and doing DTM and learned a lot about myself, what drives me, racing, and driving different kinds of cars.  It was a difficult experience, but everything that is difficult makes you stronger and more positive.  It made me an all around better driver.

Credit Katherine Legge PR

What do you have playing on your iPod these days?

KL:  Oh goodness, actually I need to update it because I am going to Paris for an FIA meeting and to visit my Dad, so I need to get that sorted.  But actually, I just switched phones; I had an iPhone in England, and need to transfer everything over.

What is your perfect “girl’s night out”?

KL:  Haha, would probably be a good restaurant, a few good friends, some drinks…just laughing and not having to think about racing, which I do 24/7.  It would be nice to relax and find out what goes on in the normal world!

Who do you think is the most underrated Indycar driver?

KL:  Me? (laughs)…I’m not sure.  I’m just going to say me to be politically correct and not make anyone mad.  I’m not on the outside and I think from the outside is where drivers get underrated.  The people inside Indycar know that the drivers are talented.

I ask that question because a lot has been said in the media about Dario Franchitti being highly underrated by people despite all of his success.

KL:  The people in Indycar know how incredibly talented he is.  There’s no question about that.

What is your favorite road car of all time?

KL:  The old Ford F40…definitely…and the gull-wing Mercedes.  I had a poster of it on my wall as a kid.  That’s kind of embarrassing to admit!  Those are 2 very iconic cars.  I like old American muscle cars as well.  Anything from the 60′s and 70′s.

Credit Katherine Legge PR

Who is someone that inspires you? 

KL:  I get inspiration from a bunch of different people.  My parents are obviously an inspiration for me.  I run stuff by them and they haven’t had it easy in any way shape or form.  My friends as well.  It’s difficult to say there is any one person I aspire to be like, but growing up it was Aryton Senna for sure.

Is there anything you’d like to say or talk about that you are never asked about in interviews?

KL:  No not really.  I’m quite private, and I’m very careful about what I say on Facebook and Twitter because I don’t want to be taken the wrong way.  I don’t want to put everything out there and leave nothing to the imagination.  I like to have an air of mystery about me so to speak.

Ross (@driverswanted07)

In Defense of Indycar

It has been just over a week since the tragic death of Dan Wheldon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  It has been hard to figure out exactly how to proceed following such a tragic event without seeming disrespectful in moving on.  I think it is important to move on, but it is more important not to forget.  As a community and family, that is what Indycar has to do.

The most difficult part of the situation this past week has been hearing many uninformed “reporters” pretend to be Indycar experts.  The majority ignores all Indycar coverage but latch onto a morbid news story in an effort to sensationalize it.

Attacks on Randy Bernard have been the most difficult for me to read.  To blame the CEO of Indycar for the death of a racer would be like blaming the coach of a high school football team for the injury of a player.  Randy Bernard has my support.  He has performed admirably, and I believe there are few businessmen that could have handled the events and the task as Indycar CEO as well as he has.  Randy has been exceptional in his handling of the sport and the many nuances of it.  Indycar fans know running the circus that Indycar can be is not a task for the faint of heart.

Many people have commented on the amount of cars on the track for the race.  Let us all keep in mind that the accident started in the front of the pack and wiped out the middle of the field with a few cars running in the very rear escaping the carnage.  In this instance, if 24 cars had been on the track, the wreck would have still been huge and collected the cars running behind the initial contact.  Maybe the number involved would’ve been slightly less if fewer cars had been in the race, but the outcome would have been the same…a huge wreck.

Rookies have taken a lot of flack for being in the race.  Indycar has a process in place for rookies before they are allowed to race on ovals.  The rookies in the race have raced at other ovals in the series and have been winners in Firestone Indy Lights.  It is absurd to state that rookies shouldn’t have been allowed to race.  If they never race at tracks like Las Vegas they will never get the experience they need.  If they never gain that experience and are never allowed on the high-speed ovals…well, how will they ever learn?  Sometimes the steps up any ladder, whether it be between racing series’ or a corporate ladder, may be large, but they are steps that must be taken.

Another criticized aspect has been the speed of the cars.  It is true that 220+ is extremely fast and is very dangerous.  But, the danger does not completely reside in the speed alone but, it is how the car reacts at that speed…specifically in an accident.  If a car could run 250mph without getting airborne and into the catch fence, and the safety cell containing the driver could withstand an impact at that speed, I feel 250mph would “safe”.  Conversely, if a car was running 140mph and could get airborne easily, I would not consider 140mph safe.  For me, the entire conversation revolves around keeping the cars safely on the ground regardless of the speed in question.  Ironically, the new chassis for 2012 contains measures to help keep cars from becoming airborne when making contact.  But, only reducing the speed would just help proliferate “pack racing” which is the main reason the accident was so massive.  In the Dan Wheldon incident, the way his car hit the catch fence, I don’t believe going 20mph slower would have saved him.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway has also received criticism.  This is highly unfair because this accident could have happened at a number of different tracks the series races on and has raced on in the past.  In a broader view, 1.5 mile, high-banked ovals have been put under the microscope as being unfit for Indycar.  All 1.5 mile ovals are capable of having a safe, fast Indycar race.  Once again, analysis should turn to the cars.  The combination of identical cars with identical engines, high downforce, a tire that does not give up any grip, and low-horsepower work together to create pack racing.  Basically, sit down, floor it, and turn left until the race is over without lifting.  If downforce is reduced on the cars the drivers will have to lift in the corners.  If the car has more horsepower with lower downforce the drivers will have to lift even more in the corner.  If the tire gives up more grip over the course of a run the handling characteristics of the cars will change between pitstops.  These factors create differences in the cars helping them spread out and eliminates pack racing.  This also puts the race back in the hands of the drivers with the best set-ups and best drivers rising to the front.

Closed cockpits have also been discussed.  In looking at photos of Dan’s car as it slid down the track after making contact with the fence, it is easy to see the roll-hoop had been sheared off.  Having a closed cockpit, whether a fighter-jet style canopy or a design complete with an A-pillar, most likely wouldn’t have helped save Dan, in my opinion.  If the forces exerted on the car were enough to rip the roll-hoop off, I do not feel any type of canopy system would’ve helped.  I don’t have reams of computer data to support that statement, so that is a non-scientific assessment.  I believe that the lack of a roof actually helps save Indycar drivers from injury in many cases.  In roll-over accidents the roll-hoop does its job in protecting the drivers head when a roof may have crushed in on a driver and made extraction difficult or caused more injury from crushing into the cockpit.  In saying all of that, if evidence came out supporting the fact that closed cockpits would be safer in all instances, I would support a move to have them.

Of the more absurd accusations, the ones revolving around the $5million dollars and that affecting Dan’s driving or judgment are beyond ridiculous.  If these people paid any attention at all to the wreck, it is plainly obvious that Dan was essentially an innocent bystander.  The claim that money would have caused Dan to drive recklessly is an insult to his talent and his character.  Racecar drivers are driven by the love of the sport, not money.  If you paid them in bubblegum, most would be happy just to be in a racecar doing what they love.  Furthermore, Indycar drivers are not movie stars or NFL players.  They are not paid outrageous sums of money.  If money were a primary motivator for Indycar drivers, they would’ve bolted for NASCAR or Hollywood years ago.

Another aspect of the challenge, the fact that Dan had to start from the rear of the field, has also been criticized.  Dan made a qualifying attempt and qualified 29th of the 32 drivers that made attempts.  Dan would have started from the back of the field even if that stipulation of the challenge did not exist.  In my mind, starting from the rear of the field because of the challenge essentially had no bearing on the outcome.

With all that said, I hope this is a learning experience for all.  It has to be.  The best lessons in life are often learned through tragedy and this is no exception.  I often wonder how many other drivers may have been injured or killed if Dale Earnhardt hadn’t been involved in his fatal accident.  That is not to say that it only takes a hero dying to save others and drive change, but it is often the catalyst needed to create positive and beneficial reaction and changes.  Indycar has a bright future, and despite the darkness of the past week, the future may be brighter because of what happened.  As the old saying goes, “It is always darkest before dawn.”

Ross (@driverswanted07)

4 Quick Questions with Sarah Fisher

Prior to the start of the Indycar season finale in Las Vegas, I had a moment to speak briefly with retired racer, new mom, and team owner Sarah Fisher.

Sarah FIsher

How did it feel the past couple weeks being a first time winner as a car owner and a new mom?

It has been a lot of great emotions and we have been really happy and worked really hard over the last 4 years and for a win to come that early is exceptional.  We really focused on the oval program this season and put all of our budget and R&D emphasis around that so it has been really rewarding to be a part of that.  And, to be a mom it’s all emotional…it’s all hitting at once…I’d like it to spread out, but…haha.

I know for me as a fan growing up you were one of the people that attracted me to Indycar, but after your win last weekend with the announcement that Dollar General would not be returning, has the win helped you any for your 2012 program as of yet?

We knew going into this season that Dollar General may not be back anyways because they had a plan that they announced last Thursday of going cup racing.  So, we had some thigns in the works that we are still working on now because we had expected that to be a possibility.  I don’t think the win has made…is going to make or break it…it might be easier to have a more emotional connection because of that but it certainly won’t provide us a 6 million dollar sponsor.

How exciting is it to have Angies List and Tomas Sheckter running for you this weekend?

It’s very exciting because Angies List has been a partner with us since the very beginning in 2008.  So, it was nice to be able to put together a program with them to have a primary entrant and to be able to choose a driver with them and Tomas.  I raced with Tomas in the beginning of my career and I know he is real aggressive and can get the job done on ovals.  The race I led at Michigan is the first race he won. So, I know he is capable and I look forward to watching him on track today.

One last question, being a new mom, any chance that in the future you may want to hop back in a car?

Haha, I don’t know, everybody asks that question and I don’t really have a good answer because I don’t know myself…we will just have to see!

Ross (@driverswanted07)

Indycar Heartbreak

I have had a few days to process the events that transpired on Sunday afternoon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  I have had time to read all the tweets, see the replays, and answer questions from friends and family that knew I was at the track.  Maybe I can say what I feel like saying in the right way.

I had discussed the dangers and fear of a horrific accident with John Bisci, Las Vegas Motor Speedway PR Manager, on Saturday during the Camping World Truck Series event.  Sunday morning before the race I replayed the Kenny Brack accident at Texas Motor Speedway from 2003 to Edward Ochoa, Queers4Gears photographer, while expressing my nervousness over the possibility of such an accident during the race.  My fears unfortunately came true.  The truth is, the danger of racing is present whether it is NASCAR at Martinsville, Indycar at Indianapolis, or Hill Climbing at Pikes Peak.  Drivers understand that, they have to, and I understand that as a fan.  I know the history of racing and how quickly it can take someone’s life.  But, because of the increases in safety, we forget how unforgiving and dangerous it really is.

I’ve read comments by other drivers like Jimmie Johnson stating that Indycars should not run on ovals because it is too dangerous.  I find that absurd to be honest.  While I respect his opinion, the inherit danger that exists in racing makes it a risk no matter where you are racing or what you are driving.  Yes, the level of danger is greater in an open cockpit at 220mph, but we forget that drivers like Adam Petty were killed at speeds far less in cars with “more protection”.  A crash doesn’t have to be fast nor look violent to take a life.  I recall seeing a YouTube video of a European driver in an F1 development series getting hit in the head with a loose tire from a car that crashed.  The impact to the head killed the driver.   That is all it takes.

One thing that I must comment on is we should commend the much maligned Dallara chassis for protecting drivers as it did.  15 cars were involved in the accident with 3 of them becoming airborne.  Despite a broken and burned finger sustained by Pippa Mann and JR Hildebrand’s bruised sternum, it is amazing and commendable that there were no other serious injuries given the severity of wreck.  I for one consider what happened to Dan to be a freak incident.  The car hit the fencing in the worst possible way.  It was the intersection of multiple worst-case scenarios and unpredictable events.

It was heartbreaking to see a series and sport that I love in so much pain during a weekend that was supposed to be full of joy, champions, and the turning of a new page.  The event had been a huge hit with the fans the entire weekend and the stage was set to end a season wrought with controversy on a high note.  But, that wasn’t to be.  The last sentences in this chapter of Indycar history were underlined with tragedy.

Indycar has spent years as the red-headed stepchild of the racing world receiving little respect.  It is unfortunate it may have taken Dan’s death to bring it to light, but the drivers and the series demand respect.  The extreme speed, quality of drivers, and close competition has been overlooked far too long.  I’ve said it before but Danica, Simona, Ana, and Pippa all have balls bigger than mine for doing what they do.  It is part of the reason why I love Indycar.  It is regular people doing things I can only dream about.

I’ll admit, I have been in a funk since the accident.  I can’t really convey the surreal feeling of sitting in the media center, looking at pictures, hearing the whispers, and listening to the TV while fearing the worst possible news.  I don’t know how to express the sadness in a room of tears while Randy Bernard announced Dan’s death.  It was like being part of a bad movie.  It was a feeling I won’t soon forget and a feeling I don’t want to experience again.

While Indycar may not have gained any new fans, and it surely has gained a host of critics, one thing is for certain:  the fans stand more united than ever.  It was amazing to see strangers sharing a love of a sport coming together in tragedy.  This was evident for me as I sat in the Tropicana on Sunday night sharing a drink and stories with fellow fans…a dad and son from California, a husband and wife from Indy, and a young man that came all the way from the UK to see the event.  I want to thank Pat Caporali (@PCaporali on Twitter) for helping bring together fans at the track.  If it wasn’t for her “tweetups” I wouldn’t have met as many wonderful people over the weekend as I did.

I also want to extend my thoughts and prayers not only to Dan’s widow and children, but to Randy Bernard.  I know there are many people that do not know the series that are pointing fingers trying to lay blame on someone.  I am sure there is no one that has the best interest of the drivers in mind more than Randy.  His dedication to the sport and its success is evident.  I know he must feel the weight of the world on his shoulders, but we as fans should help shoulder the weight by supporting him and the series at a time when both need it the most.

So, with all that rambling, I want to move past this past weekend.  I don’t want to forget about Dan, but I want to forget the feeling and the images.  I hope we all use this as an experience to learn and grow and to make Indycar safer and to make positive change.  I also want to make it clear that what happened was not the fault of anyone or anything.  It wasn’t Randy’s fault for staging the race or the $5million dollar challenge.  It wasn’t the drivers that initially spun out.  It wasn’t the tracks fault.  It wasn’t because of an unsafe car.  It was simply a freak racing accident.  So, let’s remember Dan and keep him in our hearts and look towards a better day.

There’s a song by Dolly Parton called “Light of a Clear Blue Morning”.  It always makes me feel better when things look the worst.  Have a listen.  Hopefully it will make you feel a little better as well.

Ross (@driverswanted07)

Indycar Las Vegas…RIP Dan Wheldon

As I sit here writing this I am sitting in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway media center.  I am not a professional writer or reporter.  I am just a guy that has an 8-5 job but shares a love for a sport that I respect and enjoy.  Respect being the key word because I have seen many bad wrecks.  I witnessed the Kenny Brack crash at Texas Motor Speedway in 2003.  I even played the replay this morning to someone stating that I was nervous about the race here because I didn’t want to see something like that again.  Unfortunately, I witnessed a horrendous accident that I feared and I am sitting here with others, professionals, people paid to do this, in shock.  So, I’m sorry if I don’t do this all justice.

First of all, Michael and I made a decision to watch the race from the press box above the track.  Unfortunately, we did not have wi-fi in the press box and the amazing AT&T network was not working at all.  So, I was unable to Tweet or update anything.  The first turn of the first lap the guys were 3-wide…not the last turn of the last lap.  So, you see the precedent.  Ed Carpenter had moved into 2nd from his 3rd place starting position.  Davey Hamilton had slid back to to 32nd after starting 24th.  Will Power was running about 25th after starting 17th.  I couldn’t keep track of everything else because it was so hectic.  Think trying to do a countdown of a NASCAR race at Talladega.  Then…lap 10 happened…my race notes just said, “OH MY GOD.”

I was watching Wade Cunningham when the contact happened with James Hinchcliffe.  There was some contact…a little puff of smoke…it looked like he would save it…then all hell broke loose.  There were essentially 2 separate incidents.  There was the initial incident with Cunningham that collected some cars, and there was a 2nd incident with the cars slowing down and some cars not slowing down.  In the replays it looks like Power and Wheldon never lifted.  Insane.

Credit Gib Stoffmann

I also sit here and wonder if we really want to see a race at Fontana next year.  Do you think this track was nuts?  Do you think this racing was too easy or too fast?  Fontana will be worse.  Do we want to see that?  Do we, as fans, pass up Milwaukee and New Hampshire to see this?  Yes, it is exciting.  Yes, it is intense.  Yes, the drama is overwhelming, but is that risk ok?  Do we revile in the almost Roman Gladiator type “entertainment”.  And, the drivers know the risk.  The series knows the risk.  That is why they get paid the big bucks and they receive the stardom they do.  But, is it worth it?  Intense.  Think about it.

…and just over 2 hours since the red-flag…Randy Bernard has announced that Dan Wheldon has died from unsurvivable injury.  The race will end and the drivers will do a 5-lap salute.

Wow………

Ross

Indycar Finale Pre-Race Thoughts

Well folks, it is the season finale of the Indycar 2011 season.  As I sit in the media center, I just wanted to pass along some pre-race thoughts on today and some items to look for.

1.)  All 4 Andretti Autosport entries qualified in the Top 10.  Look for Danica to be more aggressive than usual in her last race as a full-time Indycar driver, and look for all Andretti entries to be fast.

2.)  Ed Carpenter, the race winner at Kentucky, qualified 3rd in the Sarah Fisher Racing #67.  This is the highest qualifying effort for SFR in their history.  Tomas Scheckter is starting 23rd in the #57 Angies List Special entry.  Expect to see him on the high side with bold moves early and often.

3.)  Alex Tagliani, in Dan Wheldon’s former ride, qualified in the 4th position.  Bryan Herta Autosport has shown it has what it takes to win, so look for Tagliani to stay near the front today.

4.)  After his horrible practice crash, James Jakes will be racing a pieced together car with parts donated to Dale Coyne Racing from KV Racing Technology-Lotus.  His car will look like a 4th KV entry.  Keep your eye out for any issues with this car as it has had no practice time since the accident.

5.)  Rookie Wade Cunningham finished 7th at Kentucky and qualified strong in 12th here in Las Vegas.  He has proven to be a great wheelman in Indy Lights at ovals, so expect him to race well today.  A great race could bode well for a full-time ride in 2012.

6.)  Buddy Rice will be starting in 33rd after his qualifying time was disallowed for running below the yellow line on his qualifying attempt.  Panther Racing is strong on ovals, Buddy Rice is strong on ovals, and together they finished 9th at Kentucky.  Expect Rice to move towards the front quickly.

7.)  Of course we should all watch Mr. Dan Wheldon as he vies for $5million dollars.  He has not shown much speed this weekend, so the race should be a challenge.  I know the lucky fan partnered with Wheldon that will receive $2.5million if he wins is hoping he finds speed.

8.)  3-wide?  4-wide?  It will happen, guaranteed.  Keep your fingers crossed for a safe race despite the hair-raising action.

9.)  Since this is the last race for the current Dallara, expect teams to go all out with no-holds-barred strategy and moves.  The gloves will definitely be off today.

Tune in to ABC at 3EST and 12PST for the race.  You don’t want to miss this…

Ross (@driverswanted07)