While IndyCar is throwing $5 million insurance-funded challenges around, we get word of what I take as a bit of a NASCAR nostril flare directed at IndyCar.
F1's Lewis Hamilton and NASCAR's Tony Stewart -- both wildly popular in their own worlds -- are set to switch cars for an exhibition at ISC track Watkins Glen later this year.
Insert monster media coverage here. I'll be among those very interested to see how the two do driving such vastly different cars. The two will drive real, race-prepared cars, in Stewart's case the multi-trillion-dollar 2010-model F1 McLaren.
The deal was arranged by mutual sponsor Mobil 1. Read all about it here.
This may just be coincidental to IndyCar's Randy Bernard's apparent determination to lure any NASCAR driver possible to any IndyCar race possible, but it has a strong whiff of NASCAR marking its territory/sending a message to me.
NASCAR didn't get to be NASCAR without being ruthlessly competitive. I can't imagine they're be real hip to the idea of their stars popping into an IndyCar race to generate publicity and drive up ratings for the little, tiny rival. But that may be just me.
*Mobil 1.
This also must have been in the works for weeks, if not months.
Maybe the timing is a bit fishy, but there's no way NASCAR threw this together as some sort of territorial response to the IICS
Posted by: WxTurtle | February 27, 2011 at 06:44 PM
Probably right, Wx (I fixed "Mobile" thanks). But I can't imagine Randy's efforts to lure over virtually any NASCAR star for a race is sitting well in Daytona.
Posted by: pressdog | February 27, 2011 at 06:59 PM
Stewart will fit in an F1 car? And touch the steering wheel? huh...
Posted by: The American Mutt | February 27, 2011 at 07:13 PM
NASCAR & F1 have teamed before for the same challenge. I think it was Schuey and J. Go. the last time.
NASCAR doesn't need to "mark its territory", p-dog. IndyCar is no threat at the moment and won't be for a long time.
Frankly, I see the 5 million challenge as IndyCar riding NASCAR's back by trying to make it seem plausible that someone like J. Go. or Stewart or Johnson would take said challenge. They got their wish with it being talked about amongst some of the NASCAR guys and the press.
Come October 16th, I'm betting at least three of the guys involved have IndyCar experience and that will hardly prove that the current crop of drivers is "the best in the world".
Posted by: Carrie | February 27, 2011 at 07:17 PM
It was Juan Pablo Montoya and Jeff Gordon at Indianapolis in 2003. Personally, I think it has anything to do with IndyCar but rather to do with boosting interest in F1 in advance of the reborn US GP.
Posted by: KF4LMT | February 27, 2011 at 08:00 PM
This is something to look forward to for F1 fans out there! This is very exciting to watch!
Posted by: Brad Fallon | February 27, 2011 at 09:06 PM
McLaren is selling some electronics (i forget the details) to NASCAR, that's probably one of the reasons they're doing this.
Would have liked to see Lewis doing an oval track, preferably in a good indycar, not a nascar...
Posted by: Homer | February 28, 2011 at 02:45 AM
stumbled across the information i forgot in previous comment:
"McLaren Electronics will supply fuel injection systems to NASCAR from next year."
Posted by: Homer | February 28, 2011 at 02:50 AM
I agree with The American Mutt - how much lube are they going to need to squeeze Tony Stewart into a F1 car? Lewis Hamilton is about 120 lbs. soaking wet. Stewart looks like he is twice that. Perhaps they will get him into the car with the garage closed so nobody witnesses the big squeeze.
Posted by: Savage Henry | February 28, 2011 at 09:31 AM
Whatever the case, if this is a response to the stuff that IndyCar's been doing (which I'm not inclined to think just yet, because the facts are that even with the upward momentum, IndyCar still pulls TV ratings a fraction of what NASCAR does; sounds more like sponsor synergy / McLaren brand building for the NASCAR set to me), it's a compliment. Just think about it. Did anything that IndyCar racing did from 2001 to about 2009 elicit any kind of response, positive, negative or otherwise, from NASCAR? If they feel like they need to pull publicity stunts (and I remember watching the slow motion paint drying spectacle of the first Tradin' Paint; Montoya looked on the verge of falling asleep for the duration) in order to pull eyeballs back to what they're doing, all the better. At least more eyeballs on the sport is a good thing.
Posted by: The Speedgeek | February 28, 2011 at 11:20 AM
A more likely scenario is that the deal was in the works for months, but NASCAR just urged the leak of it to mess with IndyCar. If you don't think Randy's moves have the complete attention of NASCAR, I don't think you get NASCAR. Not saying they are shitting themselves in panic, but neither are they scoffing and paying no mind.
Posted by: pressdog | February 28, 2011 at 12:15 PM
Trust me, there won't be ANY current NASCAR guys doing the final Indycar race because it's all about the setup and practice as JPM so accurately pointed out.
Maybe Robby Gordon will give his NASCAR drive to someone else as he's the team owner and spend the weekend at the Indycar final. But even if he COULD, who's going to give him a car and supporting team???
Posted by: GeorgeK | February 28, 2011 at 12:21 PM