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IndyCar Vows to Continue Champ Car TV Legacy

The Indy Racing League Wednesday vowed to continue the Champ Car World Series' innovative strategy to drive TV ratings down as low as possible heading into negotiations for a 2010 TV package.

"Of course we'd like to get that illusive 0.0 rating that Champ Car came one suburban housewife away from achieving, but that requires the perfect storm of a tight, impossible-to-pass motorcycle road course in Europe shown on ESPN 8 at 5 a.m.," said a league insider who asked not to be named. "We're working on that, but for now I think we've got some races that will break new ground in American TV ratings."

pressdog Works the Mic on FastMachines.com Radio Episode #4

 

Chris and Josh at fastmachines.com just tossed up a podcast focusing on last weekend's mayhem. In a fit of desperation, they invited the pdog on to talk about stuff including the Wreck of the Edmonton Airport, the Pit-Yard 400, the F1 silly season and more. Hear the 30-minutes of dangling fury here.

We talked about some of my fave sites, and there are many, including my boy Jeff at MyNameIsIRL.com and Johnny over at LiveFastRacing.com and IsItMayYet.com. For others, check the sidepod worthy group on my left nav.

Clown, Goat Rodeo Officials Mull Complaint Against Indy Racing League

Officials with the International Order of Circus Clowns and American Goat Rodeo Association may file formal complaints against the IndyCar Series, according to insiders.

"For our part, it's a case of uncompensated overtime," said an official with the circus clown union who asked not to be named. "There have been so many pit circuses and so much clown music blaring this year that we're running low on small clown vehicles. Plus, packing 19 clowns into a tiny car and sending them out to throw rubber chickens around in the pits takes a physical toll on the clowns involved."

There Goes the Neighborhood: The N-Word May be Moving In

Distressing news from the Mighty Des Moines Register. The N-word (NASCAR) Nationbush series has ditched Mexico City for 2009 and may fill the date with a race at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.

That would bring the N-word to within 45 minutes of pressdog world headquarters, where you'll find me in the basement wearing a helmet and brandishing a shotgun. They'll never take me alive.

Rusty Wallace, designer and chief promoter of the track, has made no secret that his mission in life is to get a Nationbush or Amusing Truck race at the track.

Ironically, us IndyCar fans may have helped sell the Nationbush people on giving the Iowa Speedway a try. By selling the place out -- twice -- and causing them to expand seating to about 35,000, we may have helped Iowa Speedway get its long-lusted-for N-word race. Gak.

Plus, just our luck, the Iowa Speedway now appears to have a general manager with some skills and clues. DAMMIT.

Register story here.

Look into the Gaping Maw of the TV Apocalypse

Sportsbusinessjournal.com talks about how IndyCar TV after 2009 may actually resemble a mushroom cloud. (Props to Is it May Yet and Trackside Online for making me aware.)

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/5964

Open-wheel Leaders Fear Tire Quality Dimishes League Appeal

IndyCar Series officials Sunday expressed concern that the extreme reliability of their Firestone tires could actually deter stock car drivers from considering a career in open-wheel racing.

"We've been pushing to reverse the trend of open-wheelers going to stock cars," said one Indy insider, "so this tire development is definitely a setback."

Notes Taken During the 2008 IndyCar Race at Edmonton

Notes taken during the ESPN broadcast of the Rexall Edmonton Indy, City Centre Airport, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Here to sing the Canadian national anthem is its favorite son, Scott Goodyear ... Kidding. But Scott is a beauty Canadian, eh?

pressdog beer of the race has to be Molson Canadian, one of my fave lager beers, period, and some good Canadian brew.

pressdog Does Chicagoland

Plan now to rock and roll to Chicagoland Speedway outside tony Joliet, IL on Sept. 7 for the Peak Antifreeze Indy 300. Sarah Fisher will be in the hizzaus and pressdog will be trackside. Click the banner below to eyeball tickets.

I get a tiny gratuity for every click of this banner! I appreciate your support. I go to Chicagoland every year (last year Dixon ran out of ethanol right in front of me in turn 4) and highly recommend it. See ya there.

Fast Machines Podcast

 

Chris and Josh and the posse over at fastmachines.com bust down the recent action. IRL, F1, Danica vs. Milka, NHRA. Audio insanity! Hear it here. pressdog gets air!

IndyCar Mulls Offering Sponsorship Chasing Lights Feeder Series

 Bowing to the reality that it's not talent but cash that determines which drivers make the jump from the Firestone Indy Lights program to the IndyCar series, the league is contemplating starting a Sponsorship Chasing feeder series.

"Who are we kidding?" said one league insider who declined to be named. "A re-incarnated Rick Mears or AJ Foyt who wins every race in the Indy Lights series ain't driving a Dallara in the big leagues any time soon unless he or she brings bails of cash to the team. So we figured maybe we should help the drivers develop their money-grubbing skills."