IndyCar Teams Offer Advice to Ailing Stock Car Organizations

IndyCar teams that have long learned to get by on $3.29 a day find themselves besieged by calls for advice from once mighty stock car teams.

"It's a little bit insane," said one insider for the chronically under-funded Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. "Teams who are used to scraping by on $15 million a year are suddenly calling us for advice on how to scrounge up money and how to stretch a dollar."

With the average stock car team burning through $25 million a year, the economic downturn has hit fenderland racing especially hard. Industry observers aren't surprised they are seeking out the series with scrounging skills -- IndyCar.

IndyCar teams said they are considering holding seminars on how to shop at Wal-Mart, the best way to maximize Costco and Sam's Club cards and the various income rules for food banks located in the cities the teams race in.

"It's difficult for these fender people to grasp the concept of a discount store," said a representative of Dale Coyne Racing who asked not to be named. "When you are used to having your staff rush out and buy a choice cut of filet mignon for lunch, it's tough to even pronounce 'McDonalds.' "

Representatives from Andretti Green Racing and Penske Racing said they had received some calls as well, but forwarded them on to teams who had experience in worrying about money.

"Frankly, we have no idea how to get by on less, so we put them in touch with some teams who do," said an AGR spokesperson. "We thought maybe 'shop Danica around for more sponsors' but then we realized they don't have a Danica, so we transferred them to Pacific Coast Motor Sports."

IndyCar teams were also considering joining forces with some stock car teams to offer a "Year-End Ride Buyer Blowout Sale." The concept -- for $10 million, a driver can buy both an IndyCar ride and a stock car ride. The idea has caused some analysis to predict there will be a record number of drivers "doing the double" on Memorial Day weekend.

"For an extra million, we'll even put their daddy's name on the side and get (IndyCar Chief Steward) Brian Barnhart to not only pretend like he thinks they can drive, but use the phrase 'rookie of the year' two to four times in conjunction with their name," said one architect of the Ride Buyer Blowout concept.

Other ideas include tips on "Finding a Sugar Daddy" and a panel discussion on "Insane Foreign Presidents: The Untapped Resource." The two groups plan to work together to send the children of billionaires vouchers for go-kart rides or entire, race-ready karts "to try and increase the pipeline of potential ride buyers."

IndyCar teams said they were initially wary of stock-car involvement, but in the end figured "a rising tide of ride buyers lifts all boats."

While trying to be of assistance, IndyCar teams said they would continue to look out for their own interest first. "We're not going to tell them where the best ditches are for collecting redeemable cans, for example," said one IndyCar PR rep. "It's tough enough out there as it is. Last thing we need is to be battling for cans with someone wearing a Dale Earnhart coat."

Comments

[My Name Is IRL]

Sheer brilliance, and the best part about this post is that there is an ad to the left asking "Are you smarter than Dale Earnhardt Jr?" You couldn't have planned that better if you tried.