Kentucky Looms Large for IndyCar

I believe August 1 at Kentucky Speedway is a make-or-break moment for the Indy Racing League.

The fans of the twisty tracks (and I'm actually one of them, even though most refuse to believe you can enjoy both ovals and street/road tracks) are excited about the IRL next three races -- Watkins Glen, Toronto and Edmonton.

Problem is, American viewing audiences aren't excited about road/street races. Feel free to argue, but what's the record American TV rating for a road/street race? I'd be shocked if it was a 2.0. Champ Car proved (again) that a U.S.-based all street/road league with teams that require millions of dollars to operate just won't make it. F1, the best street and road racing in the world, barely makes a blip in the U.S. (although I never miss a race).

On Tuesday, the league announced that it was making some changes to the car spec -- more accurately opening some things up to tinkering by the teams -- to try and improve the oval product. Those moves will debut at Kentucky. 

I don't think the departure of Tony George (also announced on Tuesday) concerns the average customer (fan). I don't think they care who runs the show, but they do care deeply about the quality and value of the show, which brings us back to August 1.

I believe (and have believed and whined and ranted for several years) that:

• The success of the current IRL business model absolutely requires growing TV audiences.
• Only oval races have the potential to draw the kind of TV numbers that generate ROI for million-dollar-plus sponsor investments.
• If the ovals don't improve, the IRL will lose customers (fans) for good.
• No fans, no sponsors, no league.

Therefore, Kentucky becomes a make-or-break moment for the league. If the racing is improved ... make. IndyCar acknowledged a problem with the product and fixed it (or at least made improvements). They must want my business.

If the racing is yet another processional ... break. The rage that poured out after Richmond will pour out again, even more so, and customers who have many other things competing for their attention and cash will take their money elsewhere, probably for good.

Good luck, IndyCar, and godspeed. I hope you have it figured out by August 1.

Comments

[Leigh O'Gorman]

will anybody be testing these improvements before Kentucky?

[Concerned Fan]

O'Gorman: They aren't really improvements. They're just freeing up the rules a little to allow teams to use stuff they already have. At a given track, the league specifies what aero bits and bobs the teams can put on the car, and now they'll let more bobs on the car, thereby adding down force.

Regarding TG, the way this happened is going to raise concerns with partners and potential partners. It's definitely not a smooth transition of power. The timing is terrible.

Regarding "make or break..." Oh please. You and many of your blogger brethren are, frankly, drama queens. If I were you I'd be careful what I wished for.

Regarding ChampCar, I'd say that the IRL has been proving that you can't be successful racing open wheel cars on ovals. I mean, why is that TG was so desperate to take over ChampCar? Why is it, do you think, that the league began adding road/street courses to the schedule in the first place? Why is that Indy Lights was totally moribund until they went 50/50 with their racing schedule?

Because they weren't succeeding, Skippy. Both leagues were/are money losing affairs that have never turned a profit. The advantage the IRL had was that at least they only owned one track, and actually got payed for TV rights. ChampCar was truly pathetic. The principles involved bought up quite a few of those street races, and their TV broadcasts were essentially infomercials.

I guess you can say the IRL was more successful, because they took over the other... but it's kind of like arguing about who's !@#$ smells worse.

Clearly, ChampCar's smelled worse---a lot worse, IMO. But, the IRL has always been, and continues to be, on life support, and the appearance that the support might be ending is bound to be bad for business.

TG's sisters have a lot to learn about controlling the message.

[styxrogan]

if these a holes were smart they would schedule a test to see if this shit will work. but no they are goin to show up at kentucky and see what happens

[Roy Hobbson]

Yeah, Bill -- quit being a "drama queen," as Concerned Fan suggests. Because once you do, you'll be able to write very subdued & non-drama-queeny things like this:

"the IRL has always been, and continues to be, on life support ..."

/drops sarcasm

Concerned Fan -- your comment couldn't have been more drama-queen-ish had it been written in Latin & smeared in goat blood along the side of the barn outside of IMS. How about you sit the next few plays out.