My take

[mrindy77]

Since F1 is gone from Indy, which I don't believe is entirely TG fault, I would love to see IRL race twice at Indy. The 500 and later in the year on the Indy road course....I'd make the trek twice a year to see that!
I enjoy both ovals and good road courses....where you can actually do some passing....like RA...I'm sure they'll be there next year, it's got to be the US premier road course.
Any thoughts?

[Deleted]

That would be cool but I don't think it will happen.
I'll be happy with 20 races split more or less evenly between ovals and road courses. If they can get the car count up into the high 20s or even 30+ after the '08 season that will be even better. Remember "bump day" at Indy before the split?
As for F1 leaving Indy, there was another principal player responsible for that who said that F1 didn't need the US.
Bernie Ecclestone.

G

[indy]

It would be nice to have 5 superspeedways, 5 short ovals, 5 street circuits, and 5 road courses. That would certainly be an interesting mix!! Maybe they could rotate a few venues so that each season is a little different....

Jordan

[slidinsideways]

I got goose bumps reading ziggy's take...Echos my thoughts exactly...ESPECIALLY about the butt ugly clone cars...I feel bad for the young fan for they have never really experienced Indy when it was something...

[herk56]

Ziggy made valid points about the IRL but can't you say the same thing about any current racing series? I remember going to our local dirt track in the early to mid-seventies, 1/4 mile full-contact oval. 35-40 modifieds in the pits for a weekly show, more for specials, and ALL DIFFERENT! Each team built their own chassis, creativity was the norm. Now they are all factory-built cars and the bodies are nearly identical. Reminds me of NASCAR, unfortunately. Can't tell which factory built the car unless there's a logo on it somewhere. Can you say monotonous?

P.S. - Oh yeah, almost forgot. Modern cars are too damn fragile. When suspensions were built from junkyard parts, they could take a little "rubbing" and keep going. Now a little tap and you're done for the night. And it makes no sense that when the cars could take it, the drivers had a better code of driving ethics than now, when it seems like all they do is slam and bam their way to the front! No class!! No skill, either!

[mrindy77]

I guess the "point" if there was one of this topic was to offer up a possible use of the Indy road course.
The division is over and now it is time to decide whether you want to see open wheel thrive or if you just want to continue to berate the IRL.
Now there is one series and I will choose to support it with my hard earned dollars. I have plans to attend at least 4 races this year and watch all of the races I can't make on TV.

[mrindy77]

I have attended the 500 since 1977, it is a still a special place for me. Every race has offered long lasting memories for me.
My father first started going in 1962 and has not missed one since and my grandpa first went in the 30's, his last race was in 1978.
I have 2 kids, 5 and 8, and they haven't missed one yet. They really enjoy the racing, the speed, the personalities, the sound.
They have their favorite drivers and have no concept of what it used to be like. They love it for what it is.

[Deleted]

Okay....

I don't care for "road course/street course" racing. Never have. That's why there is F-1 and those who want to do that can go over and do it. I was never happy with CART and the monkey-see, monkey-do type of car building and racing. One team owner had all teh good chaissis and another one had all the good engines and you had to buy one from each. I liked it better when USAC also had dirt track races in the mix. Well...times do change. Heck, if I had my way, the Indianapolis 500 would go back to front engine roadsters and real drivers.

I was saddened when CART and the IRL split. I was also unhappy with all the BS propaganda about the IRL started from the CART people who took the very low road on this affair. Remember when Mario Andertti said, "Their cars won't go 500 miles, I'll stake my reputation on it." Or Jimmy Vasser saying, "Who needs milk?" BS? To only have the US 500 start with a huge wreck? So they went back and got cars out of the garage to make the US stand for Unlimited Start 500 at Michigan? This has been a huge mess. My allegiance has always been with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 500....It always will.

Thanks again and Best to you

Russ

[Deleted]

The entire world wasn't watching....that's my pont and the US 500 was a total joke, oh well keep, your sour apples.

Best to you

Russ

[Deleted]

Ziggy

You know...I don't know you well enough to have a proper opinion about you, but you seem to have your panties in a knot about me and I have no reason why. Let's try to be adults and leave it at this...You have your opinion and I have mine. I didn't get personal and you did. I'll ignore you and you can ignore me. Your post have been rude to say the least. When you grow up enough to realize adults can agree to disagree maybe I'll respond to you again, but I doubt it.

I came into this chat board by invitation. I was asked to come here. I try to be helpful with those that have projects they're working on, to help others find what they need to aid them with their projects. I also would like to see the few resin model producers business thrive and grow!

You come here to make snide remarks to make you feel better about yourself. Hey, whatever floats your boat. Just leave me out of it! I don't need or want the drama.

Good luck to whatever you do and whatever you like, but you don't seem to like much. Hey, whatever...Just leave me out of it. I didn't address you before and I promise you, I won't do it again. But since you brought it up......At no time in the history of the Indy 500 have they let any team or driver wreck a car before the race and go get a back up car to run in the race......PROVE ME WRONG! Not in 1966 or 1973 did that happen. CART look foolish with the US 500. Oh well....

Best to you

[Deleted]

oldcalhoun said:

Ziggy

You know...I don't know you well enough to have a proper opinion about you, but you seem to have your panties in a knot about me and I have no reason why. Let's try to be adults and leave it at this...You have your opinion and I have mine. I didn't get personal and you did. I'll ignore you and you can ignore me. Your post have been rude to say the least. When you grow up enough to realize adults can agree to disagree maybe I'll respond to you again, but I doubt it.

I came into this chat board by invitation. I was asked to come here. I try to be helpful with those that have projects they're working on, to help others find what they need to aid them with their projects. I also would like to see the few resin model producers business thrive and grow!

You come here to make snide remarks to make you feel better about yourself. Hey, whatever floats your boat. Just leave me out of it! I don't need or want the drama.

Good luck to whatever you do and whatever you like, but you don't seem to like much. Hey, whatever...Just leave me out of it. I didn't address you before and I promise you, I won't do it again. But since you brought it up......At no time in the history of the Indy 500 have they let any team or driver wreck a car before the race and go get a back up car to run in the race......PROVE ME WRONG! Not in 1966 or 1973 did that happen. CART look foolish with the US 500. Oh well....

Best to you

I agree!

[slidinsideways]

oldcalhoun said:

I liked it better when USAC also had dirt track races in the mix. Well...times do change. Heck, if I had my way, the Indianapolis 500 would go back to front engine roadsters and real drivers.


Russ

Amen, Brother...AMEN!!!!

[stonecold44]

Mar 17, 2008 23:18:55 GMT -5 @oldcalhoun said:

The entire world wasn't watching....that's my pont and the US 500 was a total joke, oh well keep, your sour apples.

Best to you

Russ

This is a good thread with everyone's opinion making good points.
I started going to the Indy 500 in 1988 and was saddened to miss it in 1996, 1998 and 1999. I went to the US 500 and was literally embarassed that the promos touting the "Stars And The Cars" being in Michigan that year was nothing more than a catch-phrase that should have meant "we need twice the cars because we wrecked at the start". Never a huge Team Target Chip Ganassi fan, I found myself rooting loudly for his team in 2000 when they drove at Indy. They showed the IRL teams how much better drilled they are at pit stops and preparation (to an extent, they do that today too) and Juan Montoya won largely because his team was consistenly 1.5-2 seconds faster on their pit stops.
I enjoy pulling for the drivers because their personalities and stories are what makes racing great. Who doesn't root for Sam Schmidt and what he has been through? Or Davey Hamilton and his multiple surgeries that would have broken most men's spirits? The Indy 500 is much more than just the big names, Tony George and the IMS. It's about stories, traditions, small teams, drivers with cool names and the struggling teams that NEED to make the race just to pay the bills, so Sarah Fisher comes to mind.
IMHO, what Tony George tried to do when forming the IRL, i.e., keeping costs down, promoting American drivers and returning to an all oval racing season, is down the toilet when you look at who is winning the races and dominating the series. Most drivers are from Brazil and other countries, the cars and engines are made anywhere but in the USA and the sport is still driven by the 3 teams with the most money.
If there is a silver lining to the merger, it's hopefully the friendly rivalry that builds between Marco Andretti and Graham Rahal, two young, talented and marketable American drivers.

[drdave]

Here’s a little different take. Racing like everything else in sports has changed, and for most of us not for the better. Each of us has our own “golden age” and favorite form of racing. As far as Indy goes it was from 1969 until about 1992. Why? Well the first race I remember was the ’69 race. That bright red car with those silver wings and then the70 and 71 Johnny Lighting Specials what more could a little boy want. Then the teen years and cars with names like Eagle, Coyote, and McLaren and drivers like Andretti, Foyt, Rutherford, and Unser. Then in the late ’70 came my driver, Mears. He won 4 times and was always among the fastest. My “rabid” following came to an end after he retired. I still watch every 500 and enjoy the spectacle. Of course I hate the single chassis, engine, and tire mode, and the fact that unless you drive for one of the top three teams you have no chance, etc. But I follow Indy because it’s Indy, not the IRL, not CART, not Penske, and not Tony George or whatever. Indy been here through the AAA, USAC, CART, IRL and will continue to be here.

[Deleted]

AMEN DRDAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


You're preaching to the choir with me. My "Golden Era" was with the Watson's. My favorite Indy car of all time! I also had a healthy respect for Jimmy Clark and Dan Gurney. But Indy is Indy. The Indianapolis 500 is always the best race of the year and I'll always watch it.

Best to you

Russ