Making History - Perspectives
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02/22/2010
Since the introduction of the chassis vendor proposals for the 2012 formula for IndyCars, the industry infrastructure has been buzzing from the lowly fan to the pinnacle of movers and shakers.
New Indy Racing League CEO Randy Bernard received a vote of confidence from the not always easily to please super-promoter Eddie Gossage, the king of Texas Motor Speedway. That was important as Gossage is easily the most successful promoter in selling the IndyCar product at a venue beyond the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Another voice was Gil De Ferran, the 2003 champion of the Indianapolis 500. De Ferran recently joined forces with the Luczo-Dragon IndyCar racing team. From his comments, one could get the impression is not enamored with the Delta Wing concept as he expressed concern that whatever the League did, that it not divert too far from what is commonly seen as an IndyCar. This is interesting in that if true, it puts him at odds with what I understand to be the consensus of most of the team owners.
Motor sports reporter John Oreovicz, a long-time follower of the sport was one of many in the media to offer perspective on the formula dilemma. Another, perhaps more controversial reporter following the sport is Robin Miller, who, in my view, has been excessively strident in the past, zeroes in on an issue of perhaps even larger importance: the increasingly fewer American drivers in the IndyCar field. This has been a trend for years for several reasons, all of which involve financial backing for team owners stuggling to fund expensive operations. This perspective is shared by Indianapolis Business Journal columnist Anthony Schoettle.
When you are trying to field a race team the last thing you want to hear is someone with no skin in your game complaining that you should forego funding to run a driver from the "home country" because that's what's good for sport or that's just the right thing to do. People with strong opinions could help solve the problem by starting their own race teams and put whoever the heck they want in the car.
Conversely, there is a disturbing reality to the situation. Just as in the Olympics that are going on as I type this blog post, there would be no interest without an American team. There would be little interest even with an American team if they failed to be competitive. So, that is the grim circumstance - that American drivers - in competitive equipment - are desperately needed for the sport to grow. The situation is a chicken or egg scenario and not one with obvious solutions. But without American drivers, I am not sure it will matter what kind of car anyone is driving. By the way, last year was the first year in the history of the Indianapolis 500 that fewer than half (10) of the drivers in the glorious race were American born.
Comments
Drivers and Car Companies Wanted
I have attended every Indy 500 since 1989 and I have seen the best drivers and speeds that may never been seen again. Simply put the sport has suffered since the sterilization of Indy car racing. If a car is safe and fast enough to qualify why cant more chassis and motor combos be used? Where are the exotic european entries, is Honda the only automotive company capable of fielding a competitive engine package? When was the last time an engine blew in an IRL race? Where is the inovation that made Indianapolis the place to show off new technology and engineering. Indy was always the place to push the limits. Who is really suprised that when IRL went to a spec car that it really went down hill. Nascar has always been sport that strived to be equal between machines and drew drivers who wanted to show off their driving skills. This has and continues to work for nascar. Indy should take note; do what you do well and keep doing it. If Indy wants to be as grand as it was it must draw the drivers that the public wants to see. The racing community needs to figure out a way to make the Indianapolis 500 important again. Simply put the best drivers aren't coming to Indy. Give those nascar boys two weeks off in May and a dozen of these Indy spec cars. Send A.J. down there to call them all Sissies and dare them to show up. SERIUOSLY!
Thanks for posting
Your passion for the sport comes through and I thank you for sharing.
With advances in technology inside and outside the sport we encounter tremendous complications. Inside the sport we have a mature product - the automobile - that is designed with computer assisted engineering tools. You need only look at Formula One to see that even when you don't have a spec series, the basic appearance of all the cars look the same - and the cost is so outrageous it becomes prohibitive. Even though Formula One has done a great job of earning top line growth, the unlimited costs are taking their toll, espcecially in a tough economy. IndyCar, which has receded, not grown, in recent years simply can't afford the cost of producing unique cars.
The IRL has tried to address the cost issue at least partially through a tight rule book and single-source vendors. By single sourcing they create an economy of scale for the partner manufacturers that allows them to spread their costs over more units. This results in a price considerably lower than it would be with multiple vendors. Unfortunately, as you so aptly point out, it also produces a bland same flavor field that eliminates what use to be another interesting source of competition: the battle of manufacturers, both chassis and engine.
What is less frequently discussed is the advances in technology in the larger environment and how that has affected engagement with the sport. Our media intensive environment provides a wider array of channels for those interested to follow IndyCar. Conversely, it provides a lot more competition for their eyeballs. Advertisers - sponsors - are dividing their investment across a wider spectrum of choices and tunneling in to reach specific demographic profiles. This makes attracting a huge audience through television and venue attendance all the more important to present the compelling argument that someone should invest in the IRL's value proposition. Right now, that's a tough sell.
I believe somewhere in the mix is the need for IndyCar to do some real soul searching about their brand. I believe innovation and relevance are at the heart of it. There is opportunity if IRL leadership can determine how best to exploit the market discontinuity exemplified by words like "sustainability" and "efficiency," but it remains to be seen if they can develop a compelling vision around this wave of change. Keep in mind it isn't just about having a great idea, but executing it in a community that has always - and especially over the last 15 years - demonstrated that they are passionate, opnionated and too freqently divided into factions.