IRL Next To Get The Axe

Agree with 100% on John Force - he may sound crazy, but he's one of the most accomplished racers in NHRA history. However, to your points - mine:

1) Which race are you talking about? Indy? He OWNS it...he wasn't losing any fans there. He was made to believe, partially by the France family that he was cozying up to, that CART wanted to take the race away. I don't think the CART hierarchy was any good or destined to survive - owners running the show is nuts. He could have bided his time and then taken over. The split was the worse thing that could have happened - at the time it took place, CART rivalled F1. Period.

2) Agreed - it's going to happen anyway. Bag the ethanol crap, if you want to attract manufacturers, move to the 4-cyl turbo format (actually going to happen in 2011).

3) Subjective. The Dallara, in my eyes, can't touch any of the CART Lolas or beautiful Reynards of the day. However, if you like them, I can't begrudge that. I do agree F1 cars look like crap, but they are cutting edge of technology / performance. IRL is NOT.

4) Right, and when you average 40,000 or less per race at huge NASCAR superspeedways, isn't that telling you the fans DON'T want you? The fans don't want to see open wheelers at those places. Secondly, as ISC (France) and SMI (Bruton Smith) own literally ALL of those tracks, they don't want to see any competition to their golden goose (NASCAR). By keeping IRL captive - ridiculous demands, charges, Saturday races, etc - they keep IRL down. Tony really screwed this one up - his biggest bungle. They have few fans outside of Indy, the numbers don't lie

5) Mario is the same as Force. Completely recognizable - even by my KIDS! Gene Simmons may own a marketing company, but that doesn't mean he's the best spokesperson. He's really bad and insincere IMHO.

6) No one blames Tony for trying. Heck, Gil Amelio TRIED at Apple, but he didn't get the job done and was replaced (by Jobs - great move!) I'll give him credit for the F1 race, but I blame him for the split. I blame him for the Brickyard 400 (which is simultaneously a great move and a bad move - makes him money, but diminished the Indy 500). I blame him for being lured by Toyota and Honda. He's made some bad moves and now it's haunting him.

I agree with ZUL8TR on this - we need to get past the hard feelings and support the racing. However, as long as he keeps making silly moves, I shake my head. Just like I shake my head at Bernie and Max, or the NHRA for the bogus moves they make - he's not immune from it.

 

Sounds like many of us agree on 4-banger turbo set-ups. I really think that would benefit the manufacturers more than a N/A V8 for being able to run the technology down to something that can be sold. AMG recently stated the HP wars are over, and if true, then solid, more effecient power is where it will be.

I have screamed it so many times in the past until my face has turned blue...do NOT bring back that stupid "Power to pass" garbage. You either have power or you don't and it is up to the driver and their machine to make a pass. Simple and uncomplicated.



As for John Force. Whether you personally like him or not, the other teams have to be jealous of his success on the track and off. In 2008, I toured his Indy facility. WOW...you couldn't help but be impressed at his organization. Oh, and how about his daughter kicking butt and taking names on the track?

 

IRL already axed itself when they split from CART. Better to finally die and maybe pave the way for something new.

 

My wife and I used to watch the Driving Force show - keep in mind, my wife is no motorsports fan. She thought John Force was so cool, especially when he took his kids to see where he grew up (literally a trailer on the side of the road). Now he has an empire - that facility in Indy must have been a blast!

 

Oh, I understand marketing. What I don't understand is how a screaming, raving nut like John Force would appeal to anyone over 12 years old.

 

I too would like for a weekend or two of ALMS on Sat, IRL on Sun. It would make a nice weekend of racing at a road course. If you are one that doesn't want to watch the IRL, its OK for you to head home early. For the rest of us that just want to watch as much racing live in a weekend, Great. It could also help with fans crossing over from one or the other series. That can only be good for the whole of motorsports.


There is no question that DanicaMania increased motorsports exposure to both men and women. That doesn't mean that there were not female motorsport fans prior. I credit my better half for getting me into both motorsports and football! She has enjoyed both since she was a kid. That includes attending races.

I see it as a positive that there is an influx of both women and men fans to motorsports becuase of the media attention Danica brought to the sport. Ashley Force has done the same for NHRA. That's a positive for all of us motorsport fans becuase as fans increase, sponsorship will follow. No fans, no sponsorships and that results in either another Federal Bailout or no motorsports for us to enjoy.