Look What They Done to My 500

Recently I have read some opinions regarding the Greatest Spectacle in Racing and why it is on the downslide after being the top dog for 80+ years. I’ve read differing ideas on what it will take to bring its status back up to where it was. Well kids, there ain’t no secret to what the problem with Indy is and it has nothing to do with cars, engines or drivers. Simply put, the split in open wheel racing has left it with two bitter camps that refuse to capitulate and embrace the other. Add to that the fact that the purses are ridiculously low for the costs and you have a recipe for disaster. One of my recent favorites is from the Indystar.com message boards. We have the posters Watson Roadster and sprintman who have basically the same message with the difference being that sprintman is at least human while Watson is a venom spewing asshole. Their idea is to bring back the front engine car, add some safety devices and let them race. They claim this will lower costs thereby allowing their beloved spridget drivers to get in the game. They claim all of them are going to NASCAR instead of Indy and this would stem that tide. They also claim that the reduction of speed is no big deal, after all NASCAR doesn’t run 225 mph and look at the crowds it draws. In one breath they say kick Honda and Toyota out and in the next they say bring in more manufacturers. Finally they claim that these spridget drivers are household names and that losing them to NASCAR is killing open wheel racing in general and the IRL in particular. Well folks they are wrong. First of all, the IRL is being killed by its leader Tony George. That mushmouth POC has changed his vision of what open wheel racing has been a dozen times and has missed each and every time. I have said it a million times, THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE INDIANAPOLIS 500 IN 1995. Why he had to change is beyond me. Now to top it off, his bullshit about the owners shouldn’t run the series comes full circle as he has gone into team ownership so his stepson can drive. What fucking hypocrisy will he perpetrate next? Okay, enough about FTRG. What of the ridiculous assumptions made by Watson and sprintman? Number one, they want a front engine car. Why in God’s name would we want to take a step back in technology? They claim the cars are all about the engineers now. That is true, but so what? Indy has always been a place for innovation. From Ray Harroun’s rear view mirror to the advent of the rear engine car to the aerodynamic changes to the SAFER barriers, the Speedway has always been about innovation and progress. Some of these boobs now say they want to roll back the clock and bring back what amounts to sprint cars. Look I have nothing against sprint cars. Winged or non-winged I find it to be an exciting brand of racing. But folks, if I want to see cars going around the track at 170 mph I will watch NASCAR. As for lowering costs, how long do you think that will last? It will just be a matter of time before someone figures out a way to go faster and spend more money. Sure you can cap the amount spent. FTRG tried that and it failed. People want speed and speed costs. Get over it. As for NASCAR taking all of the open wheelers well lets just take a look see. The only real “star” I see that has slipped away in the last year is J.J. Yeley. Sure it would have been nice to have him come to Indy and eschew Busch racing. But let’s be realistic. There are more seats in NASCAR. Add to that there is more money. The problem with the IRL is that there is no money. That is not and should not ever be the problem with the Indianapolis 500. Raise the purse to a realistic $30 million and make it worthwhile to run. If you can get them at Indy, they might run the rest of the IRL. Can’t afford to raise the purse at Indy and keep the IRL. Fine, lose the IRL. And don’t give me this shit about all these drivers going NASCAR. Only the pussies and really, are they established? How many of you really had heard of Kasey Kahne before he hit the pavement of NASCAR? Yeah he’s a great driver, but he wasn’t exactly a household name. Face it spridget fans, the days of the Foyts, Unsers, Rutherfords, Andretti’s, Joneses and Ruby’s are gone. There will never be another generation like that. Who is out there now? Dave Steele? Steve Kinser? Steve is a great sprint car driver, but he never made it at Indy and he didn’t make it in NASCAR. Then we have engine manufacturers. Chevrolet announced this is their final shot. Do you honestly believe they would run if there were purses in the IRL and at Indianapolis worthy of what it takes to develop a real racing engine? Fuck no. Why not go low tech and go NASCAR. The money is there. It is a sin, but Indy just doesn’t pay enough. Something has to be done to keep Honda and Toyota. Not run them off as some suggest. The bottom line is this: The purse for the Indianapolis 500 has to be raised. It is the only way to attract new sponsors and owners and drivers. With the higher purses you will have the sponsors that help fund the complete series. Not the other way around. The IRL exists because of the Indianapolis 500. The 500 is not just a race on the IRL schedule. And one other thing, don't count on there ever being just one series. The CCWS seems poised to keep going and regardless, their fans will never be back. I may knock NASCAR a lot. I think it is slow and boring, but they sure as hell know how to market themselves. No one over at 16th and Georgetown seems to have a clue about that word.