bob jennings' WORLD O' RACING
Constructive Criticism: a letter to Tony George
(completed
10/10/98)
Tony Stewart in the 1997 "Indianapolis 500"
Bob Jennings
John Dailey is one of my best friends. We've been "buds" since Fall 1962, when we were students at Carmel (Indiana) High School. One of the "glues" that held our friendship together has been the love of motor sports, that we share. John is a comprehending, informed racing fan. He's also a very good salesman and businessman. He has created, from "scratch," three successful stores, in the Southwest, which cater to the truck "after market" trade.
John and I also share an enthusiasm for the Indy Racing League. I'm publishing a letter John wrote to Tony George, with suggestions John feels would enhance the marketability of the IRL and help the process of growth, for the young series.
I think John has some solid ideas, most of which look to be relatively easy to implement. I hope John's suggestions get to Tony George or Leo Mehl.
Tony George President Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Dear Tony,
I hope this letter will make it through the maze of your mail to your desk.
I first attended the "Indianapolis 500" in 1964. Since then, despite a tour in the U.S. Navy, during the Vietnam conflict, and relocation to the Southwest for business reasons, I have made it to the "500" for the 1965, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1978, 1982, 1987, 1988 and 1993 races. I was able to attend the inaugural "Brickyard 400" in 1994. I attend the Indy Racing League events, at Phoenix International Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway each season.
My racing enthusiasm extends to NASCAR and I attend the Daytona Speedweeks, each February, and also manage to get to a few other Winston Cup events, each season, at Phoenix and elsewhere.
I am a grass roots dirt track oval fan and I get to many World of Outlaw shows each year.
In years past, I used to go to the USAC Indy car shows, all around the circuit; Milwaukee, Phoenix, Michigan. I also used to follow the old USAC stock car circuit around the Midwest. I am very familiar with your father's racing career and share your love for that racing era.
I have been a staunch and vocal supporter of the IRL, since its inception, and I want to see the IRL prosper and grow.
I am submitting the following ideas that I believe need to be addressed to make the Indy Racing League a stronger entity.
(1) Fill the grandstands in whatever practical means possible
Lower the price for tickets. Empty seats do not raise revenue. Lower prices could bring families that can not budget the costs now.
I know many of the tracks, around the US, are servicing debt. However, if the seats are empty on race day, they lose and the IRL loses.
If Phoenix International Raceway seats 110,000 fans and only 35,000 come to see the IRL, there are 75,000 empty seats. Assume that the return on each seat is an average $15.00. That equates to $1,125,000. Add in concessions, for which cheaper race tickets allow, and this is a benefit to the promoters, competitors, sponsors and the entire series.
I understand that these circuits usually have stock holders, but surely they understand the need to build an audience that wants the product and then the prices can be increased. The Indy Racing League is a new racing series, with many lesser known competitors. Tickets to see them compete are too costly. The price needs to drop in order to bring in new people who will possibly become fans once they have exposure to the IRL.
Right now, I can not give away a ticket, in Phoenix, to an IRL race, because the IRL has not built an audience. The IRL is a good product, which will only get better, but you have to introduce the product to new customers before the series can expect to grow.
(2) Race Promotions
Have the individual race promoters budget a certain number of seats, each race, to be given away by local television and radio. Do not miss any commercial broadcast outlets within a 100 mile outlet of each IRL circuit.
Do not just give away a few tickets. Give away hundreds of tickets. After all, CART gave away thousands of race tickets for the inaugural "U.S. 500" in May 1996. This should allow for untold advertising opportunities and possibly a nice tax "write off" for the promoter.
(3) Season ticket holders
Many race fans, at Phoenix and the Bruton Smith tracks, are locked into purchasing tickets to IRL events if they want to purchase tickets to NASCAR events.
I have friends who will not attend the IRL events, even though they are obliged to purchase them as part of their season ticket agreements. These friends end up sending the IRL tickets to me and I try to sell them for whatever I can get.
The IRL portion of the season ticket needs to drop. Otherwise, the people who purchase these tickets will continue to feel resentment toward the IRL for this kind of coercion. The fans who really are only interested in NASCAR Winston Cup will be much less likely to favor the IRL in the future.
Remember Tony, as I already wrote, I can not give away a ticket to the Phoenix IRL race.
(4) Concessions
I will not comment on beer prices, as I do not think that is the primary reason fans attend motor sports events. Perhaps a hot dog does not cost too much, but if a family purchases four hot dogs and four colas, the cost multiplies, and if the hot dogs are not sold, the promoter ends up losing more than the price reduction anyway. Lower the concession prices and more concessions will be sold. I hear these comments all over the country.
(5) Noise levels
The IRL cars are too loud. On a one mile oval, the best ear plugs do not work. Women are the first to bring this up, at an IRL race. For those fans who can not watch races, from the luxury suites, there is too much noise. Surely, the Aurora and Infiniti V8 engines can be quieted a lot.
(6) Heroes
Everyone has a hero. We need to get a few at the IRL races. Celebrities like James Garner draw attention to IRL events. Some of the newer comedy talents, like Drew Carey and Jeff Foxworth are hip, and their association with the IRL could create a positive reaction in the minds of some potential IRL fans.
Pick these guys up in your jet and bring them to the IRL races.
Perhaps this is a far fetched example, but suppose you picked up someone like Rush Limbaugh, or some other big time daily radio personality. After being "wined, dined" and catered to, over a race weekend, a guy like Limbaugh would tell millions of people about the IRL, if they liked what they saw. If they didn't like the IRL race, they would keep quiet about it, because they would still appreciate your hospitality.
A personable racing hero, like Johnny Rutherford, would be the perfect guy to entertain these celebrities, and coordinate the public relations. How about having "JR" give these celebrities rides around the circuit in a pace car? That would awe a lot of people!
The IRL has three of the greatest "Indianapolis 500" heroes of all time, in A.J. Foyt, Johnny Rutherford and Al Unser. I realize that Al is quiet and tends to shun public relations duties, but these guys are big IRL assets. Use them to the IRL's advantage.
(7) Signage on race cars
The signage on IRL cars are too small to read, as the cars pass by at 200 mph. Put bigger decals on the cars. The sponsors are paying for exposure and they deserve it.
(8) Sponsors on race teams
Tony, please enlist a board of corporate advisors, who enjoy your sport, to determine how to draw better corporate support into the IRL. Let them determine how to match IBM with Dan Drinan, etc. The dollar hunters are failing the IRL miserably.
(9) Pre race promotions
Most circuits have their IRL races as their headline event, in conjunction with other forms of racing. This means a two day weekend of racing festivities. A fan favorite is a display of vintage race cars, especially to those fans who restore old cars, like myself.
I see vintage displays done at many tracks, but it usually is not done properly. Many of the vintage car owners worry about their cars being damaged. Putting these cars in a secure area, which will allow photo opportunities is the best method. Bring in retired "greats" like Parnelli Jones, Rodger Ward, Lloyd Ruby, Bobby Unser, Pancho Carter, Tom Sneva and Jim Rathmann, etc. to pose with these cars.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum contains so many of these historic race cars. Bring some of them out to the IRL races, other than the "500."
I believe a little effort in this area will pay big dividends.
A fan, especially the younger ones, will soon forget the race, but they will not forget that they have a photo of themselves and Al Unser and the Lola - Cosworth that was the only car to win three Indy car 500 milers in one season.
One of your dad's Indy roadsters is exhibited at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles.
Tony, in closing, I hope some of my suggestions will be of interest to you and your Indy Racing League colleagues.
I am only one fan and I really want to see the IRL grow to become successful. I am not interested in the direction CART is taking and I like what you have done so far, with the IRL. I will continue to attend IRL events when I can and I am hoping to return to the Speedway, next May, for the "500."
Seeing other race fans feeling pleasure at a racing event brings me a lot of satisfaction. I want that satisfaction to spread and I hope you apply some of my suggestions.
Best regards
John C. Dailey Glendale, Arizona
Incidentally, the photo, of Tony Stewart's Glidden/Menards G Force - Aurora, was taken as Tony made his final pit stop, during the 1997 "Indianapolis 500." At the time, Jeff Ward, Arie Luyendyk, Scott Goodyear and Stewart were in hot pursuit of victory. I was standing inside turn four.
From my viewpoint, the 1997 "500" was one of the most competitive, exciting runnings of the "500," I've seen. I've seen every "Indianapolis 500," since 1956, so I've seen a lot of them from which to make the comparison.
Ward, the race leader, pitted the same lap as Stewart, thereby handing the race to Arie Luyendyk and Scott Goodyear, in the Fred Treadway team G Force - Auroras.
The order of finish, for the 1997 "500," was Luyendyk, Goodyear, Ward, 1996 "500" winner Buddy Lazier and Stewart.
Tony had that "Nigel Mansell" like brush of the outside wall, coming out of turn four, within a few laps of the finish, bringing out the yellow flag and curtailing his final charge to checkered flag.
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