bob jennings' WORLD O' RACING
Coming home to restart my engine
(completed
11/26/98)
How can you take an Internet website seriously, with a URL that begins with http://members.aol.com/? Actually, how can I take this website seriously? It's supposed to be relaxing; an escape from the stresses of daily life - - right?
When I first considered the possibility of creating a motorsports website, on the Internet, more than three years ago, it became a big item on my list of things to do. I put an earlier version of Bob Jennings' World O' Racing on the Net in Summer 1996, but I unhooked the home page from the other links, on July 21, 1997, because I was frustrated over what I had produced. My original objective was to create a "hobbyist" racing magazine, of sorts, but that wasn't practical. Trying to say anything original about current racing news was a chore. Trying to be timely with content was nearly impossible. It was gratifying, though, to be able to put up web pages, however primitive, with my own words and photos, for everyone to see. I became hooked on this project, despite the frustration, time and effort.
Now I'm back on the Net - - maybe - - although I'm still not completely sure what I want to do with this opportunity for communication and expression, beyond the desire to share racing memories and observations. The challenge is to find the time and energy to sit at my old Compudyne 486 and type the words that express what I want to say about racing. These days, it seems, I have to rely more and more on recorded replays of televised racing events, sometimes weeks later. Finding the time to produce entertaining web content is more difficult, especially considering I'm neither a writer nor photographer.
I like the way political columnist George F. Will communicates his love for baseball, in Bunts. Last Summer I started reading Will's book about his personal observations and remembrances. Will has a neat concept. In Bunts, he presents casual, personal mimi-essays about different aspects of baseball that have affected him and he takes the freedom to express himself in a way he feels comfortable. What results isn't a great literary exercise, but rather a nice collection of opinions and memories that appear to be designed to trigger the reader's own thoughts on the same and other subjects. George Will's approach, in Bunts, is the closest thing I've seen to what I want to do.
I love racing! I think about racing all the time and have been doing so since 1955. This intense preoccupation has shadowed my other life activities since that time; family, school, friends, relationships, jobs, marriages.
In the past, I've classified the momentous events in my life by racing seasons. For instance, in 1978, I had one of the truly great years of my life.I became absorbed in being a computer programmer. I was living in Chicago and had a carefree social life. I fell in love later in the year. The most noteworthy memory, from 1978, comes from Al Unser's racing successes, however. Al won his third "Indianapolis 500," and became the only driver to win three Indy car 500 mile races in a single season, when he also won the 500 milers at Pocono and Ontario, California. Two years later, my programming skills were improving and I was making more money. I finally won the woman I had fallen in love with in 1978 and we were married later in the year. 1980 was a good year for me - - right? Wrong. Al Unser walked away from the Pennzoil Chaparral after the 1979 season. Johnny Rutherford took Al's place, in the Chaparral, and won his third "Indianapolis 500." Had Al stayed in the car, he likely would've won his third "Indianapolis 500" seven years earlier than he did.
I'm a "son o' Indianapolis." I was born in the old St. Vincent Hospital, at the corner of Capital Avenue and Fall Creek Boulevard. I grew up in the Indianapolis area, went to school here, started working here, moved away for nearly 14 years (Michigan - 5 1/2 years; Chicago - eight years), came back for seven years and then left (Chicago) for seven more years. Now I'm home again. My parents and grandparents were born in Indianapolis. My mother, sister, nephews and their families are still scattered around the greater Indianapolis area.
In this racing era, Indianapolis shares the focus of motorsports with Charlotte and Daytona Beach. The air around central Indiana is charged with racing energy. Any big, breaking story, regarding the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, still makes the front page of The Indianapolis Star.
I've passed several new industrial park type facilities, on the north west side of Indianapolis, that house racing teams. The fact that most of the CART teams are "headquartered," in Indianapolis, three years after they last competed, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, indicates how large the open wheel racing business has grown in Indianapolis. The addition of the Indy Racing League teams has meant an expansion of the racing business, in town, as new teams have joined teams, from CART, USAC, NHRA, and racing vendors who have already located here. It was announced recently that racing car constructor Reynard will locate its corporate headquarters in the area. Larry Gigerich, president of the Economic Development Corporation, of Indianapolis, reports there are 250 motorsports related business, in the area, that employ 3,000 or more people. Gigerich and his corporation are reviving a program called the "motorsports initiative," which was begun by a former aide to mayor Stephen Goldsmith, Doug Boles, to entice racing related companies to Indianapolis, with tax breaks. Boles left the mayor's office to join the Indy Racing League Panther Racing team, as one of the owners.
Despite the commercial growth for the open wheel racing business, the racing fan base, in Indianapolis, has changed since I left for Chicago, in September 1991.
Even in Indianapolis, the Mecca of open wheel racing, men wear Jeff Gordon jackets at the K Mart and there are car 24 license plates on the front bumper of both their wife's Jeep Cherokee and their own pickup truck. 15 or 20 years ago, there might've been a decal, with the image of A.J. Foyt's "orange number 14," on the windshield or rear window of the cars these same people were driving at that time.
I was in a meeting at work shortly after I started my new job. One of the people, in the meeting, was going to Talladega, for the Winston Cup race, and discussing her trip. The names of Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jr., and Mark Martin rolled off tongues the way the names Rick Mears, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser Jr. and Michael Andretti would've come in 1991, under similar circumstances.
For me, the planet still orbits around the month of May, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the greatest moment of each year comes when the balloons rise, from the tent, in the flag lot, behind the Tower Terrace, as Mari Hulman George gives the command "Gentlemen Start Your Engines." For much of Indianapolis, though, like the rest of the U.S., NASCAR is the favorite of the racing world. Everything else lags behind.
In front of a local super market are two vending machines. The Pepsi machine has Jeff Gordon's image celebrating with Pepsi the way Michael Schumacher uses champagne in Formula One. The Coca Cola machine features the smiling face of Dale Earnhardt. Down the cereal aisle, in that same super market, are Kellogg's Corn Flakes boxes, featuring Terry Labonte's face. In a sports apparel store, in an area mall, the inventory features Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts and Indiana University merchandise. Just as prominently displayed, however, are rainbow colored Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevy # 24 jackets. West 16th Street, across from the main entrance to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is jammed with vendors selling Dale Jarrett and Mark Martin tee shirts the morning of the "Brickyard 400." The same location, on West 16th Street, is jammed with fans the morning of the "Indianapolis 500," waiting to enter the Speedway. Except for some Tony Stewart, A.J. Foyt or Arie Luyendyk souvenirs, however, there isn't much to buy.
Where does all this place the "Indianapolis 500" in today's racing order?
According to recent news reports, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is having problems negotiating a new contract, with ABC, for television rights to IMS events beyond 1999. I've read different accounts of the situation. One account reported that ABC wanted to lower the price it pays for the "500." Another account has the same $15 million, that is currently paid to televise Speedway events, being offered by ABC. According to this report, the Speedway wants a higher price for the package. IMS also wants to bundle its own events into a package that contains Indy Racing League events. The possible result of the dilemma, with ABC, is that another television partner will be sought, even though the IMS - ABC association goes back to 1961.
Television ratings for the "500" have dropped steadily since the split with CART. In 1995, CART's final year, at Indianapolis, the ratings for the ABC telecast of the "500" were 8.4. The 1996 "500" telecast, which was the first year under the Indy Racing League banner, drew a 6.6 rating. Since the 1997 "500" took three days to complete, there were three different ratings; 4.3, 6.6 and 5.1 respectively. This year's race drew a 5.5 rating.
I haven't missed being at the "Indianapolis 500" since 1956 and the first year I miss the race, I hope, is the first year I've passed from this world. I think the Indy Racing League has created a lot of components that improve the "Indianapolis 500." I think the cost reductions, brought by the IRL, are great for the sport. I love the return of the traditional oval open wheel race driver to the "500." The past three versions of the "Indianapolis 500," presented by the IRL, have been among the most entertaining of the 82 runnings of the race.
Tony George has been "demon-ized" by CART fans. They claim he has ruined the "Indianapolis 500," with the IRL. I believe George has done an impressive job building a brand new racing series in 3 1/2 years, in spite of his critics. He has created new racing cars, new drivers, new teams, new races and new markets. I also think the IRL is addressing a lot of the problems that CART created for Indy car racing.
It's my opinion that CART's ill conceived policies and directions created the loss of racing favor, in the U.S., to NASCAR.
CART's affection for boring street races is ridiculous. No one seems to like these races but corporate sponsors, because they usually take place in large population centers.
The CART engine lease concept came into being in 1986, with the introduction of the Chevy Indy V8 package from Roger Penske and Ilmor Engineering. The planned obsolescence, each season, for chassis components, together with the multi-million dollar engine leases, makes the cost of competing so expensive only a few can afford to participate. The lease agreements, in CART, also invites speculation that competition isn't completely open. I'd like to see some measurement that guarantees other teams the same Honda V8, that Chip Ganassi receives. I doubt any guarantee exists.
The CART driver population weighs heavily to foreign drivers who don't appeal to American racing fans. The continuing trend to the current prototype CART driver would exclude most of the legendary Indy car heroes. How many of the recent "greats," A.J. Foyt, Bobby Unser, Johnny Rutherford, Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Gordon Johncock, Tom Sneva and Rick Mears, could find a good ride in CART today? I suggest Mario is the only one of that group who could find his way into the CART mainstream in 1998. The rest would probably be running NASCAR, USAC, the World Of Outlaws or super modifieds. Want an example of how the CART process works? In 1990, Jeff Gordon lobbied vigorously for an opportunity in CART and there were no takers. The rest of the story is history.
CART has managed to keep many of its sponsors since 1995. This is probably due to the heavy international flavor of the series. Nigel Mansell may have been the savior of the CART series as a result of the international media attention he brought with him, in 1993, from Formula One. CART's television ratings, however, continue to erode and attendance at some of the races, in 1998, was significantly smaller.
David Phillips alludes to the theory of CART's mismanagement of Indy car racing in the October 1998 issue of Racer magazine. In his column titled "A Summer of Discontent," Phillips wrote "Are the ratings bad because of indifferent 'shows,' or are the ratings part of CART's far more pernicious marketing failures dating back to 1979?"
There was an outstanding crowd for the CART season finale at Roger Penske's California Speedway. Reports placed the attendance in the 105,000 - 110,000 range, which is only the second 100,000 plus crowd in CART history (the other was the 1996 "U.S. 500" at Michigan). The crowd, in California, had to be one of the bright spots in what must've been a generally disappointing 1998 season for CART. There were smaller than usual crowds at the races at Michigan and Laguna Seca. The crowd, for the CART opener, in Miami, was well below expectations. Throughout the season, a number of CART drivers, notably Paul Tracy, series champion Alex Zanardi and Greg Moore, behaved like thugs on the race track. I haven't seen so much dirty driving since Dale Earnhardt and Geoff Bodine were going at each other in the late 1980's, in Winston Cup. At season's end, CART's best driver, Zanardi, left for a return to Formula One.
I've personally attended a total of 75 CART races, over the years. I used to go to as many as six CART races, in a season, at circuits like Milwaukee, Michigan, Mid Ohio, Elkhart Lake, Nazareth and Phoenix. I haven't been to a CART race since Milwaukee, in June 1997 though. I have friends with whom I hardly talk anymore, let alone discuss racing, because of the CART - Indianapolis Motor Speedway split.
I was a strong supporter, from CART's beginning through the start of the 1986 season. Then I began to dislike what was happening with the series. The new Ilmor Chevrolet V8 engine would soon create a disparity in competition. My guy, Al Unser Sr., no longer had a full time CART ride, even though he'd won the series championship, the previous season, for the second time in three years. The street race, in Toronto, was added to the schedule. CART wouldn't permit the turbo Buick V6 "stock block" engine, which was allowed to compete at Indianapolis, even though no less than six or seven cars, per race, would've been added to the series at a time when CART was in short supply of racing cars.
My interest in CART lagged badly this past season. I even missed the television coverage, altogether, for the CART races at Elkhart Lake and Vancouver. I may try to make a CART race, next season, and see how I feel about things. If I enjoy myself, I'll go again. I may be feeling a measure of kindness, due to the fact that most of the CART teams are located in Indianapolis, but the series, in its current form, doesn't represent, to me, what the "500" should be.
Unfortunately, the Indy Racing League hasn't caught on with fans at many of its races. I don't blame Bob Bahre for dropping the IRL race, at New Hampshire International Speedway. The IRL races drew ridiculous crowds to NHIS. I also fear the IRL races at Phoenix and Las Vegas are living on "borrowed time" unless attendance begins to improve at each track.
I thought the crowd, for the IRL race, at Dover Downs, last July, wasn't too bad, all things considered. The IRL at Dover may turn out to be a bust, but I think the project deserves some effort to try to build an audience.
The IRL crowds, in Charlotte and Atlanta, have been okay for "starters," not tremendous, but not bad considering the IRL is invading NASCAR country. I was at the IRL race, in Charlotte, last July. The guy sitting next to me was attending his first Indy car race and he was enjoying the way the IRL cars were racing wheel to wheel, in closely bunched packs, around the 24 degree banking at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in excess of 220 mph.
Crowds, in the 35,000 range, attended the two IRL races, at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Apparently the IRL feels the Colorado market offers growth, because two races are scheduled for 1999. Hopefully that growth will occur soon, because PPIR owner C.C. Myers faces competition in the future. Roger Penske has expressed interest in building a racing facility near Denver.
The two tracks, outside Indianapolis, where the Indy Racing League seems to have audiences are the mile oval, at Walt Disney World, in Florida, and the Texas Motor Speedway. The three IRL races, at Disney World, have drawn near capacity crowds, in the 45,000 - 50,000 range. The three IRL races, in Texas, have had large crowds. The night race, in June 1997, drew more than 120,000 fans. Last June's night race had a crowd estimated at 85,000, while the Sunday afternoon race, last September, had a crowd estimated at 70,000. Bruton Smith owns the mega-racing facilities in Charlotte, Atlanta and Texas, as well as the Bristol and Sears Point circuits. Smith and his associates Humpy Wheeler and Eddie Gossage are key players in the IRL's future growth.
The IRL has to find a way to increase sponsor participation. Looking at the recognizable sponsor names, involved with IRL teams, the list includes Pennzoil, Reebok, Coors, Conseco, Crest, Glidden, Quaker State, Sprint, Radio Shack and Nortel. With Reebok pulling out, after only one season, the list gets shorter. Sponsorship, in the IRL, is coming from young technology firms and lesser known regional enterprises, at a relatively low dollar level.
A big mistake, in my view, was the IRL letting Tony Stewart go to NASCAR. Stewart was perhaps the number one personality produced by the IRL; a perfect prototype for what the series represented. Other than the "Indianapolis 500," A.J. Foyt and Tony George, Stewart has been the most recognizable commodity.
I can't fault Stewart for accepting Joe Gibbs' deal to go to NASCAR. In 1998, NASCAR is the place for talented young American racing drivers. It's sad, though, that Indy car racing can't sustain a talent like Tony Stewart. I think it would've been beneficial to both the IRL and Stewart if Tony had remained in the IRL, regardless of the cost. After a season of NASCAR Busch Grand National series competition, Stewart doesn't look to me as if he's ready for Winston Cup. He's had some decent NASCAR runs, but he has yet to display anything like the talent he's shown in open wheel racing cars. The way he adapted to 230 mph plus laps, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in John Menard's Lola, in 1996, made me think we were seeing the arrival of the next Rick Mears. The competitiveness he has shown, since the debut of the Indy Racing League, has been one of the most exciting things I've seen for years, in racing. Unfortunately Team Menard was unable to provide cars that could withstand Stewart's speed and talent. Otherwise, Tony could've taken two or three "Indianapolis 500" wins, another IRL championship and, at least, ten IRL race wins.
The "Indianapolis 500" seems to have carried on at or near previous levels, with respect to race day attendance. For the past three Mays, ticket scalpers have been crying about having to "nearly" give away tickets to the "500." Robin Miller writes, each May, in The Indianapolis Star, that a large percentage of fans won't renew their "500" tickets, unless CART returns. Yet, even without participation from CART, the "500" continues to sell out within a month of the previous race. The 1999 "500" was sold out by mid June. I called the Speedway ticket office to inquire about tickets for the 83rd "500" and was told none were available.
The race remains a huge attraction, even in the face of drastic change in both the personality of the race and the motorsports environment in general. However, even though the "Indianapolis 500" remains the "greatest spectacle in racing," it's stature has diminished in recent years.
Robin Miller wrote, the following day, that empty seats were visible, during the running of the 1998 "500." When I watched a replay of the ABC telecast, I saw empty seats too. The empty seats were scattered and there weren't that many, but they were there. It could've been the morning rains that kept fans away, especially after the weather problems during the 1997 "500." The rain and questionable weather forecast probably played a part. It was another huge "500" crowd, but it was still disturbing to see empty seats for the "Indianapolis 500."
Last May, I watched one of those ESPN "Legends of the Brickyard" presentations, featuring historic footage of the "Indianapolis 500." The particular program, I'm referring to, concerned the 1977 race, which was one of the most memorable races. A.J. Foyt became the first four time Indianapolis winner. Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for the "500." It was the final May for Tony Hulman, as he passed away in late October of that same year.
The thing that made an impression on me, while watching that program, was the Pole day qualifying footage. I was at the Speedway that day and the place was jammed with a crowd similar to race day, in excess of 200,000. Of course it was a big day, as the elusive 200 mph lap was expected in qualifying and Tom Sneva did exceed 200 during his Pole Position run. Years ago, 200,000 plus crowds were common on Pole day, at Indianapolis. There were three "big deals," in Indianapolis, in those days; the Indiana boys high school basketball tournament, the "Indianapolis 500" and "500" Pole day qualifying.
1977 was the final year for 200,000 plus crowds, at the Speedway, for Pole day qualifying. Rain postponed Pole day qualifications the next two years and by 1980, the crowds had dropped to 125,000, which was the smallest turnout in years. At the same time, crowds for "500" practice increased, from almost nothing in the early 1960's, to large gatherings. The public was first allowed to attend Carburetion day practice, in 1977, and that has become a popular attraction at the Speedway, drawing large crowds. Even last May's "Carb day" brought a big crowd.
By the early 1990's, after years of weather problems, the average Pole day crowd was in the 70,000 to 80,000 range. At the same time as the drop in crowds for qualifying, the popularity for the "500" race seemed to intensify. I was able to purchase race tickets, for out of town visitors, from the ticket office, located in the old museum, at 16th and Georgetown, the morning of the 1974 "500." Beginning with the 1982 "500," race tickets were completely sold by the Speedway, prior to the opening of the track for "500" practice. Each succeeding year, through the present, the sellout seems to have come sooner in the period between races.
What's the conclusion to be drawn from all of this?
The "Indianapolis 500" remains racing's premier event, with the longest history and the most notoriety. Threats to the supremacy of the "500" come from the "Daytona 500" and "Brickyard 400." The "Daytona 500" is generally accepted to be NASCAR's most important race, although I think the "Brickyard 400" has come very close to Daytona, in only five years. I've been to all five runnings of the "Brickyard 400." Except for the inaugural race, in 1994, I haven't noticed the electricity and anticipation, in the crowd, the "500" generates. The fans, from what I've noticed, appear to treat the "Brickyard 400" as if it is just another race NASCAR race. I haven't been to Daytona, since 1988, so I don't have a feeling for race day crowds there. Certainly media attention for Daytona compares to the focus upon the "500," although I haven't been able to establish clearly whether that focus is on the "Daytona 500" itself or the opening of the NASCAR season. In terms of attendance, of course, the crowds for both events , at the Speedway, are nearly twice as large as the crowds at Daytona, even though the February crowds are increasing dramatically. Although it's very close, I suspect the "Indianapolis 500" crowd is still larger than the crowd for the "Brickyard 400," if only because general admission is not allowed at the Speedway infield, in August. The "Indianapolis 500" still pays racing's largest purse, by more than $2 million, and I anticipate that situation will continue indefinitely.
A measure of the importance of the "Indianapolis 500," in 1998, can be drawn from all the controversy generated from the IMS - CART split. Three years after the separation, the CART - IRL issue remains the biggest topic of discussion in racing, although Jeff Gordon's "mega-success" in 1998 has been a big deal too. The emotions generated from Indy car racing's "civil war" are about as strong as they were at the end of 1995.
I don't think the hits taken by the "Indianapolis 500," the past three years, are permanently damaging. There is a basic intensity generated by the "Indianapolis 500," in hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people. If that intensity has lessened, in recent years, it's probably not too far below the consciousness of many. Therefore, I don't think it would take much to rekindle any passion lost for the "500." It could be something as singular as a magnetic personality emerging among one of the IRL drivers. It could come from another fight to the finish, like that which came in 1982, with Gordon Johncock and Rick Mears, or 1992, with Al Unser Jr. and Scott Goodyear. It could come from some controversy during the pre-race activity at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
A few weeks ago, Tony George and Leo Mehl announced new IRL engine specifications for 2000 through 2004. The new rules call for V8 engines, with a reduction from the current four liters to 3.5 liters. The new IRL formula specifies that the new engines don't have to be production based, as the current rule states, but they have to be submitted by an auto manufacturer. The immediate assessment was that the new IRL rules would prohibit any future CART participation in the "Indianapolis 500." Actually the new IRL rules are very similar to a formula proposed, a few weeks earlier, by all four CART engine manufacturers, Honda, Ford, Mercedes Benz and Toyota. The CART proposal called for 3.5 liter V8 normally aspirated engines. A major obstacle still remains however. CART continues to insist on maintaining their engine lease programs, which the Indianapolis Motor Speedway strongly opposes.
The IRL would like some CART participation, at the Speedway, in May, in the form of individual teams, but it's obvious that Tony George doesn't want an agreement with CART as a collective body. It also appears that CART teams, manufacturers and sponsors want to return to Indianapolis. Unfortunately, they want to return to the same environment as in 1995 and before and that isn't likely to happen.
I feel that some CART participation, at Indianapolis, would enhance the "500." I'd love to see Al Unser Jr. and Michael Andretti back at the Speedway, and Roger Penske and Pat Patrick have been key players in the history of the "Indianapolis 500." I don't want CART participation at the expense of the Indy Racing League though. I don't think a CART - IMS reunification would be the long term solution to the problems in Indy car racing. It might be a quick fix and send CART fans into euphoria, but the solution is to create a product that appeals to U.S. racing fans the way NASCAR does. CART has had almost 20 years to accomplish that and they failed miserably.
There was an excellent feature, in the Sunday November 22 edition, of The Indianapolis Star, by Robin Miller and Bill Koenig, detailing the current Indy car racing environment, three years after the CART - IMS split. The piece was as comprehensive and accurate an analysis as I've read, in some time. It's surprising that Robin Miller could present this issue in such an objective manner, given his usual hysterics.
Miller is a terrific writer, but he spends so much time working on his image, as racing's "resident punk," that often his talent goes to waste. At times his opinions piss me off. At other times I get pleasure from reading his race reports. I've sort of come, lately, to understand where Robin Miller is coming from. He's an Indianapolis guy who, despite his hatred of Tony George, loves the "Indianapolis 500." In one of his columns he characterized Tony Hulman's approach to owning the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as being custodian of the "500," for the people of Indianapolis. To an extent, I think Miller's characterization is accurate. Hulman's grandson, Tony George, has been more aggressive in his approach to leading the Speedway, and more outwardly commercial. So what. That's a sign of the times we live in. The Speedway recently hired a public relations firm to market the Indy Racing League. That would've been unthinkable when Tony Hulman and Joe Cloutier were running the Speedway.
Another interesting article, that profiles the current Indy car racing environment, appeared in the November 1998 issue of Car And Driver magazine. The article was written by Jerry Garrett and is titled "The Unsinkable IRL."
Last week, Tony George and Bernie Ecclestone (via teleconference) appeared at a press conference, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, to announce a Formula One race in 2000. The actual date and other details ,of the project, are forthcoming, but the layout for the circuit, on which the F1 cars will race, was previewed.
This is a huge and expensive undertaking for the Speedway. The annual cost of transporting F1 teams to Indianapolis and appearance money paid is said to be in the $9 million to $15 million range. The cost to construct portions of the road circuit through the Speedway infield and build F1 compliant pit side garages will be in the millions. At the same time, the Speedway won't be eligible to share in the television fees for the race and will have to rely on ticket sales to get a return on its investment. Given that Formula One has a small audience in the U.S., it would seem that Tony George has taken a large gamble. But considering George's recent history, the F1 gamble shouldn't surprise anyone. The "Brickyard 400," in 1994, and the Indy Racing League, in 1996, were also huge gambles. The "Brickyard 400" has been a giant success. Success for the IRL remains to be seen. These mega-projects appear to be what drives Tony George. Certainly Robin Miller and CART fans don't agree, but George stirs things up like no one else in contemporary motorsports.
I used to go to the annual "Hoosier Hundred," each September, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The race, on the dirt mile Fairgrounds oval, was a big deal and at one time had the second richest purse in American racing. As the years passed and traditional oval style open wheel racing had less relevance to the "Indianapolis 500," my interest in USAC racing disappeared. I usually watched the USAC Thunder shows, on ESPN and ESPN2, more out of curiosity than enthusiasm. With the Indy Racing League, and especially Tony Stewart, I've become a big fan of USAC Silver Crown, Sprint and Midget competition. Going to USAC races has replaced going to CART races, for me, the past couple years.
One of the things I find especially interesting is the large number of small race tracks around the sate of Indiana. I wonder how Indiana ranks among the states in terms of the number of racing facilities within its boundaries. It has to be at or near the top of the list. I've been to some of these Indiana ovals; Indianapolis Raceway Park, Winchester, the Terre Haute "Action Track," Paragon, Lincoln Park Speedway (Putnamville) and Tony George's 16th St. Speedway. But there are so many I haven't been to. Two of my goals, for the 1999 racing season, now that I'm back home, are to visit as many of these Indiana tracks as I can and see a lot of USAC racing.
Another goal is to get this website back online - - - - -.