So LeMans is this weekend and it's got me to thinking. What if IICS had their own version of an endurance race? Or extended distance race? Or gotten more involved in an endurance race or two? (Road America, Sebring, Spa, etc.) I know logistically it would be pretty hard to pull off (multiple drivers, race length, etc) but I think it would be a cool thing to market and promote. And hell, maybe you can get some of the endurance crowd to be fans of AOW. Just a thought.
It would depend, and I doubt the manufacturers would be for it. The IndyCar engines will only last for so long as opposed to dedicated endurance engines. I love endurance racing, but it is a completely different animal and I just believe that budgets would not be able to accomodate such an idea.Originally Posted by cpthornman
Corvette Racing - Chevrolet Corvette C6-R#3 Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen/Jordan Taylor, #4 Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Richard Westbrook-FC Bayern MunichNeuer - Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Alaba - Martinez, Schweinsteiger - Robben, Muller, Ribery - Mandzukic
Yeah I was thinking the same thing. A man can dream though...
That we can my friend.
With that said though I don't see how sending one team to do an endurance race would break the budget too much. Maybe have the series champion's team be invited to 12 hours of Sebring? Then they can work with the series to make the DW-12 legal under the rules? This is all stabs in the dark of course but I figured it wouldn't hurt to entertain the idea and look at possible ways it could be feasible.
It is an interesting concept, but can the chassis and/or engine last that long. Honestly, I'd go for 24 hours at Le Mans before 12 at Sebring.
Seriously though, it's one thing to make the car legal, it also has to last. Could the DW12 or any IndyCar (IRL, CART, CCWS, etc) last an endurance event? If so, then it'd be fun.
Don't know but that's the fun of watching it all.And maybe the engine manufacturer could see it as an opportunity to improve reliability even more. (an opportunity the losing manufacturer wouldn't get?) You could really create some competition with that methinks.
Indy racing's idea of endurance was defined in 1911 when they arranged a distance for a race which would finish in about 6 hours, quite an event in a time when tires were in their infancy and the race could have been determined as a 5 blowout race........500 miles is endurance enough and the only thing I'd ever like to see is the return to 3 500 milers.......endurance racing is an animal unto itself and their evolution is so defined wasn't there a complete engine/transmission change once where the car may have lost one lap? Instead of blurring the lines between Indy car and endurance if the schedule might be opened up to allow present Indy car drivers to compete (except probably the Ganassi and Penske group to "sponsor" conflicts) it would be a better work. This would be for both Sebring and LeMans......let the drivers cross over instead of the automobiles.
Katharine's Legge is in the gravel!--Jenks
__________________________________________________ ____________________
12-7-1941 Never, Never Forget 9-11-2001
If possible I would love to see it, and it would, in theory, push the manufacturers to actually improve their works. I mean heck, V8 Supercars run a true endurance event in a schedule full a sprint races.Don't know but that's the fun of watching it all.
They already do - the Indy500.
The reality is the numbers are dropping yet you call the deal 'ahead of its time'. The only end result that can be drerived from that is the series will be broke 'ahead of its time'.
I've thought for a while now that the length of Indy needs to be increased. My personal play-toy is the idea of extending it to 1500 kilometers, which would be around 950 miles, and make it the "Indy 1500". I contend that this would actually be more true to the tradition; as Neshaminy points out, the race as originally conceived was an all-day affair, and as late as the 1960s the average duration was still near to four hours. And it was far more stressing on the equipment than it is now. Back then, drivers had to be concerned about taking care of the car, and part of the suspense and drama of the race was watching to see which of the leaders would make it to the last 100 miles. That aspect has pretty much disappeared from racing today. (Not just Indycars -- most forms of racing.)
Now, there are a zillion reasons why this will never happen... equipment, marketing, TV, safety concerns, fan tolerance, etc. But a guy can dream.
I don't think many today consider a 500 mile race to be much of an endurance race with car technology being as good as it is.
Agreed. The days of a 500 mile race being an endurance event were over long ago, IMO. Especially in the eyes of the general public.
Now this has some potential. One of the most fun parts of the 24 hours of Daytona, Le Mans, and the Sebring 12 hour is rooting for all the IndyCar guys and girls that compete. What if the series got together to officially support as many ICS drivers as possible in IndyCar-only entries. The series could market it, advertise it, and it could get a ton of coverage. Mostly, it would be awesome.
This as well. As much as I would love to see an IndyCar (something similar) compete it just isn't practical as having drivers compete. (maybe in 10 years?)
How about a 500 mile road race? That's kind of an endurance race. I'm sure those that ran the Road America 500 thought it was a pretty long race back in the day. Hmmm, 500 miles at RA.
BTW, I like the thinking of the OP.
Well, the domain already exists...Indy locals have probably heard of (or attended) this:
http://indy1500.com/
Damn good idea. And I think the series as it is today wouldn't have too much trouble doing it.
I don't think Indycar needs a LeMans or Sebring type endurance race, but they do need to have extended races, not all of them, but some of them do need to stand out as longer races. Obviously, this is a coverage issue for TV and a cost standpoint for the teams, but I think it could be worked out for "bigger" events.
I want to also point out, in my opinion, longer events also bring value to the paying fan. I think fans want more value for their dollar, and while I enjoy watching Indy Lights and the other support series, the common man wants to see the big boys for their dollar.
I don't think we need to be running 12-24 hour races, but I do think events that are going to run 2.5 - 4 hours will bring more people out, especially at ovals.
Diversity in the series to me doesn't just mean road, street, and oval circuits. It also needs to show the drivers diversity over both a shorter sprint format vs a longer format.
Ive always thought it would be a cool idea that on Thanksgiving or Christmas day, Indycar & Indy Lights should run an endurance race together. Two different classes of cars, have a big prize money for the winners, counts as official win on your record. (Shouldnt be hard to get a sponsor for the event since it would be exposed to so many people on those days). Do a 3,4 or 6 hour race. It would be a good way and opportunity to showcase your series in front of a huge tv audience. (Lots of people indoors for Christmas & Thanksgiving). That was always one of my many random ideas.
My words may not be what you want to hear.....but what you need to hear. TF CHALLENGE: CONVINCE 1 NEW PERSON TO WATCH INDY NEXT SUNDAY
Agreed. From a series standpoint a 4 hour endurance race would be perfect. It would be very fun to watch how the drivers adjust to the conditions and we could see some interesting results.
Starting with the next 100 years at IMS make the Indy 500 into the Indy 1000.
Return it to its roots as an endurance race.
Would really show the evolution of the cars over 100 years too. Take the same amount of time in the early years but going double the distance. But saying "The Indy 100" doesn't quite have the ring of "The Indy 500" though.
By saying a 3-4 hour endurance race, you mean a distance that would make the race last about that time or with a countdown with the white flag coming out when the clock reaches zero?
Personally I would prefer a timed race. Like how the 12 hours of Sebring and 24 hours of LeMans are timed. Makes pit strategy all that more interesting. Plus you can have records for distance traveled and what not. It's just a more interesting model imo.
The back half of the current car already looks like it was sawed off of a LMP car. Just add some more bumpers to the front end (completing the county fair go-kart effect) and it will fit right in.
Use the old cars - no engine or wing rules - open it up and run it after the GrandAm event.
The Texas 550 and the Detroit race this year was our endurance races
I think that's why they call the Texas race a 550. It sounds longer than it really is, and they know people want longer races. The Texas 342 doesn't have much panache.The Texas 550 and the Detroit race this year was our endurance races
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks