The Ultimate Schedule

[IndyRacing2000]

I was wondering what schedule you would like to see in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

My big idea:

3/23: Pole Day
3/24: Bump Day
3/31: Homestead-Miami 500

4/20: Pole Day
4/21: Bump Day
4/28: Gateway 500, huge challenge for the drivers

5/18: Pole Day
5/19: Bump Day
5/26: 97th Indianapolis 500

6/22: Pole Day
6/23: Bump Day
6/30: Texas 500

7/20: Pole Day
7/21: Bump Day
7/28: Michigan 500

8/17: Pole Day
8/18: Bump Day
8/25: Pocono 500

What this does:

1. Ends the season before NFL season begins, so the NFL fans can watch our races.

2. It connects every race to the Indy 500 by using the same format, without detracting from the 500 itself. This addresses viewer retention from the 500 to other races.

3. Shortening the schedule reduces costs, and allows for each race to have more prestige and a much higher payout as the TEAM money can be redistributed. Viewership is redundant; the same people watch all the races. Therefore, sponsor exposure doesn't change, and sponsors just need to be creative with marketing the racing image outside of actual on-track presence. This is a modern approach.

4. It connects the series back to its roots and to USAC.

5. It allows the series to focus on promoting bravery, speed, and endurance.

6. The World Endurance Championship is very successful with so few races. This is almost like an oval-based WEC; it has a crown jewel and a bunch of very challenging events.

7. Every race could be on network. Five races are already, what's a sixth, even if it's a time buy?

8. The weekend of qualifying gives time to build hype for each event.

9. Technology can be eased back in, with costs considered, as technologies can be specialized for one type of racing, rather than compromised for many.

I think this is a good way forward for IndyCar. This has nothing to do with the past, even if it is similar. The iPad is similar to the failed Microsoft tablet from 2002, but the adjustments they made worked. These adjustments work and go forward.

[Indyknut]

You're joking right?...

Bump day? Oh let me guess, each race will have 11 rows of 3.

A week between qualifying and race day? Hype the race that week? The US public has the attention span of a 2 year old. The series is having trouble just getting people to expend a couple hours on a Sunday to watch a race, you want to spread this out over 3 days? Bwahahaha.

4. It connects the series back to its roots and to USAC.

Are you throwing dirt down on top of the asphalt on those ovals?

6 races over the course of 6 months? Geez, I just have to wait a month between races. I think I'll just skip it and play golf instead.

Your big idea...

[IndyRacing2000]

I am not joking.

USAC runs pavement as well. Guys like Bobby Santos only run pavement, in fact. It is a hard adjustment that takes time, but more drivers will be willing to go through with it for these six, big races. They'll have weeks between them to work on their skills and still have time to run in USAC.

Obviously, Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon, Oriol Servià, Giorgio Pantano, etc. would be necessary for this series, too. USAC would not be the only outlet. Just one of many.

People wait four years for the World Cup, and two to four for the Olympics. I think one month is reasonable for racing.

[Ken]

Awesome!

[Z28]

You should be joking. Have you ever been to the Saturday qualifying for a Sunday INDYCAR race? The place is virtually deserted. But your brilliant idea is to expect the racetracks to open their doors, bring in the security, support, concession and customer service personnel for two weekends, one of which has a very light crowd and the other with more employees on site than paying customers. And you expect much of the raceday crowd to schedule two trips to a speedway on consecutive weeks just to see qualifying.


Better that the Hulman George family saves their money for the funeral for INDYCAR because that's all this idea would result in. And that's coming from someone who would be in favor of an all oval schedule over what we have now, would want all those tracks on the schedule next year and would be going to 4 of those 6 races.

[houstonracefan]

I was wondering what schedule you would like to see in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

My big idea:

3/23: Pole Day
3/24: Bump Day
3/31: Homestead-Miami 500

4/20: Pole Day
4/21: Bump Day
4/28: Gateway 500, huge challenge for the drivers

5/18: Pole Day
5/19: Bump Day
5/26: 97th Indianapolis 500

6/22: Pole Day
6/23: Bump Day
6/30: Texas 500

7/20: Pole Day
7/21: Bump Day
7/28: Michigan 500

8/17: Pole Day
8/18: Bump Day
8/25: Pocono 500

What this does:

1. Ends the season before NFL season begins, so the NFL fans can watch our races.

2. It connects every race to the Indy 500 by using the same format, without detracting from the 500 itself. This addresses viewer retention from the 500 to other races.

3. Shortening the schedule reduces costs, and allows for each race to have more prestige and a much higher payout as the TEAM money can be redistributed. Viewership is redundant; the same people watch all the races. Therefore, sponsor exposure doesn't change, and sponsors just need to be creative with marketing the racing image outside of actual on-track presence. This is a modern approach.

4. It connects the series back to its roots and to USAC.

5. It allows the series to focus on promoting bravery, speed, and endurance.

6. The World Endurance Championship is very successful with so few races. This is almost like an oval-based WEC; it has a crown jewel and a bunch of very challenging events.

7. Every race could be on network. Five races are already, what's a sixth, even if it's a time buy?

8. The weekend of qualifying gives time to build hype for each event.

9. Technology can be eased back in, with costs considered, as technologies can be specialized for one type of racing, rather than compromised for many.

I think this is a good way forward for IndyCar. This has nothing to do with the past, even if it is similar. The iPad is similar to the failed Microsoft tablet from 2002, but the adjustments they made worked. These adjustments work and go forward.

And that will kill the series. We really need to get out of this mindset that the Indy 500 is EVERYTHING. Just look back to what made the SPORT successful. When the series took precedence. You know what happened during the 80s and 90s? The Indy 500 was its strongest then!

Worry about building a healthy series, and the Indy 500 will be healthier as a result