“as with Tony George’s ruination of the Indy 500”
Don’t forget that Roger Penske played a HUGE part in that clash of egos.
As an Indiana resident, it pains me to remember what the Indy 500 used to be.
The demise of USAC began with two events, Tony Hulman’s death, and the 1979 USAC plane crash that took out the top USAC leadership. That plane was piloted by my first flight-instructor, Don Mullendore.
Tony George is one of the largest contributing factors to the current challenges that Indy cars face. When he split off from CART to form the IRL to create his own kingdom he doomed the series for at least a generation. I used to follow it, not much any more, he really screwed it up.
It’s my belief that Tony Hulman’s health was ruined by the disastrous 1973 race. But it’s true that Indy is not what it was in the 1970s or even 1980s. I’m sure you remember guys like Mel Kenyon, Steve Krisiloff, Lloyd Ruby and the Bettenhausens. Americans who raced for the love of the sport, and fans who went to the track for the love of the race.
I still go with my sons every year, and they are both huge fans. But the last several years, on Pole Day the track has been empty. I remember getting there “late” at 10 am for Pole Day in ‘77 and my brother and I had trouble finding a seat in the Tower Terrace.
I hate to say it but unless thare are some radical changes, auto racing in the United States has a cloudy future.