Crumbling Brickyard [Does anyone care about the 500 anymore?]

espn.go.com ^ | 5/23/03 | Jim Armstrong

[nightdriver]

"Either you restrict the technology to keep it on the course - literally - or you change the course to keep up with the technology."

Exactly.

That's a good way of saying that the track (hence the race) is passe now.

[cpprfld]

I agree with you. Today I tried to watch the Indy 500, but as soon as Micheal Andretti, Robbie Gordon, and Hornish were out of the race I lost interest. I have a very difficult time getting behind a driver who doesn't know how to speak english. The announcers were all excited that a Japananse driver was leading the race today, and I was thinking to myself where are the American drivers?

Secondly, IRL isn't as competitive as NASCAR. This year Chevy is having a problem with their engines, so you had 6-7 drivers who couldn't compete against Toyota or Honda. IRL needs to make drivers use uniform engines and body styling, so that the race will be based off of drivers skills.

I was disappointed in the Indy 500 this year, and IRL really need to do something to make the races more interesting.

[solitas]

IRL needs to make drivers use uniform engines and body styling, so that the race will be based off of drivers skills.

Can you say "IROC" (another series to snooze through)?

I was disappointed in the Indy 500 this year, and IRL really need to do something to make the races more interesting.

How much more can you do for a round-'n-round race?

Has your interest in the race more to do with 'content' (really, the drivers and pit crews ARE doing what they always have done) or 'presentation' (were you given too little of what you wanted to know {race details} and/or too much irrelevant material {unnecessary commentary, statistics, graphics/vidiot-food, flashy-nothingness, too-frequent commercials})?

Or maybe like so many others (myself included), you want a more-challenging race situation? Try watching more road racing (yes, drivers ARE capable of making right-hand turns) with the same style cars and see what that does for you. I know that if I have to watch stock cars I'd rather watch them on a road course than going in circles like a gas-powered roller derby.

[pnz1]

Did I hear correctly that they want to take the Darlington Southern 500 and move it to Fontana?

[HIDEK6]

Used to be a big day listening to the radio to follow Parnelli Jones.

Yup, that's my memory. I think when they moved Memorial Day off of May 30, that had a lot to do with killing interest in the race.

[xp38]

I love milk!!! :)

[Calvin Locke]

NASCAR and Golf are quite a bit about personalities. How many people could name F1 drivers? Schummacher? Andretti?
(And the occasional NASCAR driver that tries to run in both races on the same day. Okay, 500miles in one, fly, and
drive a completely different car 600 miles in another...)

Shawna Robinson? Like any other driver, great if she doesn't take out your favorite driver, or even his competitors, and
even better if she can make the race interesting.

My guess is the whining comes from having Annika "shoved" down the fans and competitors' throats, rather than she earning her spot.

That, and the media fixation with the whole wannabe spectacle that turned out to be the media itself. IMHO.
But I've been suffering from various flavors of media fatigue for years, too.

F1 racing suffers, too, from the overly overt "team" concept, further distancing fans from drivers.

"Why'd the leader pull over? Because so the other driver on the team could win..."

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I just got back from the race, and anyone who fell asleep at the track did so because they were lulled into a sleep by the sound of the motors. It was a great race, and there wasn't an empty seat in the house. Indy is a beautiful track and there is always tons of fun. Indy 500 is making a come back. Go if you get the chance, you won't be sorry. I have been every year since "82, except for two years, Each time I was almost in labor. Both my boys were born near race weekend.

I would have gone, but my hubby and Dad said "no pregnant women in the stands." It was a blast this year.

[Old Professer]

What channel did you watch it on?

I didn't see it in Nashville.

[M.K. Borders]

I remember your Indy 500 well. I lived in Bloomington during the Kinser years. I remember how excited everyone was about him making it into the race.

He was still a little short on cash, so they moved his car down to Tom O'Daniel's Ford showroom. There anyone could fork over a small price (I believe it was $20) and have their name placed on the car.

That year I sponsered a car at Indy, what a great time!

[solitas]

*I* want to watch it too - and be just like those fortunate 300,000+ in the stands who don't have to hear the inane babbling from the self-thought-of 'broadcast professionals'. Real track announcers are, by far, the most intelligent people at the track, save myself, of course. :)

Having been to races that I've later watched on tape, I'd MUCH rather listen to a track announcer than listen to a bunch of sub-standards that want to call a race much the same way as they'd call a football game.

[M.K. Borders]

Shure was. Corner of Colledge and 3rd Street.