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That wouldn't do shit. You would have to kick A.J Foyt in the balls. Everyone knows that Foyt was balls deep in Mari on the daily back in the day.

That wouldn't do shit. You would have to kick A.J Foyt in the balls. Everyone knows that Foyt was balls deep in Mari on the daily back in the day.

I just realized the Pocono race this year is only 400 miles...apparently because ESPN/ABC didn't allot enough time for 100 more miles...

That wouldn't do shit. You would have to kick A.J Foyt in the balls. Everyone knows that Foyt was balls deep in Mari on the daily back in the day.

They need to go to Road America, Austin, Richmond, New Hampshire, Portland, Cleveland and Laguna Seca.

You can argue that the Boston Consulting Group’s 115-page report to resurrect Indy car racing is either a smart, radial plan that needs to be embraced immediately or it’s the biggest waste of money since Gene Simmons launched the “I Am Indy” campaign.

I’m leaning towards Kissing $1.2 million goodbye for something I’d be happy to do for $29.95.

So, going by The Associated Press’ story (it was the only media outlet the report was leaked to), let’s break down the main points and see where we differ.

BCG: Shorten the season from April to August with 15 races in 19 weeks and a three-race playoff with the finale on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course because the series does not have a mechanism to “create suspense” and has its lowest TV ratings at the end of the season.

RM: No, if anything the season needs to be lengthened (six months off is bad for business) and IndyCar needs to start in February – before the Daytona 500 if possible. Playoffs? Playoffs? We don’t need no stinkin’ playoffs (the IndyCar championship has been decided in the last race the past five years so suspense hasn’t been the problem). And your TV ratings are always going to be lower going up against college and pro football. As for putting Indy cars on the IMS road course, get serious. That track made Formula One look slow and Indy cars only belong at IMS once a year in May on the oval. Look it up, it’s worked for a few years.

BCG: Suggests racing at Phoenix, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Seattle.

RM: History lesson. Phoenix was gangbusters for USAC/CART before The Split and simply a bust for the Indy Racing League. The Miami street race was a hit but Homestead was missing anything resembling a crowd before it went away. Atlanta didn’t draw whether it was USAC, CART or IRL and nobody cares about open wheel in that city. Loudon is the closest thing to Boston and it had 50,000 before The Split and 5,000 afterwards so maybe a street race in Boston is the plan. A Chicago street race would likely work but good luck with the politics and Chicagoland in Joliet started OK before fading away. Seattle? Maybe the old Kent road course is being revived.

BCG: Proposed an international series of races in the off-season.

RM: Let’s see, you’re nearly invisible in your North American home so you go to Europe and kick ass? Maybe if all the races were in Australia and New Zealand it could fly but can’t imagine too many sponsors being thrilled.

BCG: A new marketing strategy promoting IndyCar’s Daredevils and focus on winning at thrilling speeds as a way to distinguish IndyCar from NASCAR’s “amusing entertainment of off-track drama and partying.”

RM: Indy car racing has always been faster and more dangerous than stock cars so what now, shoot drivers out of a cannon in pre-race introductions and put a ramp on the front stretch at Iowa? Joie Chitwood works in NASCAR now.

BCG: Suggested IMS raise ticket prices from $150 to $200 and $90 to $150 in primo areas and drop other seats from $5-$20.

RM: One of the main reasons the Indy 500 has maintained its status as the largest single-day sporting event is because the tickets have always been reasonable. Not too high for a family of four or college kids or retirees. Any of the $85 seats in Indy’s four corners remains one of the best bargains in sports. But the seats are still narrow and aluminum so how can you justify $40 and $50 increases? Indy isn’t sold out anymore but it’s made a nice comeback in recent years and likely puts 225,000 in its 250,000 permanent seats. Don’t mess with the formula, that didn’t work in 1996 either.

BCG: Found that of the 132 days IMS was in use during 2012, only 21 could be considered major revenue-generating events. By using IMS as a road course race for Indy cars it could potentially generate another $4.3 million.

RM: Sure, if you charge $200 a ticket because if you got 20,000 people to show up it would be a miracle.

BCG: Reduce the Leader’s Circle subsidy payments to teams ($1.1 million per car) and put the money into purses.

RM: Actually a good idea because the winner of an Indy race only gets $35,000 and the driver who finished 43rd in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series in 2012 earned more purse money than IndyCar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay. This handout system to the car owners is a big injustice to drivers and mechanics but, without it, IndyCar would be lucky to field 10 cars.

BCG: Go with one television partner (ABC/ESPN) and get as many races as possible on ABC.
RM: Many feel like ABC only keeps IndyCar around for the Indianapolis 500 because it still generates a decent rating. Randy Bernard managed to package all the ABC races for 2013 and get a prime time slot for Texas but IndyCar is hardly high on the ABC ladder. And there are no ancillary programs about IndyCar on ESPN and, unless there’s a spectacular crash, Sports Center ignores IndyCar racing. Sure, network TV is obviously the best chance to draw an audience and its confusing going from ABC/ESPN to NBC Sports Network but the reality is that no other networks are interested.

BCG: Called IndyCar the “best pure motorsports league in the United States but the series suffers from a lack of awareness.”

RM: The most relevant statement in the report but not exactly a revelation.

Almendinger to drive for Penske in IndyCar: Team Penske announced that AJ Allmendinger will join its IZOD IndyCar Series program in 2013. Allmendinger, who rose up through the ranks of open-wheel racing before transitioning to NASCAR, will compete in at least two IndyCar events for Team Penske this season, including the Indianapolis 500. Allmendinger will drive the #2 IZOD Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet at this year's Indianapolis 500, scheduled for May 26 at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 31-year-old Allmendinger will also compete in the April 7 IZOD IndyCar Series race at the Barber Motorsports Park road course in Birmingham, Ala., in the IZOD machine for Team Penske. Today's announcement represents a homecoming for Allmendinger on a couple of different fronts. He will return to his roots as the Los Gatos, Calif., native raced in the Champ Car World Series from 2004-2006 when he earned five wins, two poles and 14 podium finishes over a three-year period. It also means a return to Penske Racing. Allmendinger drove for the organization's Sprint Cup Series team for the first 17 races of the 2012 season before he was suspended for violating the league's substance abuse policy. After successfully completing NASCAR's Road to Recovery program, Allmendinger returned to compete in four Cup Series events for another team at the end of the 2012 season. Allmendinger will next drive the No. 2 IZOD Team Penske car at the IZOD IndyCar Series spring training test sessions, March 12-13 at Barber Motorsports Park.

TBK Light's 2013 ARCA pick 'ems champion!

For the second year in a row, OldAsphalt takes the ARCA pick 'ems crown!

Tony and Lauren Kanaan do the Harlem Shake with, Rubens Barrichello, Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Jaime Camara, Antonio Pizzonia

I would like the username rgordon changed to Hank Hill. Its what I use on other forums, and rgordon quite honestly sounds stupid and has for awhile.