Indy's New Tradition

One week from today, a new tradition commences in Indianapolis.  I'm looking forward to the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.  It marks a return to something I loved as a kid: daily action in the month of May at the Greatest Speedway on Earth.

I hope the new tradition lives up to my expectation.

The teams were testing last week at the Speedway, trying to capitalize on the novelty of IndyCars running the wrong direction on the front stretch.  The times were acceptable, led by the usual suspects in IndyCar.  Will Power and Ryan Hunter-Reay lead the points, each winning and taking a pole.  Mike Conway surprised with his win in Long Beach, and could be a dark horse for Indy's first Grand Prix.  Simon Pagenaud is sitting on the edge of breaking through to the upper echelon of drivers, bringing Kingdom Racing's ministry with him.

Pagenaud is my choice to win the first Grand Prix.  My question is: will it sell?

Formula One ran at Indy from 2000-2007.  Plenty of tickets still remained.  Why?  Formula One is the cutting edge of technology and has the most skilled drivers in the world.  The number of drivers capable of driving F1 cars is the smallest of any series.  Americans, who love their cars, stayed away.

The F1 Grand Prix in 2005 was a disaster.  Only six cars competed, all on Bridgestone tires, while the teams that run on Michelin, did the parade and formation laps, then parked.  Seemed the Michelins weren't up to the challenge of Indy.  IMS said it would host F1 again when it made financial sense.  It never did.

Is it the lack of American drivers?  Why do Americans have to go overseas to develop for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing?  Indy Lites are the jump between karts/sprint cars and IndyCars, and they have put on a good show.  Even their drivers are from overseas.  IndyCar has put on some amazing shows in the last 15 years, and plenty of tickets are still available.  NASCAR seems to be in good financial position.  Why the difference?

Sponsor money makes it run, and IndyCar can't seem to bridge that gap. The top draw in the last 10 years, Danica Patrick, jumped to NASCAR citing potential monetary gains.  We don't hear about Charlie Kimball punching Scott Dixon after a race, because it doesn't happen.  NASCAR gets viral videos for their dust ups.  Indy technology is way ahead of NASCAR, who uses what Indy develops years later.  Why can't we generate interest?

Maybe it will work.  I have my doubts.

So...am I off base