Is Slower Better?
Written by Douglas Brown · March 31, 2005
The big appeal of racing is speed. The faster the better, I say. Yet, for many the smash-and-bash approach of NASCAR going 110 mph around a one-mile oval is more appealing than razor-thin gaps between cars running 200-plus. I’m still not sure why that is. This weekend, the IRL takes another approach as the racing slows down in St. Pete.
As noted in George’s post, many teams and most drivers are very excited about the non-oval, street course event. Personally, I don’t like them (even Monaco, the most sacred of all street courses, is generally a boring race to watch on TV). With most street venues, unless you can be there to see the support events and attend the surrounding events, it’s really not that interesting. The successful street races tend to have a lot of tradition and support. Long Beach, draws off both and is helped by its proximity to money, prestige and “the stars.” The same could be said for Monaco (F1) and Australia (Champ Car).
In St. Petersburg, the lack of speed and high drama (never absent from an IRL race, but usually only noticed by us die-hards) may lead to a disappointed crowd unfamiliar with open wheel racing. When Champ Car ran here in 2003 the average speed was 91.401 miles per hour and ended with a 12 second margin of victory. That, my friends, is not a very interesting nor exciting race. I can drive 91 mph around the streets of St. Pete. Sure, we may get arrested and pay huge fines, but with the right cars and light traffic, it could be done.
This worries me for the weekend event and the IRL in general. If they can generate a crowd at all, I fear the set-up and style of this race may do more damage than good for the League. As much as I opposed The Split and still suffer from its consequences, at least Tony had some principles behind his actions. One of the top and often quoted objectives of his series was to run oval tracks in the U.S. After 10 years of doing just that, the IRL returns to a 90 MPH street course that not only contradicts this ideal, but may in fact do more harm than good. For all of us that watch and care about Open Wheeled racing, let’s hope the IRL can draw some people and engage them with close racing and entertain them with fun race-related events.
What you say may be true, but, with ten years of mostly disappointing crowd figures why keep beating that dead horse?
While speed is certainly a factor in comparing an oval and a road course it’s a mute point when comparing speeds on an oval.
I defy anyone, without a stopwatch, to tell the difference in speed between 190mph and 170mph. Both in person or thru the tube.
I think the point is well taken. You can definitely tell the difference between 91 and 170 mph.
As for attendence, I don’t think anyone there will care much if it’s IRL or Champ Cars on the course. They will be there for that event, on that weekend, period. Same goes for Long Beach in ‘06 if Champ Car losses that venue and the IRL moves in.
The big question, and perhpas the next post:
“How does NASCAR do it? The ‘racing’ is arguably equal in its drama, technology and competition. Why isn’t the attendance?”
MARKETING!!! Everyone knows NASCAR because it’s in TV commercials, on the news, in magazines, in the local auto parts store, and the super market…lord help me Jeff Gordon is a guest host on Regis and Kelly for Christ sake!!! Even people who mock me for watching such a “red neck” sport as NASCAR know what it is…have heard of it…have some concept of it (even if it’s a negative concept). No one knows what the hell the IRL is…and if they do they think the IRL, Champ Car, and F1 are all the same thing.
The business heads at NASCAR know how to put asses in seats…by serving thier sponsors FIRST and building awareness that can then be turned into “fan-dom”, in the end they serve themselves and get richer. No one seems to really get that as much as the France family.
…also…drivers in NASCAR…when they get to a certain level, stay with the same sponsor/car number for years. I’ll say the driver you tell me the car number: Dale Jr, Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace. Now I’ll say the car number you tell me the driver: 24, 48, 17. Easy right? Who drives the number 15 IRL car? What is their sponsor name? Who are the Red Bull drivers? Hell I’m an “IRL fan” and I have no clue. These factors contribute to fans being able to rally around their favorite drivers as marketable assets.
…and NASCAR continues to market during the off season. With a 36 race schedule there isn’t a long off season either. They are always in your face. And it’s some of the most boring racing out there!
Doug, interesting comments about the St. Pete race–what are your post event comments?