New IndyCar Titles

[CMennie47]

What do you think of the new IndyCar Oval and Road Course Titles up for grabs this year?

 

[moppenheimer]

Not a bad idea, sort of like an MVP award for each or even a conference championship. It is quite clear that something was needed based on the parity between who is out front at RCs and who is out front at ovals. It will work fine as long as these two "titles" remain less important than the overall title.

It will be interesting top see who the awards are named after.

 

[Fisha695]

I like the idea.

ARCA has something similar called the "Superspeedway Challenge" championship, basically a separate system for Tona, Dega, Pocono, & Michigan... so 5 races.

 

[MattSRD28]

Typical open wheel overthought. They make the hugest deals over the tiniest nuances.

 

[dalejrgamer]

It's not a good idea, but it's not a bad one either. The IRL is doing everything it takes just to get more viewers.

(don't bother using this post to prove your point, CCF)

 

[taz1458]

I think it is interesting. Not a stupid one, but not the greatest thing I've heard of either.

 

[MillsLayne]

Indy needs to can most of the road courses anyway. The series was WAY better when it was just all ovals anyways. Better finishes, closer racing, etc. I think it's currently 10 rc's to 8 ovals. Crap.

 

[moppenheimer]

Indy needs to can most of the road courses anyway. The series was WAY better when it was just all ovals anyways. Better finishes, closer racing, etc. I think it's currently 10 rc's to 8 ovals. Crap.

The best time in American open wheel racing was CART from 1992-1998, when, and no suprise here, the schedule was a 50-50 balance. This isnt Nascar, not every finish is going to be super close after a debris caution caused a GWC. Indycar has a rich history of running on both types of tracks, and that is what makes it unique.

Plus, did you watch the IRL from 1996-2005 when it was all ovals? Talk about crap....

 

[MillsLayne]

The best time in American open wheel racing was CART from 1992-1998, when, and no suprise here, the schedule was a 50-50 balance. This isnt Nascar, not every finish is going to be super close after a debris caution caused a GWC. Indycar has a rich history of running on both types of tracks, and that is what makes it unique.

Plus, did you watch the IRL from 1996-2005 when it was all ovals? Talk about crap....

Actually, I watched both CART and IRL around those times and I gotta say the IRL racing was far better on the ovals than CART on the road courses. Don't get me wrong, I love road courses (not street courses, btw, those suck). They're fun to race on and can provide some good, technical battles, but, and this is just how I feel personally, nothing compares to good close battles on an oval. Some of the closest finishes have happened on ovals, IRL and NASCAR.

 

[g-man24]

Indycar has a rich history of running on both types of tracks, and that is what makes it unique.

They also used to run dirt tracks that counted toward the championship. I'd love to see that happen but there's about as much chance of that happening as there is Milka Dunno winning a race!

 

[moppenheimer]

Actually, I watched both CART and IRL around those times and I gotta say the IRL racing was far better on the ovals than CART on the road courses. Don't get me wrong, I love road courses (not street courses, btw, those suck). They're fun to race on and can provide some good, technical battles, but, and this is just how I feel personally, nothing compares to good close battles on an oval. Some of the closest finishes have happened on ovals, IRL and NASCAR.

The problem isnt about which is better( I like both for different reasons). Both series tried the RC only or Oval only route. They ended up having to merge to keep from dying. The only reason they happened to keep the IRL name was the 500.

There are enough fans on each side of the coin, that by having a mix of rc's and ovals, you get the maximum. Diversity is will keep the series thriving, and will allow it to return to the pre 1996 success.

 

[Shift]

The best time in American open wheel racing was CART from 1992-1998, when, and no suprise here, the schedule was a 50-50 balance. This isnt Nascar, not every finish is going to be super close after a debris caution caused a GWC. Indycar has a rich history of running on both types of tracks, and that is what makes it unique.

Plus, did you watch the IRL from 1996-2005 when it was all ovals? Talk about crap....

Like I said in The Random Thought Thread...I miss the old CART series...Dang you George.

 

[moppenheimer]

Like I said in The Random Thought Thread...I miss the old CART series...Dang you George.

At least weve got youtube...and RU if ya have it

 

[g-man24]

Like I said in The Random Thought Thread...I miss the old CART series...Dang you George.

I miss the old USAC series....Dang you CART!:arghh:

 

[MattSRD28]

There are enough fans on each side of the coin, that by having a mix of rc's and ovals, you get the maximum. Diversity is will keep the series thriving, and will allow it to return to the pre 1996 success.

I agree. So why bother inventing these new titles at all? These titles just seem to polarize both sides against each other.

 

[moppenheimer]

I agree. So why bother inventing these new titles at all? These titles just seem to polarize both sides against each other.

I could see where it would do that, but i think what it will do is give some guys who could never win the overall title a chance at something( RHR, Conway, perhaps Power(we'll see how he goes on the ovals))

Though that may just be wishful thinking.

 

[Fisha695]

The only reason they happened to keep the IRL name was the 500.

No they kept the IRL name becasue when Champcar died the IRL bought their assets...

I agree. So why bother inventing these new titles at all? These titles just seem to polarize both sides against each other.

All they really did is legitimize something that the fans have been thinking for years... You know that whole "Well if it was only these races so & so would be the champ".

Fans do it with NASCAR too sort-of... "Take out the stupid road courses and so & so would have won the championship" or ""Take out the stupid Plate Tracks and so & so would have won the championship". Hell if you think about it fans do it with most forms of sports, and well the IRL is the first sanctioning body to truly acknowledge it other then ARCA with their Superspeedway Challenge Championship for their top series.

While there is no doubt that the winners fans will look at these championships as bigger then the overall one... as long as the IRL does not promote them as higher then their overall one it shouldn't be a problem.

The only problem I see with this is that they introduced it right before the first oval swing of the season, when Power is 1st, RHR is 2nd & Wilson is 3rd... To me that is sort of a slap in the face to those teams and their fans, kinda saying "We know they're gonna suck for the next handful of races so we'll give them this consolation prize".

 

[celticfang]

I should point out F1 ran a cup for NA cars during the turbo era. That awarded an actual champion. With prize money

Also NASCAR sort of does it with the chase, you have the 'regular season' then the 'chase'

IMO it's a good idea in theory. but it may polarize fans

 

[MillsLayne]

I should point out F1 ran a cup for NA cars during the turbo era. That awarded an actual champion. With prize money

Also NASCAR sort of does it with the chase, you have the 'regular season' then the 'chase'

IMO it's a good idea in theory. but it may polarize fans

I think NASCAR also awards the 13th place points position at the end of the Chase with prize money, at least they used to.

 

[moppenheimer]

@Fisha, i sort of worded it wrong, i meant, that if CC had had the 500, the merger wouldve gone that way.