IndyCar to return to PIR?
After the split, the IRL races provided dismal crowds and crashfest racing. There was always a lot of on track antics and comedy with the IRL at Phoenix. The standing joke was that you could throw a hand grenade in the stands and not kill anybody during an IRL race.
NASCAR and ISC killed open wheel racing in Phoenix as well as ruining one of the best open wheel races in the country, The Copper World Classic. The Copper World was one of the best motorsports events that I have ever worked and attended.
I know that the standard party line is not to question the IRL or the supposed re-unification but just forget the past and all of the crimes committed against the sport of Indy Car racing. When Champ Car ventured into the Phoenix market it was met with much animosity from ISC and the NASCAR cartel. AR1 reported all of the dirty dealings going on in Phoenix at the time. Even Sheriff Joe was going to shut down the Champ Car race if the noise affected his 911 center. The cartel even tried to pass a city ordinance banning racing except at permanent track facilities. And while Champ Car was celebrating great racing and a huge crowd in Holland, they were notified while out of the country the Phoenix race was canceled.
Nice. Now who do you suppose had their handprints all over that deal? Phoenix is nothing but a NASCAR track with a NASCAR crowd. The days of great racing at that track are long gone. It is all about money and NASCAR. Good Luck to the IRL in returning. Maybe Danica can draw a few more hard-core fans. She has bumped Gene Simmons out of the way and Danica can now say "I am Indy." Feel The Speed, Bill Kinsey
05/30/08 Thursday night of Phoenix International Raceway's April NASCAR weekend has featured a regional stock car series. Track President Bryan Sperber had another concept.
IndyCars.
Sperber said he floated that unusual idea with Indy Racing League executives to determine if the series could return to PIR in 2009 after a four-year absence. That was suggested, yes," admitted Terry Angstadt, president of the IRL's commercial division. "I didn't think that would be appropriate, to run on a Thursday night, for what we think is a pretty well-positioned and featured event."
Angstadt, however, said the series still "would love" to include PIR on next year's projected 18- race schedule.
Angstadt proposed a date in late February. Sperber said: "We looked at that. I can't remember the exact details from the conversation. For whatever reasons, there were some challenges."
A.J. Foyt won the first of PIR's 61 Indy-style races in 1964. The four-time Indy 500 winner said he wants to return to PIR but reacted negatively to the Thursday idea.
"I don't think they (IRL) should even consider it," said Foyt, whose ABC Supply Co. Dallara-Honda finished ninth in last Sunday's Indy 500 with driver Darren Manning. "It's not a good date. People can't afford to go then, taking off work and all."
Sperber tried to deflect controversy: "I wouldn't get too hung up on this Thursday night thing . . . There were a number of scenarios that were brainstormed. I wouldn't say that it went much further than that."
But, after adding he hadn't spoken with NASCAR or other stakeholders, Sperber defended his position: "I happen to think it was a phenomenal idea."
Why?
"I benchmarked NFL Thursday night games," he said. "The NFL has had a lot of success in carving out the prime spot on Thursday night on television and in the world of sports. That is something people look forward to. I thought, if we were able to work everything out, we could have the IRL be a prime-time television event on a NASCAR weekend.
"There are so many open-wheel drivers in NASCAR now, there might be some interest in cross-promotions and, who knows, maybe a driver or two might want to get behind the wheel. If nothing else, I have to imagine Sam Hornish and Dario Franchitti and Juan Pablo (Montoya) would at least want to be around to say hello to their friends and could be part of pre-race.
"Lastly, I thought it would be an interesting opportunity from a sponsorship standpoint, where sponsors from both series might have an interest in having their guests watch other races. And it would make a compelling destination story for folks outside the area." AZcentral.com