MarioMania: What Does It Mean?

[Chief]

Wow, quite a turn of events in one day. I've watched, read all or most all of the media and message boards and came away with the impression Mario is a super hero. Railbird has labeled him as "old school". The Indy faithful are rallying that this is second coming of the "old days". I can't disagree.

So, what does it all mean? It's surreal for sure, and to borrow a phrase from the movie Wizard of Oz, 'there's no place like home". Look, I'm no lover of Indy since 1996 but that was the most excitement to radiate from Indy SINCE Mario retired. Doesn't this event squarely bring into focus the desparate situation the Indy 500 is in and expose it's failures since 1996???

[Racewriter]

Originally posted by Chief
Doesn't this event squarely bring into focus the desparate situation the Indy 500 is in and expose it's failures since 1996???

More like Indy Car's collective failures since 1986 or so. If it demonstrates nothing else, it demonstrates that IndyCar/ChampCar/IRL/CART/Whatthe"f"ever they call it this week has not created a single driver who carries the interest of the top '70s generation of drivers. The interest would have been roughly the same if that had been Big Al, Bobby, AJ, or JR getting into that car.

[pchall]

Originally posted by Racewriter
...IndyCar/ChampCar/IRL/CART/Whatthe"f"ever they call it this week has not created a single driver who carries the interest of the top '70s generation of drivers...

Stuff and nonsense.

Twenty years from now we would react the same if Mears or Montoya or Zanardi or Vasser or Tracy tried something just as stupid.

[Racewriter]

Originally posted by pchall
Stuff and nonsense.

Twenty years from now we would react the same if Mears or Montoya or Zanardi or Vasser or Tracy tried something just as stupid.

Twenty years from now Montoya, Zanardi, Vasser, and Tracy will be only slightly less known than they are now. Sorry - it's the truth. The series Montoya, Vasser, and Tracy run in (F1 and CART) can't even draw half a million viewers per race on TV. Not even close.

Mears? A legend. But the last one.

[racer2c]

Not Juan. F1 made him a name known to billions. Climb out of your NASCAR mentality.

[Racewriter]

Originally posted by racer2c
Not Juan. F1 made him a name known to billions. Climb out of your NASCAR mentality.

Sorry. I meant to say, "In the United States." Which is, after all, the market that Indy Racing lives in. But I'm sure you knew that, right?

[pchall]

"Big Al, Bobby, AJ, or JR"

Who?

Sorry, more people will have seen my list CART racers in action on TV and in person than ever saw those guys. They are only legends in Marion County.

[JLMannin]

Originally posted by Racewriter
More like Indy Car's collective failures since 1986 or so. Blah, blah, blah, whatever

Quit drinking the Kool-Aide. :shakehead :flame: :mad: US based formula car racing went in the ****ter in 1996 with the announcement of 25-8. The decline began in 1995 with the announcement that TG was going to spawn the irl into existance.

The late 80's and early 90's were the golden age of US based furmula car racing, and this was brought about by CART. From 1992 to 1995, winning the PPG Cup was at least as significant and winning the 500. That is why TG created a series of piss-ant, insignificant, meaningless races centered around and paying homage to the mighty, infallable yard-o-bricks. :thumdown: :saywhat:

[cart7]

originally posted by JLMannin
Quit drinking the Kool-Aide.

Trust me, Racewriter has never touched the stuff. ;)

[racer2c]

Originally posted by Racewriter
Sorry. I meant to say, "In the United States." Which is, after all, the market that Indy Racing lives in. But I'm sure you knew that, right?

Helps to clarify. As a write, I'm sure you know that. ;) :gomer:

[skidmarks]

I don't think it is a condemnation of the current state of Formula Car Racing (although that does have it's problems). It speaks to the living legend, Mario Andretti is a cliche for driving fast, i.e. Who do you think you are Mario Andretti? Try inserting any other name and it just doesn't work - Who do you think you are Jeff Gordon? Response - :saywhat: Are you calling me gay?

Who do you think you are Sam Hornish? :saywhat: Who? Are you calling me a goat?

Who do you think you are Richard Petty? :confused:

Who do you think you are AJ Foyt? Only works when someone cuts at the buffet line.

Who do you think you are Michael Schumacher? :mad: You sayin' I cheated? But does work when cut off in traffic.

Mario won in every series, so is known to all sports fans. If anyone else could jump from Champcars to NASCAR then to F1, then to sportscars and win in every series they too would become a legend.

Who do I think I am Brock Yates? - damnforeignridebuyinsumbit ... oh nevermind.