Gateway Overnights

[Treeface]

0.8 rating and 2 share

Factor in the usual NASCAR markets slip for the final. Yikes. Boy did that moron screw "Indy Style" oval racing. Folks they got clobbered by a road race (W-Glen 5.0 rating and 12 share). :laugh: I don't think recovery is possible at this point.

[Chitowncartfreak]

Apparently you saw my other thread on my feelings towards the use of the phrase "Indy Style." Thanks.:)

[cart7]

It's becoming more official each race. Tg is finally returning the Champ car/Indy car/championship trail, or whatever you want to call it, to the same insignificance that it had prior to 1979 when Gurney wrote the white paper. Perhaps Tony had a powder induced vision years ago where Grandpa "spoke" to him and wanted him to exact revenge for the formation of Cart. Too bad he's taken his crown jewel down with Cart and given Nascar, the guys Grandpa threw out of IMS, the keys to eventually take over Memorial day. It kinda validates the old adage that the 3rd generation usually ruins the family business. :gomer:

[DaveL]

The silver lining is that the rate of decline will taper off as there are fewer groups of fans left to alienate. Tony lost us in 1995 when we saw it for the power grab with no real purpose, and he's losing those who thought that it was for benefit of the "grass roots" and all that comes with it. All that is left are the die hards who think Anton can do no wrong and everything is just fine.

Which brings up another point. Those Lemmings who are so quick to blame everything that has gone wrong with CART on its leadership are the first to excuse Idiotgrandson of any blame for the failures of the IRL. Interesting, no?

But back to the IRL, just like they did with CART, sponsors are not going to be willing to shell out money for a series that draws 30,000 people (with Lord knows how many freebees) and sub 1.0 network ratings. When the IRL implodes because no sponsors feel it worth the money, Indy goes down with it.

Thanks for saving Indy and the sport Tony. We knew we could trust you.

[JSR]

.8 sucks :thumdown:

[eiregosod]

Originally posted by DaveL
Which brings up another point. Those Lemmings who are so quick to blame everything that has gone wrong with CART on its leadership are the first to excuse Idiotgrandson of any blame for the failures of the IRL. Interesting, no?


WEll said! :thumbup:

The lemmings blame ABC for not doing anything, ABC did nothing with CART, now they're surprised that hey're nothing with their league!

ABC is paying more ($15m a year, if one believes the lemmings) for less audience! Their only saving grace might be the manufacturer involvment, but they wont stick around forever!

[SteveH]

Originally posted by DaveL
But back to the IRL, just like they did with CART, sponsors are not going to be willing to shell out money for a series that draws 30,000 people (with Lord knows how many freebees) and sub 1.0 network ratings. When the IRL implodes because no sponsors feel it worth the money, Indy goes down with it.

Thanks for saving Indy and the sport Tony. We knew we could trust you.

How far are we away from seeing smaller fields in the irl, but more Indy only entries? Why spend the money to sponsor an entire season when no one watches on TV or from the stands?

I thought the mega-bucks from Toyota and Honda were going to push the irl over the top this year. Free tickets, more sponsorship dollars, more of everything. Yet, the series has the same flat line that it did last year. With all the additional corporate support a case could be made that the irl has actually lost ground this year.

Tony fixed the sport, just like our two dogs. All three have been neutered.

[DaveL]

Originally posted by SteveH
]How far are we away from seeing smaller fields in the irl, but more Indy only entries?

I don't think that will happen either, Steve.

A sponsor needs a good reason to shell out the coin it takes to spend 3 weeks and Indy and put a credible effort on the track. Sponsors only pay for exposure and exposure only comes from running up front. If Indy is the 35th rated auto race each year (behind all of the NASCAR races) and the ratings keep going down, it will be awfully hard to sell a sponsor on backing a team for that one race when they can get more exposure at less cost for sponsoring a NASCAR one-off.

As it is, the IRL only has 21 cars on the grid. If the regular field gets smaller then they'd need a whole second field of cars (at least) just to fill the Indy grid, much less bump cars out of the race. Ain't gonna happen.

The level to which Tony has effed things up can not be understated and is yet to dawn on the Lemmings. Maybe they'll realize it when only 24 cars take the green at Indy in the not so distant future.

[RaceGrrl]

Originally posted by DaveL
The level to which Tony has effed things up can not be understated and is yet to dawn on the Lemmings. Maybe they'll realize it when only 24 cars take the green at Indy in the not so distant future.

It will never dawn on them. When your head is that far up Tony's butt, you can't see the daylight.

Lemmings are oblivious to the truth. If TG tells them that it's good to only have 24 cars in the 500, they'll think it was the greatest thing since Sarah Fisher.

[devilmaster]

Originally posted by DaveL
Maybe they'll realize it when only 24 cars take the green at Indy in the not so distant future.

And there is the sad state of affairs.

I came into this sport because of Indy, watching Mario get punted out by Cogan, Danny's spin and win, etc.etc.etc. (i'm relatively young). And saying to myself at 7 and 8 years old that someday, I will be at that race, not knowing where exactly in the states it was. I will get to see it. How jealous I felt when my good friend, who isn't a race fan, went to it in 95 while I was at sea with the Navy. And how, now, I don't ever want to go in its current format.

Before I knew about the politics, the USAC deaths, the White Paper, and all that jazz, I was a simple fan of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

And there in lies the rub for CART fans. Very simply, the lemmings can sit there and say it wasn't CART's right to break away in 79. But under CART's watch, Indy did NOT lose massive amount of ratings every year, Indy did NOT lose sponsors, Indy did NOT fail to sellout, Indy did NOT lose, well, being The Indy.

Can't say those things since 96. And whether you're a CART fan or an IRL fan, we all have to agree, thats just plain wrong.

Steve

[sundaydriver]

When ABC rips up the TV contract and Toyota and Honda move on to greener pastures, the Idiotgrandson will have completed his mission. Completely F**king up the Indy 500. :shakehead

At that point, Bill France moves in and provides the final blow, tin tops at the Indy 500. :shakehead

Way to go Anton, you're a real smart guy. :thumbup:

[JSR]

Originally posted by RaceGrrl
If TG tells them that it's good to only have 24 cars in the 500, they'll think it was the greatest thing since Sarah Fisher.

A bit of an exageration don't you think?

[racer2c]

This years Indy was the most propped up in the history of the event. Next year should or rather will be even worse. I have seen the auto-racing media starting to report the obvious, that the Vision was a lie and Tony has damaged the sport possibly to the point of oblivion, but for every one of those articles, there are still four more that proclaim Tony and his sandbox 'the' place to be. That's the power Honda and Toyota and the power of 'perception'. Big CART championship teams defect. Big CART suppliers and sponsors defect. World known racers defect. Tony has broken the core of sport to an abysmal state and yet the aforementioned still give the perception that all is right in Tonyland.

Tony did everything wrong and continues doing just that., where if he even did half of it right he would have garnered more of the existing open wheel fans and would have been creating many more. The marketing is nil, the satellite races are mere busy work until May and the Big Show itself is undeniably a shadow of it's former self. I am positive that there are more than a few in the IRL paddock scratching their collective heads wondering what is going on. Tony has the Big Show, championship CART teams, world-class drivers, hey, we're supposed to be in a pre '95 stats by now! Right?

As much as CART has undergone it's changes, good or bad, over the last few years, one thing I am thankful for and that I love in it's current state is that the Indycentrics have departed and the remaining teams and new additions are there for one reason, the passion of Champ Car racing on the unique and challenging circuits. Sponsorship is a racing fact of life, but if I ever hear Pimpski or Mickey spew out their "we need to go where our sponsors want us to go" I'm going to throw up. In Champ Car racing we have sponsorless cars owned by people who are there for one reason…REAL RACING, REAL SPORT.

[RaceGrrl]

Originally posted by JSR
A bit of an exageration don't you think?

Nope.

[JSR]

Originally posted by RaceGrrl
Nope.

Do you know any "lemmings" personally?

[FTG]

I also dreamed of going to the 500. Saving up my money, so I could afford the outrageously priced hotels and the huge price for scalped tickets.

I wouldn't go now if I had free tickets and one of the Hulmans let me crash at their place. Greed and stupidity are an unbelievably destructive combination.

[devilmaster]

Originally posted by JSR
Do you know any "lemmings" personally?

http://www.xeye.org/1995-2000/Pictures/Lemmings/Waving.gif

They're cute little things, you can tell them to climb walls, build bridges, tunnel sideways, dig down, mine down, and/or you can make them believe that sarah fisher is the real deal, and that 9.0 ratings to 4.5 ratings is called 'progress'.

The funniest thing is when you say that the Indy 500 is dying they cover their ears, shake hard for 5 seconds and then blow up! That was the wierdest thing i've ever seen! Rather kill themselves than hear the truth! :eek:

Steve

[JSR]

I probably should be clear in saying that I meant IRL "lemmings". I am sure she knows CART "lemmings" Both sides have em.

[devilmaster]

Originally posted by JSR
I probably should be clear in saying

Why start now? :confused:

Besides only 'IRL' lemmings (as you put it) would believe DNFisher is the real deal.

Steve

[JSR]

Originally posted by devilmaster
Why start now? :confused:



Steve

You seem to have a real problem with me. Why is that?

[devilmaster]

Originally posted by JSR
You seem to have a real problem with me. Why is that?


Originally posted by JSR
I probably should be clear in saying that I meant IRL "lemmings". I am sure she knows CART "lemmings" Both sides have em


I make a joke, and you come back with your version of 'I know you are, but what am I?"

So Weak. Remember, you're supposed to have thick skin, or so you said.

Steve

[JSR]

Originally posted by devilmaster
I make a joke, and you come back with your version of 'I know you are, but what am I?"

So Weak. Remember, you're supposed to have thick skin, or so you said.

Steve

How am I supposed to know if you are joking or not? It isn't like I know you or something.

[Turn7]

I had a dog one time that always wanted to be petted. Even though he wasn't a bad dog, he wanted so much attention that he was obnoxious and you just hated to deal with him.

Anybody else run across a situation similar to that?

[devilmaster]

Before this thread gets deleted, I will say this. You ask the question in public, you get your answer in public.

I will openly apologise to WB for my part in this thread going off topic. Sorry dude.

Steve

[JSR]

Originally posted by devilmaster
Before this thread gets deleted, I will say this. You ask the question in public, you get your answer in public.

I will openly apologise to WB for my part in this thread going off topic. Sorry dude.

Steve

These lemmings that you know personally. Why don't you ask them what they would think of the Indy500 having only 24 cars. I don't think you will find one that will think that it is ok.

[Turn7]

Chico the chihuahua was his name. He has been dead for 20 years or so now....I don't know why that annoying little critter keeps popping into my mind. He sure did want some attention though when he was alive.

(The above is "CART Lemming" for "h" or "Pfffftttt.)

[JoeBob]

Originally posted by JSR
These lemmings that you know personally. Why don't you ask them what they would think of the Indy500 having only 24 cars. I don't think you will find one that will think that it is ok.

Then, they're not lemmings. :D The "lemmings" are the folks who act like whatever Tony George says is right, even if he said the opposite last week.

Not all IRL fans are "lemmings," however, all lemmings are IRL fans. (IIRC, ostriches are the CART equivalent of lemmings.)

[devilmaster]

sheesh! :rolleyes:

Final post from me on this. Life's too short.

The whole lemming post? it was a joke. they way you asked made me think of the game, and it struck me as funny. Didn't for you I guess. Oh well, I'm not going to apologise for my sense of humour.

I guess i've really struck a nerve with ya. :rolleyes: You wanna keep talking, PM me. I'll happily say what I need to say there. That way, 'your think skin' won't have to be shown taking a beating.

Steve

[JSR]

Originally posted by devilmaster
sheesh! :rolleyes:

Final post from me on this.



I guess i've really struck a nerve with ya.

Steve

Are you sure? It's been so much fun.


You did not strike a nerve. The comment about 24 cars being OK did.

[JSR]

Originally posted by devilmaster
Remember, you're supposed to have thick skin,

Steve

Remember, I said pretty thick skin. Not steel. An IRL fan would have to have pretty thick skin to even come near the other racing forum. Even you must admit that. Well you don't have to but it's true.

[WickerBill]

I'm not having a very good day.

No power in my house, worm spreading throughout my workplace (although not on the servers I command, ha!), stuck at home with all three kids while wife is out and about, using up my laptop battery, dialed into the internet cause my cablemodem has no power, I'm on induction in Atkins and REALLY craving my Diet Coke and some bread.

So when you see this thread is closed, instead of just guessing that I'm grumpy or bitchy, you know for sure, k?

WB