Indiana Open Wheel - The Great Name Debate

Originally Posted by :
The average fan may know what it is, and the family who heard an ad on the radio about a race, wont care what it is... They're just there to be entertained by the stars and cars of that particular series.

The answer to this question lies in this response^^^.

How would you describe this class(es) to someone who knows a sprint car as 'That thing with the fin on top'? So, lets use that as a baseline or 'control'. The easy ones are wheelbase, weight, and horsepower. (Compare the triple crown of USAC). Then, WoO is a sprint car with a wing. Easy. 4 divisions now easily explained to the Suburban Dad. Nothing confusing about upright, chain/shaft driven, self starting, blah blah blah...

Now for the lightning/mini/micro/midget debate, same thing. Wheelbase, weight, and HP. That leaves us with Midgets and Micros. Use Winged and Non winged as you see fit.

Now, of course a poll on IOW wont stop this discussion. The pit chatter will still continue on. But who cares. We wrench em, drive em, crash em, and do it all over again. BUT its the first timer Joe Kahki in the stands with his 2 young kids is who needs to be able to see this through a clear lens and know what the hell he looking at for his FIRST time at the track. Its all goes back around to the eyes in the stands. Yeah, we've been doing this a long time. The same fans have been coming for 40, 50, 70, 90, 200 years.. I get that. But do we really wanna make an experience at the track for a first timer a confusing one with all the technical specs on a specific racecar? Let him cruise the pits and learn on his own terms before he writes a check and puts Johnny Kahki in the seat.

Gotta assume theres a first timer at every weekly show. Realistically, and wishfully. :22:

-Justin