i would just as soon they run for the pole 2 weeks before the race still. as for the excitement not being there? i have not missed a 500 or a pole weekend since 1978. it's always exciting! i've always thought the formation of cart in 79 started all the bad ******** of the 500. if anything the break-away original owner(s) of cart have now come full circle. cart people should not complain. the IRL looks a whole lot like cart/champ car looked in the 90's.