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Originally Posted by LEADERS EDGE
I hate to see any team to out of business. Especially one that was a full time deal for a young American driver.
Anybody ever ask the question why corporations will spend 25 to 30 mil a year to sponsor a Sprint Cup team but won't spend 5 to 7 mil to do a full time Indy Car deal? Easier to get funding for a truck or Xfinity team.
Some companies will spend more money on Super Bowl commercials then it takes to do a full Indy Car season.
What is it they don't trust about Indycar? It's not engine leases, the country the driver comes from or that the Indy Mile isn't on the schedule. It goes deeper than that.
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I will preface this response by saying that I am not a NASCAR advocate nor am I an IndyCar hater.
Over simplifying the answer here, but the reason companies are willing to sponsor a NASCAR team over an IndyCar team is all about the number of people that will see their logo. Look at the overall attendance for NASCAR vs. IndyCar. Look at the TV ratings for the two series. NASCAR has 36 races, IndyCar 16. The IndyCar season starts in March and will end in 2016 in mid September. NASCAR starts racing in mid February and won't finish until mid November. All of that equals exposure for the company that is shelling out sponsorship money.
There is one other thing that deserves some comment here, and that is how the drivers relate to the sponsors and the paying public. Helio Castroneves and Juan Pablo Montoya are probably the two most popular drivers in IndyCar. How many national commercials have you seen them in? Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and others have all had national commercials in the last 3 years. During the racing season, MOST (not all I realize!) of the NASCAR drivers live in the Charlotte area, the hub of NASCAR. Only a few of the IndyCar drivers reside in the Indianapolis area during the season.
IndyCar will be poorer with the loss of Sarah Fisher, because she was relatable. She worked her tail off as a driver and an owner and found success because of it. But in big business in America, effort doesn't always translate to success or happiness.