Pretty easy to sum it up. They tried. If you went into it thinking it was going to be a perfect event, not sure what to tell you. I have no complaints, they tried. If the event came back next year in exactly the same form, I doubt I'd go back. That's not a complaint. It just didn't work. It was 50/50 going in that it would work... Had a great day with people I don't see in the winter. So it was a good day overall.
This will NEVER hapen at Lucas Oil Stadium because of logistics during PRI. I was happy to see someone try this a race in December in Indiana during PRI. Hopefully they can work out some of the Problems and try this again.
This race might not have gone exactly as planned but the idea was great and I think they did a good job promoting the event. I don't think we should be complaining about the co stoppages because if the fire Marshall is there and says they have to stop then it is what it is. I got to spend the day in Indy drinking beer and eating good food so I don't think I wasted my money or my time.
My final thoughts; The cleaning bill from the stadium owners is going to be astronomical.
The venue is use to sweeping up some trash after a basketball game. I doubt they are prepared to remove the thick layer of dust that covered every nook and cranny of the stadium. Dust may rain down from the rafters into basketball fan's beers for months. I hope round ball fans learn to appreciate dirt seasoned beer as much as we dirt track fans do.
Something to ponder for those who said last night was "good for racing".
As I posted earlier, I am thankful that we have people willing to try to put on a good show in Decemeber and I know people worked their tails off. Got to see friends from all over the state and talk to some drivers I don't get to a normal basis.
The bottom line was last night was a disappointment. The thing is, the majority of us here aren't going to stop attending races because of it, most people that post on IOW are dedicated fans to all forms of open wheel racing.
The problem is the folks who aren't hardcore fans who showed up last night.
For instance, there was a couple with two younger children sitting in front of us (probably 5 & 7 or around there). I talked to the dad, it was their first time ever coming to a race, besides the Indy 500, from Columbus, IN.
So sitting there with us that would have been $140 in tickets. Mom and dad both had a few beers plus a few pops later on, of course the kids wanted nachos or popcorn plus a pop or two so there's probably another $50-75 bucks considering a beer was $7.50 alone.
When someone says that's good for racing, how do you think those folks felt? Do you think an event like that is going to make them want to go to another race? Paying $200+ not factoring in their time and gas money. My first thought would be no, and why should they? The product was not good.
Standing in line waiting for a beer during one of the many delays a gentleman asked me if DuQuion or Tulsa was this bad. I responded not even close and they are both races he should attend at least once, he wouldn't be disappointed. Going forward he explained he'd never been to an indoor race and this one had left a sour enough taste in his mouth he wouldn't be back for another even though I pointed out those events were the complete opposites of last night's fiasco.
Like I said, most here that I know are huge fans. Met plenty of you at tracks all over from Kokomo to Lawrenceburg. The bad part about all of this is the people that were first timers got robbed and because of that I know for sure there are a lot of those types that won't ever return to a track because of it.
So I'm not sure how it's good for the sport. Yes, it may have helped "grow the sport" for the night but I cannot see how it helps in the long run when the majority of the attendees are disgruntled.
Just something I thought about waking up this morning and reading more thoughts and comments about last night.
