[darnall]

Originally Posted by Panama [B][U] Bring back is Gene Simons.....................Kiddin' just Kiddin'

You guys remember the night Gene was on Wind Tunnel? Remember how he told Despain that the IRL was headed towards more American drivers as evidenced by the success of Paul Tracy and Scott Dixon.....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

My hope for the new guy is that he remembers the PBR being successful on dirt and brings the dirt mile tracks back to the championship schedule!!! Then we could watch Sarah lap the field while continuing to laugh at Milka gettin lapped every 8-10 laps. Wouldn't need the 100 pound PR machine anymore.

[Vertigo]

Will there be a clown in a barrel in the middle of each turn now?

[openwheelKT]

The way I look at it, they need a marketing guy. A true marketing guy can market anything. They don't need to know EVERYTHING about the product as long as they have people around them that do.

The board didn't like what a racing guy was doing so going with a marketing guy seems to be the exact opposite (TG was and would never be that guy...just not his personality). If you're going to make a change, then you need to make a total change IMO. No idea if it will work or help, but you might as well try something different if you didn't like the results before. I personally would rather have a guy that knows the sport in charge, but I'll give the guy a chance. His job is to market (since he doesn't know anything about the sport) so we'll see what happens.

[midgetmaniac]

Originally Posted by Blackduce Maybe this guy was holding the right hand at the meetings. Gosh, how many guys does it take to replace Tony. Lynn

That is exactly what I was thinking?

[LEADERS EDGE]

I have a good feeling about this deal. Bull riding is a little different in terms of the sport consists of short bursts of actual competition. As we know, racing is more about duration.

Bull riding is similar in terms that it like racing is considered a "tough" sport. Now I know Danica and Weldon aren't exactly lumberjacks, but that is the perception of racing.

Why I like it is because the PBR is very successful, but it like racing had been around for years. It isn't like it's a new concept, they took an existing concept and built it up from there.

The IZOD sponsorship is bigger than most people realize and they are spending big money betting on Indy Cars.

About the miles: I love the miles and the cars and I feel that the best drivers win on them, but if they are so popular and important; how come no one is coming to watch them? Don't get me wrong; I want them to be successful; but the reality is that they aren't.

My only questions are: Who is going to be the one in the barrell and how are the cards going to stay on the poker table as the cars pass by?

[v8j]

WE ARE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS racing has gotten away from that this guys luck or success with the PBR is great I hope he can bring some success to open wheel racing usac and others should take notes

[brian26]

how come those women aren't coming down here?most of them thar bulls are raised and kept 10 miles from my house in Oklahoma.

[ktsr]

I know this guy personally. I used to produce PBR Bud Light Cup events when it was on TNN. When Randy came to the PBR from the CA. State Fair Board, he took over from a CEO that was a RODEO guy that understood the sport. Randy only dealt with the PBR when they were part of the state fair. The bull riders that started the PBR saw the marketing potential this guy had and brought him on board to do what they couldn't seem to accomplish, (they were bull riders, not marketing gurus). He took over and turned riders into household names. The PBR and the IRL are very similar in marketing scope, we need to have a group of drivers that america has to see every week. That is what he created with the PBR riders, many from Brazil, Canada, and yes, the United States. He will be the guy, if any, that can possibly bring back American drivers to the IRL. How you may ask. He is very good at aligning sponsors with the Business as well as a certain driver. It's called marketing leverage, and he is a master of that.

Give this guy a little time to figure out all the holes of the IRL and You may see that this just may have been one of the wisest decisions they have made yet. He will figure them out and make some bold decisions whether popular or not and turn this ship around and give it some hope of not sinking like the titanic. USAC openwheel drivers may just have some hope again.

Kevin Thomas, Sr.
256-339-7125