MILLER: My IndyCar Fixes For Only $29.95

Robin Miller shares his thoughts on the BCG report.

Robin Miller | Posted March 04, 2013

Robin Miller joined Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain to discuss his thoughts on the BCG report. (Photo: SPEED)

You can argue that the Boston Consulting Group’s 115-page report to resurrect Indy car racing is either a smart, radial plan that needs to be embraced immediately or it’s the biggest waste of money since Gene Simmons launched the “I Am Indy” campaign.

I’m leaning towards Kissing $1.2 million goodbye for something I’d be happy to do for $29.95.

So, going by The Associated Press’ story (it was the only media outlet the report was leaked to), let’s break down the main points and see where we differ.

BCG: Shorten the season from April to August with 15 races in 19 weeks and a three-race playoff with the finale on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course because the series does not have a mechanism to “create suspense” and has its lowest TV ratings at the end of the season.

RM: No, if anything the season needs to be lengthened (six months off is bad for business) and IndyCar needs to start in February – before the Daytona 500 if possible. Playoffs? Playoffs? We don’t need no stinkin’ playoffs (the IndyCar championship has been decided in the last race the past five years so suspense hasn’t been the problem). And your TV ratings are always going to be lower going up against college and pro football. As for putting Indy cars on the IMS road course, get serious. That track made Formula One look slow and Indy cars only belong at IMS once a year in May on the oval. Look it up, it’s worked for a few years.

BCG: Suggests racing at Phoenix, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Seattle.

RM: History lesson. Phoenix was gangbusters for USAC/CART before The Split and simply a bust for the Indy Racing League. The Miami street race was a hit but Homestead was missing anything resembling a crowd before it went away. Atlanta didn’t draw whether it was USAC, CART or IRL and nobody cares about open wheel in that city. Loudon is the closest thing to Boston and it had 50,000 before The Split and 5,000 afterwards so maybe a street race in Boston is the plan. A Chicago street race would likely work but good luck with the politics and Chicagoland in Joliet started OK before fading away. Seattle? Maybe the old Kent road course is being revived.

BCG: Proposed an international series of races in the off-season.

RM: Let’s see, you’re nearly invisible in your North American home so you go to Europe and kick ass? Maybe if all the races were in Australia and New Zealand it could fly but can’t imagine too many sponsors being thrilled.

BCG: A new marketing strategy promoting IndyCar’s Daredevils and focus on winning at thrilling speeds as a way to distinguish IndyCar from NASCAR’s “amusing entertainment of off-track drama and partying.”

RM: Indy car racing has always been faster and more dangerous than stock cars so what now, shoot drivers out of a cannon in pre-race introductions and put a ramp on the front stretch at Iowa? Joie Chitwood works in NASCAR now.

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Robin Miller

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