Answers
7/7/2008I get asked a lot of questions about racing. Here are some answers . . . whether you asked . . . or not.
Infineon proved again a road course should not be part of the Chase.
Maybe it's because of its heritage, but I find the NASCAR races at Watkins Glen more interesting than Sears Point.
Ryan Newman might become the first driver ever to decide he doesn't want to drive for Roger Penske.
Kurt Busch is more irritated about not running well than being asked about brother Kyle's big year. But it's close.
Kasey Kahne's strong season is good for NASCAR's business.
The era of NASCAR road-course "ringers" is coming to an end, except for teams desperate to get into the top 35 in owner points. For a variety of reasons - maybe the biggest one being guys coming in for one weekend will NEVER get any breaks - the road-race specialists aren't going to win.
Formula One will return to Indianapolis only if Tony George pays Bernie Ecclestone's price. Period. End of story.
The season's biggest surprise is NHRA Funny Car leader Tim Wilkerson.
Ashley Force's driving has improved - but she's got to get better on the Tree to be a true championship contender.
Scott Dixon seems to be having more fun than when he won the IRL championship in 2003. Remember, winning the Indy 500 even made A.J. Foyt smile.
Worldwide, the most popular car isn't the No. 88 or the No. 24. It's Ferrari.
The number of IndyCar races in 2009 will largely be determined by team budgets, so 18 looks about right.
ALMS and Grand-Am need to shred the hyped-up publicity releases and create one on-the-radar-screen sports car series.
Wins by Ashley Force, Melanie Troxel and Hillary Will have helped people recall Shirley Muldowney's pioneering career, which is great. But NHRA's all-time female wins leader, Angelle Sampey, has lost-out on the attention-getting.
If Tony George really wants to be a big-time team owner, he will spend the money to hire Jim McGee to run Vision Racing.
The three areas where "talent" is in shortest supply: Nitro-class crew chiefs who can win, TV pit reporters capable of asking meaningful questions, and pro-active PR representatives.
Lewis Hamilton is a massive talent, but his pit-lane smash-up at the Canadian Grand Prix was one of the dumbest moves by a good driver I've seen in a long time.
I know exactly ONE person who, five years ago, thought Felipe Massa might be a world champion.
It would not surprise me at all if Paul Tracy did well in the Trucks. He's sure got the right mindset for that series.
NASCAR is discovering there's a HUGE difference between event "promoters" who actually know how to sell tickets, and track "operators" who pretty much just open the gates.
[ Next column: July 21 ]
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(I.N. Sider is the pen name for an independent motorsports business-person who has a quarter-century of professional experience working in almost every major North American racing series. The writer is not an employee of Valvoline or Ashland Inc. The column is intended to inform, entertain, and stimulate thought on the contemporary motorsports scene. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of Valvoline or Ashland Inc.)
BackAbout I.N. Sider
I.N. Sider is the pen name for an independent motorsports business-person who has a quarter-century of professional experience working in almost every major North American racing series. The writer is not an employee of Valvoline or Ashland Inc. The column is intended to inform, entertain, and stimulate thought on the contemporary motorsports scene. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of Valvoline or Ashland Inc.