OT: Dan Whelden Killed in Indycar crash..., ... Las Vegas Motor speedway Options

[BMXerror]

RIP. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
http://news.yahoo.com/wheldon-dies-massive...-220813739.html
Mark D.

[HAM Inc]

Barber has been a huge success both years it has raced there, but that is not a good track for those cars. There is only one place to pass (the hairpin) and is just to tight for such long-legged cars. But none-the-less it is safe and a big hit for the series.

Phoenix is a great oval for Indy cars, but fan turn-out was even worse than the other ovals. Maybe that would improve once the economy around Phoenix picks up. Loudon is another good oval for them. Richmond was okay and had good crowds, but that track is way to tight as well. There just aren't many good ovals (minimum banking) for IndyCars. They used to race at Pocono, maybe they could go back there now that the track has made the safety improvements that were needed to keep them there years ago. Don't know if Milwaukee is ever going to be an option again because of the ownership.

IndyCar is hanging on to ovals out of sense of tradition and because most grass-roots American racing is oval based. Being a big fan of open-wheel tradition and grass-roots oval racing I understand that. But times have changed and there are no grass-roots oval feeder series that prepare racers for Indy cars. Sprint cars, for decades the path to Indy, lost there relevance over 40years ago. Any chance that sprinters would continue to prepare developing racers for Indy cars was shot down in the 70's when USAC banned rear-engined sprint cars. The notion being that it would add to much to the cost for owners to have to maintain a conventional front-engined dirt chassis and rear-engined asphalt car.
That logic was flawed as by then almost all front running teams had specialty asphalt cars anyway.

The last sprint car grad that I can recall getting a top-flite Indy car ride was Gary Bettenhausen, who signed with Penske in 73 or 74. His addiction to the sprinters and dirt champ cars cost him the ride when he crashed his dirt champ car and lost the use of an arm. Since then all top teams have signed guys with road race backgrounds. Al Unser Jr. started his career in sprinters, but then moved to Super Vees and Can-Am cars before graduating to Indy.

I hate to admit it, but I think unless someone figures something out, the ovals just aren't going to be practical for IndyCars future. This accident has pretty well driven home this point and I'm sure current and potential sponsors have taken note.