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August 03, 2006
The Brickyard or The 500?
By Mark Young,
This weekend's race at the Indianapolis Motor-speedway is arguably the second biggest race of the season for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. With 50 cars entered for the race to date this is the largest field to attempt a race next to the Daytona 500 and the purse for the Brickyard also is second behind Daytona. Now I admit that the Daytona 500 is and always will be NASCAR's biggest race, and it should be, but I am beginning to think that The Brickyard 400 is becoming the biggest race to be held at the Indianapolis Motor-speedway.
Being a Midwesterner and living only two hours away from Indy I have very fond memories of watching the 500 on TV or listening to it on the radio for as long as I can remember. It seemed that everyone was aware of what was going on regardless of whether they were a race fan or not. But the split between CART and the IRL has taken the Indy 500 and turned it into an event featuring different cars and many new faces behind the wheel. Granted the racing action and fanfare is still as good as ever but the race has lost some of its luster while the Brickyard 400 seems to grow a little more each year.
The crowds for the Brickyard are overflowing each and every year and the NASCAR drivers talk about kissing the yard of bricks with the excitement of small children on Christmas Eve. Take a look at the field for the Indy 500 held this past May. Tony George, President of the Indianapolis Motor-speedway and founder of the Indy Racing League had to urge Michael Andretti and Al Unser Jr. from retirement just to come close to filling the entire 33 car field. It has been rumored that he even financed a few teams to get them to the track. There was no fanfare on bump day because there was only 33 cars there.
It is this fan's opinion that the Brickyard 400 has become the premiere event held at the Indianapolis Motor-speedway. I am sure that this makes a few of the open wheel fanatics cringe and become defensive but face the facts race fans, no matter how much we complain about the TV coverage or the politically correctness that has invaded our favorite sport, NASCAR is king.
August 3, 2006 | Permalink
Comments
Mark, excellent topic. I have to agree 100%, and I am an open wheel fan.
I remember when ESPN covered every second of testing, qualifying, bump day - anything and everything that built up to the Indianapolis 500. When that first weekend of May came around, all of the racing world focused on one track - Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Since the split, it has been so sad to see what the American open wheel series have become. If it wasn't for F1, I don't know what I'd do. (Grand Am as well, but that's not considered "open wheel." But it's road racing at it's finest!)
When John Andretti decided to run both the 500 and the 600, the media started to focus on NASCAR as well. And then Robby and Tony did the double. So that didn't hurt either. Too bad that is no longer possible thanks to the later starting time of the 500.
There is no doubt the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard (you need to make sure you get that sponsor in there) is the premier event at IMS.
I can't wait to see who kisses the bricks on Sunday. Wonder if Tony will be driving that custom hearse to the track!
Posted by: Shirley | Aug 3, 2006 9:28:53 AM
I only watched the Indy 500 when Robby and Tony were racing in both events. I think the racing at the Indy 500 was more exciting, but I think the Brickyard 400 is now the premier event at IMS.
Posted by: Michelle | Aug 3, 2006 10:31:41 AM
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