Staging the 2010 season opening IndyCar race at an undisclosed Brazilian location seemed like a harebrained idea from the get-go. Nevertheless, IRL Commercial Division President Terry Angstadt dropped more than a few hints to suggest that it would happen.
Since then, silence.
Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star reports that the IRL brass returned to Brazil just prior to the annual IndyCar sabbatical in Japan. Apparently, the latest trip to South America followed another Brazilian junket in early September.
Is Angstadt's season opener - and more importantly, his 2010 financier - in jeopardy? We can only speculate, but it would seem that in this case no news is bad news, at least from Angstadt's perspective.
Perhaps APEX Brasil has come to its senses, recognizing that market penetration in the United States might be better achieved without dragging around the abysmal economic failure that is the IndyCar Series. Perhaps APEX Brasil fears that IndyCar racing is no more popular in Brazil than it is in Japan and the United States.
Is finding a suitable venue the real hold-up? It could be. But the true snag might also be something as ancillary as the volume of Brazilian tea that Super Target is willing to stock. Such is the perversion of financing a market failure on wheels.
Race day at Homestead-Miami would appear to be D-Day. APEX Brasil's U.S. headquarters are nearby. If this "race" is going to happen in 2010, then the 2009 season finale would seem to be both the time and place to announce it.
Here's hoping for more silence. Perhaps, then, somebody can begin shaping an IndyCar Series that might earn an audience.
Roggespierre
Angstadt should have been fired long ago, but if this Brazil deal actually does fall through (or the money that Terry promised the teams) isn't nearly as much as first reported, then Terry will likely finally be shown the door.
ReplyDeleteThe IRL has no business in Brazil to begin with (and even if they put on a street festival there next year; it won't last long), so I won't shed a tear if this deal goes up in lame AOW smoke.
What is even more absurd and damning, is why Terry and company continue to speak with Gillette about running a festival of speed around Gillette Stadium in Foxboro; instead of running a race at a REAL racetrack, in front of REAL race fans, with a promoter who is FROM Indiana, with SMI, at Loudon, New Hampshire.
Mr. Dickle,
ReplyDeleteThere might be several reasons for a Festival of Speed in Foxboro. Two of them are obvious.
1. Underwriting from somebody, probably Gillette
2. Easy to claim "phenomenal" fan turn-out
Less obvious:
3. Trying to arbitrage Gillette in another deal
Take your pick.
Best Regards,
Roggespierre