IndyCar Vision: It's Tougher than it Looks

Less than 24 hours into our New Day Rising Project, we have discovered that defining a comprehensive vision for the IndyCar Series is every bit as difficult as we had suspected.

I thought that the Vision should answer two questions.

1. What is the best that IndyCar can be?

2. How will we know when IndyCar is successful?

Readers and contributors have provided thoughtful and highly varied responses. Let's see whether or not we can establish some common themes.

Citizen John

"To be the premier auto racing series in the U.S. with the Indy 500 being the preeminent auto race in the country."

osca

"To provide racing fans with the best possible open wheel racing in the United States.

To be the best possible open wheel racing means we will offer a varied visual and audio experience provided by a product that is affordable, attractive and available to fans at venues that encourage attendance in person and enhance the TV experience."

Roggespierre Commentary

Citizen John's submission is succinct and ambitious. I like it. Osca takes into account a very important constituency that has too often been ignored by IndyCar participants. That would be customers, racing fans.

I suggest that we combine these two submissions.

"IndyCar shall be the clear number-one choice among auto racing consumers in the United States. The Indianapolis 500 is an iconic American institution that shall transcend racing and become a worldwide automotive celebration."

There are good reasons to use the "number-one choice" language. First, why would a series that includes the Indy 500 aim for anything less? Second, we want demonstrable evidence of success that can be measured; "number-one" serves that purpose. Third, "choice" implies that we understand that the market is competitive. Customers have many events and television programs from which to choose. We must be their first choice.

Notice, too, that I chose to use "auto racing consumers in the United States" in this portion of the Vision Statement. This is important, I think, because the attributes that appeal to people in one culture are not necessarily the attributes that appeal to people in another culture. Because IndyCar is based in the United States, it must focus on cultivating latent demand in the U.S.

In addition, there are many, many people who will never like racing. Those people will do nothing to help IndyCar become number-one. I suggest that we forget about them for eleven months each year. That is why I focus on "auto racing consumers." However, we shall open our doors to the others in May.

Trick Dickle

"Your sport and series have EVERYTHING to do with the Indianapolis 500."

Mr. Dickle is right. But this creates a tricky proposition. Specifically, how do we retain and improve the "special" status of the 500 without making the rest of the schedule appear irrelevant?

That speaks to my final second sentence above.

"The Indianapolis 500 is an iconic American institution that shall transcend racing and become a worldwide automotive celebration."

Many people who like cars do not necessarily like racing. The Indy 500 is both a race and a spectacle that must once again be about cars, both those on the track and those in the Coke Lot. Indy must draw spectators, primarily from Middle America, for three weeks. A three week celebration of automotive innovation, technology and competition is therefore what I have in mind. Indy will be made special by activities both on and off the track.

The balance of the series schedule must be merely the "clear number-one choice among auto racing consumers in the United States."

Onward

Vision Statements come in all shapes and sizes. Two sentences might not be enough. Those that I have proposed might not be the right sentences.

We are not done with the Vision portion of your strategic IndyCar plan. There is more to consider in the Comments section below this article.

I welcome your feedback and additional suggestions.

Roggespierre