IndyCar's Franchitti and Bernard discuss Texas game show format
By Gary Becker
IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard has been taking a lot of heat over the format used to choose the starting positions for the second race of the Texas Motor Speedway's twin 275's including some from this publication.
On Saturday night drivers were forced to use a method similar to television's Jeopardy game show spinning tires mounted on a wall to determine their starting spot for the second race. Dario Franchitti who won the first of the twin races and is second in the drivers’ championship points’ race, turned the tire marked with the 28th starting spot. The problem with that was point’s leader Will Power turned the tire marked with the number 3 starting spot.
Franchitti put in a gallant effort and was able to move up to finish in the seventh spot. Power on the other hand, capitalized on his third starting position and won the race stretching his points lead on Franchitti. In the end the game show format cost Franchitti five priceless points in a drivers’ championship that normally goes down the last few laps of the last race of the season.
After the race an understandably upset Franchitti made his feelings about the game show like format known reportedly saying, "We got hosed, I hope we don't lose the championship by that, or I'll be pissed off."
Also after the race, the arm-chair-quarterbacking began and many began asking if IndyCar wanted to do something different for the second of the two twin races why they didn’t just reverse the finishing positions of the first race starting the first race's leaders in the back. This is a system that has used by most of the country’s short tracks for years.
On the Monday following the race a more reflective Franchitti said, “I took a lot of heat for my comments, but people don’t understand, in my opinion, the big picture. Had they inverted I would have started worse, but it would have been fair for everyone. I would have started last, Scott (Dixon) would have started second-last and Will (Power) would have started 28th. It would have been some performance parameter and that’s all I was asking for.”
Franchitti and Bernard got together during a promotional event for the upcoming race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the Boston pub that was the inspiration for the "Cheers" television series.
Afterwards Bernard stated, “We have to evaluate everything we do this year and make sure that we are providing the best competition, entertainment and value to give that great fan experience. It was a little bit gimmicky and I take the blame for it."
“In saying that, I think it’s important to make sure we sustain credibility for that (IZOD INDYCAR) World Championship. I’m not convinced that what we did Saturday night does that. A draw takes away from that, especially if somebody loses the (title) by five points to a draw. The thing we want in our sport is the best drivers in the world. This isn’t about finishing 26th; this is about winning No. 1. If we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to bring those best drivers in the world over here and making sure they know if they’re the best in the world they’re going to win it.”
This was one of the few times that Bernard's none racing background has become apparent. Prior to coming to IndyCar, Bernard ran a professional bull riding series. IndyCar's marketing has been excellent and the racing for the most part has been close. But for a series that once boasted the best drivers and latest technology, IndyCar is using NASCAR’s format with nine year old clone cars and its biggest star has only won one race.
Bernard needs to take notice of last weekend when 250,000 that showed up for the high tech battle between Audi and Peugeot at Le Mans and the 40,000 empty seats at the last NASCAR race at Dover. The merging of IndyCar and CART has done wonders for the series. Let’s hope Bernard looks to the growing popularity of Formula 1 and the Le Mans Series for inspiration and not south where races once filled grandstands that now have to be painted in multiple colors to make them look filled on television.
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