IndyCar: Pocono Grand Prix Discussion Thread

[Nick Hill]

I started watching this year, and I enjoy it. It is a bit overhyped by some, but it's quite good. A few dull races, as with every series, but the last race at Mid Ohio was great, it was a fight down to the last lap.

I think the ovals are almost always exciting (though, occasionally, you do find one that someone runs away with), but on the road/street side...ultimately, it's still road racing. Sometimes someone rips off into the distance at the start and never looks back; passing is very challenging even with the aero improvements (and, thankfully, NO DRS!) - but I kinda consider that a good thing. But, with the element of refuelling, even the more formulaic races at least have a couple moments of "hmm, this would be a really good/bad time for a full course yellow..."

I think a lot of the hype factor comes from us crossover F1/Indy fans who have suffered through a LOT of predictable F1 races and championships as of late, so we are like kids in a candy store when we watch even a mediocre Indy race!

And @Ryno917, thanks for the tip - I splurged for the paddock pass

 

[Wayne Hutchison]

Where Indycar gets it's biggest crowds (outside of the Indy 500) are the downtown street races - St. Pete, Long Beach, Detroit, Toronto, Portland (a road course in the city). Bring the racing to the people and more people will show up. Make them drive several hours to get to the race track and they stay home and watch on TV.

 

[rubaru]

Bring the racing to the people and more people will show up. Make them drive several hours to get to the race track and they stay home and watch on TV.

...which is why Pocono has such low turnout.

 

[Brandon Wright]

Maybe should I start watching indycar, it seems to be great

You know when F1 fans say "F1 needs to do this, or go to these kind of tracks, or change that"? That's pretty much IndyCar, old-school tracks without miles of paved runoff areas, loud cars that sound and look great, never know who is going to win, and driving the cars is physically demanding. You'll enjoy it, I promise. Before this season IndyCar would put all the race replays on their YouTube channel so you should be able to go watch past seasons no problem.

Enjoy it while its here, Pocono is getting the ax. Actually, Pocono is leaving indycar. At the very best, whats being talked is this race only happening once every three years. Another oval bites the dust.

But thats what happens when the series can't draw more than 23,000 for a race.

Nothing is decided, that we know of. Pocono is losing a NASCAR date after this season so they're desperate to keep IndyCar on the schedule so hopefully we end up with both Richmond and Pocono on the schedule next year....but don't hold your breath.

At every Indycar race I've been to in the modern era (Mid-O, Sonoma, and Barber a few years ago and several Toronto Indys) you need a paddock pass. So, yes, you can get into the paddock but it's hardly all-access like I'm used to with IMSA and PWC events, which both have always had totally open paddock for all.

Not entirely true. I went to Detroit and Road America this year and at both of them every ticket was a paddock pass, so everyone could go in and walk around for no extra charge. But even if you do have to pay they're usually reasonably priced (except for maybe COTA). Not sure what you mean about it hardly being all-access like IMSA. I mean, you can't walk into their trailers but you can go just about everywhere else and get really close to the cars and drivers. I've been in IMSA paddocks too, never noticed any real difference from IndyCar. I've been in IndyCar paddocks at Mid-Ohio, Gateway, Road America, Detroit, and Indianapolis and at all of them everything was pretty open and available for fans to check out.

If it doesn't take you there, skip to 0:55 to see my stroll through the paddock at Gateway last year, I'm almost within touching distance of the cars and you'll see both Ferrucci and Rahal signing autographs and talking to fans.

 

[Ryno917]

Not sure what you mean about it hardly being all-access like IMSA. I mean, you can't walk into their trailers but you can go just about everywhere else and get really close to the cars and drivers. I've been in IMSA paddocks too, never noticed any real difference from IndyCar. I've been in IndyCar paddocks at Mid-Ohio, Gateway, Road America, Detroit, and Indianapolis and at all of them everything was pretty open and available for fans to check out.

That was more in reference to the paddock pass not being part of the ticket; I've never been to an Indycar race where it was. Every event I've been to it was an additional purchase (including Mid-O, when I was there). In contrast to IMSA and PWC events, where the ticket always gets you into the paddock. For the record, it's only been the Indycar paddock that required a pass; the support series have always had an open paddock at the events I've been to.

 

[Brandon Wright]

That was more in reference to the paddock pass not being part of the ticket; I've never been to an Indycar race where it was. Every event I've been to it was an additional purchase (including Mid-O, when I was there). In contrast to IMSA and PWC events, where the ticket always gets you into the paddock. For the record, it's only been the Indycar paddock that required a pass; the support series have always had an open paddock at the events I've been to.

Gotcha, I misunderstood. It's a track by track basis with IndyCar, some tracks let you in the paddock for free, some there's a small charge of around $40 I think. This is still better than most big league racing series offer though, at NASCAR you're lucky if they let you look at the drivers/cars through little bank teller windows, F1 charges damn near a thousand bucks for a paddock club pass.

 

[Ryno917]

Gotcha, I misunderstood. It's a track by track basis with IndyCar, some tracks let you in the paddock for free, some there's a small charge of around $40 I think. This is still better than most big league racing series offer though, at NASCAR you're lucky if they let you look at the drivers/cars through little bank teller windows, F1 charges damn near a thousand bucks for a paddock club pass.

Yea, I've been spoiled by IMSA. When I see a paddock pass as an addition expense (even a relatively minor one) it leaves a bit of a bad taste for me.

With Indycar, it must come from the series because it's the only series I've ever attended a race for (aside from F1) where a pass was separate, including at tracks I've been to for other series. Portland and Mid-O, for instance. It's also the only series on those weekends where you need the pass; all support series have an open paddock on those weekends.


Either way, I'm happy to give some of my money to Indycar right now. The racing is great and I like rewarding a solid product.

 

[Motowntom]

Looking forward to seeing them in Portland in a couple of weeks!

If the ANTIFA thugs don't block your way........

 

[Brandon Wright]

Yea, I've been spoiled by IMSA. When I see a paddock pass as an addition expense (even a relatively minor one) it leaves a bit of a bad taste for me.

With Indycar, it must come from the series

I'm pretty sure Detroit and Road America were decisions made by the track, they both made a bunch of noise about it and promoted it. I think I even read that for sure at RA it was their decision to open the paddock to all ticket-holders (this might have been the first year they did it).

because it's the only series I've ever attended a race for (aside from F1) where a pass was separate, including at tracks I've been to for other series. Portland and Mid-O, for instance. It's also the only series on those weekends where you need the pass; all support series have an open paddock on those weekends.


Either way, I'm happy to give some of my money to Indycar right now. The racing is great and I like rewarding a solid product.

I'm guessing IMSA is the biggest series you attend? I think it's pretty common for the big league series to charge extra for paddock passes. I know for sure NASCAR does, I bought one for Vegas last year but it was super duper lame and not really worth the money. You got to go in this little walled-off fan area and you could peek through some plexiglass windows at the cars and maybe slide something under it for a driver to sign, and that was it. You didn't actually get to go near the cars or haulers or drivers, the only good thing was that there was some shade and shade in Vegas is worth paying for.

At Indy you can buy a Bronze Badge for around $130-150, it gets you in the track every day of the month except for the two race days and gives you full paddock access on all days but the two race days. And there's usually one day they let Bronze Badge holders into the pits as well (sounds cooler than it is). It's it's an actual badge made of "bronze" so it become a souvenir. Kinda pricey but if you go to the track a lot like I do it can end up saving you money, and I've got lots of autographed photos hanging on my walls.

 

[BrunoBæ]

IRacing is very heavy in to Indy

He asked for a kickass developer

 

[Ryno917]

I'm pretty sure Detroit and Road America were decisions made by the track, they both made a bunch of noise about it and promoted it. I think I even read that for sure at RA it was their decision to open the paddock to all ticket-holders (this might have been the first year they did it).

Sounds to me like Indy likes the paddock passes but the circuits want an open paddock, in that case

I'm guessing IMSA is the biggest series you attend? I think it's pretty common for the big league series to charge extra for paddock passes. I know for sure NASCAR does, I bought one for Vegas last year but it was super duper lame and not really worth the money. You got to go in this little walled-off fan area and you could peek through some plexiglass windows at the cars and maybe slide something under it for a driver to sign, and that was it.

Yep, IMSA is the biggest I generally attend. I have been to one Grand Prix (Montreal ~2014 maybe?) and found the entire experience to be very lackluster, aside from just my general apathy of modern F1, so I haven't bothered to attend again. I also made it to the 2017 Spa 24hr, though, which was a fully open paddock as well. The vast majority of the racing I've attended in the last 20 years is either IMSA or PWC, with several Indycar races sprinkled in and one-off of something else here and there.

You didn't actually get to go near the cars or haulers or drivers, the only good thing was that there was some shade and shade in Vegas is worth paying for.

Oh man, I bet! I went to the Indycar round in Sonoma in 2016 (I think it was) and as a pasty white boy from Canada who even by Canadian standards doesn't do well with the heat I almost died. Only real shade I could find on the entire grounds was cast by the scroreboard between the T1-2 chute and the carousel. Spent most of the day standing there. Couldn't believe the temperature difference between there and San Fran only a half hour away.

That being said, Portland PWC round last year was another scorcher. Was blown away by how hot and humid it got; I didn't realize Portland got that bad, being in the PNW. I thought it'd be more rain than anything LOL

 

[bgil66]

Went to the Michigan 500 in 95' and it was awesome, also I miss Nazareth as spent many a day there and in the paddock talking to the greats!

 

[CreamyCornCob]

...which is why Pocono has such low turnout.

lol, this excuse again? Nearly 98% of all indycar ovals go bust, its not just location, its the product.
What about Texas this year @ the Circuit Of The Americas? 100,000+ come for F1.
21,000 came to see the indycars race on a beautiful Sunday, so see, its not the location of the track.

 

[TheSourceOfTheNile]

Gotcha, I misunderstood. It's a track by track basis with IndyCar, some tracks let you in the paddock for free, some there's a small charge of around $40 I think. This is still better than most big league racing series offer though, at NASCAR you're lucky if they let you look at the drivers/cars through little bank teller windows, F1 charges damn near a thousand bucks for a paddock club pass.

Depends on the F1 race. At the Canadian GP if you go on the Thursday before practice, you can get driver autographs, and pit lane is open for a bunch of fans to go to for free. I'm not sure what COTA does, but Circuit Gilles Villeneuve provides a really great experience for fans overall. Just make sure to leave pretty early in the morning, because the track is notoriously hard to get onto since the bridges are usually swarmed with fans, and they have to take you on the track by bus to get to the paddocks.

 

[bgil66]

At Pocono now and we are on hold for practice as waiting for Medical helicopter to arrive before any running can happen

 

[falster]

lol, this excuse again? Nearly 98% of all indycar ovals go bust, its not just location, its the product.
What about Texas this year @ the Circuit Of The Americas? 100,000+ come for F1.
21,000 came to see the indycars race on a beautiful Sunday, so see, its not the location of the track.

wow!

is that true? that's terrible, that's really quite a huge difference in numbers.

 

[Ryno917]

21,000 came to see the indycars race on a beautiful Sunday, so see, its not the location of the track.

I think Mosport only gets about 15000 for the IMSA weekend.

Sad to see how much racing popularity has declined in general.

 

[CreamyCornCob]

wow!

is that true? that's terrible, that's really quite a huge difference in numbers.

Yup it is. The official number for Sunday was around 22,000 and change.

 

[bgil66]

I just spoke to someone at Pocono who went to both at COTA for F1 and Indycar and said Indycar was more exciting due to more passing but sadly it was empty

 

[falster]

Such a shame