IndyCar Has Another Thing Comin’

This is the Statt Mann Baby. Time to Scatt a little bit.

Bumped into a ‘Net piece this week that amounted to a State of IndyCar right now.

The conversation with Roger Penske was before last weekend’s Indy 500. It gave a little detail on where Penske has spent money and time and where he’s avoided spending both in the series he owns.

But in the words of Judas Priest: “You’ve got another Thing Comin’.”

That thing is the television ratings after the Indy 500. The ratings reflected the smallest Memorial Day audience ever. Only better than 2020 when the pandemic pushed the race to August.

It was a good race that ended with a dramatic finish. But less than five million viewers? Troubling. Truly IndyCar has another thing comin’.

All the efforts to save money for the teams and make the race venues interesting and comfortable mean nothing if fans won’t commit to free TV on their couch.

And the Indy 500 is the cornerstone of IndyCar promotion and marketing.

IndyCar and its partners have problems. The series needs to reconnect with its old fans or find new ones.

It’s one thing if they don’t buy tickets. Quite another if they stay home and don’t watch on free TV.

Peace.