Quote:
Originally Posted by blue40
I agree it seems like a lost opportunity, but that Aura is precisely the thing they want to preserve. Bottom line is I dont think any of the speedway management has any interest in using the facilities for a race school or track events. For the comparative revenue that they could generate from programs like that the logistical issues of operating the track like that several days a week would not be worth it, and it would somewhat detract from the mystique of the Speedway that they have tried to propagate over the years. The same thing occurs with the GP circuit at Silverstone. Plenty of people want to drive on it or test on it, but days are quite limited, pretty much for the same reason. Shame really in both cases.
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I don't think indy has anymore "mystique" than any other track with a long history. People in indiana might have those hang ups but I don't. I've only been to Silverstone once a long time ago so I can't comment too much other than to say they probably have some good reasons for not using the whole GP circuit, whether to use two track configs at the same time or to keep the lap distance and time down. When doing schools and such 3+ miles of track is too much.
All the work I do is on race tracks all over so I have some familiarity with daily operations with tracks. Logistically the track isn't going to be put under any extra strain except for keeping EMS on site or if they insist on having corner workers like some tracks do. They already have security and maintenance staff working all the time, so really it's not that big of an issue. I worked at Daytona, LVMS and NHMS before and other than leasing the space and track time, we didn't need any assistance from the track.
Seeing all the job cuts at the speedway recently(40 people) with more apparently to come, clearly there are some financial issues there. They have a huge facility, I'd put it to work. There are plenty of businesses that go bankrupt that have been trading on their "aura". Indy was a ramshackle, weedy place back in 1945. It can happen again. tony george blew through a huge amount of money for the F1 track and races, not to mention the couple hundred of million on the irl. Add in declining attendance at the brickyard 400 and $10 tickets for the 500 and I don't believe they are financially stable.