Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar.
So, does CART (“Championship Auto Racing Teams”), a car owner based league --which split with Tony George and IndyCar-- have the last laugh after all?
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/roger-penske-buys-indianapolis-motor-132316161.html
Next up, Rick Hendrick and NASCAR?
Jim Harris and NSS?
I would love it if Penske started an entirely new stock car sanctioning body someday soon.Even if it was only a regional or feeder type series to Nascar/Indy
Luckily none of the other racers would ever think the series/track owner is getting better treatment, that just doesn’t happen, so it’ll be fine.
It’s sad to see the old girl change hands after 75 years of the Hulman family at the controls. But if it had to be sold, it might as well go to someone that understands auto racing and has deep enough pockets to insure it continues on for another 75 years. I understand that Tony George approached Penske last year about purchasing the track and the series.
“Luckily none of the other racers would ever think the series/track owner is getting better treatment, that just doesn’t happen, so it’ll be fine.”--Lurkin
He said, tongue in cheek…
Valid point, except Penske has been kicking their collective whale-tails for decades now, anyway. And Roger himself is ultimately larger than his enterprises, so I suspect he wants no sign of impropriety to tarnish his legendary status at this point of his life (age 82).
What I would suggest is potentially a bigger problem is that generally, when the car owners are the decision makers, they price 2/3 of the field out of being competitive, and they stay home. And then the fans stay home. You know, like CART, and (Gentilozzi run) IMSA before that.
On the third hand, Indy has been kind of a clown show since… the latter days of USAC, so I am currently cautiously optimistic.