Two significant IndyCar stories broke this past week--one good, one very bad. Let's start with the bad news first, so we can end on a more positive note.
The announcement that IndyCar would not be returning to Baltimore in 2014 or 2015 felt like a kick in the gut. Really, we should not be surprised given the turmoil that has surrounded the event since its inception. But it felt like things were moving in the right direction. The track had increased attendance this year, and the mayor spoke positively about the economic impact the Baltimore Grand Prix had on tourism and the national and international exposure it generated for the city. I spoke glowingly of Baltimore in my race recap, and I was looking forward to attending the track in the future.
So what went wrong and where do we place the blame? Organizers pointed to scheduling conflicts, which makes some sense. Certainly it's difficult to plan an event in a city with two major sports teams, whose schedules have to be worked around, and a large convention center near the track location. IndyCar exacerbated the problem by insisting that its season end before Labor Day. Dates in June and August were discussed, but were unavailable due to other events already planned in the city. I would guess that the city of Baltimore experienced at least a little frustration at IndyCar's stubbornness. Dates in late September or October might have been an option, but that would extend the season beyond IndyCar's goal. But based on what the mayoral spokesperson said, I would argue that the lack of a title sponsor is the biggest reason why the event was canceled. Perhaps the city was losing too much money, or pumping too much money into the race without a sufficient return on their investment. I actually feel like the city of Baltimore used IndyCar, especially after reading Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's statement in the Baltimore Sun. They hosted a three-year event with the intent to show that the city could take chances, could bring in new audiences, and could be rewarded for their efforts. But I feel like the intent was to tell other interested organizations, "Hey, we hosted an IndyCar race, look what we can do! Come host your event here!"
While there's a miniscule amount of optimism that IndyCar will return there after 2015, I'm not going to get my hopes up. It does not sound like Baltimore wants IndyCar back. And losing Baltimore is a huge blow to IndyCar. It was a successful track with good fan support, in a location where NASCAR does not visit. Now East Coasters must travel to Pocono Raceway if they want to see an IndyCar race, and thankfully they have that option for at least the next two years. Street races are tricky because they require a great deal of planning and they force the host cities to shut down some traffic flow for awhile. But they are also a great opportunity to showcase what a city has to offer and to give its residents a unique, family-friendly event. I'm not aware of any other cities besides Fort Lauderdale that are interested in hosting an IndyCar street race. So Houston, it's your turn. Let's see what you can do.
On to more positive news! Juan Pablo Montoya will be returning to IndyCar in 2014 after an unsuccessful run in NASCAR. This announcement surprised me since he had turned down an offer from Andretti Autosport. I had expected him to accept a deal from another NASCAR team, since they would probably pay him more. But Montoya wants to be with a winner, which is why he chose Penske. When Montoya was in open-wheel racing, he was one of the best drivers around. It will be interesting to see what he can do now that he's been away from the sport for awhile.
Montoya's return to IndyCar gives us an intriguing rivalry. Not just between Penske and Ganassi, the team that dumped Montoya from NASCAR, but also between teammates. Montoya is very competitive, and he'll want to win just as much as Helio and Will Power. This creates sort of an IndyCar superteam, but the intra-team dynamics could be interesting to watch. I think Montoya will be on a mission, too. He needs to re-prove himself as a dominant open-wheel driver, and will be looking for revenge against his Ganassi team. Never underestimate the power of a driver with a chip on his shoulder.
Montoya's return is also great for IndyCar. He is an internationally known star who will bring an allegiance of fans with him. NASCAR fans, even if they didn't like him, may casually read race recaps or check out a race just to see how he's doing (or perhaps, to root for him to fail). IndyCar fans are in for some thrilling theater next season. It's just too bad he'll never get to experience the thrills of the Baltimore Grand Prix.
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