As the sun sets on 2013, and news outlets around the world publish their top ten best and worst lists, it's time for IndyCar to do the same. The end of any year affords us a good opportunity for thoughtful reflection, reminiscing, and forward thinking. So, presented below, here are, in my completely non-expert opinion, the top ten IndyCar stories of 2013. These are not necessarily "best" or "worst" stories; in fact, some are good and some are not so good. But these were the stories that made headlines this year, for better or worse:
1. Dario's Retirement
No question, this was the story that had even non-IndyCar fans talking. The crash in Houston had us all holding our collective breath, and led to a lot of speculation about the track and fan safety, but it was Dario's announcement on November 14 that really captured our hearts. The announcement was not totally unexpected, but still disappointing. I think we all hoped Dario would retire on his own terms rather than doctors' orders. Unfortunately it didn't work out that way, but we are fortunate that Dario will continue to be involved in IndyCar. His legacy as one of the all-time greats is secure.
2. Tony Kanaan Finally Breaks through at Indy
TK's first Indy 500 win was the feel-good story of the year. The fan favorite who had come so close so many times before finally seized that elusive victory. Sure, the race ended under caution and not all fans liked the constant slingshot lead changes and passes, but the roar from the crowd as TK crossed the finish line let everyone know how special this moment truly was.
3. A New Rivalry Emerges
IndyCar officials did everything possible to help Scott Dixon lose the championship. Some of it was justified, and I still say safety should come first and Dixon was rightly penalized when he hit a member of Power's pit crew at Sonoma. However, when the normally skilled road racer Power claimed that he didn't see Dixon on the restart in Baltimore and pushed him into the wall, you couldn't help but be suspicious. The drama of these two races set the stage for a come-from-behind championship run for Dixon, and for a new and intriguing rivalry. With Power's former Ganassi rival Franchitti retiring, who better to continue the Penske-Ganassi competition than his teammate Dixon?
4. An Exciting, Unpredictable Year of Racing
With the field as evenly balanced as ever, we were treated to some terrific races this year in which every driver had a legitimate chance to win. Four drivers scored their first-ever IndyCar Series wins, and four others earned their first trips to the podium. We also had ten different race winners. A rookie challenged for the win at Indianapolis, and a part-time, skilled road veteran led underdog Dale Coyne Racing to a win in Detroit. Next season is shaping up to be just as, if not more, thrilling. It is a good time to be an IndyCar racing fan.
5. Engine Changes
Ganassi's switch from Honda to Chevy-powered machines was nothing short of shocking, and I think many of us are still wondering why this happened. It appeared that Ganassi had a good relationship with Honda, and they made an impressive recovery in 2013, getting Dixon three wins in a row and the overall title. But for whatever reason, Ganassi will have Chevy cars next year, just like their main rivals Team Penske. This decision caused a domino effect, with Andretti switching from Chevy to Honda next year. Understandably, Andretti preferred to be the top dog at Honda instead of the third wheel at Chevy. This also sets the stage for an exciting 2014 season.
6. The Schedule
We saw the début of full-length doubleheaders in 2013, and despite some grumblings from drivers and teams, these doubleheaders are set to return in 2014. Fans complained that the 2013 schedule had too many breaks between races, and these complaints certainly had merit. Three- and four-week gaps are simply too long for a series in need of eyeballs, national attention, and continuity. So what did the powers that be do for 2014? Condensed the schedule to allow for fewer breaks and a conclusion by Labor Day. And fans still complained. Guess there's no pleasing the fickle IndyCar fan. Most notably and most unfortunately, the 2014 schedule excludes two of the best races in 2013, Brazil and Baltimore.
Furthermore, following one of the recommendations from the Boston Consulting Group, Mark Miles decided to add a road course race at Indianapolis in 2014 to kick off the month of May and hopefully reignite interest in the Indy 500. Many fans, media personnel, and drivers complained that such sacred ground like Indy in May should not be messed with. (These outcries became the subject of one of my test questions, as a good example of an "appeal to tradition" reasoning fallacy.) Testing ensued, and the final decision was made shortly thereafter. Like it or loathe it, a road course race at Indy is coming our way in 2014.
7. Standing Starts
In an attempt to spice things up and get fans more interested in the racing, IndyCar experimented with standing starts at Toronto and Houston. Unfortunately, IndyCar never quite got the standing starts right, and they caused more problems than anything. Cars died on the grid, attempts were aborted, and generally the standing starts embarrassed IndyCar. For some reason, fans continue to demand them and some do label them as exciting, so we will likely see them again. One has to think that eventually IndyCar will get these starts figured out.
8. Fired Drivers
Oriol Servia wasn't fired, but was forced to end his 2013 season early after Panther DRR Racing folded after the Indy 500, due to lack of sponsorship. JR Hildebrand was the next driver to go, fired from Panther Racing after a series of inexcusable miscues, most notably when he drove over the back of Will Power's tire at St. Pete. I'm not sure Hildebrand deserved all the blame, considering the team went against his comfort level at Indy and used an overly aggressive setup. Still, Hildebrand's firing followed the "three strikes and you're out" guideline so it wasn't completely unexpected. Later in the season, after consistently disappointing results, Barracuda Racing released Alex Tagliani. All of these drivers eventually returned in 2013 for other teams, but their futures are still in limbo.
9. The Return of Montoya
In a surprising turn of events, after Juan Pablo Montoya announced he would not be returning to NASCAR and to Team Ganassi, Roger Penske snatched him up to fill a third car for 2014. The move was unexpected for a number of reasons. For one, Montoya had not driven an IndyCar in over ten years. For another, Penske signed him without having a sponsor in place, which does not usually happen. And Montoya's NASCAR record was less than spectacular. I think he will always be infamous in NASCAR circles for crashing into the jet dryer at Daytona, and that's not the kind of reputation that normally encourages a signing by a top team. When Montoya was in IndyCar though, he was one of the best so he will definitely be someone to watch closely in 2014. He also brings some name recognition and international popularity to the series, which doesn't hurt.
10. Turbo Stalls in Theaters
The first animated movie to feature IndyCar (the first movie of any kind in a long time, actually) was supposed to be IndyCar's savior. It was expected to introduce IndyCar racing to a whole new audience and gain some much-needed younger fans. Perhaps the movie gained a few new followers, but overall Turbo was, sadly, a box office disappointment, at least here in the U.S. It grossed only $83 million in the U.S. but did fare much better worldwide. The timing of the movie's release couldn't have been worse, too. It débuted on July 17, during one of IndyCar's schedule lulls, and right before NASCAR's Brickyard 400. All in all, Turbo did not have the impact many were hoping for. Now we must wait and see if a spinoff animated television series will inspire new fans.
As you can see from this list (and the other stories that didn't make the top ten), 2013 was a fun year, and we have much to look forward to in 2014. So Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all IndyCar fans!
Monday, December 23, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
A Case for Briscoe
After weeks of speculation, including some far-fetched ideas, Chip Ganassi named the driver to replace Dario Franchitti. And as was expected after Marshall Pruett broke the story mere days before the big announcement, Ganassi went with the safe pick: move Tony Kanaan to Dario's #10 Target car, and add Ryan Briscoe to the car originally slotted for TK, the #8 machine sponsored by NTT Data. Some fans are lamenting the choice, saying Briscoe has had his chance to drive for a top team and under-performed. Others are calling it an unexciting decision that will not inspire more people to follow IndyCar. But to team Target Chip Ganassi, and to me, the move makes perfect sense. It is simply a wise business decision.
In our speech communication courses we teach the group problem-solving process, which is a six-step process that groups should follow to arrive at a well-thought out decision upon which all can agree. Having gone through the process myself on some committees, I can tell you that it works and it saves a lot of time. But trying to stress the importance of following this process to our students can be challenging. Most students, and professionals, want to jump in and start finding a solution without fully analyzing the problem or establishing criteria for a good solution. And clearly many fans jumped onto the "let's find a solution NOW" bandwagon, because discussion forums were filled with suggestion after suggestion of who should fill the empty seat. It's reassuring to see that Team Ganassi did not do this. They followed the systematic problem-solving process by laying out their criteria first, before they even started discussing possible replacements for Dario.
What criteria did they establish? For one, they said they wanted an experienced IndyCar driver, someone who was already familiar with the DW12 and who had some prowess on ovals. That automatically eliminated a lot of drivers. But this was a smart statement. With a big sponsor like Target, they could not really afford to take a big risk and hire an inexperienced driver who might cause some embarrassment in an IndyCar. Team Ganassi also said they wanted their new driver to have a good relationship with their sponsor, and they would discuss possibilities with their sponsors to see who the sponsors preferred. This is an important lesson for all drivers and team owners: don't tick off a sponsor; keep them happy so they dollars keep flowing. Lastly, they wanted an unselfish team player with a record of winning races.
So who did that leave then? Alex Tagliani, who had stepped in for Dario at Fontana, and who had done some off-season testing in the Target car. Tony Kanaan, who was already signed by Ganassi, and, being the most recent Indy 500 winner, also has some name recognition and fan popularity that sponsors love. And Ryan Briscoe, who had driven the NTT Data car in the Indy 500, and who had been driving off and on in 2013 for Panther Racing. Sure, there are other experienced IndyCar drivers, including some who are good on ovals, but these were the top three who met most or all of Ganassi's criteria. It made the most sense to move TK over to the Target car, as he has the most experience, the most popularity, and was Dario's choice. So the question then became, who would take over the reigns of the #8 car?
I do not know how Target felt about Tags, but Ganassi did speak admirably of him at the IndyCar banquet. He was impressed with how Tagliani stepped in at the last minute but was able to run up at the front in the season finale. However, Tags does not have a proven record of winning races. He has only won one race during his tenure in IndyCar and Champ Car, and that was back in 2004. He was fired by his team for poor performance in 2013, which does not make a good impression. Having been the lone driver for Barracuda Racing for awhile, too, it's difficult to ascertain if he is a "team player."
Briscoe, on the other hand, has everything Ganassi is looking for. Experience? Check. He's been driving IndyCars since 2005. Prowess on ovals? Check. He won the pole at Indianapolis in 2012, and has always run well at Texas. Sponsor relationship? Check. NTT Data knew him and loved him from their time together in Indianapolis. From personal experience, I know Briscoe is also great with fans, taking extra time to greet them and sign autographs or take pictures. He's one of the nicest drivers in the paddock, so I'm sure that means he gets along well with sponsors too. Unselfish team player? Check. You sort of have to be when you race for Team Penske. (And I'm sure Briscoe's "inside knowledge" of how Penske operates was a big plus for Team Ganassi as well.) Record of winning races? Check. Briscoe has won seven races in IndyCar, more than most, if not all, of those other drivers out there on the market. Say what you want about him under-performing for Team Penske, but he does win races. He won at Sonoma in 2012, and he won last year driving for Level 5 Motorsports in ALMS. He is a winner.
So was Briscoe the safe choice? Yes. But he was also the smart choice. I for one am thrilled that Briscoe will be back in IndyCar full time next year, even if he is competing for Team Ganassi (not my favorite team owner, that's for sure). We now have three superteams in IndyCar, with Penske, Ganassi, and Andretti, but each of those superteams has at least three impressive drivers. The 2014 season will be fantastic theater. I can't wait.
In our speech communication courses we teach the group problem-solving process, which is a six-step process that groups should follow to arrive at a well-thought out decision upon which all can agree. Having gone through the process myself on some committees, I can tell you that it works and it saves a lot of time. But trying to stress the importance of following this process to our students can be challenging. Most students, and professionals, want to jump in and start finding a solution without fully analyzing the problem or establishing criteria for a good solution. And clearly many fans jumped onto the "let's find a solution NOW" bandwagon, because discussion forums were filled with suggestion after suggestion of who should fill the empty seat. It's reassuring to see that Team Ganassi did not do this. They followed the systematic problem-solving process by laying out their criteria first, before they even started discussing possible replacements for Dario.
What criteria did they establish? For one, they said they wanted an experienced IndyCar driver, someone who was already familiar with the DW12 and who had some prowess on ovals. That automatically eliminated a lot of drivers. But this was a smart statement. With a big sponsor like Target, they could not really afford to take a big risk and hire an inexperienced driver who might cause some embarrassment in an IndyCar. Team Ganassi also said they wanted their new driver to have a good relationship with their sponsor, and they would discuss possibilities with their sponsors to see who the sponsors preferred. This is an important lesson for all drivers and team owners: don't tick off a sponsor; keep them happy so they dollars keep flowing. Lastly, they wanted an unselfish team player with a record of winning races.
So who did that leave then? Alex Tagliani, who had stepped in for Dario at Fontana, and who had done some off-season testing in the Target car. Tony Kanaan, who was already signed by Ganassi, and, being the most recent Indy 500 winner, also has some name recognition and fan popularity that sponsors love. And Ryan Briscoe, who had driven the NTT Data car in the Indy 500, and who had been driving off and on in 2013 for Panther Racing. Sure, there are other experienced IndyCar drivers, including some who are good on ovals, but these were the top three who met most or all of Ganassi's criteria. It made the most sense to move TK over to the Target car, as he has the most experience, the most popularity, and was Dario's choice. So the question then became, who would take over the reigns of the #8 car?
I do not know how Target felt about Tags, but Ganassi did speak admirably of him at the IndyCar banquet. He was impressed with how Tagliani stepped in at the last minute but was able to run up at the front in the season finale. However, Tags does not have a proven record of winning races. He has only won one race during his tenure in IndyCar and Champ Car, and that was back in 2004. He was fired by his team for poor performance in 2013, which does not make a good impression. Having been the lone driver for Barracuda Racing for awhile, too, it's difficult to ascertain if he is a "team player."
Briscoe, on the other hand, has everything Ganassi is looking for. Experience? Check. He's been driving IndyCars since 2005. Prowess on ovals? Check. He won the pole at Indianapolis in 2012, and has always run well at Texas. Sponsor relationship? Check. NTT Data knew him and loved him from their time together in Indianapolis. From personal experience, I know Briscoe is also great with fans, taking extra time to greet them and sign autographs or take pictures. He's one of the nicest drivers in the paddock, so I'm sure that means he gets along well with sponsors too. Unselfish team player? Check. You sort of have to be when you race for Team Penske. (And I'm sure Briscoe's "inside knowledge" of how Penske operates was a big plus for Team Ganassi as well.) Record of winning races? Check. Briscoe has won seven races in IndyCar, more than most, if not all, of those other drivers out there on the market. Say what you want about him under-performing for Team Penske, but he does win races. He won at Sonoma in 2012, and he won last year driving for Level 5 Motorsports in ALMS. He is a winner.
So was Briscoe the safe choice? Yes. But he was also the smart choice. I for one am thrilled that Briscoe will be back in IndyCar full time next year, even if he is competing for Team Ganassi (not my favorite team owner, that's for sure). We now have three superteams in IndyCar, with Penske, Ganassi, and Andretti, but each of those superteams has at least three impressive drivers. The 2014 season will be fantastic theater. I can't wait.
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