I attended the inaugural IndyCar Classic at Circuit of the Americas on March 23, 2019 and I have some thoughts on both the race and the track. I wouldn't call it the best road race I've ever seen, as apparently some have, but it was a good debut for IndyCar for sure. Let's recap.
Three Stars of the Race
#1 Star: Colton Herta
Some will say that Herta lucked into this win, because an ill-timed caution forced leaders Will Power and Alexander Rossi to pit and shuffle to the back. However, Penske and Andretti know the game. They should understand that waiting to pit is a risk, especially when you have a lead. Herta's team chose to pit earlier, and it paid off. Even before the caution, Herta showed he could mix it up with the big boys. He was fastest in the test at COTA, qualified in the Firestone Fast Six, and passed Rossi during the race. He became the youngest IndyCar winner ever, not because of his name and not just because of some luck. He had to hold off former champion and St. Pete winner Josef Newgarden on the restart--no easy task, and I'll admit, I thought Newgarden would get him. Herta's win was a fabulous story on a rookie weekend, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for him in IndyCar.
Some will say that Herta lucked into this win, because an ill-timed caution forced leaders Will Power and Alexander Rossi to pit and shuffle to the back. However, Penske and Andretti know the game. They should understand that waiting to pit is a risk, especially when you have a lead. Herta's team chose to pit earlier, and it paid off. Even before the caution, Herta showed he could mix it up with the big boys. He was fastest in the test at COTA, qualified in the Firestone Fast Six, and passed Rossi during the race. He became the youngest IndyCar winner ever, not because of his name and not just because of some luck. He had to hold off former champion and St. Pete winner Josef Newgarden on the restart--no easy task, and I'll admit, I thought Newgarden would get him. Herta's win was a fabulous story on a rookie weekend, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for him in IndyCar.
#2 Star: Patricio O'Ward
Speaking of rookies, there was another standout rookie in the field, one who was Herta's teammate for a short time (but we won't talk about that debacle except to say what a team this would've been!). Indy Lights champ Pato O'Ward received a huge ovation from the crowd when he was introduced, and it's safe to say he's an even bigger fan favorite now after he showed some daring moves. Watching him and Graham Rahal trade passes was a thrill, and that was IndyCar at its finest. Here's another rookie I look forward to watching this year.
#3 Star: Graham Rahal
I'm not sure if they showed all of Rahal's moves on TV but I definitely had my eye on him during the race. His battles with O'Ward were spectacular, and he fought hard for a fourth-place finish, constantly passing throughout the race and taking full advantage of the no track limits.
I'm not sure if they showed all of Rahal's moves on TV but I definitely had my eye on him during the race. His battles with O'Ward were spectacular, and he fought hard for a fourth-place finish, constantly passing throughout the race and taking full advantage of the no track limits.
Three Stories of the Race
#1 Story: Closed Pits
The untimely caution for Felix Rosenqvist's accident likely cost Rossi (not Power) the race. Power ended up with a mechanical problem and did not finish the race, and this problem likely would have appeared with or without the caution. But it looked like Rossi was just biding his time and would eventually pass Power, and he probably would have assumed the lead since Power had the problem in the pits. Power criticized IndyCar for closing the pits under caution, but since Rosenqvist's car was blocking pit entry, I certainly understand why they did that. That's not always the case though, and IndyCar regularly waits to open the pits under caution. I have no strong feelings on this subject but I'm not in the car. It might be worth exploring opening the pits under caution at least. But again, Rossi's team chose to wait to pit, and that is ultimately what cost him the race. The caution, at the very least, gave us a great story for the weekend.
#2 Story: No Track Limits
I cannot understand why anyone would criticize IndyCar's decision to implement no track limits at COTA. OK so F1 enforces track limits. And how does that affect their racing? IndyCar's drivers were able to really race by taking advantage of the wider track. In the process, they gave us some thrills and led to the aforementioned "best road race I've seen" comments. Let's hope they continue this guideline in the future.
#3: COTA's Debut
Alright, I have some thoughts on COTA. Some good, some not so good. Let me start with the bad. First of all, they are definitely not Texas Motor Speedway. Or Pocono Raceway, or St. Pete, or some of the other tracks I've attended. It seemed to me that they have this kind of elitist mindset, probably from hosting F1 and MotoGP races for several years. They put a cap on the number of IndyCar paddock passes sold and refused to sell any more. Yet IndyCar prides itself on being accessible to fans. I was able to get autographs and photos from three IndyCar champions on Saturday (all from Team Penske)--and I highly doubt I would have had that opportunity in F1. Not only that, unlike TMS, they strictly enforced seating. After qualifying on Saturday, we tried move to the Turn 1 grandstands but were turned away. This in spite of the fact that the Turn 1 stands were nearly empty and the "main event--" IndyCar--was over. Our seats were in the Turn 15-16 area, so we paid more than general admission. I don't understand why you wouldn't let fans who have paid a similar price sit in a similar section, especially when there were plenty of seats available. I definitely appreciate that TMS and other tracks will let you move around more and explore different areas.
Second of all, this was an expensive race. We paid $175 each for three days in Turn 15-16 and we weren't even able to attend on Friday due to work commitments. (COTA seemed to discourage buying single-day tickets.) Our stand was not full at all, and I suspect the high ticket price was a reason why. Contrast this to TMS, who just emailed me a promotion for two tickets and two scanners for $59 for the June IndyCar race. Not only were the race tickets expensive, the food and drinks were pricey as well. AND hotels raised their prices significantly for the weekend so we had to pay a lot for that. This was not a family-friendly event, which is why I probably saw very few kids at this race. How can an average family afford to go? If it's a choice between COTA and TMS, they have to choose TMS because it's most cost-effective and fan friendly.
That being said, COTA did try to make the race into an event. In addition to having constant on-track activity with Indy Lights, Stadium Super Trucks and Mazda CX-5 Cup, they had a zip line, a go-kart track, and the Muse concert on Saturday night (good show, by the way). I'm not sure if they do this for other racing series, but they also let fans "invade" the track after the checkered flag fell, to watch the podium celebration. And wow, did they shower us with a massive amount of confetti. All of those aspects were truly impressive. So I guess you could say I got my money's worth. I'm just not sure I can afford to go to this race every year, especially when there are other tracks I'd like to visit.
I also saw A LOT of F1 fan attire throughout the weekend, particularly on Saturday. This was not unexpected, and I'm glad I didn't hear a lot of negativity or comparisons of F1 to IndyCar. I'd be curious to know their thoughts on the race though.
All in all, it was an enjoyable race but not the best I've ever seen in person or on TV. There wasn't much of a challenge for the lead, though there may have been if Rossi and Power stayed at the front. There were some great battles in the middle of the pack, and I had a great vantage point of those from my seats in Turn 16. Will I be back? Probably. It's within driving distance for me so I feel like I should. Better start saving up now I suppose!
The untimely caution for Felix Rosenqvist's accident likely cost Rossi (not Power) the race. Power ended up with a mechanical problem and did not finish the race, and this problem likely would have appeared with or without the caution. But it looked like Rossi was just biding his time and would eventually pass Power, and he probably would have assumed the lead since Power had the problem in the pits. Power criticized IndyCar for closing the pits under caution, but since Rosenqvist's car was blocking pit entry, I certainly understand why they did that. That's not always the case though, and IndyCar regularly waits to open the pits under caution. I have no strong feelings on this subject but I'm not in the car. It might be worth exploring opening the pits under caution at least. But again, Rossi's team chose to wait to pit, and that is ultimately what cost him the race. The caution, at the very least, gave us a great story for the weekend.
#2 Story: No Track Limits
I cannot understand why anyone would criticize IndyCar's decision to implement no track limits at COTA. OK so F1 enforces track limits. And how does that affect their racing? IndyCar's drivers were able to really race by taking advantage of the wider track. In the process, they gave us some thrills and led to the aforementioned "best road race I've seen" comments. Let's hope they continue this guideline in the future.
#3: COTA's Debut
Alright, I have some thoughts on COTA. Some good, some not so good. Let me start with the bad. First of all, they are definitely not Texas Motor Speedway. Or Pocono Raceway, or St. Pete, or some of the other tracks I've attended. It seemed to me that they have this kind of elitist mindset, probably from hosting F1 and MotoGP races for several years. They put a cap on the number of IndyCar paddock passes sold and refused to sell any more. Yet IndyCar prides itself on being accessible to fans. I was able to get autographs and photos from three IndyCar champions on Saturday (all from Team Penske)--and I highly doubt I would have had that opportunity in F1. Not only that, unlike TMS, they strictly enforced seating. After qualifying on Saturday, we tried move to the Turn 1 grandstands but were turned away. This in spite of the fact that the Turn 1 stands were nearly empty and the "main event--" IndyCar--was over. Our seats were in the Turn 15-16 area, so we paid more than general admission. I don't understand why you wouldn't let fans who have paid a similar price sit in a similar section, especially when there were plenty of seats available. I definitely appreciate that TMS and other tracks will let you move around more and explore different areas.
Second of all, this was an expensive race. We paid $175 each for three days in Turn 15-16 and we weren't even able to attend on Friday due to work commitments. (COTA seemed to discourage buying single-day tickets.) Our stand was not full at all, and I suspect the high ticket price was a reason why. Contrast this to TMS, who just emailed me a promotion for two tickets and two scanners for $59 for the June IndyCar race. Not only were the race tickets expensive, the food and drinks were pricey as well. AND hotels raised their prices significantly for the weekend so we had to pay a lot for that. This was not a family-friendly event, which is why I probably saw very few kids at this race. How can an average family afford to go? If it's a choice between COTA and TMS, they have to choose TMS because it's most cost-effective and fan friendly.
That being said, COTA did try to make the race into an event. In addition to having constant on-track activity with Indy Lights, Stadium Super Trucks and Mazda CX-5 Cup, they had a zip line, a go-kart track, and the Muse concert on Saturday night (good show, by the way). I'm not sure if they do this for other racing series, but they also let fans "invade" the track after the checkered flag fell, to watch the podium celebration. And wow, did they shower us with a massive amount of confetti. All of those aspects were truly impressive. So I guess you could say I got my money's worth. I'm just not sure I can afford to go to this race every year, especially when there are other tracks I'd like to visit.
I also saw A LOT of F1 fan attire throughout the weekend, particularly on Saturday. This was not unexpected, and I'm glad I didn't hear a lot of negativity or comparisons of F1 to IndyCar. I'd be curious to know their thoughts on the race though.
All in all, it was an enjoyable race but not the best I've ever seen in person or on TV. There wasn't much of a challenge for the lead, though there may have been if Rossi and Power stayed at the front. There were some great battles in the middle of the pack, and I had a great vantage point of those from my seats in Turn 16. Will I be back? Probably. It's within driving distance for me so I feel like I should. Better start saving up now I suppose!
