Earlier this week, I was asked to write an Op-ed column for the New York Times. In the wake of Dan Wheldon's tragic end, the Times wanted a brief (700-800 words) editorial to explain the economics of racing to the vast majority of their readers who aren't motorsports fans. In addition, they wanted an answer to the question "did the $5 million bounty contribute to Dan Wheldon's death?"
It was a task I was honored to tackle.
But, it seems my "Op" (insisting the bonus did not play a role in his death) didn't match their "Ed" (they say most of their readers hold the opposite view), and the column was not put into print.
I'm not posting the editorial with the intent of exacerbating the finger-pointing and misplaced anger that has taken place since the crash. If you disagree, please let me know, but do so like an adult. If you want to rage, do so elsewhere. This is merely an attempt to place the incident into a wider perspective.
The column might seem elementary to those well-versed in modern motorsports, but I did my best to explain the basics in as few words as possible. See what you think.
jade.
UPDATED: Thanks a hundred times over for the use of this stunning photo of Dan Wheldon, taken by Tony Di Zinno for IndyCar Magazine the morning after Wheldon's first Indianapolis 500 victory in 2005. You can see more of Tony's work at: http://www.dizinno.co.uk (Click the image for a larger view.)
In motorsports, race teams chase millions of dollars while drivers fight for hundredths of a second and sanctioning bodies race behind each, hoping to preserve order. And save lives. Sometimes, the race behind the race ends in tragedy. On Sunday, Dan Wheldon died after a 15-car crash during the Izod IndyCar Series race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Now many are asking if a $5 million bonus Wheldon was eligible to win contributed to his death.
The IndyCar series has been on an upswing recently after a long, difficult period of smaller crowds and declining television ratings after an ugly feud split the sport into two look-alike racing series in the mid-1990s. As NASCAR collected sponsors and billion-dollar television contracts in the 2000s, IndyCar struggled to maintain relevance.
In early 2010, Randy Bernard was hired as the CEO of IndyCar, tasked to bring sponsors and television viewers as he had done previously as CEO of Professional Bull Riders Inc. Lumbered with a long-term television contract with the Versus cable network (now a part of NBC Sports Network), a small number of successful races outside of Indianapolis and an economy in repose, Bernard helped bring General Motors back into the sport, as turbocharged Chevrolet engines will compete wheel-to-wheel with Honda (the sole engine supplier since 2006) and Lotus in 2012. IndyCar also headlined a new Labor Day weekend race through the streets of downtown Baltimore, which featured enthusiastic capacity crowds.
After a successful 100th Anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500 in May, Bernard’s biggest promotion focused on the series finale in Las Vegas. Hoping to entice a qualified NASCAR, X-Games or Formula One star, he created a $5 million bounty for an interloping driver who could win the race. When there were no takers, Bernard offered to split the bounty between a fan and Wheldon, winner of the 2011 Indianapolis 500. Despite his victory in the biggest race of the year, Wheldon had been unable to secure a full-time drive this season.
Because prize money alone cannot cover the immense cost of entry (a mid-field IndyCar budget is estimated to be $7 - $10 million per car/driver), sponsorship dollars pay the majority of the costs. Drivers who can bring a sponsor or considerable family wealth to a team often compete with potentially more talented drivers who lack such backing. When the economy falters and sponsorship dollars become scarce, the racing industry is impacted more than other sports.
Wheldon moved to the U.S. from England in 1999, showing enough skill and personality to be hired by one of the top IndyCar teams, Andretti Green Racing, in 2002. Wheldon became the 2005 IndyCar Champion, winning six races including the Indianapolis 500. The following year, he signed with Target Chip Ganassi Racing, one of the two top teams (along with Penske Racing). After two seasons of diminishing results, Wheldon was replaced by another series champion, Dario Franchitti.
Wheldon moved to the smaller Panther Racing team, but without the resources of the bigger teams his on-track success waned. Before the 2011 season, Wheldon was replaced by a talented rookie driver whose paycheck was likely much less, leaving Wheldon on the sidelines.
For the Indy 500, a tiny team owned by Bryan Herta (Wheldon’s friend and former teammate) signed Wheldon to drive, scraping together enough sponsorship for one race. The car was fast, but few expected Wheldon to contend for victory. Yet, with a sound pit strategy, Wheldon was running second on the final lap when J.R. Hildebrand, the driver who had replaced him at Panther, crashed in the final turn, handing the win to Wheldon.
Without a full-time drive, Wheldon spent the last weeks of his life as test driver, helping develop an all-new racecar for the 2012 season. The new IndyCar design features a long list of safety improvements to reduce horrific crashes. (The new chassis will now be named in Wheldon’s honor.) The morning of his death, Wheldon had agreed to a fully sponsored ride for 2012 with Andretti Autosport.
Auto racing is a sport, but more prominently, it is a business. No part of the business is untouched by money. Not speed. Not safety. In the past decade, IndyCar led the industry with a number of safety innovations for both the cars and racetracks, and Wheldon is the first fatality since 2006, a span of 101 races.
But, did money change how Wheldon drove in Sunday’s race?
Absolutely not.
No matter the prize money, racecar drivers accept considerable risks every time they climb into the car. Their goal is singular: win the race. Racing legend Mario Andretti tweeted Tuesday afternoon: “Dan Wheldon did not take mad risk because he was over-motivated by $5 mil prize. To imply he drove different due to $$, you offend his honor.”
If you're one of the folks who wondered if I'd fallen from the face of the earth, I apologize for abandoning the ol' blog for a few months. But, I promise it was all for good reason.
I am excited to announce my latest book, In The Red. It will be released in early 2012 by Octane Press, LLC. You can pre-order now at: http://octanepress.com/book/red You can also read the book's first chapter on the Octane site.
The 2001 season seemed to involve every emotion one could experience, from the horrific tragedy of Dale Earnhardt's death in the season-opening Daytona 500 to Dale Jr's emotional and triumphant return to Daytona in July. In the same way "Driver No. 8" chronicled the 2000 NASCAR season, In The Red picks up where it left off, giving an insider's view of the 2001 season with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
I'm close to the material, so it's hard to be objective, but I strongly believe this is the best work I've ever done.
In the build-up to the book's release, I'm happy to offer a lot of never-before-seen material all across the web. Here are some of those outlets:
Twitter: Follow @InTheRed2001 for interactive chats during each Chase race of 2011. We'll also Tweet links to much of the other material.
Facebook: "Like" the Facebook page for In The Red to see daily updates including never-before seen photos,videos and even music from the book.
Tumblr: The In The Red Tumblr blog will have daily updates with similar photos, videos and many stories behind the stories from the book. If you have a Tumblr blog, I encourage you to follow. Even if you don't, you can follow the blog by checking back each day or selecting the RSS feed at the top of the page.
As a "thank you" to Jim and the readers of the Dale Jr. Pit Stop website for so many years of fervent support for Dale Jr. and me, you can also find another exclusive chapter from the book there.
In the coming weeks, we will be running a series of contests that will give you an opportunities to win rare 2001 merchandise and other items from my personal archives. We will announce the first contest later this afternoon.
If you were never there in person to hear for yourself, it's incredibly difficult to explain the effect Tom Carnegie's sonorous voice could have on an event as epic as the Indianapolis 500. Carnegie - who passed away Friday at the age of 91 - was THE voice of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for six decades.
Unlike the crass and tasteless 'modern' track announcers who seem to believe they are being paid by the word - Carnegie had a flair for the dramatic as his exhortations during Indy's annual qualifying parade made even a four-lap, single-car run bristle with excitement - his every word echoing to fill the circumference of the two-and-a-half mile oval.
Anyone who was in attendance to hear his trademark call of "heeeeeee's on it!" or "it's a newwwwwww trackkkkk recordddddd!" likely never forgot it. When I made the annual trek to the 500 - whether my bank account could afford it or not - one of the highlights of the entire trip was hearing his voice crackle over the PA on race morning - welcoming the crowds who had made their pilgrimage to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
It's hard to imagine one without the other - Tom Carnegie and the Indianapolis 500. The Man and the Voice will be missed...
