The IndyCar race scheduled for China has been cancelled, after new mayor took office in the host city of Qingdao. Even though a contract had been signed, the Associated Press is reporting the new government didn't want the race to conflict with the city's International Beer Festival. Seems to me it might have made a great combination. We all know drinking beer and driving cars is bad, but drinking beer and watching them seems to be OK.
With that said, I do think the sport is struggling to find and maintain a strong fanbase and audience to tune in on television. I don't think it helps when the coverage is so bad that race fans need to switch channels in order to watch the end of a race as they did with the Detroit race a few weeks ago.
To continue to grow and be financially successful, I really think IndyCar needs that global audience and the only way to build it is to schedule international races in the areas where they want to develop fans. If they've cancelled the China race, I think they need to add another international race, not just schedule one in the US and certainly not another Texas race, as has been proposed.
It's a similar thing that I keep harping about with regards to Formula 1, another racing type I love. I want more Formula 1 races in the United States as I think that's the only way to increase fan awareness and increase the number of American F1 fans. We are finally starting to see Formula One Management and Bernie Ecclestone come around on that, with one American race coming in November and two American races planned for the 2013 Formula 1 calendar.
I met and interviewed IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard at the Long Beach Grand Prix and one of the things I I asked him about were his thoughts on the importance of the international market for IndyCar. His response: "We're a North American, actually American governing body of open-wheel racing. I think we need to put our priority here in the U.S., most importantly. But, in saying that, we'd like to have three or four events internationally. Two in Canada, two outside the country, maybe one more, because that's where our partners want to do business." I agree and hope to see the China race replaced with another one, hopefully in Europe. If F1 is going to come into IndyCar's backyard and race in America, then IndyCar should race in Europe.
A lifetime auto racing fan, Freddy Sherman collects vintage muscle cars and attends races and rally events in the U.S. and around the world. He writes about Formula 1 and IndyCar racing and you can follow him on Twitter -@thefredsherman
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