Interview
IndyCar
IndyCar's future at Pocono still up in the air
Motorsport.com spoke one-on-one with Pocono Raceway president and CEO Brandon Igdalsky about the uncertain future of IndyCar at the superspeedway.
Nick DeGroot
Edited: Aug 24, 2015, 8:30 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Pocono Raceway president and CEO Brandon Igdalsky commented to Motorsport.com on the future of their IndyCar race just hours before the third running of 2015's 500-miler. The viability of the event is in question due to the inability to fill the stands, but the racing itself doesn't seem to be the problem.
We can't go three years losing money. It's a business and you just can't do that
Brandon Igdalsky
"We just need more fans here," Igdalsky told Motorsport.com. "It's a great product - the series is really doing the right things and there's more things they can do. The drivers are great, the people inside the sport are great and the product on the track is unbelievable.
Wanting to make it work
Despite all the positives, the series may not return for a fourth consecutive year. "It's a coin flip at the moment," he said of the 2016 event. "After this weekend, we need to look at all the numbers. I can't say yes or no at this point. We just got to evaluate everything. We can't lose money. We can't go three years losing money. It's a business and you just can't do that. We're talking to IndyCar - we want to make it work.
If we come back (to Pocono) next year after what we did today, you're going to fill it up
Juan Pablo Montoya
"Indy is part of our long-term growth plan here and we want to keep it. We just got to figure out a way to make it work for everybody."
NASCAR vs. IndyCar
Igdalsky, who has served as president and CEO of the Pennsylvania race track since 2011, believes the issue is getting the product out there better. "NASCAR has done a great job over the years promoting the series. IndyCar obviously, with all the fighting they had back in the IRL/CART split - that hurt them a lot. They're still dealing with the repercussions of that.
"They're (NASCAR) a marketing juggernaut and they've done a great job like a lot of other leagues around the country have done a great job of promoting themselves. I think IndyCar needs to look at some of those models and figure out what they can do to increase their market share."
Montoya praises racing, says IndyCar should return
The aero kits produced some exceptional racing during Sunday's event, but the 500-miler was also plagued by multiple wrecks that kept the race under yellow for over 25% of the time. The final accident of the day has left Justin Wilson in a coma and in critical condition after getting struck in the head by a piece of a debris from Sage Karam's car.
Following the checkered flag, Juan Pablo Montoya spoke about the future of the race and he believes that the series needs to come back.
"I mean, if people come here and watch the NASCAR race, that single-file parade for 400 miles, or you want to see this, you know what I mean? I think it's a pretty easy call from the track whether they want us back or not, you know what I mean? I have no control over it.
"I think it was great racing. It was a fun place. A lot of people showed up today. That is good. I'll tell you the truth. If we come back next year after what we did today, you're going to fill it up. You're going to have more and more people."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Tony Stewart offers helping hand to Wilson family as racers come together
Next article Karam released from hospital after Pocono crash
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Nick DeGroot
Dale Jr. explains why he doesn't use 'Earnhardt' in his signature
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup 18 h
Dale Jr. explains why he doesn't use 'Earnhardt' in his signature
Tom Cruise interested in racing ARCA car, per NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
Tom Cruise interested in racing ARCA car, per NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell
9/11 after 25 years: How NASCAR went back racing following September 11 attacks
Feature
NASCAR Cup
Feature
NASCAR Cup
9/11 after 25 years: How NASCAR went back racing following September 11 attacks
More from
Juan Pablo Montoya
Team Penske and Chevrolet announce multi-year extension of IndyCar partnership
IndyCar
IndyCar
Team Penske and Chevrolet announce multi-year extension of IndyCar partnership
Juan Pablo Montoya admires Franco Colapinto's "aggressive" approach despite Baku crash
Formula 1
Formula 1
Azerbaijan GP
Juan Pablo Montoya admires Franco Colapinto's "aggressive" approach despite Baku crash
Williams tipped for "huge step" forward at Azerbaijan GP with major upgrade
Formula 1
Formula 1
Spanish GP
Williams tipped for "huge step" forward at Azerbaijan GP with major upgrade
Latest news
Christian Horner takes cheeky swipe at Guenther Steiner: 'He never achieved an F1 podium'
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
29 min
Christian Horner takes cheeky swipe at Guenther Steiner: 'He never achieved an F1 podium'
Franco Morbidelli on securing most coveted WSBK ride: 'Clearly Ducati has some trust in me'
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Japanese GP
2 h
Franco Morbidelli on securing most coveted WSBK ride: 'Clearly Ducati has some trust in me'
"Not allowed, not made possible": Was BMW denied its title chance?
DTM
DTM DTM
Hockenheim
2 h
"Not allowed, not made possible": Was BMW denied its title chance?
Feature
Discover prime content
Inside AJ Foyt Racing’s transition: Hauger’s arrival, Ferrucci’s future, and the Pierson waiting game
Feature
IndyCar
Feature
IndyCar
By Joey Barnes
Inside AJ Foyt Racing’s transition: Hauger’s arrival, Ferrucci’s future, and the Pierson waiting game
You Ask The Questions: David Malukas
IndyCar
By Joey Barnes
You Ask The Questions: David Malukas
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe