So another race weekend at Mid-Ohio; large turnout, loads of anticipation, no passing, no drama, no excitement. Sounds about right for a professional formula type series on a club racing course. Mid-Ohio is too narrow in its current set-up for cars as fast as the IZOD INDYCAR Series. It might produce great passing for a Honda Civic Si in Show Room Stock C, but it’s a cure for insomnia when really fast cars run there. Also it needs upgrades beyond the race course, most notably wooden garages. Did everyone miss…
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Part 1 Season of Discontent
“The best we get is fuzzy internet and (a) highlight show at the same time as an Indy broadcast. Come on man, that’s (expletive) shit” says one ALMS Team Manager on condition of anominity. A business/media manager for a front-running GT team tells me “you can’t sale it, none of us can now, they (expletive) tied are hands”. The “can’t sell” is there’s no high-dollar sponsor value for the current ESPN3.com and ESPN2-ABC offers. “We’re already studying GrandAm for next year. We may not finish this season. We can’t resign…
Read MoreIndy Hump Day Report: Barber, Streams,and Seats
Normally I leave the sad parts to end my column, but my heart is so heavy this week I have to begin with a few words on Japan first. I was up when the 8.9 hit Japan, being the ultimate Gaijin I tend to read the news from Japan many days after midnight ET. First the footage of the quake broke my heart, but then the Hollywood like aftermath with the Tsunami just made it ache with pain. On behalf of everyone not just at Open Paddock; but the entire…
Read MoreLe Mans – ALMS Reaches Multi-Year TV, Digital Deal with ESPN and ABC
FROM: American Le Mans Series The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón announced today a ground-breaking, multi-year broadcast and digital agreement with ESPN that ALMS President/CEO Scott Atherton is calling “a game changer.” The innovative deal involves televising the world’s premier sports car series over several ESPN programming and media platforms, including ABC, ESPN2 and ESPN3.com. Intersport, an award-winning media and marketing agency, represented the Series in the new television and digital agreement with ESPN. The core of the ALMS’ new innovative broadcast and digital package will deliver…
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