I used to be an Indy open-wheel race fan. I still never miss the Indy 500 every Memorial Day weekend, but for the past decade I’ve watched only out of habit. When IRL and CART split in 1996 much of the interest went out of this series for me, and for a lot of other people. Is it any coincidence that NASCAR’s incredible growth coincided with the schism in open-wheel racing? I think not.
Today, for the first time since 1995, IRL and CART have untied and their affiliated drivers are in the Indy field. Already, as I’m watching Jim Nabors sing “Back Home in Indiana,” I’m more interested in this year’s race, and not just because of Danica Patrick.
NASCAR has spread itself pretty thin in non-traditional markets and has catered to new fans in new places. That has left disgruntled long-time fans in NASCAR’s wake? Will the new unification in open-wheel racing give NASCAR a run for the racing dollar? I think maybe so.