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Thorgal
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Tarifa, Cádiz.
Jan 2002
time: 05:37
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As a fan of motorsports i cant stop laughing reading some posts here. 
Lets see... F1 is broadcasting in nearly all countries in the world. Everybody since a Chinesse to a Peruvian knows perfectly who M. Schumacher is. OTOH do you think they know who Jeff Gordon is? F1 viewing figures are so high that hardly can be calculated. Precisely this year the average viewing figures for each GP have raised since Ferrrari is not so dominant anymore. It is about 400-500 millions worldwide. For istance, this year due to Karthikeyan, only in India there are about 80-100 millions people viewing every race. After F1, the second most viewed motorsport is MotoGP with about 300 millions each Race.
So, if F1 dont go to USA never again it will be nothing too important for the series because USA doesnt apport nothing to F1 since many years ago. Neither circuitis, technology, drivers, money nor attendance. This is a fact.
About NASCAR it is a dwarf compared with F1. Face it, take some perspective. It is popular in USA but NOBODY see it significally outside YOUR country. 
Leaving aside that, NASCAR isnt even in the same league as F1 in any aspect. However it can be fun to see a couple of minutes each race when there are accidents and such. It is the minimum common denominator in motorsports. A product that isnt and never will be succefull in Europe, even much less succesfull than F1 in USA, you can see. For every driver in all series in the world (even for Gordon, the very best NASCAR driver) to drive in F1 is his maximun dream, but mostly out of range of course.
About Indyanapolis being the meca of motorsport... yes it is a very historic course and all, but nowadays the famous 500 miles, a IRL race (the lowest form of open wheel racing) has not interest for anybody.  If F1 would not race a weekend there most people in the world would not even know where Indyanapolis course is. Today the most important event in motorsports worlwide is the Monaco GP, no doubt about that. (Lemans 24h may be second but at a long distance IMO)
However, speaking about decent series in USA, you can always focus on CART (AKA Champcars). 
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DanS
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Kickball Capital of the World
Jan 1970
time: 00:37
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quote:
Disgusted F-1 fans clamor for refunds
Star report
They cursed. They made obscene gestures. They demanded refunds.
And a lot of them left early, vowing never to return.
The fans who had paid hundreds, in some cases thousands, of dollars to travel to Indianapolis for Sunday's U.S. Grand Prix quickly voiced their disgust when a dispute over the safety of the Michelin tires used by seven of the 10 teams kept 14 cars out of the race.
That left six cars from three teams, and to some fans, that was no race at all.
Many walked out by the second lap. Others threw beer cans on the track.
Hundreds gathered on the plaza behind the pagoda, many screaming -- and pointing their middle fingers -- at the tower's glass windows and the race officials inside.
At one point, a few surged toward the gate of a restricted area at the base of the pagoda. They were shoved back by Marion County sheriff's deputies who had warned them repeatedly to keep their distance.
Adolf Rose nearly got into a confrontation with one deputy.
"This is crazy," he said a few minutes later. "I brought my kids. We traveled nine and a half hours from Maryland, and we get this?
"This is a bunch of crap. They should give every one of us our money back."
About 50 fans gathered behind the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's administration building, near 16th Street and Georgetown Road, also hoping to speak to somebody about getting their money back.
They were kept at bay by about 20 State Police troopers.
"A couple of these people could have made problems for us, so we let them vent and speak their piece and that usually takes care of it," said State Police Sgt. Dan Jones.
A sign on the building's front door indicated more information about refunds would be available today.
The demand for money was repeated among many as they left early -- and by some who stayed.
"I want a refund. I wouldn't dare come back here to see another race, that's for sure," said Ian Martin, Houston, who traveled here with Maria Bacaling for their first Formula One race.
And, probably, their last.
A fan for about four years, Martin and Bacaling paid $105 each for their tickets and made a weekend out of it, arriving Thursday in Indianapolis.
"It's a great city. I love the town. I had a great time up until 1 o'clock today," Martin said, referring to the race's start.
Standing behind the pagoda after the race, the dejected couple said they were unlikely to spend any more money on the series.
Local officials were hoping Sunday that the images of the Speedway and the city would escape fans' wrath.
"The Speedway brings in three of the largest events in town, and they deal with this better than anybody. We have the utmost confidence in their ability to move beyond that," said Deputy Mayor Steve Campbell.
"We're still the racing capital. Always will be."
Steve Talley, president of the Indianapolis City-County Council, echoed that view.
"I don't think it will have a major impact on the city or the race itself," he said.
Nonetheless, it did have an impact Sunday. Vendors expecting to sell to happy fans after the race watched disgruntled fans walk out early, wallets closed.
Vallis Kays, 55, Crawfordsville, hit the road after the first few cans and bottles were tossed on the track.
"We're leaving before it gets ugly," he said.
Police prepared for that possibility. The Indianapolis Police Department sent 24 extra officers to the Speedway once the controversy began.
Dressed in riot gear, those officers took positions in the infield. After the race, Marion County sheriff's deputies stood around the podium during the ceremony honoring the top three finishers.
IPD had a total of 224 officers at the track, most for traffic control, and they made no arrests, Lt. Brian Clouse said.
"The fans showed their displeasure by throwing trash on the track, and then they left," he said.
But some of them had a longer trip home than others.
Camilo Arbelaze came to Indianapolis from Colombia with more than 20 family members for what was supposed to be a Father's Day present.
"A lot of people had this as a family event," Arbelaze said. "A lot of people invested money to come in for a good time, and we feel betrayed."
Some of the vendors at the Speedway said the controversy had no effect on their business. But souvenir seller Annette Matusky said sales were much less than in the other five years she's come to the Grand Prix -- even after she cut prices.
Those vendors depend in part on the fervor of Formula One's European fans, thousands of whom travel all over the world for races.
Sunday, that devotion turned into an expensive lesson. Juan Garcia, who traveled from Europe, was skeptical of the teams that pulled out -- and dismissive of those who stayed in.
"This is not at all fair," he said. "I wouldn't be proud to win a race like this."
The controversy isn't likely to help Formula One's image in the United States, where it has struggled to create a fan base.
Carol Wood and her husband, Al, traveled to Indianapolis from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., spending about $2,000 on the trip.
"I don't want for anyone to get hurt or anyone to get killed, but there should have been a postponement or something," she said.
"Next year, we'll go to Montreal," site of the Canadian Grand Prix. "This is not a race, it's a little exhibition."
Whatever it was, it was dominated by the Ferrari team, which was OK by some fans of Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello, the Ferrari driver who finished second.
As usual, the Brazilian fans were visible and vocal, decked out in their country's green and yellow. One group stood in the stands along the main straightaway, as Kesley Fabio waved a flag at least a dozen feet high.
"We feel so sorry. We think this is politics," said Helio Silva, of Brazil, part of a group of 12 people who were meeting at their third U.S. Grand Prix.
"Everyone comes from all over the world to see F-1, and they're disappointed. This could really change F-1 in the United States," he added.
"But we'll be here next year. With our flag." |
quote:
Fan reaction
"It looks bad for Indianapolis. I’m done with it. I’m done with CART, done with IRL, done with F-1 and I don’t like NASCAR. So, I’m thinking maybe curling would be a good sport to follow."
Steve Yaney, Fort Smith, Ark., who attended the race with his daughter, Kristen
"It’s horrible. This is an abomination of the sport. I can’t believe they allowed it to occur."
Tom Heitzenrater, Detroit
"This is my first F-1 race and probably my last."
Emerson Petty, Indianapolis
"So many people came from all over the world to be here and spent so much money to get disappointed like this. It’s too bad."
Kathy Strope, Portland, Ore.
"When we saw the race at the start, we thought that everything was going to be OK. But then everyone disappeared."
Jose Reina, Colombia
"What would they do if someone died on these bad tires?"
Steve Beverly, 44, Spotsylvania, Va., who said the drivers did the right thing by sticking together on this issue
"We drove 16 hours, and we don’t even get to watch half the teams race."
Adrian Jackson, Florida
"I’m not going to come back. I can’t imagine (drivers) just quitting. For all of them to pull off and run just three teams, that’s crazy. I’ll just be an IRL and NASCAR fan from now on."
Brian Whittle, Carmel, Ind.
"I was hoping somebody besides Michael Schumacher would win."
Darrell Harris, Northville, Mich.
"A lot of people were irritated, frustrated, upset (and) disgruntled. So, it’s like, ‘Do I want to buy a souvenir from a race that I really didn’t even see?."
Annette Raisor, 47, Mount Washington, Ky., who was standing at a booth on Georgetown Road, selling souvenirs with the Ferrari emblem on them
"I just feel bad for the race track. They put so much effort into it. It’s really not their fault, even though people were blaming Indianapolis."
Pat Beyland, 59, Carmel, Ind.
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Thorgal
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Tarifa, Cádiz.
Jan 2002
time: 05:37
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I think soccer sucks, but i would never say it isnt the most popular sport by a looong shot.
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BlackCat
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quote:
Originally posted by DanS
"It looks bad for Indianapolis. I’m done with it. I’m done with CART, done with IRL, done with F-1 and I don’t like NASCAR. So, I’m thinking maybe curling would be a good sport to follow."
Steve Yaney, Fort Smith, Ark., who attended the race with his daughter, Kristen
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Not a bad choice. Curling may not be that fun to look at, but it's fun playing. Besides, if you don't take it too seriously, there isnit something wrong drinking a beer or two while playing 
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Thorgal
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Tarifa, Cádiz.
Jan 2002
time: 05:37
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I think the blame should go to
1st - Michelin,
2nd - Max Mosley, so FIA.
3rd - Ferrari (morally).
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Thorgal
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Tarifa, Cádiz.
Jan 2002
time: 05:37
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quote:
orry man but even the BBC has reported NASCAR as the world's most popular form of racing based upon track attendence. DeathbytheSword went on reasons why that is so but the fact remains.
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Yes i know that. But I was not speaking about track attendance only (neither you). F1 focus in TV attendance since it is that matter to sponsors.
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Apolyton Time is 00:37. |
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