2018 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule (post #1)

CHRDANHUTCH

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Mar 4, 2002
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GP of Alabama @ Birmingham Int'l Raceway:

Will Power on pole; race on NBCSN @ 2:30; Josef Newgarden wins in 3rd start for Team Penske
 
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Dr Johnny Fever

Eggplant and Teal
Apr 11, 2012
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Given how ESPN has been hemorrhaging money and has been bailing out of motorsports for the last few years, it really isn't shocking to see ABC not renew with IndyCar. I wouldn't mind seeing NBC pick it up. I've always preferred the TV crew at NBC and if they could pick up Jon Beekhuis and Dr Jerry Punch, I think it could be an even stronger team.

But the Indy 500 isn't going anywhere. The ABC contract runs through 2018 and I'm sure somebody will pick it up beyond that.
 

CHRDANHUTCH

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Mar 4, 2002
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Given how ESPN has been hemorrhaging money and has been bailing out of motorsports for the last few years, it really isn't shocking to see ABC not renew with IndyCar. I wouldn't mind seeing NBC pick it up. I've always preferred the TV crew at NBC and if they could pick up Jon Beekhuis and Dr Jerry Punch, I think it could be an even stronger team.

But the Indy 500 isn't going anywhere. The ABC contract runs through 2018 and I'm sure somebody will pick it up beyond that.

well, Cheever and Bestwick are already gone, JC, as part of theESPN/ABC purge, and NBC already has NASCAR every July, so could Fox get Indycar in that same scenario is what I'm thinking now
 

Dr Johnny Fever

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well, Cheever and Bestwick are already gone, JC, as part of theESPN/ABC purge, and NBC already has NASCAR every July, so could Fox get Indycar in that same scenario is what I'm thinking now

I beleive Bestwick and Cheever will still be calling this year's 500. I'd be surprised if Fox were interested. Early in the year their nascar and baseball schedule would be a tight fit. And if I'm not mistaken, they took the first part of the nascar season because once football starts in the summer they couldn't fit nascar in. So, I doubt they would want to try with IndyCar even if it is fewer races.

OTOH, NBC has the early part of the season more open until they pick up nascar in the summer. IndCar could be a good fit there. Or, heaven forbid, Indycar could cut a deal with some obscure cable company nobody gets like CART did years back with Spike TV. Ugh. But the Indy 500 being the crown jewel, I'm sure it will remain on OTA TV however they have to make it work.
 

CHRDANHUTCH

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Mar 4, 2002
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I beleive Bestwick and Cheever will still be calling this year's 500. I'd be surprised if Fox were interested. Early in the year their nascar and baseball schedule would be a tight fit. And if I'm not mistaken, they took the first part of the nascar season because once football starts in the summer they couldn't fit nascar in. So, I doubt they would want to try with IndyCar even if it is fewer races.

OTOH, NBC has the early part of the season more open until they pick up nascar in the summer. IndCar could be a good fit there. Or, heaven forbid, Indycar could cut a deal with some obscure cable company nobody gets like CART did years back with Spike TV. Ugh. But the Indy 500 being the crown jewel, I'm sure it will remain on OTA TV however they have to make it work.

meanwhile, at Phoenix, Aleshin did his Sato impression and took out 5 cars on lap 1, and almost took out a 6th, and Simon Pagenaud ran away with the win by 9 secs.....

I honestly don't see NBCSN adding Indycar especially full-time after the first 3 races, when May hits and exclude Carb Day FROM THAT, because of other events NBC Sports has contractually, between hockey and the Triple Crown, or doing more than what they've already contractually have scheduled.
 

worstfaceoffmanever

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I don't see any issue with the Indy 500 contract. There's still plenty of demand for that race, and I have no doubt NBC would love to pick it up. Fox has no interest, because it doesn't fit with their dude-bro brand.

The race last night in Phoenix was a total snoozer. Great strategy by Pagenaud and a well-deserved win, but he wasn't really challenged for the last 100 laps when he lucked into lapping the field. IndyCar needs to get off those short circuits where passing is extremely difficult and any green flag stop is essentially the end of your race.
 

Dr Johnny Fever

Eggplant and Teal
Apr 11, 2012
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does ABC lease the announcers for 2017, though,? ABC has Indycar beginning the 13th of May, ALL NBCSN does is the Friday "Carb Day"

No. For 2017 the guys are still under contract to espn/abc and will call the 500. It's the same team that did St Pete and will do Bell Isle. But after that Bestwick has been fired even though the abc contract with IndyCar runs through 2018. So maybe abc is working on a plan to get out early?
 
Mar 1, 2002
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Multiple fractures of his pelvis and also the hip.

Those take a long time and lots of work to just have a normal life with those injuries, much less race again.
 

CHRDANHUTCH

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Mar 4, 2002
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Auburn, Maine
Thanks for the update on Bourdais....

and what had been "Bump Day" COMMENCES shortly in Indycar Timing/Scoring and 4 pm on ABC;

Will Alonso win the pole for the Indianapolis 500? AND so sad for a team like Dale Coyne to likely lose their primary driver, and Bourdais had a pole-like run going when that occurred.

Ed Carpenter ended up being the provisional pole-sitter despite that incident.... Glad to know that the protocol has been updated so that they can go directly to Methodist if needed rather than the manditory infield care center on site...
 

CHRDANHUTCH

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Mar 4, 2002
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I'm pretty sure the SAFER barrier just saved a life on that crash.

anyone need to see what it used to be, there's a youtube video of 1982 and Gordon Smiley, same exact incident, different era.

report was at the time Bourdais was going at 227 mph, G-Force of 118.

James Davison named as interim driver for the Coyne 18, unknown if it may be Tuesday or Wednesday before the GP of Indy car will be retrofitted.... they do have Pippa Mann and Ed Jones, but apparently, Williams F1, HAS A 15% stake in the DCR 18 ENTRY, joining Alonso/McLaren/Andretti and the 29 entry
 

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