2008 Indy 500 to Have Record Purse
That’s the good news, the rest of IndyCar’s new IndyCar Team Benefits package will be open for debate for some time to come.
Essentially the program turns the financial structure of race teams and track owners on its head. The Indy 500 maintains the traditional purse structure (since the days of the Chariot?) and gets a boost from last years $10.67 to $13.4 million. (great way to protect your own backyard Brickyard TG!)
The purse structure for the other 15 events on the 2008 schedule will cease to exist. What replaces it is what is being called the Team Enhancement and Allocation Matrix. Each team will receive 1.2 million for each car entered that competes in all 16 events. In addition drivers will compete for bonuses of $35,000 for first place, $25,000 for second, $20,000 for third, $15,000 for fourth and $10,000 for fifth place.
TMS President Eddie Gossage, who’s speedway hosts one of IndyCar’s most successful events, has weighed in on the program:
“If this program assures full Indy car fields for promoters and stability for the team owners, I think this move is a great concept for the health of the sport. I think all IndyCar fans want to see 30-car fields from a competition standpoint as do the promoters.The key to the success of this program, however, will be whether or not this reduces the incentive to battle for positions from race to race with most of the money already up front and the top five only being paid per race and year end in bonuses. I
I’m trying to figure out if the layest money sharing scheme is a testament to how “healthy” the series is or a financial stop gap at keeping teams in the series. It sure won’t do much to keep drivers in the IRL, will it!
I guess having a guarantteed 1.2 mill in the til will help teams raise the remaining 3-5 million they need for a full season, but I don’t expect big time sponsorship to come banging on their doors anytime soon.
But at the very least they are trying something to improve. What have Champs done other than continually screw up their schedule and release pay drivers for other pay drivers?
I’d give’em credit for trying something, anything also. But beyond that I haven’t a clue what they are trying to do.
You touch on one of the weaknesses of the program, that 1.2 mil. How they think that helps a bottom tier team is beyond me when it takes 3-4 times that amount to be competitive.
And it doesn’t take into account the largest reason for being on the bottom rung, which isn’t money in most cases, but shear incompetence on the part of the team.
No amount of money corrects that.
Yes, witness Honda and Toyota in F1. Cubic dollars + misguided ownership = loss of face. And whatever they do it won’t help keep drivers in the series, right Dario? Sam?? Dan??? Hey, where are you guys??????
Oh yeah, remember all the bitchin’ we heard from IRL fans when the 3 amigos subsidized their teams with cheap engines and chassis? If it looks like a dying series, if it smells like a dying series and if it groans like a dying series it must be……..another positive step for AOR!
I feel relatively certain part of Mr Judds decision was fueled by having to take a pay cut under the IRL’s “new plan.”
Not to mention after taking so many headers this past season it must be a bit comforting to have a tin top over your head and twice the aluminum, steel and graphite around his ass.
I know I would.
Besides I’m looking forward to when Dario and Biffle have a “get together” on track. It should be some cat fight when Nicole Lunders charges the pit box of Dario and runs into Ashley.