It’s no secret that I am an avid fan of the Verizon IndyCar Series, so when it comes time to chronicle the state of affairs surrounding IndyCar, many will tell you I’m biased and can’t be objective. That’s not entirely true, as I have taken those in charge of the series to task both verbally and in writing many a time, and I make no apologies for stirring the pot as needed regarding the sport I love so much. Naturally, I want it to do well, and while the competition on the track remains exciting, the business side of it still leaves much to be desired. While attendance has improved at the Midwest venues, the overall numbers away from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (with the exception of Long Beach and Toronto) finds the series struggling to tread water financially, and of course concerned about what its future is.
With that in mind, the brass of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway made a move that, in the opinion of this old scribe, will have implications in terms of who makes the decisions that ultimately will determine where the series will go moving forward, both now and long term.
With the health of the highly respected and admired Mary Hulman George failing, the IMS Board of Directors announced her son, Tony George, would assume the position of chairman of the board, placing him in the pipeline to resume control of the series should he choose to oust the current regime, which is led by Mark Miles.
It’s no secret T.G. has coveted that same role since he was voted out several years ago by both his mother and his sisters over concerns regarding the fiscal direction the corporation was heading after years and years of subsidizing the highly unsuccessful Indy Racing League.
After failing to purchase the series himself, George faded into the background as a principal of Ed Carpenter Racing, providing financial support for the team owned by his stepson. Those close to the situation have told me while he is content working with Carpenter, George still has the desire to again call the day-to-day shots for the series, and now has the necessary board votes to appoint himself when he desires.
While he remains an intensely private man, George has expressed to yours truly how he loves the sport and wants what is best for it. That’s simply code for “l want to run it again,” and by the end of the 2017 season, l predict he’ll do just that. Time has healed the wounds between himself and his family, and with a number of the board members originally shoehorned in by George himself, the stage is now set for him to return to the helm, which leaves Miles and many that he’s appointed during his tenure in need of an updated resume.
The Hulman-George family is set on retaining control of their privately held vast empire, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway along with the Verizon IndyCar Series are their prized possessions and dear to their collective hearts. That’s something that will never change, and it’s time for one of their own to call the shots regarding what they pay for.
Tony George, depending on who you talk to, is either a good fit or a bad one, with nothing in between applying. That in itself will shortly be irrelevant, as it’s simply a matter of time before he regains control. Then again, it’s always been his, as they were just keeping the seat warm. Stay tuned. It’s getting interesting at 16th and Georgetown.
Danny Bridges, who feels Tony George is more qualified to run the series than the current leadership group, can be reached at (317) 370-8447, or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
