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IndyCar
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Indy 500 to run without spectators

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emailBy Marshall Pruett | 8 hours ago

The Indianapolis 500 will run without fans. The long-rumored possibility comes after a recent increase in COVID-19 cases across Indiana and other states in the Midwest.

The NTT IndyCar Series’ crown jewel has gone through two rounds of crowd reduction plans in reaction to the coronavirus, and with the latest adjustment, the 500-mile race will be held for the first time in front of empty grandstands.

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“This tough decision was made following careful consideration and extensive consultation with state and city leadership,” read a statement from IMS.

“As dedicated as we were to running the race this year with 25 percent attendance at our large outdoor facility, even with meaningful and careful precautions implemented by the city and state, the COVID-19 trends in Marion County and Indiana have worsened. Since our June 26 announcement, the number of cases in Marion County has tripled while the positivity rate has doubled. We said from the beginning of the pandemic we would put the health and safety of our community first, and while hosting spectators at a limited capacity with our robust plan in place was appropriate in late June, it is not the right path forward based on the current environment.

“We encourage Hoosiers to continue making smart decisions and following the advice of our public health officials so we can help get Indiana back on track.

“Penske Corporation made a long-term investment to be the steward of this legendary facility. While we were very excited to showcase the investments and enhancements we have made in the guest experience, we know we have reached the right decision. As much as Roger Penske and everyone associated with the 500 wanted to race with fans this year, we ultimately reached this conclusion in partnership with the state of Indiana and city of Indianapolis.

“Our commitment to the Speedway is unwavering, and we will continue to invest in the Racing Capital of the World. We encourage everyone to watch this year’s race on NBC, and we look forward to welcoming our loyal fans back to ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ on May 30th of 2021.”

Originally scheduled for May 24, the 104th running of the Indy 500 was moved to August 23 as a nationwide shutdown was implemented to stem the spread of COVID-19. With practice due to start on August 11, IndyCar teams have been anxious to receive confirmation the race would go forward as planned.

As of Monday night, and despite the commencement of official on-track activities next week, teams had not received the Indy 500’s master schedule from the series, or the operations manual which dictates all facets of how teams are expected to function and perform their jobs amid the variety of coronavirus-related restrictions. An entry list for the Indy 500 is another awaiting publication.

Individuals who still have tickets to this year’s Indy 500 will be credited for the 2021 Indianapolis 500 and will retain their seniority and their originally assigned seats. The first Indy 500 practice will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 12, with race day scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 23, with national coverage beginning on NBC at 1 p.m. ET.

COVID-19, Indianapolis 500, IndyCar

 

Roger Penske gets Indy 500 spectators killed off by IU Health (whoever they are)
https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/p...ml#post9432826

 

MILLER: How IndyCar's promoters helped save the season

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emailBy Robin Miller | November 9, 2020 10:02 AM

There is no argument that Roger Penske saved the farm, the season, IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500 with his commitment, checkbook and clairvoyance in the year of the pandemic.

But without Road America, Gateway and Mid-Ohio, the series may well have been Texas, the Indy 500 and 10 races on the IMS road course.

Eddie Gossage took one for the team and got things started in June with no fans after the first eight races were either canceled or postponed, and then Penske and IndyCar’s Jay Frye had to get creative. Teams were looking at giving back big chunks of sponsorship money if there weren’t at least 14 races but it certainly wasn’t an appetizing menu for the remaining tracks on the IndyCar schedule with all the COVID-19 gloom and doom, restrictions and paranoia.

If the thought of staging a race with a very limited amount of paying customers wasn’t distressing enough, then how about making them doubleheaders?

“It was 100 percent of both sides doing whatever they needed to do to make it possible, and it was everyone looking out for the health of our sport,” said Curtis Francois, owner of World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, who lost his usual Saturday night date and hosted a pair of Saturday/Sunday afternoon shows.

“We all had to pitch in and take risks – there were no guarantees with COVID, but I think it was a testament to our team and IndyCar and we pulled it off in a fashion that made everyone proud,” said Mike Kertscher, president and general manager of Road America, whose mid-June date became a twin bill in July and the initial outdoor show in the Midwest.

Kevin Savoree and partner Kim Green were dealt the worst hand of everyone. Their season opener at St. Pete in March was shelved the day practice was supposed to begin, Toronto never had a prayer in July because of the border shutdown and Portland in September was doomed by legislation. And for a long time, Mid-Ohio was in serious doubt.

“I can’t tell you how many times Kim and I told each other our races were never going to happen, because every time we thought things were headed in the right direction, something else would happen and it always seemed like things were going the wrong way,” said Savoree, whose team not only pulled off a doubleheader at Mid-Ohio but also hosted the season finale at St. Pete late last month. “We persevered, just like our country has, and it was the most rewarding thing this company has ever been through.”

With all the uncertainty, Penske & Company knew they could get an extra race at Iowa since it was a track rental anyway, but how do you get tracks to add races when they’re already looking at a losing proposition?
This year’s visit to St Petersburg played out very differently to how Kim Green and Kevin Savoree imaged when they were in preparation mode last winter, but an immense amount of credit is due for the fact that the race happened at all. Dole/Motorsport Images

“We were sitting around a table, two days after Toronto’s cancellation, and I asked Roger, ‘what are you doing with that date?’” said Kertscher, whose scenic four-mile road course in Wisconsin was able to accommodate the best crowds of 2020. “He didn’t have an answer and I kinda wanted that date, so the idea of two races was born talking through some things. Things went from hopelessness to hope with the season and getting that first event off the ground brought in fans.

“I think it helped the series and it also helped people, they were provided with some hope. I tell you how many fans came up and thanked me, and that was so satisfying.”

Francois said IndyCar asked about a doubleheader and he said, “sure, we’ll do our part,” while Savoree’s response was: “IndyCar needed a doubleheader and we were cool with that.”

While all three tracks were allowed limited attendance, they all had good title sponsors and that was key.

“It would have been very tough without the REV Group,” replied Kertscher when asked if the Wisconsin company that manufacturers specialty vehicles was necessary to holding the races. “Ticket sales were limited, hospitality was down and we couldn’t do things we were used to doing from 8 am to 5 pm.”

Green Savoree Promotions have longtime associations with their title sponsors at Mid-Ohio and St. Pete.

“Honda and Firestone were unequivocal in their support and partnership and unwavering in their commitment, and every conversation ended with doing it the right, safe way,” said Savoree. “We don’t make it without them.”

Long Beach and Toyota had the best and longest partnership in IndyCar history, but Bommarito Auto Group has given Francois and WWT Speedway the ability to bring an oval track into this world and keep it breathing.

“John (Bommarito) is a good friend and a great sponsor with an awesome passion for IndyCar and the perfect partner,” said Francois. “Four years ago he wasn’t a race guy, and now he’s all in. Thankfully we had him this year, because we had to dig deep and put all those assets to work, and without a great title sponsor (the doubleheader) would have been almost impossible.”

It’s safe to say all three got some kind of a reduced sanction fee or break for taking on an extra race, but the bottom line had to be bright red with the lack of fans and hospitality.

“Ugh,” is how Savoree responded to question of financial losses. “You still have overhead and storage areas and payroll, but we didn’t cut anyone’s pay. We used the government loans to pay our guys and keep going. When the governor of Ohio gave us the green light to have limited fans, he said that one bite of an apple is better than no apple at all, and I felt like all the officials cared and wanted to get it right.”

Kertscher, who is adding NASCAR’s Cup series in 2021, said Road America might have actually gained some new fans.

“We were happy with the crowds and saw a lot of new people, so if we engaged some fans, that’s exciting,” he said. “If they had a great experience and come back it’s even better, and I’d have to say it was a good season for us. We’ll have four days worth of content next year, and there’s something to be said for non-stop action and the opportunity to stay on site.”

Francois looks at IndyCar as a long-term investment that overcame a track full of ruts in 2020.
A strong partnership with sponsor Bommarito helped WWTR to pull off a doubleheader to keep IndyCar’s schedule afloat. The venue’s operators view 2020 as a speedbump on an otherwise encouraging long-term outlook for the series. Abbott/Motorsport Images

“I look at things through a 10-year lens,” he said. “IndyCar has made tremendous progress since 2012, and consistency is the most important thing for us – under the lights with date equity. Our sponsorship is set and now all we need is perfect weather next August. Some years aren’t pretty, but everyone pulled together in a very challenging time, and I just hope we’re not having this conversation a year from now.”

The St. Pete finale was a good example of how 2020 went down. The city council didn’t give final approval to Green/Savoree until Oct. 1, and they raced Oct. 25 after putting up the course in 28 days (it usually takes 40) and getting a nice assist from St. Pete that allowed substantial pieces of the grandstands and suites to remain in place during the summer. The distance was shortened to give NBC a two-hour window.

“In our meeting with IndyCar on Sunday morning, we said a short race is not going be good for us or the fans, and Kim said we want a promoter’s yellow,” recalled Savoree with a chuckle. “The IndyCar guys are like, ‘no that’s not gonna happen’ and then our race had a little bit of everything. Dixon was going for it, Newgarden charged to the front after Rossi and Power were leading and crashed, and guys were mixing it up all afternoon. It turned out to be a hell of a show.”

Much like the crazy, ever-changing NTT IndyCar series of 2020. The opening Harvest GP at IMS may have been the best road race of the past 40 years, Road America had a late duel for the win on Saturday, Gateway’s opener was full of good racing, Mid-Ohio featured lots of hard racing both days and St. Pete had a nice mix of drama and overtaking. And in four months, it all starts again.

“We’ll start building the track on February 8, and it will be here before you know it,” said Savoree. “And come what may, we’ll deal with it, just like everyone did this year.”

IndyCar,

 

Penske outlines next IMS upgrades

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emailBy Marshall Pruett | January 10, 2022 9:00 AM ET

After taking ownership of the NTT IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway in January of 2020, Roger Penske and his Penske Entertainment team fashioned an immediate plan to begin renovating the ageing areas within IMS.

As RACER’s Robin Miller wrote in July of 2020, the efforts included “widening and re-paving Georgetown Road, adding 30 new video boards, refurbishing the restrooms and concession stands, adding five miles of new fencing, giving the victory podium a new look, power washing everything that doesn’t move, to adding Verizon 5G internet service.”

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More work continued in 2021, and with most of the key projects having been completed, Penske says the plan for 2022 is to continue working down his expansive IMS to-do list.

“Our budget for this year is about $8 million,” Penske told RACER. “And that has to do with maintenance [capital expenses] and also things that we’re trying to enhance. We’re working on where customers come in at Gate 9, changing the ticket booths around there to make it easier. We’re looking at what we can do to add some more capacity for motor homes in the right areas and the support for them.

“We’re looking at buying some additional property. A big thing we’re going to fix is the curbs for the NASCAR race. We’re going to (do a) major repaint of the Tower Terrace grandstands coming off a Turn 4 on the inside; we’re painting the whole back infrastructure underneath all the way down to the Pagoda. That’s a huge job. Doing all the stairwells that all the structures, that’s a big one. We’ve put all-new carpet in the media center. At the golf course, we’re putting in four new bridges. So when you start adding it up, there’s a lot going on.”

Another ongoing area of development under Penske’s stewardship is a reconnection between the Speedway and the auto industry. As one of North America’s largest auto dealership owners, Penske’s relationships with domestic and international brands have already benefitted IMS as major names like Chevrolet, Ferrari, and Porsche are among the manufacturers who rent the facility and make regular use of the IMS road course for vehicle development and customer-related activities.

And with another project in the works that will see a new building erected where an infield scoring tower has stood for decades, Penske will give another manufacturer a semi-regular home within IMS.

“We’re knocking down the old octagon between Turns 3 and 4 and putting up a new building there which will be used by us during race days,” Penske said. “And when we’re not racing, BMW will use it to promote their products to their customers, dealers and employees.

“What it does is it gives us the opportunity to have something we can use for them, and we also can use it for the 500 because it’s got a big deck on top of for viewing. We’ve got a lot of the major manufacturers that want to be at Indianapolis to work with us and use the track.”

 

Remember when Indy scheduled a late start time so drivers could not make a NASCAR start time at Daytona?
Who is it that now says: "F the fans!"
One day the fans won't buy your tickets,but by then you butthead organizers will be dead S.O.B.'s

How hard headed race organizations F each other and themselves

Sebring/Texas clash puts IndyCar's IMSA moonlighters at a crossroads.
How hard headed race organizations F each other and themselves.

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emailBy Marshall Pruett | February 3, 2022 7:57 PM ET

With the Rolex 24 At Daytona in the history books, conversations have returned to the big date conflict coming up for the second round of IMSA’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Sebring International Raceway in Florida and the second NTT IndyCar Series event of the season at Texas Motor Speedway near Dallas Fort-Worth.

For the first time in memory, Sebring’s traditional mid-March date for the 12 Hour endurance classic has an IndyCar event dropped on the same weekend, creating a conflict for the several IndyCar drivers who are accustomed to competing at Sebring. In order to participate in both races, some IndyCar drivers would need to trek back and forth between TMS and Sebring as practice sessions take place ahead of their respective races, and there are fears the rigors of travel and endurance racing would leave those IndyCar drivers in an exhausted state prior to going green at TMS.
The March 16-19 IMSA round, with the 12-hour race expected to conclude around 10:40 p.m. ET on Saturday night, is followed by the TMS oval race with a start time of 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday March 20. Qualifying for the TMS race is thought to be on the calendar for Sunday morning, which would leave very little time for the arriving IndyCar drivers to sleep and recharge after flying in from Sebring.

RACER understands those concerns have led the Chip Ganassi Racing team to cancel its plans for its IndyCar drivers to compete at both events. At the Rolex 24, Dixon and Palou were part of the No. 01 Cadillac Racing DPi-V.R team (main image), Ericsson slotted into the No. 02 Cadillac, and Johnson raced with the rival Action Express Racing/Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Cadillac effort.

In light of its move to keep its IndyCar foursome focused on TMS, Ganassi is expected to sign new endurance drivers just for Sebring to pair with Cadillac Racing’s full-timer drivers in the Nos. 01 and 02. Four drivers are routinely used for the Rolex 24, and at the rest of IMSA’s long races, it’s two full-time pilots and one extra driver is brought in to share the cockpit duties.

Meyer Shank Racing, new winners of the Rolex 24 for Acura, made use of Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud in the No. 60 ARX-05, and unlike CGR, the team is pressing forward with plans for its four-time Indy 500 winner to do the double while Pagenaud remains in Texas.

“We are 100-percent in with doing Helio at both races,” Shank told RACER. “That’s all depending on what IndyCar tells me, which I’m supposed to know soon.”

To accommodate its drivers who are meant to race at Sebring, IndyCar crafted a schedule that would allow teams to practice at TMS a day or two before the 12-hour contest and then return Sunday morning to qualify and race.

Those scheduling efforts were done with the assumption that a meaningful number of IndyCar drivers would be contractually obligated to race at Sebring, but with CGR keeping its drivers at TMS and few, if any others beyond MSR and Castroneves currently planning to do both races, IndyCar might only have one driver to factor into its conflict plans.

With one rather than many drivers to assuage, it’s believed IndyCar could change the TMS schedule to run as a normal event without making concessions for Sebring.

“MSR has got one driver going back and forth if it happens as it was planned, and doesn’t if it changes,” Shank added. “Either way, we’ll be ready to do whatever’s necessary, and I truly hope this is a one-time thing with Sebring and IndyCar being on the same weekend.”

F'ing each other is fun until someone gets maimed or killed because of stupid butthead race organizers.

 

Penske signs McLaughlin to long-term deal of unknown length

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emailBy Marshall Pruett | September 7, 2022 5:00 PM ET

Roger Penske isn’t letting his breakout star leave the stable. Triple Australian Supercars champion and triple NTT IndyCar Series race winner Scott McLaughlin will spend the next years of his life in the No. 3 Team Penske Chevy after recently signing a multi-year contract extension of unknown length.

“Scott took a big gamble when he came to IndyCar, as he knew he would be leaving a series where he knew he could thrive for years to come,” said Team Penske President Tim Cindric. “To see him have the success he has had so far has been really satisfying, as we were confident in his talent. We just didn’t know how long it would take for him to gain the confidence in himself.

“Scott has adjusted quickly and has already established himself as someone that can win at any track during one of the most competitive eras of IndyCar racing. He continues to be a great representative for our partners and he has connects well with race fans all over the world. We are excited that he will continue to be part of the Team Penske legacy for years to come.”

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McLaughlin joined Team Penske DJR in 2017 and went on to score consecutive Supercar titles in 2018, 2019 and 2020 before making his transition to IndyCar where he won Rookie of the Year honors in 2021. The 29-year-old is among five drivers with a chance to win the IndyCar championship this weekend in Monterey.

“Team Penske has been such a huge part of my career, helping me get to where I’m at today, so I’m excited to continue racing with Roger, Tim and the entire team well into the future,” McLaughlin said. “Getting a chance to move to the United States and chase my racing dream, driving in the IndyCar Series, is something that would not have been possible without Team Penske, so I’m forever grateful.

“I’ve had so many great moments with this team, from winning three Supercars championships to winning the Bathurst 1000 to making my first IndyCar start. Now, we are competing at a high level, winning races and poles and even competing for the series championship. I can’t wait to see what the future holds with Team Penske.”

 

The Penske/Porsche link spans more than 60 years

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emailBy John Oreovicz | October 21, 2022 12:14 PM ET

Roger Penske is not known to be sentimental. He’s firmly focused on the future, rarely willing to use his precious time reflecting on the past, no matter how successful it may have been.

Penske is still running full throttle at age 85, presiding over a transportation services empire with 67,000 employees and $37 billion in annual revenue. He jokingly refers to his racing team as his golf game or fishing weekend, but Team Penske has always been serious business, a standard-setter for teams in every arena in which it competes. That currently holds true in IndyCar, NASCAR, and IMSA sports cars, where Porsche Penske Motorsport will field a pair of Porsche 963 hybrid prototypes in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s new GTP class in 2023. The Porsche Penske effort also includes a two-car attack in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Porsche is one topic that tends to convince “The Captain” to walk down memory lane, as he did recently when asked for comment for an essay in a new book called Racing The Spyder that is expected to be published by Progresso 33 in early 2024.

Penske and Porsche have a remarkable 65-year history dating to 1958, when he bought a 550 RS from Bob Holbert, a Pennsylvania Porsche dealer and racer and father of future IMSA star (and Porsche stalwart) Al Holbert.

Between 1958 and ’64, Penske was one of America’s most promising upcoming racers; he won the SCCA President’s Cup in 1960, ’62, and ’63 and was named Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 1961. He famously retired from driving following the 1964 season to focus on his business interests, turning down the opportunity to audition for the Dean Van Lines IndyCar seat that went to an unknown named Mario Andretti.

Much of Penske’s early success was achieved driving Porsches, especially after he teamed up with Karl Kainhofer, an Austrian immigrant who was a factory trained Porsche mechanic capable of servicing the rare Type 547 ‘Fuhrman’ engine. Kainhofer’s relentless ‘spit and polish’ philosophy was an ideal match for a perfectionist like Penske; he would become a founding member of Penske Racing in 1966, remaining with the team until his retirement in 1997.
Roger Penske enjoyed success in Porsches during his own driving career, and then did so as a team owner in Can-Am in the early 1970s with Mark Donohue (pictured) and George Follmer. David Phipps/Motorsport Images

“I was a Spyder mechanic from the outset — the drivetrain, the gearbox, the engine, everything,” said Kainhofer. “I think I was the only one on the East Coast who knew how to work on the Fuhrman engine. In a lot of ways, it was a bit ahead of everybody.

“Roger quickly realized I could help him. All he had was a station wagon, a trailer, and a racing car. I was the guy who cleaned and cleaned and cleaned, and he appreciated that. It became a trademark.”

Penske has fond recollections of those early days, when he would often ride with Kainhofer as they towed the race car to road racing venues around North America. Penske raced Porsches up to 1961, claiming major victories in the 550 RS, 718 RSK, RS60 and RS61 models.

“We had a great run during that time,” Penske said. “For me personally, I enjoyed driving Porsche race cars. The first Porsche I raced was the 550 RS and we competed with that car in 1958 and into ’59. Our first win with Porsche came at the Springtown Hill Climb in April of 1959. We liked what we could do from a performance standpoint and that gave us the confidence to continue to build with Porsche.

“I believe I had 28 race wins in my career behind the wheel of a Porsche, and it really marked the start of a strong partnership together.”

Penske’s next association with Porsche came in the early 1970s, when George Follmer and Mark Donohue won consecutive SCCA Can-Am championships in the fearsome 917-10 and 917-30. In the same era, Penske co-founded the International Race of Champions, with Donohue claiming the inaugural title in one of the identical Porsche 911 Carrera RSRs that he developed for the all-star series.
Penske’s LMP2 RS Spyder (right) was an alpha predator in the ALMS in the late 2000s. Now, it up to the new 963 (left) to carry the torch in IMSA and the WEC from 2023. Image via Porsche Motorsport

Fast forward three decades, and Team Penske was recruited by Porsche to run a pair of RS Spyders in American Le Mans Series competition. Built to LMP2 specifications, the nimble Porsche often gave the theoretically faster LMP1 competitors a solid run for their money, claiming overall victory in the 2008 12 Hours of Sebring and several other sprint races.

Now, 65 years after he first raced a 550 RS, Penske and Porsche are combining to tackle an even more ambitious feat, culminating in a four-car attack at the centennial celebration of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For all his success as a team owner, Le Mans is the one major racing event in which Penske has never captured overall victory.

Even as the newly minted owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the NTT IndyCar Series, it’s clear that the latest Porsche link-up is especially significant to Penske. He has attended several test sessions during the car’s development over the past six months.

“Sports cars are where I started personally, and the success we’ve had over the years with Porsche really started with me driving an RSK Spyder back in my early days,” Penske said. “That went on to create a relationship with Porsche that we are very proud of. I remember testing the 917 at Weissach with Mark Donohue when it was just the track and a barn… you go there today and it’s like a small city.

“Porsche has such great tradition and a special legacy in racing. Their commitment to winning has always aligned well with our goals and objectives. We have maintained a great relationship with the Porsche team in Germany, and here in the U.S. as well, even when we were not racing together on track. We are proud of how we have grown together off the track as well.

“When we were looking to return to full-time sports car competition and build a program under the new global formula, it made perfect sense to partner with Porsche on a new alliance for the future. It’s pretty special to renew the relationship, and we are certainly excited about our newest opportunity to work together.”

 

'I think we’ve tried it for 31 years, so it's about time' - Penske on the IndyCar/NASCAR double. Ms Penske says she wishes hubby would be home every now and then. We could have had a 31 year old son by now. Every week I get a new batch of batteries and an empty promise.

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emailBy Kelly Crandall | November 6, 2022 9:49 PM ET

Roger Penske accomplished a first Sunday afternoon when driver Joey Logano won the NASCAR Cup Series championship.

The team’s triumph capped off a racing season in which Penske celebrated both the NTT IndyCar Series and NASCAR championships.

“I think we’ve tried it for 31 years, so it’s about time,” Penske said. “What a special weekend for us.” I wish my wife, What's her name could be here for this...

Logano dominated the season finale by leading 187 of 312 laps. He was in control of the championship fight all afternoon on his way to his second Cup Series championship. In early September, Will Power won his second IndyCar Series championship with Penske.

“Joey did a great job,” continued the team owner. “You’ve seen what he’s been able to do as he’s come on the team, and for us to have two championships in the same year — that’s what we’re here for; that’s the goal we have every year. I think we’ve been close, but we got it this year.”

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Penske started the NASCAR season by winning the inaugural Busch Light Clash in the L.A. Coliseum with Logano and the Daytona 500 with rookie Austin Cindric. Scott McLaughlin won the IndyCar Series opener for them.

The team’s three NASCAR drivers combined for five wins. Their three open-wheel aces combined for nine IndyCar wins.

“Well, I hate to say one is better than the other, but I’d have to say, put them all together, they’re all first place as far as I’m concerned,” Penske said of winning Daytona and the two major championships. “What it does as a team…the momentum it gives not only the race team, but the 70,000 people that are in our company…because they’re all watching.

“We don’t win every day, do we? But it teaches us how to win and how to stay in the game, and I think that’s what it’s done. But (it was) really three super days, super accomplishments for the team. I can’t say one is better than the other. I’m just glad to be here.”

Ms Penske says.......

 

IMS becomes first sports facility to earn Silver Responsible Sport certification.

Will talking more liberal environmental whacko bull manure sell more tickets?

Not to more people who hate cars to start with and want to eliminate them one way or another, those cars and people like you who are blamed for everything.

Liberalism destroys everything it touches. You think they are going to leave you alone?

Look what guys getting fake surgical tits did to women's sports.

Read the list of bull manure phrases and decide for yourself.

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emailBy RACER Staff | February 9, 2023 10:52 AM ET

Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the first sport facility to achieve organizational certification through the Council for Responsible Sport (Council).
So INDY gets a certificate that says INDY does whatever the "council" demands?

Organizational certification became available for the first time in August 2021. The new standard is based on the recognition of the core principles of power of sport, resolution of climate change, enablement of social justice and business of sport. In committing to the new framework, IMS implemented year-round tracking of environmental and social impacts for the more than 300 events hosted at IMS annually.

So INDY is going to change the climate. INDY is going to inact social justice based on "feelings" instead of actual laws, and is going to keep track of doing that kind of stuff year-round?

Previously, in 2021, the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge was certified a responsible event.

The Council provides a structured approach for event hosts and organizers to measure, implement, validate and improve the social and environmental sustainability of their events and venues. Certification is earned by taking action spanning five categories: planning and communications, procurement, resource management, access and equity and community legacy. IMS ultimately accomplished 210 credits across these categories, earning silver level distinction as a Certified Organization.

The scoring system and "points" for complying with the demands has not been made public.

So a "council" demands that INDY institute equity or "equal outcomes" instead of "equal opportunity" for everyone., and a legacy or history of doing that in the community, to get a certificate that says that INDY discriminated so everyone has the same results instead of the same opportunity of success.

“IMS’s commitment to embrace social and environmental realities and to implement a systematic approach to setting goals, adapting operations and measuring progress is outstanding,” said Rico Tesio, Council for Responsible Sport board chair. “Achieving Responsible Sport certification at an organizational level is not only a real milestone in the venue’s own storied history, but also demonstrates leadership in motorsport and beyond and should be celebrated as vigorously as any checkered flag waved on the famous Yard of Bricks.”

So INDY is showing "leadership" by agreeing to do whatever the head of the "council" (Rico Tesio,) demands that they do?
In what ways does INDY lead by following what they are demanded to do?

Specifically what organizations are members of the "council", since council implies that it is more than one person.

Key partnerships and the implementation of new tracking technology helped IMS achieve this landmark goal. With the addition of the new organizational certification, the Council implemented ReScore, a system designed to help venues track their progress. WM Sustainability Services was critical in IMS’s sustainability journey, providing support by documenting a variety of resource management credits relating to emissions calculations, waste diversion and energy consumption.

So an organization outside INDY has a scoring system that INDY must use to document that INDY is doing what they are told to do.

“This is a monumental and impactful achievement for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earned through a comprehensive commitment to innovation and hard work that safeguards our community and leads the way in our sport,” IMS President Doug Boles said. “We learned a lot in 2021 when we received our event certification for the Indy 500. That process helped us get to this moment, where we are now tracking the impact of our events throughout the year and implementing systemic programs that yield results.

Everything yields results. What specific "results" are you talking about?

“We remain committed to becoming the most sustainable motorsport venue in the world, and we are grateful for the support and enthusiasm shown by our fans as we continue to identify new opportunities to encourage their participation in this journey.”

Does "encourage" mean that INDY is going to force fans to do what an outside "council" tells INDY to do?

As part of the new certification, IMS implemented new standards and procedures including the development of a diversity, equity and inclusion plan, along with a public commitment to the measurement and mitigation of environmental impacts. IMS expanded waste diversion efforts beyond the Indianapolis 500 to include events hosted at IMS year-round. Additionally, IMS adopted new procurement policies and protocols, eliminating single-use plastic and Styrofoam in office spaces, as well as prioritizing purchases from women- and minority-owned businesses and businesses with sustainability related certifications.

Another type of discrimination pushing females and blacks to the front and only buying from companies who do the same kind of discrimination.
Liberals have a very fancy way of hiding that they are forcing discrimination and environmental whacko practices onto INDY.
Specifically who are the dictators who make up the "council"?

Are we supposed to believe that the "council" is a group of organizations that force other organizations to do what the liberals order them to do or they will not get the same certificate that says they have been ordered to do so?

Exactly who is that "council" that makes up the "Council for Responsible Sport"?
Or is this another success-destroying organization that will lead to destroying the organization owned by Roger Penske?

And who exactly decided that an outside organization would be telling Roger Penske what to do with property which he is the owner of?