Official IRL Website caters to the lowest common denominator

[philipbain]

I went onto the IRL website this morning to see if they had a highlights video feed of last night's race, but when I looked for videos of last nights race all they had up were a video of Dario's crash which happened after the race had actually finished and Danica's two spins, with no footage at all of any actual racing. To me this smacks of the IRL catering to the lowest common denominator (perhaps a better word is NASCAR?) market that only watches races in the hope of seeing high speed crashes rather than very skillful & close racing with spectacularly inventive passing etc. If the IRL truely think that the only thing appealing about the series is the crashes perhaps they shouldn't bother with the charade of racing at all and just award points on the teams that can pull off the most spectacular crashes and stunts.

[Komahawk]

Ever noticed that only massive crashes and face-to-face driver confrontations make it to the news these days in OW? Hint hint.

However you're right about the video-crew being too slow. Compiling such a 2 or 3 minute highlights-clip is a matter of maybe 15 minutes, not 15 hours.

If you check the Michigan highlights you will find that it mostly focuses on close racing. And that's what the IRL is all about. No other series offers anything remotely competative. So the races are worth watching, or at least the highlights. And such crashes are the result of the probably most competative high speed oval racing ever.

[beachgirl]

Check out the forum on the official IRL website. Talk about lowest common denominator.

[-Helix-]

I went onto the IRL website this morning to see if they had a highlights video feed of last night's race, but when I looked for videos of last nights race all they had up were a video of Dario's crash which happened after the race had actually finished and Danica's two spins, with no footage at all of any actual racing. To me this smacks of the IRL catering to the lowest common denominator (perhaps a better word is NASCAR?) market that only watches races in the hope of seeing high speed crashes rather than very skillful & close racing with spectacularly inventive passing etc. If the IRL truely think that the only thing appealing about the series is the crashes perhaps they shouldn't bother with the charade of racing at all and just award points on the teams that can pull off the most spectacular crashes and stunts.

Unfortunately that's what the casual fans like to see and that's what interests them. They don't care about cars driving in circles. The "dare-devil" escaping death factor is what appeals to them. They want explosions and action.

Dario is single handedly keeping the IRL in the press with his aeronautic stunts.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Unfortunately that's what the casual fans like to see and that's what interests them. They don't care about cars driving in circles. The "dare-devil" escaping death factor is what appeals to them. They want explosions and action.

Dario is single handedly keeping the IRL in the press with his aeronautic stunts.

I am not a casual fan, but I can tell you if someone told me Dario got air in a race, I want to see it.

As for his single handeldly keeping the IRL in the press for this, ya...he did, and the reason is because even race fans enjoy a good wreck every now and then. Sad but true, and as much as I love close racing, I find IRL close racing where everyone is flat to the floor isn't that big a deal. I would enjoy the race highlights more if it was apparent that the guys driving the cars were actually driving them and not just hanging on for dear life....

[RGM Fan]

Honestly I've been a unhappy about this for a while. I think the IRL made a classless move when it showed "Highlights" from the IPS race in Homestead, including multiple shots of the crash that badly injuried driver.

[OWFan19]

Honestly I've been a unhappy about this for a while. I think the IRL made a classless move when it showed "Highlights" from the IPS race in Homestead, including multiple shots of the crash that badly injuried driver.

And since when have we seen another IPS highlight? For a series that is directly related to Indy Car, you would think they would do an IPS driver profile every once in a while.

[Mark in Oshawa]

OW...it is that great IRL marketing machine in action...market drivers on the way up?Naaah..lets show another crash!!! People wonder why Gene Simmons was the spokesperson of sorts last year..now you know that the same marketing geniusus are at work...

[cobre]

Would re-naming the videos"lowlights" be A better title?