An Interesting Quandary…

It was recently announced that the IndyCar series will offer $5 million to any qualified, non-IndyCar driver who might qualify for, drive in and win their season’s finale race at Las
Vegas on October 16. The offer is to be limited to no more than 5 non-IndyCar drivers.

The challenge designed by IndyCar portrays what CEO Randy Bernard hopes to prove; the best auto racing drivers in the world drive for IndyCar. The challenge was issued to showcase that contention.

There was some immediate speculation about a couple of former open-wheel stars who currently race in NASCAR possibly putting together an effort to participate in IndyCar’s challenge. The problem is that although there is no Cup race on Sunday, October 16th, there is one the night of the 15th in Charlotte North Carolina (approximately 2,200 miles away). On top of that, qualifying in Las Vegas will be held on Friday, October 14th, while “Pole Night” in Charlotte will be on Thursday night, October 13th.


Both Tony Stewart and Juan Pablo Montoya have been asked about the possibility of honoring their NASCAR commitment and then jumping on overnight flights to run back and forth between practice sessions, qualifying and finally the races, all the while trying for the big payday in Vegas. Both drivers, in so many words, have begged off saying there’s no way anyone can just switch from a NASCAR ride to IndyCar without even practicing (Stewart went so far as to say to be competitive he felt a non-IndyCar driver would have to run in at least three to four IndyCar races).

I did hear that another NASCAR driver might be willing to give it a go, also a former open-wheel driver, young A.J. Allmendinger.
Unfortunately (or maybe not so unfortunately as I'm sure IndyCar thoroughly thought this through) Formula 1 is scheduled to be in Yeongam Korea for the Korean Grand Prix on October 16th so that pretty much leaves any of those drivers in a lurch as well. Can you think of anyone else that might be willing to give it a go?

Seems to me as it stands for October 16th, IndyCar's 5 million dollars is pretty safe… Maybe we need another IROC (International Race of Champions) series if they really want to find out who the best driver of the best drivers really is.