INDYCAR: No Inverted Grids For Doubleheaders

IndyCar

INDYCAR: No Inverted Grids For Doubleheaders

IndyCar Race Director Beaux Barfield says a recent story indicating inverted grids could be used during doubleheader weekends was incorrect.

Marshall Pruett | Posted February 16, 2013

IndyCar's doubleheaders will see standing starts, but no inverted grids, according to Race Director Beaux Barfield. (Photo: LAT)

IZOD IndyCar Series Race Director Beaux Barfield says a recent story indicating inverted grids could be used for the second race during 2013’s three doubleheader weekends was incorrect.

“As soon as I saw this story, my comments were really taken out of context and spun in a different direction,” Barfield confirmed. “What I had mentioned to the writer was that among the possibilities of many different things that we considered for setting the grid for 2013 doubleheaders was inverting the field. I was explaining items that had been batted around, not what people can expect to see.”

The doubleheader concept and place on the 2013 calendar at Detroit’s Belle Isle, the streets of Toronto and around Houston’s Reliant Park, was the brainchild of former IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard, but the enthusiasm for administering those three events wasn't universal.

“I went into some detail saying that I'm not a believer in the inversion like they did at Texas a couple years ago, or in that case, it was more of spinning the wheel to see where you’ll start, which kind of split people into areas on the starting grid with people they wouldn’t usually race side-by-side with. It wasn’t something we were going to here,” he said.

“So the only real solution that came to that really gruesome experience was to invert the field, not based on any times or finishing order from Saturday, but based on points, championship points, after Saturday's race. Then if you're in contention, if you’re racing someone legitimately for either a position or for the championship, at least you would still be near them.”

Like many items created by Bernard, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the series’ new management pull the plug on doubleheaders after 2013. The disinterest from the teams has also been received by IndyCar’s top brass, which could make the topic of inverted grids a moot discussion point.

“It was something we did give some time to and did give a lot of analysis to, but I in no way laid it out there like it was among the possibilities of things that we were strongly considering for doubleheaders,” Barfield reiterated.

“As adamant as I am about my words getting spun a little bit, I would say there’s absolutely no way fields are going to be inverted for 2013. And I want to put it to rest so I can confidently say, no, we're not going to invert fields for 2014.”

YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO GET IT

If you saw this week's dance video release from the IndyCar Series and IMS titled "Harlem Shake" with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing driver Josef Newgarden, and said to yourself, "What the hell was that all about, I don't get it," it's OK. You weren't supposed to get it.

With IndyCar facing a rather significant problem with its primary demographic--recently revealed as single white males in their 50s--the series needs to get younger, and in a hurry. The Harlem Shake dance isn't new, but for whatever reason, recently went viral on the web, prompting the fun seen below with Newgarden & Co.

The prized demographic sought by most advertisers isn't, surprisingly, old white dudes, so despite the less than traditional approach with this video and others recently produced by IMS Productions, if it starts to skew IndyCar's fan base a decade or three younger than what we have now, I'm all for it.

Now, can we get J-New some dance lessons?

STOP FREAKING OUT, I DON'T HATE INDY LIGHTS

Enough people freaked out at my assertion that with no new Indy Lights car on the way, ditching the once-proud class for up-rated Pro Mazdas might be worth considering has warranted a brief rebuttal. I have nothing against Lights, nor am I keen on it going away, but if a proper interim solution can't be found to make the top step on the Mazda Road To Indy look and feel somewhat healthy, doing nothing isn't an acceptable alternative.

One thing that's undeniably positive is the fact that the quality of talent on the Mazda Road To Indy, and those drivers that have recently graduated to IndyCar, is extremely impressive.

MISC

• Narain Karthikeyan's interest in joining the IZOD IndyCar Series with Dale Coyne Racing picked up momentum in January, then the Indian driver went silent when it looked like landing the second seat at the Force India F1 team was a possibility, and with that window apparently closing, the 36-year-old journeyman is said to be interested in the DCR drive alongside Justin Wilson. We'll see if the 'World's Fastest Indian' appears in the Honda-powered No. 19 next week at Sebring.

• PPG has returned to Penske Racing as a sponsor, and will serve as Helio Castroneves' primary backer at three rounds. "The No. 3 PPG Automotive Refinish Dallara/Chevrolet will compete at three events in 2013 with three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves behind the wheel. The PPG IndyCar will race at Milwaukee on June 15, at Mid-Ohio on August 4 and at Baltimore on September 1," read a team release.

• Conor Daly has earned a championship in one of the most obscure open-wheel series on the planet, taking the MRF crown in India. "This feels good. Whenever we can jam to the American National Anthem on the podium it's a good day. I've loved every minute of racing in India and can't thank MRF and everyone on this team enough for putting up with me and my crazy travel schedules," said Daly.

• 1963 Indy 500 winner Parnelli Jones will head the Legends Day at Indianpolis Motor Speedway on May 25th.

• It didn't take long for one prominent ALMS team to express interest in former Team Penske driver Ryan Briscoe. Stay tuned.

• The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has guaranteed a mullet-fest for this year's Coors Light Carb Day activities with the announcement that Poison will rock the rowdy crowd in the infield.

• AJ Foyt Racing will continue with support from associate sponsors Alfe Heat Treating, Greer and Housby for 2013.

• I'm still waiting on the official word from the V8 Supercars series, but every indicator points to the Gold Coast 600 going away from including international drivers--a popular destination for IndyCar drivers since the event was launched in 2010.

• Ganassi Racing and Novo Nordisk, sponsor of Charlie Kimball's entry, have expanded their relationship across all of the team's racing programs.

• Belardi Auto Racing has signed Skip Barber Race Series Championship Shootout winner Peter Portante to drive in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Powered by Mazda Championship.

• Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing, celebrating its fifth anniversary, has retained Direct Supply as one of its backers. "Direct Supply will be an associate sponsor with SFHR for all IZOD IndyCar Series races in 2013 excluding the Milwaukee IndyFest, where it will increase its support to serve as primary sponsor," according to a team release.

Marshall Pruett is SPEED.com's Auto Racing Editor, covering IndyCar and sports cars. Now in his 27th year in the sport, Pruett was an open-wheel mechanic, engineer and manager before joining SPEED. He also contributes to RACER, Road & Track and Racecar Engineering. Follow him @MarshallPruett.