IZOD IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard Looks Towards Bright Future
[media-credit name=”Ashley McCubbin” align=”alignright” width=”200″]
[/media-credit]16 months ago, Randy Bernard took over the reins of the IZOD IndyCar Series, ready to get the series back in the spotlight.
Bernard got started in sports marketing back in 1984 with professional bull-riding. In the mass of 15 years, he turned the sport around from being worth $2000 to $22 million. Though once he did that, he decided he was ready for a new challenge, which was when the IZOD IndyCar Series was brought forth to his attention. Bernard met with officials for three hours to discuss being a consultant; though 24 hours later, he was offered the position of CEO.
“I was very intrigued with the opportunity, but I also wanted to do my homework,” he said of that moment during the media luncheon in Toronto. “I felt it was very important for me to fly out and meet with all the big names of the sport. I wanted to meet with Penske, with Ganassi, with Dario (Franchitti) and Danica (Patrick), with IZOD – I just needed to make sure that they’d give me the opportunity to work for ‘em and respect me as a promoter and marketer because I wasn’t going to go somewhere there wasn’t a trust level there. I’ve been on the job now 16 months; I absolutely love it.”
Since taking over the reins, Bernard has made many changes to the series that have brought it back to the spotlight, learning lessons along the way.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” he said. “It’s been like drinking water from a fountain. I’ve always said you’re always good as your last day of work. I learned that in this sport you’re only as good as your last hour of work. It changes so quickly and one day you think you’re on top of the world and the next day, you have the rug pulled out from under your feet. So if there’s one sport that can make you very humble, it’s this sport.”
In his time of being in charge, Bernard has instituted quite a few changes that people have debated, including the double-file restarts. Most fans like the drama that plays out as a result, however drivers and some fans say that it’s brought some unnecessary wrecks into play.
“I look at it as how our ratings are doing,” he said. “If our ratings were to decrease, I would say it’s probably it’s been an important factor to the amount it’s costing. With the fact that were up 24% on network and 14% on cable and that the blogs have been dominated with talk about double-file restarts; it was the number two story of this entire month of May in Indy. I think it shows that it is important and I think fans want to see IndyCar showcased at its very best and if we’re going to say we have the very best drivers in the world, the best drivers in the world need to showcase their skills and learn to deal with double-file restarts.”
Bernard spoke on Wednesday in Toronto of the future of the sport and what he had planned in further promoting it to more people. One of the keys to that promoting includes the title sponsor of the series, IZOD.
“IZOD has been remarkably great with us from several different aspects,” he said. “First, they are not an endemic sponsor so they’re reaching to a non-endemic crowd, which isn’t a motorsports enthusiast, and what IZOD stands for is very important to us. The fact that they’re a lifestyle, they’re pop-culture and they’re reaching youth, they’re very important to IndyCar. I think if we can use that and educate our fans and use them to bring new fans, a more of a mainstream fan, and use the Hondas, Sonocos, Shell Oils and Verizons of the world and help maintain and create more of a motorsports fan, I think that’ll be our strategy going forward.”
Bernard plans on reaching youth through making partnerships with the go-karting leagues and with the Boy Scout clubs to get the kids to the track via field trips and racing events. He also made a drastic move changing the minimum age of entry to the garage area from 18 to nine this year. They’ve also brought forth a new driver introduction stage, so therefore fans can see their drivers introduced in big style.
They’ve also brought forth the Road to Indy with their own ladder for drivers to climb to become involved in IndyCar Racing, unlike most series out there, as starts right up at the karting left to the top. Currently, Bryan Clauson is one of the drivers on the ladder as after winning the USAC Championship, he was given five free races in a Firestone Indy Lights Car to see if he could impress team owners.
As they try to attract more drivers and fans to the series, Bernard has made huge announcements towards the final Championship race in Las Vegas. Any fan who buys a ticket for any race during the season can get a free ticket to the championship as Bernard says it’s a way to build loyalty between the series and the fans. They’ve also released a challenge to drivers around the world that can award them $5 million.
“We think we’ve got the best drivers in the world – well, we’re putting our money where our mouth is,” he said. “We’ve challenged any race car driver in the world that thinks they can compete with ours and we’ve put up $5 million. All you have to do is come qualify for that race, win the race and we’ll write you a cheque for $5 million.”
The other big change that Bernard has made that has brought forth more promotion for the series is the brand new car, which is set to debut next year.
“It’s going to be a much more innovative car, relevant to technology,” Bernard spoke of during the presentation. “We decided to cut our engines from a V8 to a V6, take it from a 3.5 maximum displacement to a 2.2 maximum displacement. We’re going to be a turbo charge; we’re going to direct injected. We’re going from 630 horsepower up to 700 horsepower and we will be able to improve our fuel – we’re going from an E85 to an E90. The other big thing here on the cars is our aero kits. I’m not sure if we’re going to announce this this year or next year, but every car will have its own identity. Very important to our series – just not sure because of the cost and complexity of it if we’re see this in 2012 and 2013.”
In doing the promoting and bringing forth the new car in 2012, Bernard spoke critically of attracting fans to the sport and making the series its own, separate from other racing divisions.
“We need to define ourselves in the form of our motorsports – different and separate us from everyone else – F1 and NASCAR,” he said. “We are the fastest, more versatile series in the world; no one can deny that. The fact that we race ovals, road course, and street courses at the speeds that we do is what separates us. We’re going to be 40-50 mph faster than NASCAR. F1 doesn’t do ovals. Matter of fact, most of those drivers are afraid to get into an IndyCar to do an oval because of the danger element. The other thing I think that is very important is that we need to go back to our roots.”
He went on to add that the promoting is needed as during the Champ Camp-Indy Racing League split in 1996, they lost 15 million fans. His goal is to attract those fans as he knows that they’re out there and they still do support the series.
With the all the promoting that’s going on to grow the series, a lot of people are wondering what will happen if Danica Patrick chooses to go full-time NASCAR in 2012 and what effect that will have on IndyCar. To that, Bernard says the series is in a good state and he’s more worried about keeping Go Daddy on board.
“I think the world of Danica,” he commented. “I think she’s going to make the right decision for her and I will wish her well whichever decision she makes. She’s done a lot for our sport and that’s what we need to remember. I think that she’ll probably go where the money is the best and I think that’s what I would do, you would do as well, and I think it’s more important right now I focus my attention to Go Daddy and make sure that I can keep Go Daddy apart of our series. I think without Go Daddy, Danica Patrick wouldn’t have the fame that she has and I’m looking out for the long term of our sport.
“It’s not any different when Mario left our sport or when Jordan or Shaq just left NBA. I think there will always be drivers or athletes that leave their sport and we’ve got a great pipeline of great new talent. We just Marco win his second race, first one in five years; we see great drivers like Graham Rahal, Charlie Kimball, J.R. Hildebrand – he’s an American who almost won the 500 in his rookie year. I mean, we’ve got a great pipeline right now and I’m glad it was next year instead of this year. I think we’ll be more prepared for it, as well as the new car with Chevy, Honda, Lotus.”
Next weekend, the IZOD IndyCar Series will be center stage in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for the Honda Indy, July 8th through the 10th.
“We’re going to celebrate our 25th Anniversary here this year,” Bernard said of the event during his presentation. “With one year it didn’t take place, and if it hadn’t been for Honda, Toronto and Savoree Green making sure there’d be something here, it could’ve gone away. The fact that they believed in it, we’re back on course. If there’s one message I hope you get out of here today, IndyCar is back.”
This year, Green Savoree Toronto invested millions into the track in updating the track barriers to the latest technology and to clean the facility up to present the best possible event as Bernard stated that he doesn’t want “to take IndyCar outside the country (United States) unless it’s going to be a big event.”
“I think Toronto, being one of the largest cities in North America, will always be a very important city for IndyCar,” he added later. “IndyCar is on the rise and we want to showcase our sport in great cities and that’s what Toronto does. I like to see the promoter here investing millions of dollars in his race because it’s only makes the racing that much bigger and better.”
To help with promoting the event, Honda Dealers Canada has created “Free Friday” where fans can get into the grounds and access the Paddocks (where the teams work on the cars), which has been used a good promotional tool to get fans to come back Saturday and Sunday.
“I think that what we need to do is continue to educate fans on what we’re trying to do,” he said. “I think the Honda Day out here is huge. Anybody can get a free ticket from Honda and come out to the track and see what’s going on, I think they’ll be blown away to see these cars go at the speed their going and have a beer and relax in the sun. How does it get any better in the beautiful city of Toronto?”
With all the hype going into the event, there are three Canadian drivers entered who each have the pedigree and ability to take the checkered flag.
“I think that James Hinchcliffe, Paul Tracy or Alex Tagliani – any three of those – could win this event and I think if it happens, it just sets the race up for the following year to be that much better,” Bernard commented. “But I think all three of them have a great shot this year. This year, with what we’ve seen halfway through the season, is that we have seven different team owners out of the top 10 and I think that’s remarkable. That shows you how deep our racing is going now.”
One of the big stories for Canadians going into this year’s event would be Tagliani, who won the pole for the Indianapolis 500, which is a highlight in Bernard’s book.
“Last year, he fought and fought to have that team and this year, he was able to partner Sam Schmidt – here’s a guy that was paralyzed in a car – and the fact that they’ve come together and been very successful,” Bernard said during the presentation. “They won the pole at Indy this year, which is no small feat at all. To me, in my sixteen months I’ve been here, I will say that’s in the top three highlights of my career here so far. The fact that I was sitting up in the grandstands and here’s a small team, not a Penske or Ganassi that just took the pole for the Indy 500, was a pretty amazing event. The fact that we’ll have these three Canadians compete here is big for us.”
The competition promises to be strong in Toronto as it has been all year with seven different team owners out of the top 10 cars. Bernard also put forth the promise that it’d be strong competition, especially with the double-file restarts.
“Going to the double-file (restarts), it’s created a lot of carnage and wrecks, which the drivers hate, and allowed us to see a lot more passing and overtake and see guys like last weekend, like Scott Dixon, going from 28th to 3rd, so you’ll see a lot more passing than you’ve ever seen before in Toronto and that’s a promise.”
IndyCar Suspends O2 Racing Technology and Team Owner Mark Olson
IndyCar, the governing body of the Firestone Indy Lights, announced yesterday that they have suspended the entrant license/membership of O2 Racing Technology and the individual membership of team owner Mark Olson until December 31, 2012, for actions during The Milwaukee Mile event June 18-19.
Officials said that Olson attempted to effect the conduct of the David Hobbs 100 as he encouraged others to breach their contracts with officials and withdraw from the event. The only entries to withdraw from the event were the O2 Racing Technology No. 36 and No. 63 entries.
“The mere act of attempting to impede the conduct of the event is something we will not tolerate,” Roger Bailey, Executive Director of Firestone Indy Lights, said. “We believe we have a great championship with Firestone Indy Lights that will help develop drivers and teams to prepare to move to the top level of open-wheel racing in North America, and we must maintain the integrity of our series.”
The actions were in violation of multiple rules as listed in the Firestone Indy Lights rulebook:
· Rule 1.1: Actions threatening the integrity of INDYCAR, Firestone Indy Lights and/or orderly conduct of an event.
· Rule 2.11 (C): Conduct creating adverse notoriety with respect to INDYCAR, Firestone Indy Lights or an event.
· Rule 9.3 (A): Attempting to or engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct or conduct detrimental to racing, INDYCAR and/or Firestone Indy Lights.
· Section 14 of the Event Entry Form: Engaging in tactics which would disrupt or delay the events.
The penalized parties may protest/appeal as prescribed in the Firestone Indy Lights rulebook. A protest/appeal may result in an increase, decrease or no change to the penalty.
Will Power Cleared To Drive After Wreck at Iowa, Tests at Mid-Ohio
Following a hard hit in the Turn 2 SAFER Barrier on June 25th at Iowa Speedway during Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer, Will Power was back at it behind the wheel, testing the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Following the wreck, Power suffered a minor concussion and in which per IndyCar rules, Power took the ImPACT (Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) test and was re-evaluated.
“It’s good to be back out there in the Verizon car,” Power said, who enters Toronto second in the championship standings, 20 points behind Dario Franchitti. “It was a hard hit at Iowa, but I didn’t actually get knocked out or anything. I just had a headache for the first night and some neck soreness. I needed to get checked out by the INDYCAR officials and it was more precautionary than anything, but that’s good, because you can never be too careful.
“Every driver does a test, called an ImPACT test, at the beginning of every season. It basically tests your reflexes, your memory and so on. Then you have to go back and do that test again if you have an incident like what we had in Iowa. I took the test (June 28) and the doctors cleared me to drive.”
As a result of being cleared on July 28th, Power was on hand testing with Team Penske teammates Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe, along with Dale Cyone Racing’s James Jakes. The IZOD IndyCar Series visits the 2.258-mile on August 7th for the 50th Anniversary Honda Indy 200.
The next race for the IZOD IndyCar Series is the Honda Indy Toronto, July 8th-10th, which Will Power won last year.
“I’m glad we got the chance to test here at Mid-Ohio to get ready for the road courses coming up,” Power said. “Now I’m looking forward to going back to Toronto next week and trying to defend our win there with Verizon Team Penske.”
Before racing in Toronto, Power will also participate in another test New Hampshire Motor Speedway with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s driver Pippa Mann.
IZOD IndyCar Series officials require drivers to take the ImPACT test at teh beginning of the year to set a baseline test as drivers are suspectiable to concussions and other head and neck injuries during crashess. Before a driver is allowed to enter an event, they are required to establish their baseline data by performing the 30-minute, computerized ImPACT test, which measures a range of neurocognitive functions including memory, reaction time, attention span and more. The test measures a driver’s cognitive abilities under normal, healthy conditions. If a driver suffers a head injryy, they are required to take the test and the doctors will compare the results with the baseline to determine the severity of the injury and best possible treatment.
Honda Canada VP Jerry Chenkin Addresses Media About IndyCar Series
As part of the IZOD IndyCar Series Media Lunchon in Toronto, Honda Canada Vice President Jerry Chenkin was on hand to discuss Honda’s involvement and his thoughts on Randy Bernard so far during Bernard’s 16 months of being the CEO of the IZOD IndyCar Series. Here is the full statement from Chenkin at the luncheon:
In just a little more than one year behind the IndyCar wheel, Randy Bernard has already initiated some fantastic things for the series making more interesting, I think you will all agree, and more fan friendly, with a new focus on a younger age bracket.
At Honda Canada, we know and share similar challenges that Randy has tackled. First, our organizations are both proud leaders in increasingly competitive markets that are undergoing dramatic changes, which require a more proactive approach with more brand recognition than ever before. Second, we both faced with battling two complete different groups with unique needs – those that are loyal to our brands through consistency and familiar value and those within the younger demographic, seeking things that are new and unique to them.
Three years ago, Honda Canada met with Kevin Savoree and his partners at that time – Michael Andretti was involved – and saw an opportunity to address both of these challenges by aligning ourselves with the premiere event in Canada, the Honda Indy. Now as sure as you all know, Honda’s racing and engine heritage speaks for itself so when the opportunity came to support IndyCar racing and remind our customers that Honda is not just any car company, we felt it was too good to ignore. After all, its fierce competition continues to drive our organization not only to create not only the best engines in the world, but the best cars, trucks, motorcycles, marine and power equipment as well.
Today, we are exceptionally proud to see our name on the event that has the world’s best engines, fastest cars and the greatest drivers to drive.
We’re also excited to see what Randy has in store for the IZOD IndyCar Series. In his previous role, Randy managed to take the brand of professional bull riders business from just $2000 to more than $20 million in just 10 years. In February of last year, Randy was named the CEO of the IZOD IndyCar Series.
We presented him with a new set of challenges in a new arena, so to speak. He was drawn to the opportunity after recognizing the sport’s raw potential, a potential driven to its great competition and entertainment value that it provides for its fan. Since climbing behind the wheel for IndyCar, Randy has taken steps to set IndyCar apart from its competitors and reunite it with its heritage, with its IndyCar name and statistics dating back to its first Indy 500 in 1911.
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Sonoma
Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.
1. Carl Edwards: Edwards, who skipped Saturday’s Nationwide race in Wisconsin, finished third in the Toyota/Save Mart 350, posting his best ever finish at Sonoma. Edwards increased his lead in the point standings, and now leads Kevin Harvick by 25.
“I knew it would be wise to stay and concentrate on Sonoma,” Edwards said. “And Jack Roush was in agreement. In fact, he’s been begging me to ‘stay’ for weeks now. I’m in my final year of my contract with Roush Fenway Racing. If I don’t get the money I deserve, then Roush Fenway will hear me say what you’d expect the guy who’s led the points standings nearly all year say: ‘Watch me go.’”
2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started 26th at Sonoma and recovered from a mid-race accident before fighting his way to a finish of ninth, taking his ninth top-10 finish of the year. He remained second in the point standings, and trails Carl Edwards by 25.
“First of all,” Harvick said, “I’d like to thank our sponsor, Rheem Tankless Water Heaters. We surely don’t want them called ‘Rheem Thankless Water Heaters.
“But the No. 29 Richard Childress Chevrolet wasn’t the only thing ‘reamed’ at Sonoma. There was lot of ‘bad blood’ out there, and I’m not talking about the bonds of kinship that link those blasted Busch brothers. Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers smacked each other around, leaving the rear of Stewart’s No. 14 elevated on a tire barrier. Vickers may hear from NASCAR about that. If so, it will be the first time a driver will be fined for another car’s rear end being too high.”
3. Kyle Busch: Busch finished a solid 11th in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 as big brother Kurt drove to a decisive victory. Kyle fell one spot to fifth in the point standings, 37 behind Carl Edwards.
“For once this year,” Busch said, “Kurt drove like a maniac instead of acting like one. The No. 22 Penske Dodge was unstoppable out front. I’m sure Kurt appreciated the clean air on the track as much as his team appreciated the ‘clean air’ on their radio frequency. Understandably, the ‘curse’ of Kurt Busch can only be lifted by a win.
“As for my finish, I’m satisfied. Or, to put it in terms that are rarely spoken by either of the Busch brothers, ‘I can’t complain.’”
4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson joined Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon in the top 10 at Sonoma, finishing seventh to Gordon’s runner-up result. Johnson, who won last year at Sonoma, jumped two places in the Sprint Cup point standings to third, and trails Carl Edwards by 33.
“I enjoy racing in ‘Wine Country,’” Johnson said. “Someday, like Jeff Gordon, I hope to offer my own brand of fine wines, produced at my winery that will be called ‘Wynasty.’
5. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt was one of seven cars collected in a lap 37 pile-up started when Tony Stewart spun Brian Vickers in Turn 11. The damage left a hole in the radiator of the No. 88 Amp Energy/National Guard Chevrolet was serious, and Earnhardt limped home with his first DNF of the year, finishing 41st.
“What caused our downfall?” Earnhardt asked. “Was it a hole, or a-holes? Hopefully, that’s the end of my involvement in the Tony Stewart-Brian Vickers feud. I though Red Bull was leaving NASCAR. Apparently, not without a fight.”
6. Kurt Busch: Busch led 76 of 110 laps in the Toyota/Save Mart 350, scoring his first career road course victory with a dominating performance at Sonoma. Busch beat Jeff Gordon by four seconds, and improved three spots in the Sprint Cup point standings to fourth, and now trails Carl Edwards by 34.
“That was a major butt-whupping,” Busch said, “and I agree with everyone who’s been saying that’s exactly what I’ve needed this year. Hopefully, this will be a harbinger of more good things to come. We’ve been wildly inconsistent this year. It’s been either tirade or parade.
“I’d like to thank my team for their hard work and perseverance. I believe they wanted this even more than I did. Not a win, mind you, but something that would finally shut me up.”
7. Jeff Gordon: Gordon stayed on the track during a caution with 20 laps to go, going from 20th to 8th before a dash to the checkers that gave him the runner-up finish at Sonoma. It was Gordon’s third top-5 finish in the last five races, and boosted him three spots in the point standings to ninth.
“I’m pleased with our finish here,” Gordon said. “But I have to admit, I had a lot more fun racing Kurt Busch last year as opposed to Sunday. I got a big kick, as well as a big punt, from being behind Kurt last year.”
8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth was running 13th, up from his qualifying position of 26th, on lap 65 when he was tagged from behind by Joey Logano in the No. 20 Home Depot car. The spin dropped Kenseth back to 35th, and he gamely battled back to finish 14th. He remained sixth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 52 out of first.
“Not only was Logano’s move childish,” Kenseth said, “it was also child-ish. As such, and given my non-confrontational style, I shall handle the situation with ‘kid gloves.’”
9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin was rear-ended by A.J. Allmendinger’s No. 43 Ford on lap 43, the contact from which was later determined to have damaged the track bar on Hamlin’s No. 11 Fed Ex Freight Toyota. Hamlin resigned to the garage for repairs and finished 37th, completing only 99 of 110 laps.
“We had the car to challenge Kurt Busch,” Hamlin said. “That is, until the bottom fell out, so to speak. Allmendinger may drive for Richard Petty, but his actions on Sunday surely weren’t fit for a king. In fact, A.J. is ‘STuPid.’ There was a lot of talk about road course ringers, but no one warned me about road course ‘Dingers.’ So Allmendinger gets the road course finger.”
10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished fourth at Sonoma, posting his third top-5 finish this year. It was Bowyer’s best result this year, and he improved two places in the Sprint Cup point standings to eight.
“As you know,” Bowyer said, “my RCR teammate Jeff Burton will be taking NFL star Chad Ochocinco for some laps around Atlanta Motor Speedway on Thursday. Hopefully, this ride will last more than the 1.5 second bull ride Ochocinco took earlier this year. I think Jeff is really looking forward to this, and I expect he’ll get a lot from the experience, but not a word in edgewise.”
