Saturday, March 13, 2010

Why I Like Randy Bernard

Why I'm excited for the Randy Bernard era of IndyCar racing:

Mr. Bernard's previous job was as CEO of a sport where competitors climb onto the backs of one-ton beasts bred for rage and aggression.  They then tie themselves onto that beast by one hand, and try to stay on for eight second while it does everything in its power to buck the rider off and then stomp them.  If they get into trouble, the safety team is wearing clown makeup.

I'm certainly not trying to belittle bull-riding, and I realize this is an overly simple description, but I think you get the idea.  This is not a guy who will be shy about wheel-to-wheel oval racing.  On the day Randy Bernard started work in Indianapolis, the odds of oval racing fading from the sport went down, and the odds of seeing a new track record at Indy in the next ten years went up.

He may not be a racer, but he knows how to promote action-paced and exciting sports entertainment to the American public, and right now, that is what IndyCar needs more than anything.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

How many times has he postponed an event because it the bull was too hard to ride?

His first event on the job and they act like sissies and have to change the track because the drivers have to be careful... what a joke. I thought these guys were professionals! Maybe the guys who are best at controlling a car on a tough course should get a chance to display their skills!