IndyCar's Popularity.

I know IndyCar has picked up all these sponsors, but I've noticed only a minor change in the amount of people IndyCar actually has following the sport. Do I actually think IndyCar has gained some fans? Yes, but not a lot of them though.

IndyCar still looks like they don't know how to gain a major fan base. Look at their T.V. contact, or how IndyCar likes to focus on only one driver i.e."DANICA PATRICK." Also IndyCar's popularity can really count on how the drivers treat their fans on and off the track to. I personally think just these few things alone have the most affect on the popularity of this sport.

I still feel IndyCar's TV Contract with Versus is a bad thing, considering IndyCar is struggling to average at least 600,000 viewers per race on that channel. How can you expand your racing series, if you can only offer your product to a limited amount of television viewers. I'm sorry, but IndyCar just needs to go back and have every race on ABC/ESPN again. At least everyone has access to watch the race on ABC/ESPN. You can tell why ABC/ESPN is better, just by showing all the races on IndyCar's schedule that were on ABC hit at least 1,000,000 viewers. Also a few more sponsors would be attracted to the IndyCar Series. There are always reports of sponsors turning their backs away from IndyCar, just because of poor TV ratings.

IndyCar needs to stop putting all the attention towards one driver or a driver that doesn't even win(Danica Patrick). I'm not saying she is a bad driver, but she has never been in contention for the IndyCar Series Championship or too many other wins during her career with IndyCar. Throughout the past few seasons IndyCar has focused nearly all attention on her, and many fans are annoyed with that. In the future IndyCar needs to start paying attention to the Championship contender's more, the drivers that win in the series. The Points race the last couple season has been surprisingly close, but this still seems to be put second on the IndyCar Series list. Remember fans don't remember someone in 20 years, because they had good looks, fans remember the winners, it will be drivers like Dario Franchitti, or Will Power that people will continue to talk about. Not some driver that won one race, and was a poor loser. Fans also remember drivers like Tony Kanaan, and Simona de Silvestro which throughout every race put sportsmanship first. IndyCar needs to put the first class drivers as the face of the series, not one driver that shows no sportsmanship, and shows no ability to win a championship.

I think one of the best ways to attract fans to start talking about the IndyCar Series, and to have fans come back every year to races with a pleasurable experience each time, starts with how the drivers treat fans. It seems most of the drivers are still all about their own ego. Look at Dan Wheldon he was the most respected driver around, he was always for the fans. He would take time out to give every autograph he could even when he had no time to. He would make you feel like you were supposed to be there. He felt like a friend to every fan that met him. He would also take time out to thank everyone that had come out to view the race. Only if every single driver would take some time to thank every fan with a smile, and all it takes one autograph to win over a fan. Only if every driver would act first class all the time. Then IndyCar would be exploding, but until everyone realizes this, I think IndyCar will be struggling to expand. Although the IndyCar Series has made some momentum, it's not enough to ensure the sport's survival in the long term.