Read this not-so-creampuff interview from the Indy Star with IRL President Brian Barnhart. Two specific responses made me perk up this morning:
Q: The season doesn't start until March, but there are no more than 16 cars at the moment.
A: We've got conversations with four to six people that have potential of fielding teams, including one that was here before (Larry Cahill trying to assemble a package for female sports car driver Milka Duno).
Q: What is the league doing specifically to attract teams?
A: We continue to do everything we can to control expenses. That's No. 1.
We're trying to maximize their value: What you get for what you spend. We make them realize the value of our television relationship, which is clearly the best television package available to open-wheel racing.
We talk about our retention of all 14 events from 2006 to 2007 and the growth of the new markets we're going in with Mid-Ohio, Belle Isle (in Detroit) and Iowa. I think we're on track something like 20 of 25 weekends next year (with Indianapolis 500 activity included). That's somewhat unprecedented. When you're running that often it's much better for the fan to follow the story line that's developing.
Read it. Loved it. Prett defensive on the whole. To some up all of Barnharts answers: "Not sure, but we're doing what we can."
Barnhart is a straight shooter, which is more than can be said about some in the other open wheel series who pronounce great expansion and then the story fades away. Honesty is a good thing, don't you think?