Indy Car returns to Las Vegas with a twist

Indy car announced today that the series will return to Las Vegas this year for the season finale. Also if a non regular Indy Car driver wins the race the driver will get 5 Million dollars!! I don't know how realistic this is for Robby but I think it would be awesome exposure for SPEED and I feel like Robby could run up front and contend. Also something to note is that this will be the last race for the current chassis and body style for the current Indy Car's so he could probably pick one up for a lot less then it would be normally. Plus with the new Nascar partnership with Penske this makes alot of sense to me but we all know it is up to the almighty $.

Here is a link with more info about it. http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-bernard-sets-5m-las-vegas-challenge

Plus Robby just tweeted "5 mil huh...."

I hope he can work something out!

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Permalink Reply by alan4s on February 22, 2011 at 5:29pm

It's the last race with the current Indy Car package. Should be plenty of inventory to buy cheap for one race, I would think. A Penske/Speed Energy ride would be nice.

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Permalink Reply by WJM on February 22, 2011 at 5:33pm

Hell yeah!

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Permalink Reply by Bill McPherson on February 22, 2011 at 5:55pm

Robby should be all over this!

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Permalink Reply by David Z on February 22, 2011 at 6:08pm

Thanks, I was trying to figure out the Robby tweet.
It looks like Indy is trying for the NASCAR fan base, as NH will have an Indy car race this year

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Permalink Reply by Lance on February 23, 2011 at 5:59am

It's not that IRL is trying for the Nascar fans, it's that Bruton Smith and Randy Bernard have formed a partnership of sorts. There are no ISC tracks on the IRL schedule this year. Randy felt that the races at those tracks were not being properly promoted. Bruton has promised big promotional events, such as the 5 million dollar payday at Vegas....

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Permalink Reply by Beagle7 on February 22, 2011 at 6:12pm

Thats a CHase race weekend....so I doubt Stewart, Montoya, etc will race at CHarlotte Sat night then fly to Vegas to hop in an Indy Car...but who knows...

With our part time schedule plans...there is no reason for Robby NOT to try to win this $5 million...

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Permalink Reply by Josh Fisher on February 22, 2011 at 6:33pm

I doubt any of the Chase guys would do it not only because of the Chase but because with Cup running Saturday that means at least Friday at the track so they wouldn't be in Vegas for Practice/Qualifying so they'd be going into that race with no time in the car at that track (unless the IRL would let interested drivers come out and test sometime a week or so earlier).

So yeah Robby, Hornish, Scott Speed & maybe Leffler I could see doing this.

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Permalink Reply by Scott C on February 22, 2011 at 6:27pm

"We will accept five entries for this challenge, with entrants being determined by a selection committee by mid-summer."

I'm guessing Robby would probably not be their first choice..... but the race is going to happen right when the chase is heating up so I doubt there will be any chase contenders.....Robby should be a top name if he applies. Who else? Hornish? Leffler? Mears? Allmendinger? Speed? Good PR for Indycar. Can't say enough for what Bernard has done for the series.

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Permalink Reply by Karen on February 22, 2011 at 7:04pm

I think it is a bad idea. I would hate to see if there is a close Indy championship on the line potentially messed up by adding 5 newcomers (at least w/ respect to recent experience). I think they should have it on another weekend and have it be the Indy All Star race open to drivers from other series with a big purse. Why do it for their championship?