Improving the Game at the IRL

Check out the new “TEAM” program at the IndyCar Series. That stands for “Team Enhancement and Allocation Matrix”. This new program guarantees money to full-time participants on a per race basis, additional money for a top five finish, and more still for finishing in the top five in the season ending points.

Each race also offers additional bonus money for the winner and top five finishers. In the case of the Indy 500, those dollars get a significant boost. The winner of the Indy 500 is expected to receive in excess of $2.5 million from the TEAM program. To help fill out the field, those teams that only enter the “500” will also receive support money from the program.

Also making a big impact on the money is the IRL’s removal of the 20% holdback money previously carved out of each race purse, and put in the pot for the top five finishers at seasons end. Through the TEAM and other bonus monies, prize money is expected to rise by about $10 Million in 2008.

The idea is to provide financial stability to existing teams, and to also attract new teams to the series. It is reported that teams spend between $4 and $8 million annually to stay in the game. Wouldn’t it be great to see a 33 car field at the Indy 500, and a similar boost on the grid for the rest of the races. Time will tell how effective the revised revenue sharing program will be in putting more cars on track, but it has to be a step in the right direction.

There are those who love Tony George, and those who are not such big fans, but I would think that even the detractors would have to offer thumbs up for the revised purse program. Good Job!