After two days of being postponed by rain, the 81st
running of the Indianapolis 500 was completed yesterday as
Arie Luyendyk edged out Scott Goodyear. The N.Y. TIMES'
Joseph Siano writes this morning that the "close,
competitive" event "helped redeem an Indy 500 dimmed by two
consecutive rain delays" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/28). In L.A., Mike
Kupper writes today, "Instead of making a spectacle of
itself, the 500 was the kind of competitive event that
prompted its long-ago promoters to proclaim it 'the greatest
spectacle in racing'" (L.A. TIMES, 5/28).
EARLY MORNING RAIN: USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke writes
that the two days of rain and the "pre-emption of six hours
of weekday local news and soap operas means at least $1.5
million in lost revenue" for ABC. Sunday's rain delay
posted a 4.2 preliminary overnight, down 40% from '96 and
Monday's coverage "got a respectable 6.7 overnight." ABC's
Mark Mandel: "Sometimes this is the price you pay to be in
the sports television business" (USA TODAY, 5/28). In Indy,
Robin Miller wrote after Monday's rain that "it was believed
that the ABC network, which has millions tied up in race
coverage ... would lobby for a weekend date." IMS VP Bill
Donaldson, on ABC: "They told us to do what was best."
Miller added the IRL "opted to resume action" on Tuesday,
rather than this weekend, because of time constraints for
its June 7 inaugural True Value Longhorn 500 at the Texas
Motor Speedway (STAR-NEWS, 4/27). In Dallas, Holly Cain
wrote that Indy officials "would not say how heavy a
consideration the Texas event was in their rescheduling,
only that it was one of several variables" (DALLAS MORNING
NEWS, 5/27). Writing on the weather delays, the AKRON
BEACON JOURNAL's Ralph Paulk: "Ever since [IRL Founder Tony
George's] upstart Indy Racing League began its exclusive run
here last year, the Greatest Spectacle in Racing has become
The Great Debacle" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 4/27).
CART PATH: CART ran the Motorola 300 in Madison, IL, on
Saturday, and Robin Miller of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS
wrote it "wasn't the greatest race ever, but it was a good
way to start motorsports' biggest weekend and a fast way to
bring back the paying customers" (STAR-NEWS, 4/25). Joseph
Siano of the N.Y. TIMES wrote that CART "staged a show that
their [IRL] rivals" would have "a hard time topping" (N.Y.
TIMES, 5/25). CART COO Andrew Craig admitted that the "two-
year power struggle" with the IRL "has taken its toll."
Viewers "continue to be confused about which drivers will
drive where." Craig: "It's too damaging for the sport. ...
We're remarkably strong, we have 28 cars, full grandstands,
$375 million in corporate sponsorship. The weak element is
our television ratings" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS, 5/24). In
St. Louis, John Sonderegger called the race a "smashing
success," with a three-day attendance of around 84,500.
CART's Craig said the race will return on Memorial Day '98,
with an increased capacity (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 5/26).
