Ninety percent of the 494 people surveyed in exit interviews at Walt Disney World Speedway answered "yes" to the question, "Did you enjoy your experience at the race today?", in the poll conducted by the Sports Research Division of the Behavior Research Center of Phoenix, Ariz.
"I've been commissioning these studies at events since 1973, and it's the largest positive opinion I've ever seen," said Jack Long, executive director of the IRL. "Generally, the highest you see is 65-70 percent."
The surveyed audience was broad-based, with 18 percent from the Metro Orlando area, another 32 percent from elsewhere in Florida and 49 percent from out-of-state.
Fifty-six percent classified themselves as "avid" race fans, and 68 percent rated the race quality as high. In addition, 72 percent said they definitely plan to return for next year's race, and another 10 percent said they might attend if they could fit it into their schedule.
"The results are more favorable than any other single sports event we've ever tested in terms of fan satisfaction with the product," said Earl de Berge, chairman and director of research for the polling group.
"The other thing that's very important is that 68 percent of those interviewed considered themselves to be avid race fans, a clear indication that the event drew and was appreciated by those who support auto racing in this country.
"From what we're seeing in the data, competitive driving was a key factor, more than name recognition of the drivers. Fans had a chance to see young stars competing. They got that and they liked it." Long said the data was a sign of a healthy event.
"It also shows we have a good date for vacationers who want to get out of the snow, since 39 percent came from the northeast and north central regions of the country," he added.
Leading the field at the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World were the bright colors of the Official Pace Car of the 1996 IRL season -- the Oldsmobile Aurora. The Aurora will continue to set the pace at this year's IRL events in Phoenix (March 24), New Hampshire (Aug. 18) and Las Vegas (Sept. 15).
Aurora by Oldsmobile is a four-door luxury touring sedan with a 4.0 liter dual-overhead cam, 32-valve V8 engine that produces 250 horsepower. The pace car is a stock production model Aurora, since the cars come off the line at final assembly in Lake Orion, Mich., with performance specifications capable of pacing an Indy car race.
The only modification to production-model Auroras (in addition to the pearl white, purple and gold paint scheme) is the mandatory United States Auto Club safety package that includes a roll bar, strobe lights, five-point driver and passenger safety harnesses and an on-board fire extinguisher.
The driver of the Aurora Pace Car is three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Johnny Rutherford, now special projects coordinator for the Indy Racing League. He has been actively driving pace cars for the past several years and brings that experience to the League's Aurora Pace Car program.
In response to the Indy Racing League's new engine rules for 1997 competition, both Oldsmobile and Nissan have announced their intentions to participate in the IRL's groundbreaking and lucrative 4.0-liter engine program. Both companies will manufacture stock-block V8 engines (dual overhead cam, 32-valve, normally aspirated machines with a maximum 10,500 RPM) that will be ready for competition in January 1997.
In early January 1996, Oldsmobile became the first to announce their plans to develop a racing version of the Aurora V8, an engine available to consumers in Oldsmobile's new luxury performance sedan of the same name. Having won manufacturer's and driver's championships with a similar engine in the 1995 IMSA season as well as this year's Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, Oldsmobile is eager to extend its participation to the highest level of motorsports competition -- Indy car racing.
"Oldsmobile will supply the major components -- the block, cylinder heads, and dry-sump casting -- that define the Aurora V8's fundamental design," explained Oldsmobile Advanced Concepts engineer Dennis Weglarz. "IRL teams will be free to choose other components such as crankshafts, camshafts, and pistons from aftermarket suppliers to complete the assembly."
This back-to-the-basics approach is similarly embraced by Nissan officials, who announced in mid-February their plans to produce the "Infiniti Indy" 4.0-liter engine for IRL competition. The engine is a racing version of the powerplant developed for Nissan's Infiniti Q45 luxury performance sedan.
The Infiniti Indy will feature the stock Infiniti V8 90-degree cylinder bank angle, camshaft drive system and cylinder bore spacing. A similar V8 engine successfully competed in the 1995 IMSA GTS-1 series and earned historic victories at last year's 12 Hours of Sebring race.
"The IRL engine regulations provide us with a fantastic opportunity to showcase the performance and durability of our Infiniti V8 at a reasonable cost," said Jerry Florence, Nissan's vice president of brand and consumer marketing, who made the announcement at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Hall of Fame Museum.
Consistent with the League's goal of cost control, engines will be sold by both manufacturers with a price tag of $75,000 each -- which means significant savings for teams over the current engine lease program that rings in at approximately $1.8 million per year. As prepared and sold, the engines will be complete and "race-ready" -- able to be mounted in a chassis and taken straight to the track for testing and competition. Both manufacturers will make parts available to teams for engine work, repairs and fine-tuning throughout the season.
The announcement was made from the media compound at the Walt Disney World Speedway during the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World event week.
The True Value 200 at NHIS kicks off the 1996-97 IRL championship calendar, which will finish with the 1997 Indianapolis 500.
A special Junior Ticket, a $15 discount from grandstand section ticket prices, is offered to fans nine years of age or under if accompanied by an adult. "We want families with children to be able to attend major-league motorsports events here at Las Vegas Motor Speedway," said LVMS President Richie Clyne. "Children are the race fans of tomorrow."
Ticket orders can be placed beginning March 1 by calling the new LVMS ticket office phone number: (702) 644-4443.
Other events on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway inaugural season schedule include the AMA SuperBike Series Season Finale (Oct. 4-6), the NASCAR Winston West Series Season Finale (Nov. 2), the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Season Finale (Nov. 3), and the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Season Finale (Nov. 6).
A SPIRIT OF COOPERATION...
The Indy 200 at Walt Disney World is now in the record books and will forever be remembered as a spectacular launch for the Indy Racing League.
There have been several key dates, decisions and significant happenings through the process to make the IRL a reality. But none was more dramatic to me than Roy Disney's starting command at Disney World and seeing the hands go up behind the wings of the cars in our field. Perhaps John Menard said it best at the Disney track's dedication in November. To paraphrase, John said the IRL would take on a life of its own very quickly.
It has. It took the efforts of many, many people to create this bright new adventure in racing history. From the Disney track's dedication to the checkered flag for Buzz Calkins, there was a spirit of cooperation that blended into the testing, the preparation, the planning and the execution of the event.
This cooperation, with everyone helping everyone else toward a common goal, was a feeling that took hold among us all -- from drivers and crew members, to USAC officials and IRL staff, to race weekend workers in all areas, to the lady who sung a memorable National Anthem, to the friendly Disney security people.
We became a family, all pulling on the same oar to have a successful event and begin a successful series.
All of us share in the happiness of Buzz Calkins' victory, Tony Stewart's hard drive to the front and Buddy Lazier's pole. We also share in the smile on the face of the gift-shop cashier who sold Indy 200 merchandise, the smiles of the kids who got autographs at the IRL driver autograph sessions, the smiles of the Formula Ford 2000 people who helped make history.
We can all feel a sense of pride from Disney World, a special sense of accomplishment that will create many fond memories in the years to come.
And now, on to Phoenix...
Both tracks are exactly one mile in length, and Disney World polewinner Buddy Lazier tested at nearly the same speeds at both.
Lazier took the Disney World pole at 181.388 miles per hour, compared to last April's Phoenix pole speed of 181.952.
Winner Buzz Calkins set the fastest leading race lap at Disney World, clocked at 171.805 mph. The fastest lap of last year's Phoenix race was 169.492 mph. At Disney, 17 of 20 starters logged race laps faster than 160 mph, and eight were faster than 165 mph. During the 1995 Indy race at Phoenix, 22 of 27 starters exceeded 160 mph, and 10 topped 165 mph.
Buzz Calkins made history by holding off fellow rookie Tony Stewart to win the IRL's inaugural event, the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Presented by Aurora and claim $122,500 in prize money.
At the left, winner Buzz Calkins of Bradley Motorsports poses with his Indy 200 at Walt Disney World trophy. Indiana native Glenn Petry of Disney Design Group designed the trophy.
A sellout crowd of 51,000 at Walt Disney World Speedway watched Calkins average 128.325 miles an hour and post the victory by just .866 of a second over Stewart in the first race for both in Indianapolis-type cars.
The winner's total payoff was part of a $1,078,500 prize fund for the IRL's 1996 season opener. Stewart and Team Menard earned $85,250 for second.
Calkins pulled his Bradley Motorsports entry into Victory Lane and emotionally told a live ABC Sports television audience, "Now that I've won the Walt Disney World 200, I'm goin' to Indy."
Stewart, who chased Calkins for the final seven laps after a restart, brushed the outside wall in Turn 1 during the final caution period while weaving through the cars of Eddie Cheever and Scott Sharp and two safety trucks.
"I felt we had a good car at the end until I hit the wall," Stewart said. "I hit everything that was there. I just didn't have anywhere to go. On the restart, we tried to get a good run."
Next year's Indy 200 at Walt Disney World will be Saturday, Jan. 25, 1997, the debut event for the IRL's 4.0-liter engines. Ticket orders are being accepted now at the IMS ticket office, (800) 822-INDY.
The Leberle/Treadway Racing Team has reverted to its original name of Treadway Racing with Fred Treadway as team manager and owner and will continue to field the Jonathan Byrd/Arie Luyendyk entry. Andreas Leberle has returned to the helm of Project Indy, the team announced.
Butch Brickell said on Feb. 13 that he had the "halo" off after suffering neck injuries in an accident during testing at Disney World. He said he plans to have his car at Phoenix, possibly with another driver.
Tommy LaMance at A.J. Foyt Enterprises said the cars of Davey Hamilton and Scott Sharp, damaged in accidents at Disney World, were repaired in time for the Phoenix open test Feb. 26-28. "Scott and Davey will have their same cars," LaMance said prior to the test, adding that the "tubs" were repaired by Lee Sargent in Indianapolis and much of the remainder was done in the Foyt shops in Houston.
Scott Brayton is looking to make his 150th career Indianapolis-car start at Phoenix. "I started my 100th there, too," he said.