The Donald to Drive Indy Pace Car

[cosworth151]

Who will drive the pace car for the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500? Not A.J. Not Mario. Not Unser or Lone Star J.R.

The Donald.

Yes, I mean the "Reality" TV icon, would-be politician, thrice bankrupt billionare and poster boy for cheap toupees Donald Trump. Steven Cole Smith summed it up best on AutoWeek.com:

"Osama Bin Laden would be worse. Or everyone's favorite warlock, Charlie Sheen. Lindsay Lohan. Bernie Madoff. The Unabomber. Maybe O. J. Simpson. Satan, D. B. Cooper, Muammar Gadhafi. The guy in Colorado who claimed his son was floating away in a balloon. Kim Jong Il. Much of the Survivor cast."

He has no connection to racing, Indianapolis, Indiana or anything else relevant. If IRL head and former bull boffin Randy Bernard has any logical reason for this, he's keeping it to himself.

No word yet on whether Randy also plans to replace Jim Nabors singing "Back Home Again in Indiana" with William Hung singing "She Bangs."

[Canada Darrell™]

They left out the fact that his ego single-handidly killed the USFL as well. 

[John S]

The answer is the great masses of the unwashed out there have all heard of D. Trump esquire, his presence in the pace car assures the Centenary 500 a whole lot of extra pre-race media coverage in media that would not normally be interested in the event.

A J, Mario, or Unser's presence, although much more fitting, will not gain all the media flurry that Trump's name will generate. If Randy's remit is to bring new audiences to Indy and the IRL, this seemingly stupid pace car driver choice just may turn out to be a very good marketing ploy.




 

[Scott]

Good point John.  Much like Paris Hilton, people want to see The Donald only for the curiosity sake (Most thing "How did this nobody get so much media attention?").

[Jericoke]

Good point John.  Much like Paris Hilton, people want to see The Donald only for the curiosity sake (Most thing "How did this nobody get so much media attention?").

Still... the lowest hanging fruit for the IRL are the fans that left in the 90s (i.e, me).  They don't really need new fans, just get back the lapsed ones.  Donald Trump is not going to bring us back.

The only good reason I can see for this is if it's a condition (or effort) for Trump to buy into a team, a track, or sponsor the sport.  Selling the rights to drive the pace car isn't a bad away to get the billionaires' attention.  Trump can buy and sell a thousand Corvettes, but there will only ever be one 100th anniversay pace car. 

[cosworth151]

The answer is the great masses of the unwashed out there have all heard of D. Trump esquire, his presence in the pace car assures the Centenary 500 a whole lot of extra pre-race media coverage in media that would not normally be interested in the event.

A J, Mario, or Unser's presence, although much more fitting, will not gain all the media flurry that Trump's name will generate. If Randy's remit is to bring new audiences to Indy and the IRL, this seemingly stupid pace car driver choice just may turn out to be a very good marketing ploy.

With Trump's new persona are radical right wing political hack/bat crazy birther, he might drive away more fans than he draws. I haven't missed an Indy 500 for decades, going back to when I had to listen to them on a transistor radio. If they're going to turn it into a political rally for Dimwit Donald, I want no part of it.

[lkjohnson1950]

The fact that we are discussing this indicates Randy has a point. While a former driver would be more appropriate and probably safer, the Donald will generate wider interest. I don't like it, but I understand it.

Lonny