Various Aspects of Indianapolis 500 - Assignment Example

Various Aspects of Indianapolis 500 Abstract The paper focuses on various aspects of Indianapolis 500. It is the most prestigious open-wheel race and takes place annually on the Memorial Weekend. The first sport event was held in 1911 and has evolved to become the greatest spectacle in motor racing. The winner of the annual competition receives the Borg-Warner Trophy. It covers 500 miles completed by making 200 laps on the 2.5-mile oval. It is the world’s largest sporting activity that takes place on a single day. The event and its popularity have had various impacts on economic, social, cultural, and historical perspectives. Introduction The Indianapolis 500 is one of the richest and fastest motorsport races in the world. The multi-billion dollar purse makes the event well-organized coupled with excessive fantastic speeds. Its beginning was far more humble than events of equal measure. It began as a dream and revelation in a man’s mind. Carl Fisher was the man behind the formulation of the Indianapolis race. A trip to Europe and problems with motor vehicles inspired him to formulate the race track. The track was to be used by vehicle manufacturers to test their motors and equipment (“IMS,” 2010). The manufacturers would test them against each other’s cars. As a shrewd business person, Fisher knew that people would be eager to watch and would pay any amount of money to witness the races. Together with his friends, they bought more than three hundred acres of land and purchased it at $73000. On February 1908, articles of incorporation bearing the name Indianapolis Motor Speedway Company were filed. The filing marked the start of a race that was destined to be worldwide race course (“IMS,” 2010). The interest and the automobile age in car racing began to increase in early 1900s. He was keen to construct a great motor speedway and, therefore, searched for friends who cared to listen. He partnered with another group of men that were eager to gain customers and attention for their new hotel situated at French Lick Indiana (“ESPN, 2014”). Fisher then contacted a popular automobile magazine that promoted virtues of a five-mile track race that was an exception to the common mile tracks. The interest for the race was gaining momentum in other parts of the country. Minor races were being held in various locations and organizers discussed on the possibilities of having motor speedways. Without much delay, IMS was to be launched on 5th June 1909. It began with races hot air balloon races. The first-motorsport races were then held on the 14th of August (“ESPN, 2014”). Economic Implications The Indianapolis Motor Show is an internationally known and recognized motorsports icon. Having been established in 1909, it serves as the center of Indiana’s motorsports cluster and the world’s largest spectator facility. The spectator and out-of-state visitor’s events are imperative to the country’s economy. It is a catalyst to the economy and anchors the state’s motorsports cluster (Blair, 2012). Events and operations at IMS such as Dallara’s and Indy Car teams located in Indiana employs 4200 employees and generate approximately $315 million annually. Putting multiplier effects into consideration, the sport show generates more than $510 million annually to the economy of Indiana. It creates about 6500 direct and indirect jobs with over $235 million for compensating employees. Most of the economic contributions from IMS are new, but a portion of the contribution is attributable to revenue collected from spending and ticket purchases. The portion attributed to spending by the residents represent substitutions from entertainment spending (Blair, 2012). The motorsports cluster has 24, 474 firms with 421000 employees. Its value makes it internationally recognized and significant as a competitive and advantage motorsport cluster. It has non-racing firms that supply services and goods to companies that are directly involved in the race. Indiana accounts for 23000 employees and 2230 firms that engage in the sporting race. Based on its vast contribution to the economy in jobs and dollars, IMS clearly remains a major backbone to Indiana’s economy and to the vitality of the sport (Blair, 2012) Technological Advancement in Improving Safety For about 100 years, fostering development and innovation in the motorsport safety remains a priority to the Indianapolis leadership, competing teams, and the manufacturers involved in Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Overtime, various exciting breakthroughs have taken place to save lives despite the dangerous nature of the sporting race. The brick surface, for example, is one of the legacies that are most treasured in the development of the speedway. It was nicknamed “The Brickyard” and was laid in 1909 due to the vulnerability of the track and because of the need for enhanced safety. The original crushed stones and tar surface were proved as unstable after the first-racing summer in 1909. Fisher and James Alison, who were the co-founders, wasted no time in deciding that paved bricks would be the surface of the future. The bricks are more robust than concrete but are more expensive (Reed, 2005). Another innovation in the automobile and motorsport industry was crafted two years later. Marmon and Ray Harroun teams were to participate in the Inaugural Indianapolis mile race with single-seat cars. All the other teams showed up with double-seat cars that would accommodate a riding mechanic on board and also serve as an extra set of eyes. The other competitors fouled that Harroun could not see what was behind and was, therefore, a safety hazard when competing with him on the same track. They wanted him banned from the race. Harroun and team instead sourced for a mirror and framed it in a steel case. They mounted on a rear-top position that would give him a substantial range of vision. The mirror became part of history for both passenger and racing automobiles. It was the first ever rear-view mirror (Reed, 2005). The first Pace Car at the Indianapolis Motor show was used in 1911. The introduction of the car formed the first-mass start of the motor race in 1911. In 1921, cars in the race used four-wheeled hydraulic brakes. In 1935, color warning lights were added to the cars. Later in 1993, crash-date recorders were used for the first time. By 2000, the Speedway was dawned with the greatest invention in an attempt to save and protect drivers involved in high-speed crashes (Kramer, 2009). Steel and Energy Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barriers were added to the tracks four times. The 2002 SAFER barrier technology was constructed using 20-foot modules. Each of the modules consisted of about five rectangular steel metal tubes welded together as a unified element. The modules were connected with steel splices, bundles of three-inch thick sheets, closed cell polystyrene between concrete walls, and steel tubing modules. The Indy Racing League in collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln worked on the barrier since 1998 (Kramer, 2009) The Speedway was used as a laboratory for conducting discoveries and research on real-life safety in 2002 during the opening race. Robby McGhee was the first to hit the barrier while on the race. The crash was severe, and the consequences could have been worse. He, however, suffered minor injuries. From that time, the barrier has been in place and has also been used in the US Grand Prix and the 2002 Brickyard 400. The second generation of the SAFER barrier was installed in 2005 during a repaving exercising of the oval (Kramer, 2009). Cultural and Historical Perspective People well-acquainted with the IMS often describe it as a show where tradition is supreme. It is a site where history exists as spirits of the racers past enfolds the venerable race course. One does not need to attend the competition to get the strong taste of history and tradition. Equipping oneself with a television and watching the race will be as good as attending a live performance. Traditional songs such as “Back Home in Indiana” are always sung as part of the ritual before every event (Hamilton, 2013). It thrills to hear Mari George’s tone announce “ladies and gentlemen, start the engines.” It is fantastic watching the winning driver take and drink cold bottles of milk while adorned in a victory laurel. Those form part of the significant traditions of the Indianapolis show. For the audience who attend the race year after year, there are other many lesser rites and rituals performed in similar ways as their forefathers did (Hamilton, 2013). For the entire length of the race's history, traditions and reliance on vivid and starry past occurrences constitute the strength of the motor race. The organizers have sustained Indianapolis 500 by binding it with the vigor of the earliest motor sport days in America. The traditions resonate around a unified American culture that draws people to the motor sport’s best during Memorial Day Weekend. Such are the times of heightened self-awareness and patriotism. The event, because of glorious pasts and traditions, remains at the heart of American cultures just as much as Super Bowl reigns today (Berger, 2001). The event is, however, not short of problems. There are tragic occurrences happening on the event because its television rates continue to diminish year after year. The event’s centrality to American traditions and cultures has weakened. In the 2009 motor race, the show attracted the least market share of viewers than any other season in its history. The event’s lengthy trend has vanished and culminated in chasm. Its popularity leaves a gap that used to be a hyperactive den of commentary, clamor, and fascination. All those are no more (Berger, 2001). There are various reasons as to the declining popularity of Indianapolis 500. Some observers point at its excess entertainment options. The multiple entertainment options have fissured the event’s power on the viewers’ attention and preference on the remarkable Memorial Day Weekend. Other observers point at Tony George for creating a faction in the Indianapolis competition in 1995. The breakup scattered the icons of the sport and gravely distracted potential audiences from Indianapolis race. Once distracted, those followers have not yet found any gluing thing to return them to the sport (Hamilton, 2013). The reasons and explanations provide doubtless truth, but there is one more explanation, a cultural vindication. The Indianapolis event since time immemorial has been a traditional event. When Americans honored traditions and history, the event was significant to them. Upon a twist on their traditions, the importance of the event continued to deteriorate. The American people have changed, and they no longer honor such traditions and festivities of the past. The nation’s entertainment industry, public schools, and media neglect and disregard such traditions (Berger, 2001). They regard traditions as cultural residues from the oppressive past occurrences irrational minds a sorrier bygone generation. The alteration’s explanation receives support from the recent precedential election. Both presidential candidates campaigned on the notion of “change” and who would bring change. Americans were keen on the strongest agent of change that would bring changes to their society. As the older generation returns to the creator, the core fan base that celebrated the Indianapolis 500 also continues to disintegrate. The younger generation with the knowledge of their history and traditions continue to ignore the ostentatious event that was everything and meant much to their ancestors (Berger, 2001). Conclusion The sport event has had a significant impact on the state’s economy. Indianapolis 500 generates more than $314 every year. The economic contribution sums up from corporate activities, Indy Car teams and Dallara facility operations, and out-of-state visits. It provides 6200 jobs as a result of its direct and indirect impacts. The direct event serves as a catalyst and anchor of about 420000 jobs that link the state’s motorsport cluster. The sport has seen vast development ranging from the cars used to ways of ensuring safety of the competitors. The various breakthroughs in the design of costumes, vehicles, the speedway, and the facility as a whole shows the skills and knowledge man has that will contribute to continuous innovation. The innovations will make the sport safe to the competitors, as well as, the environment. The sport race remains and makes part of the American history, traditions, and cultures. It is a pleasure to have cultures that they can base their pride on as having been theirs for ages. References Berger, M. L. (2001). The automobile in American history and culture a reference guide. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Blair, R. D. (2012). Sports economics. New York: Cambridge University Press. “IMS” Event Information. (2010). Indianapolis 500, Retrieved July 27, 2014, from http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/eventinfo/35518-Event-Informaion/ Hamilton, S. L. (2013). Indianapolis 500. New York: ABDO. “ESPN” Indianapolis 500. (2014). ESPN, Retrieved July 27, 2014, from http://www.espn.go.com/rpm/topics/_/page/indianapolis-500 Kramer, R. (2009). Indianapolis Motor Speedway 100 years of racing. Iola, Wis.: Krause Reed, T. (2005). Indy the race and ritual of the Indianapolis 500 (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books. Read More