Fixing the Indianapolis 500

I was directly involved with the Indianapolis 500 racing in the Split days. I was the guy behind the Nortel sponsorship associated with Scott Goodyear. We entered in '96 when Scott was with Derrick Walker but I encouraged him to move to the IRL because I really believed the "500" was the only property worth having. It was best for him and for us. TG wanted him as another name driver and so did Fred Treadway who could provide one of the best rides possible for the "500." We ended up sponsoring Fred's team car with Arie Luyendyk and so finished one-two in the "500" - the first time for a sponsor since 1948 with the Blue Crowns. I got to go to victory lane, milk the whole bit. So I was there during the Split. I also feel you can't "go back."
 
However I believe a fundamental formula change could be a move toward the solution that could restore the "500" as a destination race, not something drivers accept because for whatever reason they couldn't make it to F1. I would like to see a "backwards compatibility" strategy where the Indianapolis 500 race cars (to break out of the box the sport is locked in I would refer to them by that name instead of Indy cars which under their current definition are at the core of the problem) are designed around the principles of open wheel, short track racers. Yes, this would require a return to front engines (where virtually all street car engines are placed). I would like to see a virtual, across the board elimination of aero and ground effects to attack costs and create a platform that makes the driver a larger component in the speed equation.
 
I would also like to see an open rule book that provides guidelines and allows people to develop their own cars and allows for massive amounts of HP - say 1,000. I see nothing wrong with a claiming rights allowance as a measure to level the playing field with those who can afford excessive financial investment. With greater reliance on mechanical grip you not only re-introduce the driver but probably allow for a wider range of body designs as the impact of aero engineering is minimized. I am fine with these same cars on road courses and places like Long Beach (where I lived for 7 years) have earned their place in today's Indianapolis 500 - based series. However, this new formula should also accommodate a deliberated effort to return to dirt ovals like the Indiana State Fairgrounds, Sacramento, Duquoin, etc. Talk about diversity. Talk about a reconnection with the heritage of the championship trail. Talk about unique market differentiation. Instead of being some perversion of F1 tilted toward foreign born drivers you have a series that positions the Indianapolis 500 as the pinnacle of American open wheel racing. A by-product bonus of all this is that you have an organic ladder infrastructure eliminating the insane "Road to Indy" system that no one cares about and has no business model. it is purely the cost of doing business to train drivers for a "big time" series that under current governance has NEVER turned a profit. All of this should be done with the retention of state-of-the-art safety tech.
 
We can call these new cars roadsters as that is all about market positioning of a unique brand and an "ownable idea." It speaks to the brand of the Indianapolis 500. The lack of understanding of the Indianapolis 500 brand is at the kernel of how we got where we are. The "product" is NOT great in its current formulation as it is an excessively expensive offering that cannot generate the market value to recover its costs. I know none of this will be embraced, what I don't know is the exact date the entire sport will collapse.