Once upon a time, the toughest challenge in motorsports was the Memorial Day Indy 500/Coca-Cola 600 double-dip, in which certain borderline-insane drivers would compete in both the Indianapolis classic and the Charlotte night marathon on the same day. But because of shifted time schedules, the double has been an impossibility for the last seven years.
Now, though, there's a new Indy-NASCAR challenge afoot, one which might just catch the interest of a few drivers. The Izod IndyCar Series finale will be held this October in Las Vegas, and get this: if any driver from another series, from anywhere in the world, wins the race, it's a cool $5 million.
That's a challenge worth taking, wouldn't you say?
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"We showcase our drivers as being the very best, fastest and most versatile in the world," IndyCar Randy Bernard said. "We are putting our money where our mouth is. If any race car driver in the world outside of the Izod IndyCar Series can win the Vegas race, we will give you $5 million. We will accept five entries for this challenge, with entrants being determined by mid-summer."
The logistics: The Indy race will be Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m. ET. That falls right in the middle of NASCAR's Chase for the Cup, but it happens to be the weekend of the lone Saturday night race in the Chase — at Charlotte, coincidentally enough. So it's perfectly doable from a flight-time perspective.
However, it's doubtful that anyone who's in the thick of the Chase is going to want to pull away for this race — or, more specifically, that their teams and sponsors will let them make the attempt — so you may be looking at drivers already out of the Chase hunt here. (And would they be willing to declare in mid-summer?)
Still, that would encompass a talented group of drivers. Say Juan Pablo Montoya, an open-wheel legend, decides to take a run at the prize. Or Tony Stewart or Jeff Gordon, both open-wheel vets. (That's Stewart and Robby Gordon in the photo above at the 1996 Las Vegas 500.)
Vegas isn't limiting its open-door policy to drivers, either. Any fan buying a ticket to an IndyCar race throughout the 16-race season will be eligible to get a free ticket to the finale. That's not bad either.
It's a long shot, yes, but so's a 20-year-old kid winning the Daytona 500. Think a few drivers just started looking at their October schedules?
IndyCar offers $5 million bonus for win in finale by outsider [USA Today]
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