It's been an overwhelming first couple weeks on the job for IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard.
Long business lunches, late business dinners, absorbing history at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, that's all become part of the regular routine for Bernard, who's trying whatever he can to get up to speed on the Indy Racing League as fast as possible.
All that, of course, is wrapped around the IRL's biggest issue - deciding on what the new car for the series will be.
"It's been really fun and very challenging," Bernard said Saturday. "That's the way I wanted it. I try to spend as many hours as I can in the office."
There's no shortage of work, for certain.
Especially for a racing neophyte like Bernard. But the man who replaced Tony George atop IRL is clearly making a quick impression.
"Tony did a hell of a job bringing this thing where it is, but he had other interests," team owner Roger Penske said. "He had a team. And Randy doesn't have a team. And he doesn't own the track. His job is 7-by-24 to run the league, which is great. I really think he's a breath of fresh air."
Bernard was hired Feb. 2 (and officially took over on March 1) after a 15-year stint running Professional Bull Riders Inc., and said he had never before been to an IRL race. Bernard's task is to make the sport grow, or basically repeat what he was able to do at PBR, where a startup series with eight events now has more than 400 with $26 million in sponsorship.
So at these lunches and dinners, Bernard is doing plenty of listening - and plenty of selling himself as well to IRL's principal parties.
"I want them to know that I'm going to roll up my sleeves and I'm going to work hard, I'm going to be open, I'll listen to anybody and I will make decisions that I think is in the best interest of taking our sport to the next level," Bernard said. "People ask me all the time: 'Are you in competition with NASCAR or F1?' And I say, we're in competition with any entertainment."
Bernard moved quickly to develop the new IndyCar Series advisory committee, which will help review, research and recommend the future IRL chassis and engine platform, with many hoping change will come in time for the 2012 season. A decision could be unveiled in the coming months, possibly around June 1.
The committee will be chaired by retired Air Force Gen. William R. Looney III, whom Bernard has known for several years.
Gil de Ferran was announced as a member Friday, and others - all of whom will have to agree to sign confidentiality agreements and other disclosures - are expected to be named by Bernard in the coming days.
Bernard knows the one issue owners will talk about more than any other - maybe the only issue, period - is the cost associated with the new car. Penske said he hasn't had a chance to explain his vision on that front to Bernard yet, but he soon will.
"I'm all about saving costs right now for all the teams," Penske said. "There's nothing wrong with the sport right now. I'm not sure that if we changed engines in the cars right now that it's going to put 50,000 more people in the stands. We need to promote the drivers and the teams and the sponsors."
For his part, Bernard sounds like he'll listen to that advice.
"I just don't want to shoot from the hip. That's the most important thing," Bernard said. "We could have announced a car last week. To me, that would create negative vibes throughout our fan base, throughout our team owners, our sponsors. ... I do not want to be the ultimate decider. That's why we have seven experts on that panel."
Wet Sunday?
Some of the vistas at the street course used for the Honda Grand Prix are magnificent, with shimmering blue water surrounding some of the course and long rows of sailboats sitting idly as cars zip past.
Even drivers take notice.
That is, when they're not trying to top 100 mph.
"When you walk into the course, when you see everything that's going on and that view of all the sailboats, that's a fantastic view and I think it does add something for the spectator," reigning Indy Racing League series champion Dario Franchitti said. "Once you strap yourself into the car, though, you don't notice any of that."
On Sunday, no one might notice.
The weather looks less-than-ideal for race day.
Forecasters say rain is expected over the southwest corner of Florida, with most predictions suggesting storms could pop up in the afternoon and essentially coinciding with the start of the second IRL event of the season.
"It's pretty similar grip everywhere around here if it rains," driver Will Power said. "It just makes racing better, actually. You can pass. For the poor guy on pole position, it's probably not that good because he's hoping for a good clean race. But it mixes things up, always, when it rains. It's a survival of the fittest kind of thing, you know?"
Wheldon's book
Dan Wheldon is signing and driving this weekend.
Wheldon's photo book "Lionheart" was formally launched on Friday, and the driver who calls St. Petersburg home held a Saturday autograph session for those who purchased the book that retails for $59.99.
"It's a coffee-table book, but it's almost like a photo biography from my career in IndyCars up until this point," Wheldon said.
There's on- and off-the-track photos of Wheldon's life, including images from his wedding and, of course, his victory at the Indianapolis 500 in 2005.
Concept to finish, the project took about four years, said Wheldon, who had a big say in the final edit before the book went to press.
"I wanted it to have a lot of my input," Wheldon said. "Obviously, it's a reflection of me."
