Officials looking to capitalize on exciting Indianapolis 500

For the second time in three years, a young American won the race.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indianapolis 500 produced a thrilling finish, an emerging fan favorite and even some controversy -- perfect marketing tools for a race series that needs compelling story lines.
The next challenge for Indy Racing League officials: Capitalizing on the momentum from last weekend's race as they travel around the country for the next 31/2 months.
"We had the very difficult task of trying to rebuild after the [IRL/Champ] split, but I think Tony George has a vision, and I truly believe it will be successful," longtime car owner Cary Agajanian said during Indy qualifying. "But I don't think there's any one magic bullet."
May's drama at the Brickyard certainly could help:
Sunday's starting grid had echoes of the sport's glory days. Among the 33 drivers were two Andrettis, a Foyt, a Luyendyk and an Unser, while a Penske and a Rahal were along pit row.
For the second time in three years, a young American, Sam Hornish Jr., won the race. Hornish and Buddy Rice, the 2004 Indy champ, are the only American winners at Indy this decade.
For the second straight year, an emerging star became the race's big story. This time, 19-year-old rookie Marco Andretti came within 100 yards of breaking the "Andretti Curse" after 37 years. He finished higher than Danica Patrick did in 2005.
For the second time in four years, a controversial decision will be debated at the series' next venue. While this year's debate may not have the staying power of 2002's disputed finish, which kept Indy in the headlines for nearly six weeks, Scott Dixon likely will field a myriad of questions at Watkins Glen, N.Y., after receiving a late blocking penalty in Sunday's race.
League hopes
League officials hope those elements will help them establish roots in places outside Indianapolis as they try to change the IRL's image of a one-race series to America's best racing series, period.
The issue has a history as long as Indianapolis.
"Guilty as charged," said Michael Ringham, the IRL's vice president for marketing. "I've been coming to this race for 30 years and probably for the first 15 or so, I didn't realize this was a series-supported event, either. It's definitely a challenge."
When Ringham took the job six months ago, the mission looked simple: Expand the fan base and energize interest in a series that has been NASCAR's little brother for the past decade.
Accomplishing that goal has proven more difficult.
Small steps
While Ringham said he has seen some increases in ticket sales and television ratings, critics contend the IRL faces huge obstacles in winning back fans and sponsors.
The 1996 split between CART, now Champ Car, and the IRL divided interest in American open-wheel racing. Many of the big names initially stayed with CART, choosing to skip Indianapolis. Informal discussions about unification have been ongoing between IRL founder Tony George and Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven, but no settlement has been reached.
NASCAR races virtually every week from late February through mid November, a schedule that keeps fans tuned in to the theatric feuds and intriguing stories. The IRL, in contrast, has raced only four times this year and has just 10 more events scheduled -- none of which has the prestige of Indy.
Sponsors are another issue. While NASCAR teams rely on prominent brand-name products such as Tide and Budweiser or major stores such as Lowe's and Home Depot, high-tech Indy cars have relied on higher-tech companies that are not as well known.
But the reliance on technology soon may help the IRL establish itself outside Indianapolis. Next year, the series will switch to 100 percent ethanol, a move that could again make Indy cars a testing ground. With high gas prices sparking debate over alternative fuel sources and Indy cars consistently topping 220 mph on the corn-based fuel, series officials believe it could generate nationwide interest.
"If you're looking for points that differentiate us, innovation helps," Ringham said. "Going with ethanol, the SAFER barriers were invented here, you go back to Ray Harroun and you get the rearview mirror. ... A lot of those things are advantages and we've probably not talked about them enough."
Solid foundation
While innovations help, it's drivers and racing that build identities, and Ringham insists the foundation is solid.
Hornish's win Sunday, by 0.0635 seconds, was the second closest in Indy history. At Chicago last year, points champion Dan Wheldon beat Helio Castroneves by 0.0133 seconds. Such close races have become commonplace the past couple of seasons.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.