No ducking The Donald: Trump to drive Indy pace car
by Tony Johns on Apr 5, 2011 2:01 PM EDT
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I suppose that by saying I don't want Donald Trump to drive the Indianapolis 500 pace car, I am setting myself up for some backlash.
The poorly-toupeed, filthy rich mogul whose most recent efforts have been his series of Apprentice shows and, it appears, a run for the United States presidency, met with the media today to accept his good fortune - it was like watching a king accepting tribute from lowly serfs - leading with this classic Trump question: "How much am I going to get paid for this?"
It was a joke, but then again it wasn't. Putting Donald Trump behind the wheel of the Indy 500 pace car is done for a specific purpose, and it's not to honor a "great American."
No, this is a naked grab for attention from IMS - and a pretty desperate-looking one at that. On a scale of appropriateness, it probably ranks up there with asking Charlie Sheen to take over Tom Carnegie's microphone.
People will say, "If this gets one mention on Celebrity Apprentice, then IndyCar wins." To which I would respond, "I guess you have pretty lenient standards for victory."
Trump is a polarizing figure. If you want to read his rationale for running for POTUS, here's a pretty good summary. Some folks love the way he talks about getting "an admiral and a couple of ships" to wipe out Somali pirates, as if it would really be that easy. It speaks of the desperation that the economy and current events have inspired that people will grasp at any semblance of breezy, unaffected confidence as if it was a thing of substance. The same atmosphere got Ronald Reagan elected in 1980, so Trump should feel pretty optimistic.
Trump as a symbol of unabashed capitalist greed and opportunism might be a jarring presence in a depressed economy, particularly given that those traits are what were behind the recession in the first place. But again, when people get tired of having to face difficult realities, a little fantasy and languidly-wielded power can seem very appetitizing.
So Trump has the fame. He has the money. He has the name recognition. He has a huge audience. Why not put him behind the wheel of the pace car?
This is where the traditionalist in me comes out. I believe the Indy 500 pace car drive is a perk that should be offered to someone deserving of the honor. It's the Memorial Day weekend - why not give the honor to a returning veteran of Iraq or Afghanistan? Or maybe a philanthropist who has done outstanding work to help others?
If your counterargument is that none of those people will increase ratings and interest, don't bother. I don't believe Donald Trump's turn behind the pace car will increase ratings and interest one iota in IndyCar as a sport. It might give the race itself a brief curiosity bump, but the next weekend's race will be devoid of The Donald's presence, and gone too will be those who tuned in for his sake.
Maybe you will say, then, that an attitude like mine is too traditionalist. And yes, a case could be made that preaching to the choir is not generally advisable when you are trying to expand and grow. But remember what event we're talking about. Without tradition, without the often-sappy nods to history and heritage, what would the Indianapolis 500 be? A largely boring single-file parade at a track with terrible sightlines and troughs to pee in.
"But remember the Spectacle," you might exhort. And yes, Donald Trump is a walking and talking treasure trove of spectacle. But isn't the spectacle supposed to be about the race?
I suppose I should comfort myself with the knowledge that, like all other races, the 2011 Indy 500 will be remembered for what happened at the end of the race and not the beginning. Five years from now, people will barely recall that the toupeed real estate mogul ever sat his immaculately-tailored backside behind the wheel of the pace car (Trump himself included).
At any rate, it's a fait accompli. I hope that the optimists are correct and that somehow The Donald's influence will help the series in the long run. But to my optics, it just looks silly and desperate. Stunt-casting is an iffy proposition at best, and if it's not done right the downside can be brutal.
Just ask Gene Simmons.
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As someone from the sub-30 demographic who doesn’t really consider themselves a traditionalist I feel like this is horrible choice. Trump, in my opinion, lowers the value on anything he is attached too. Obviously that isn’t true for everyone but he is an arrogant windbag and a self-promoter who is only concerned about #1 (himself). If INDYCAR sees themselves as competing for the Apprentice demographic I imagine it won’t be long before I opt out. Why not craft the series as something with premium appeal for its skill and beauty rather than purposely place yourself in competition with the regular crap that is on TV. Make INDYCAR something I want to put on and plan for rather than the thing I have on right now because I treat my tv like a talking lamp and it is on all the time. I don’t really resonate with the options you laid out, but what about saying the track (the actual track, I have no problem with concerts and other events) is for athletes and professionals so let’s leave the sideshow’s out of it.
options
Apparently the brain trust at IMS had asked several people prior to Trump. I understand the list included:
1. A Kardashian Brother
2. The Top Chef runner-up
3. “Clinton” from What Not To Wear
4. Bernie Madoff
5. The Narrator from “How’s It’s Made”
6. Three outta the four girls from “The Facts Of Life”
7. The dude who lied about putting his son aloft in a homemade balloon.
8. A can of corn.
9. A trio of Wall Street CEO’s
10. Milli-Vanilli
Oh dear...
I can’t shake the “image” of Charlie Sheen on the public address at IMS:
“Anyone with a brain can see that Helio is ahead coming out of turn four…duh, WINNING.”
#shudder
And isn’t Celebrity Apprentice already in the can for the season? If so, any 500 mention would air next season, just in time for no one to care, because the Donald would be retired as the pace car driver. Duh, winning!
Even though his show has a huge following, I’m not sure that will translate into that many more eyeballs for the ABC broadcast. Unless people are tuning in to see what happens to his head at 120 mph. Green flag drops, and it’s off to the holiday weekend’s barbecue – what race?
Dont Let Donald Drive
Its the 100th running…please let a past winner drive…join the facebook group….Don’t let Donald Trump drive the 100th Indy 500 Pace Car
Thump Trump
NO, NO, NO, NO, I always have liked NASCAR racing. I am not a die hard fan but, i have alot of respect for thr drivers and folks who do have anything to do with the sport. My step dad collected Corvets and he had some real beauties. he had a 1960 corvette that won 21 first place trophies. It won them consecutively from the first year if drove off the factory floor. When my dad bought the car on its 22nd year and he wasnt sure of what the judges look for. he had a pretty good idea but, he must have gotton something not right because, the vet got a 2nd place trophy that year. Anyway, I have always been around fast cars. My dad, boyfriends and friends that build racers. My highschool guy friends were always building cars from GTO’s to duster to Novas. This was in the 70’s when older cars were a little easier to find. My step dad bought the 1976 Pace car when we moved back to Ohio from Fla. He had it for about 1- 1/2 to 2 years and sold it. It was black with all the beautiful, black and white checker board flags, the date (1976) and all the decals. I can’t remember what they all were. I still watch the races with my boyfriend and really enjoy watching ALL the drivers. They all do a spectacular job handling their cars. Out of respect for these folks, I really dont think it is a good idea for Trump to drive the Lead Car to start the race. I agrree with some folks that believe that the Pace car should be driven by someone that is extremely connected to the sport. There are officials that would be more than happy and proud to drive that car. It is a slap in the face to these guys that have dedicated thier lives and spent time away from their families to make this sport awesome for fans to enjoy. Trump should thank those folks for asking him to drive it but pass the honor on to someone that is more dedicated to the sport. That would be most honorable for Trump to do but, he won’t! I have lost respect for Trump over his behavior lately. He never bothered me before but, I guess him disrespecting our President and cussing on T.V. has left a bad taste in my mouth. He seems to have NO respect for anyone in high authority. As humans, we are taught about respecting one another as we grow up. Passing on the priveledge of driving the Pace Car to someone else would be the best move Trump has made in a long time. I wish he would. Where did the idea for him to drive it come from anyway? Donald, obviously money makes you happy! Why don’t you allow someone else a bit less priveledge than you have this honor? Who knows, You might feel better about yourself if you do! You said you were proud of your self for finally seeing President Obamas’ Birth-Certifacate, Here is your chance to be prouder of yourself by passing on this honor. I have put some good amount of thought into this letter. I hope it makes scense to anyone reading it. Respectfully~ Jo Anne Roberts.
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