Is It Time To Dump Trump?
I had actually planned to have no post for today. I still say I won’t have a post up here every day in May, but so far I have. I know I won’t post every day next week due to an extremely busy week coming up at work. It’s a shame employers don’t understand the significance of the Month of May. Anyway, the furor over the presence of Donald Trump in the pace car has caused me to revisit this subject for the second time in a little over a month.
When Donald Trump was announced as the latest in a growing list of curious choices to drive the pace car, I expressed my disappointment that a driver or someone that had a historical link to the track was not tabbed for the centennial anniversary running of the race. My first choice would have been AJ Foyt, simply because he is my all-time favorite driver and I happen to consider him possibly the best ever at the Speedway – but that’s my own opinion.
Lately, Donald Trump’s name has been in the news in a not so favorable light. One thing I want to make clear – this is not a political site. This is a site devoted strictly to the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. If you want to discuss politics, there are tons of political websites that would love to hear your opinions. But after reading several sites and listening to Trackside last night, I’ve come to the conclusion that regardless of anyone’s political leanings – it’s time to take Donald Trump out of the pace car.
Sunday May 29 should be a day reserved for two things and two things only. First and foremost, it is a day to pay tribute to those men and women that have paid the ultimate price so that we can live in freedom. Secondary to that, it is the day we have been awaiting for years – the day we celebrate one hundred years of an American institution. There is so much good to take in that day revolving around patriotism and the vast history of this landmark to re-visit. It should be a day of feel-good moments.
In the past few weeks, Donald Trump has become a very polarizing figure. Some hold him in highest regards, while others hold him in complete disdain. Very few people are indifferent on the man. On a day that should be reserved for celebrating, The Indianapolis 500 does not need a controversial figure climbing into the pace car amidst a cascade of boos and jeers.
There is one argument that this is exactly the kind of person you need in order to boost ratings. I’m sorry, but those aren’t the kind of false ratings we need. Those that would be tuning in to see Donald Trump get booed are not the type of people that are going to stay and watch the race and get hooked on IndyCar racing.
Doug Boles, director of public relations at IMS, is a smart man. I have read articles where he is monitoring the situation and taking the pulse of the fan base. I hope that he will make the decision to remove Trump from the pace car. Let me reiterate, this is not for political reasons – it’s because I think it would avoid a costly disruption to Race Day activities. That’s the only agenda I care about in this argument.
So assuming Trump is out of the way – who do they get to replace him? I’ve suggested Foyt, but others have their personal favorites. Quite honestly, I’d be happy with any of the four-time winners. But how do you ask one without slighting the others. How about three pace cars? The field is in rows of three (or they’re supposed to be) anyway. Why not have AJ Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears each drive a pace car? How much pacing does the pace car actually do on the start anyway? Isn’t the pace car more about ceremony? The pole sitter actually paces the field.
If that crazy idea won’t work, I’ve suggested Donald Davidson. Who could be more historically significant than our Donald?
It’s hard not to make some of the many legends that will be on hand feel slighted. Is Mario Andretti any less significant than any of the four-time winners? Bobby Unser and Johnny Rutherford are pretty high up the pecking order to not be asked. Maybe the most appropriate solution is to pick an unsung hero – a member of the military that has served this country in combat. That would preserve the feelings of all Indianapolis 500 legends and give an even higher platform for the military on a day that is all about them anyway.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Speedway can make that decision in the near future. In the meantime, I think the decision they need to focus on is what to do about Donald Trump. In order to keep the tone the way Speedway officials envisioned for this day, there is only one thing they can do. Dump Trump.
George Phillips
May 5, 2011 at 6:38 am
Someone should track down a relative of Carl Fisher!
May 5, 2011 at 6:45 am
Agreed with the three 4-time drivers idea. But I’d also like to see Alex Zenardi. He was a great driver, I always thought he was a great ambassador for the sport, he’s a symbol of the sacrafices people make for racing, and they can rig a pace car so that he can drive it. To me that symbolize a lot of positive things.
May 5, 2011 at 7:51 am
It’s unfortunate that Trump was chosen to begin with, since both keeping him in the car or taking him out of it does not make the speedway look good.
I’m all in favor of removing him, especially for a military veteran to drive.
May 5, 2011 at 7:58 am
Admittedly George, I’m not really a conservative or military type person, but on this occasion, I think military veteran’s flanked by Indy legends would be appropriate.
May 5, 2011 at 8:11 am
I think it is time for Chuck Yeager to drive the pace car again.
May 5, 2011 at 8:37 am
I could accept “the Donald” driving the pace car in almost any other year. THis being the 100th Anniversary of the 500, however, that choice is, in my opinion, not a good one.
Like you, George, I could see Foyt doing the job: Hell, he might be just the guy to get these guys lined up before the three-wide start. Goodness knows, nobody else has been able to get an orderly start this season, even two-wide. If they wanted to include all three four-time winners, I’d be fine with that.
Nor would I have any argument with a military person leading the pack to the green. It is, after all, Memorial Day weekend.
When the choice of Trump was made, I understood it from a PR standpoint, but in subsequent days, a lot of Trump’s “PR” has been less than positive.
While it may be awkward for the Speedway to “uninvite” Mr. Trump, it will not have any huge impact on anyone’s memory of the 500 much beyond this year. (Can anyone tell me who drove the Pace Car two years ago? I didn’t think so.)
Somehow, I do not think this is one of the decisions that Jeff Belskus had in mind when he signed up for the job.
May 5, 2011 at 9:17 am
It’s just the pace car folks. It doesn’t matter. You would think they were shortening the track.
May 5, 2011 at 5:30 pm
I agree. I’m a huge fan of Indycar but I couldn’t care less about Trump driving the pace car. It has nothing to do with the actual race, and since I’m not very political and cannot stand Reality TV shows (God forbid I just watch sitcoms and sports and live happy) I have no feelings for or against Trump.
I guess I don’t see why it’s such a big deal. It’s a ceremonial position at best, intended to drive ratings and spur interest.
May 5, 2011 at 9:20 am
It wouldn’t be awkward uninviting Trump, it would be par for the course this season.
Lucky Dog, No lucky dog
Aero kits, no aero kits
The race will be on at 1:00, nope the race will be on at 5:00, Nope the race was actually on at 8 in the morning.
Don, No Don won’t make that much of a difference, I’m numb to it by now.
May 5, 2011 at 9:48 am
I would rather see a racing legend drive over Trump. He has nothing to do with IMS’s history and this is a big year.
If they couldn’t get a legend, I would love to see a military vet drive the pace car.
May 5, 2011 at 10:28 am
When they announced Donald Trump, all I could think of is that it was part of a larger business deal. One of Donald’s business will sponsor a car but he wants to drive the pace car. Or NBC wanted to tie some of their shows to sporting events on Versus. Something like that. I don’t think they did it for PR especially considering the divisive remarks he’s made lately.
I don’t agree with having past drivers drive the pace car. I don’t know what they’ve done over the past 100 years, but over the past decade or so it’s always been celebrities from outside the sport. How about a Navy SEAL? How big would that be?
At this point, to save face for everyone, it would have to be Donald “giving up” his seat for someone more honored or more appropriate for Memorial Day. That way he saves face and Indy avoids an embarrassment.
May 5, 2011 at 10:32 am
How about Milka Duno? She usually runs at that speed anyway.
May 5, 2011 at 11:00 am
I wouldn’t have an issue with Donald Trump driving the pace car at Indy if he were just a blowhard, obnoxious, “reality” star.
However,-and I will make this short because George is right; this is not a political site-the fact that he is running for the highest public office in the land makes him an inappropriate person to do so. By allowing Trump to have this high-profile position, it can come across as IMS tacitly approving of his political views, which not every INDYCAR fan shares.
I agree with the choice of a renowned driver or military personnel to drive the pace car. In today’s “Ask the Expert” column in the Indianpolis Star, Curt Cavin wrote that he believes that IMS will find a way to remove Trump as gracefully as possible to avoid the PR nightmare that this decision has become. I for one certainly hope that happens.
May 5, 2011 at 1:45 pm
George, when you blog people listen. Trump has been fired.
The Lapper
I’m a fleabit peanut monkey
May 5, 2011 at 2:23 pm
Well, it looks as though the ol’ Trumpster was, say it with me now, FIRED!
Wonderful news. I believe the IMS has had enough fan input by now that they will make a more appropriate choice.
In addition to all the negative baggage that comes with Trump, I believe that in any year no one running for political office should drive the pace car.
May 5, 2011 at 8:01 pm
yes , the voice of the people still counts in the usa
sorry trump !!!!!!!!!!
May 6, 2011 at 5:04 am
The shame of losing my Pace Car ride at the Indianapolis 500 would be unbearable. Of course, that’s just me and it is obvious that the Donald’s mileage on this various. A lot, too.
May 9, 2011 at 4:33 pm
I still would have liked to have seen one of the Kardashians. (Um…who are they and why should we care about them?) Better yet–Kate Gosselin and she could have strapped all her young ‘uns to the top–or make it a Pace Minivan…these reality shows “celebrities” are getting on my nerves.