The Racing World Comes to New York (okay, well New Jersey)

I have written several times about the inaugural Izod Indy Car, Baltimore Grand Prix. Since then, of course, the onslaught of studies has begun, all in an effort to quantify the "value" of bringing such an event to the streets of Downtown Baltimore. I don't know about you, but I can't wait until the next study is released. Just like Moneyball The Movie, I am wondering who they will get to play the role of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake?

Oh wait, you mean it's just a study? A book? It's not a screenplay?....Okay, then I'm not interested.

New York has decided to get into the motorsports scene, in a big, big way. Bringing the Formula One series to the biggest market in the world is a no-brainer. The only question is, "why not sooner"?

Actually, because the event is going to be run in New Jersey, is the reason why not sooner.

NY Metro Formula One Racing Plans

It takes a person like Leo Hindrey to make something like this happen. Leo is a long time leader in the communication and sport business. Planning an event on the "other side" of the Hudson River is a brilliant stroke. I mean, the Giants and Jets already play there, and they carry the "New York" name, without pushback from there fans. In Soccer, it's the "New York Red Bull", yep, they play in New Jersey.

In their plans for bringing the event to the NY Metro area in 2013, politicians and business leaders, together, are betting on the premise that though the setting is actually in Weehawken and West New York, NJ (imagine, there is such a place as West New York, but located in New Jersey!) it will change the game for much of that region.

The basic principle here is, that as political and business leaders, you can not sit still and try to make small, incremental change in your community. The time for that type of thinking is long, long gone. It's time for the World Series in baseball, and the team that wins it all, will not bunt their way to the world title! They will make big plays, ones that transform games and ultimately the series.

A market as big as NY has decided that it is time for more change, big change. Bringing Formula One to the NYC area fits that profile. Bringing IndyCar to Baltimore fits accordingly.