SOMEWHERE (BACK) IN TIME.

Detroit. After creating a new Cup schedule for the NASCAR faithful last week - and experiencing the slings, arrows and yes, even some grudging praise for my efforts (after all, even NASCAR insiders acknowledge the desperate need for a schedule revamp) - I thought it would be appropriate to do the same for IndyCar.

Let's not forget that once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away, Indy-type racing enjoyed a visibility that some new followers of the sport would find hard to believe. Before Tony George decided to take his ball - the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - and create his own series (the IRL), sending home those who wouldn't play by his rules (aka CART), Indy-type auto racing was more than just a viable entity, it was the premier automobile racing series in North America. For some that is such a far-fetched concept that it borders on the unfathomable, but yes, it was true, with "NASCAR Nation" years away from coming into focus.

We all know what happened after that and I have no interest in repeating the gory details but suffice to say, major league open-wheel racing in this continent has suffered such a body blow that it is quite possible that it may never recover. But seeing as we're two weeks from the greatest single motor race in the world - the Indianapolis 500 - and understanding that, for all intents and purposes, the IndyCar schedule consists of that momentous race and a bunch of other forgettable (to varying degrees) dates, I thought it would be fun to imagine a different IndyCar schedule for just a fleeting moment in time, the kind of schedule that could only exist in our dreams.

This would, of course, require imagining a compelling IndyCar series with multiple engine manufacturers (as in at least four if not five), multiple powerhouse teams (including an influx of Formula 1, NASCAR and WEC satellite talent), and fan and media interest that would surpass what NASCAR enjoys today, even though its popularity is notably diminished from its heyday.

So without further ado then let's take a little leap of faith and imagine what could be. And no, I'm not going to get hung up on actual dates on a calendar, instead I will consider overall schedule flow. Enjoy. Or not.

THE AUTOEXTREMIST INDYCAR SCHEDULE:

Race 1: Phoenix International Raceway. (It's warm, it's the southwest and it begins the West Coast swing to start the season.)

Race 2 & 3: California Speedway. (The oval opener in Phoenix is followed by Twin 150-mile races at the California Speedway, on the same day.)

Race 4: Long Beach. (Not my favorite by any means, but the historical relevance can't be denied.)

Race 5: Laguna Seca (Mazda Raceway). (The series doesn't leave California without running on the premier road course on the west coast.)

TWO-WEEK SCHEDULE BREAK

Race 6: The Grand Prix of Alabama. ("They" said IndyCar would never work here. It does.)

Race 7: The Indianapolis Grand Prix. (The road course inside The Speedway primes everyone for the "500.")

Race 8: The Indianapolis 500. (Still "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" and the single most important motor race in the world.)

Race 9: The Milwaukee Mile. (A rejuvenated IndyCar Series would make this traditional event viable. Until then, not so much.)

Race 10: Texas Motor Speedway. (Too fast, too hot, too good to miss. A 400-miler.)

Race 11: Iowa Speedway. (The cut and thrust oval in The Heartland deserves its place on the IndyCar schedule.)

TWO-WEEK SCHEDULE BREAK

Race 12: Brands Hatch, England. (The Brits love their racing, and they'd love Indy car racing's return over there.)

Race 13: Silverstone, England. (The mid-summer tour across the pond continues here.)

Race 14: Nurburgring, Germany. (No, not The Nordschleife unfortunately, but the Grand Prix course.)

TWO-WEEK SCHEDULE BREAK

Race 15 & 16:  Michigan International Speedway. (Like Fontana, Twin 150-mile races on the same day.)

Race 17: Pocono Raceway. (A 400-mile race here.)

Race 18: Mosport. (Okay, it's now called Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, but IndyCar needs to be there anyway.)

Race 19: Montreal. (Canadian racing enthusiasts deserve a double-shot of IndyCar, but the streets of Toronto shouldn't be one of them. It would be nice to have IndyCar on Saturday and F1 on Sunday in a World Double-Header here, but needless to say, that's notgonnahappen.)

Race 20: Mid-Ohio. (Flat-out in central Ohio? Of course.)

TWO-WEEK SCHEDULE BREAK

Race 21: Road Atlanta. (IndyCar at Road Atlanta? Yes, please.)

Race 22: Road America. ("America's National Park of Speed" becomes the traditional season finale for IndyCar in the fall.)

I can hear the apoplectic fits of "you can't do that!" now. Only ten out of the 22 races on the schedule are on oval tracks? Am I crazy? Well, some days maybe, but if you must know it's in deference to the brief but glorious days of Formula 5000, the missing link of major league open-wheel racing in this country that never gets the credit it deserves. And no Detroit races? No, because despite what everyone in the Detroit rah-rah chorus would like you to believe, the only people who actually like attending the Belle Isle weekend are the people racing or involved with the teams. Spectators? Not so much. Besides, IndyCar needs to run at Michigan International Speedway again. And no visit to Florida? The St. Petersburg weekend just isn't worth the effort and certainly not worthy of a series opener. And I'm sure there are lots of other negatives in this proposed schedule depending on where you're coming from, but setting that aside for a moment, there are things I really like about it, obviously.

First of all, opening the series with a true West Coast swing makes sense, if only to provide some much-needed TV "eye candy" for snow-bound viewers in the east. And note that Fontana and Michigan each have Twin 150-mile races. This is for two reasons: 1.) to jazz up the show and 2.) because there will only be one, true, 500-mile race on the schedule, and that is at Indianapolis. (Texas and Pocono will each have 400-mile races.)

And also note that Sonoma goes away in favor of Laguna Seca. Sonoma has had its run, now it's time for IndyCar to go back to Laguna. And Milwaukee arguably shouldn't be on the schedule, but if IndyCar should ascend to prominence again, the Milwaukee Mile could become viable. Not likely, but possible. And the Iowa Speedway stays because that track is too good to pass up and the fans there really appreciate IndyCar.

The big news on the schedule is the mid-summer sojourn of speed over to England and Germany. Hotbeds of rabid and knowledgeable fans, and with a desire to see big-time American open-wheel racing live and in-person, this could be a very big deal if properly promoted. As it is it would provide the series with the added benefit and opportunity of courting more international corporations.

Upon the return from Europe and following a needed break, the series hits the ovals at Michigan and Pocono. This is followed by a double-dose of road racing for the Canadian fans at their desirable natural-terrain circuits, leaving the street course in Toronto to the history books. The traditional stop at Mid-Ohio is followed by a two-week break for the final two races of the season. Road Atlanta is added to the schedule for a truly new look, and Road America -  "America's National Park of Speed" - becomes the new annual season finale of the series in late September.

Yes, I know, the likelihood of any of this happening is slim and none, but with a series that perpetually flounders before and after the Indianapolis 500, maybe - just maybe - this will inspire the powers that be to look at things a little differently. And one more thing: Having a "dream" schedule certainly doesn't address the most glaring obstacles to IndyCar's growth, which is the lack of manufacturer and technical diversity, but there's always another column for that.

Publisher's Note: As part of our continuing series celebrating the "Glory Days" of racing, we're proud to present another noteworthy image from the Ford Racing Archives. - PMD

(Courtesy of the Ford Racing Archives)
Indianapolis, Indiana, 1967. Jackie Stewart and Jim Clark confer during practice for the 1967 Indianapolis 500. They both would suffer blown engines during the race. Stewart (No. 24 John Mecom Racing/Bowes Seal-Fast Lola-Ford) on Lap 168 and Clark (No. 31 Team Lotus STP Oil Treatment Lotus-Ford) on Lap 35. A.J. Foyt (No. 14 Ansted-Thompson Sheraton/Thompson Coyote-Ford) won the race, followed by Al Unser (No. 5 John Mecom Racing/Retzloff Chemical Lola-Ford) and Joe Leonard (No. 4 A.J. Foyt Sheraton/Thompson Coyote Ford). Parnelli Jones ran away with the race in his No. 40 STP Oil Treatment Granatelli-Turbine, but a part failure ruined his race four laps from the end. Jones ended-up in sixth-place. Watch a (lengthy) video here.

Publisher's Note: Like these Ford racing photos? Check out www.fordimages.com. Be forewarned, however, because you won't be able to go there and not order something. - PMD