The French get excited over real racing (Update)

UPDATE A reader writes, Dear AR1.com, How come IndyCar does not race in Europe? Europeans love their racing and by now they must be tired of watching those F1 parades. Marco Barella

Dear Marco, Bernie Ecclestone protects his territory and will do anything in his power to keep out a product that might embarrass F1. Here is a story we bet you did not know about. A number of years ago, 2003 if I recall, Chris Pook (then CART president), Dale Coyne and Joel Camathias flew to Lugano, Switzerland to see about a possible IndyCar race along the waterfront. No sooner than they arrive and Pook gets a call from Bernie saying what the hell are you doing in Switzerland? Nothing happens in Europe without Bernie's blessing. He protects his territory. Mark C.

05/26/14 After having to endure the parades that F1 puts on now that Mercedes has a huge advantage, listen to the excitement in the French announcers voices as they commentate the finish of the 2014 Indy 500. They can't believe what they are watching – real racing, and real passing.