Gossage thinks IndyCar owners decision wrong

Eddie Gossage loves to see his name in print

With the IndyCar Series moving to its version of the Car of Tomorrow in 2012, one of the allures of the new car was the aero kit possibilities that would allow the cars to have manufacturer specific features and designs.

In Brazil over the weekend, the IndyCar team owners voted to not introduce the aero kits until 2013, a year after the new car's introduction.

Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage isn't happy.

Only thing is, two problems exist:

1. Team owners don't make the rules.
2. The fans have loudly, vociferously, clearly stated that they do not want a spec series. They want to see variety from car to car. And they want it yesterday.

The general manager of the defending Indy 500 winner's team and defending series' champion team, Mike Hull of Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, was blunt in his assessment: "I told them [the team owners] I think we're making a big mistake here. I want bodywork kits. I don't care what it takes, because I'm tired of racing spec cars."

And both of Gossage's points are incredibly valid. We've seen the outrage of the "sameness" of the COT and the steps that NASCAR and manufacturers are taking to increase brand identity amongst the cars. Manufacturer identity is a HUGE component of racing.

And yes, the sanctioning body is the one that makes the rules and given that the aero kits were such a huge piece of the new car's introduction, they should be introduced with the new chassis. However, given the economy and the (non-May) relative anonymity of the IndyCar Series, you can bet that the sanctioning body isn't exactly willing to make the owners mad. It's not like people are clamoring to start IndyCar teams.

Will the lack of aero kits make a difference in 2012? Well, we'll find out soon enough. Yahoo Sports

[Editor's Note: Anyone who thinks body kits are all of a sudden going to make IndyCar Racing popular overnight are kidding themselves. As with any sport, at the end of the day what makes it popular are the athletes, in this case the drivers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn't so popular because he drives a Chevy, he is popular because he is Dale Earnhardt's son. Michael Jordan, Ayrton Senna, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti, the list is endless. It is the popularity of the great athletes that draw fans to a sport and keeps them, not what brand of baseball glove they have on their hand.]