One good idea apparently has about run its course. The 2004 schedule at Indianapolis Motor Speedway does not include the International Race Of Champions.
Known as IROC, the series featured a dozen drivers from various kinds of racing competing in identical cars. Originally, it included races at road courses, as well as ovals, which made it a more representative event.
But in recent years, it was limited to oval tracks. The reason probably has to do with attracting crowds and also with having drivers on hand. It’s way easier to get drivers from other series to attend the event at a NASCAR venue than to find time for NASCAR drivers to get to other events.
Other big league series simply don’t race every weekend, as NASCAR does.
After last season, True Value dropped its sponsorship of IROC. George Signore, a spokesman for the series, said another sponsor has been found and that IROC will continue at four tracks in 2004.
He would not say who the new sponsor is or where the races would be held.
The Indianapolis IROC race normally had been held in conjunction with the Brickyard 400 in August. IMS spokesman Ron Green said that the Speedway had to finalize its schedule and IROC’s situation was too unsettled.
ESPN announced recently that it has started production of a made-for-television movie about the late Dale Earnhardt. It is scheduled to air late this summer.
The movie will be called “3: The Dale Earnhardt Story.” It seems to have a pretty good pedigree.
The executive producer will be Orley Adelson. He produced “The Junction Boys” and was executive producer of “Playmakers.” The director will be Russell Mulcahy, whose credits include “Skin,” “Queer as Folk” and “Richochet.”
The screenplay was written by Robert Eisele, who wrote “Resurrection Blvd.”
Ron Semiao of ESPN Original Entertainment said that Earnhart’s death (and his life) altered the auto racing landscape. The movie is intended to explore his rise to fame and why there may never be another like him.
Which makes one wonder … Who should play Earnhardt?
Physically, there don’t seem to be many actors on the scene these days who resemble Earnhardt. Joe Pesci comes to mind, but I doubt he could imitate the drawl.
Not Tom Cruise. He had his chance with “Days of Thunder” and just made “Top Gun” without wings.
Billy Bob Thornton has the lined face and the accent to pull it off but he looks more like Darrel Waltrip than Dale Earnhardt. And I would be very surprised to see Thornton in a TV movie.
Mel Gibson? Too tall, too good looking.
Same for Harrison Ford.
All really are too old, too. It would be much easier to age a younger actor than to “de-age” an older one.
Same issue for Tim Allen, along with the difficulty in taking him seriously, since he is always seen in comedy.
How about Emilio Estevez? Similar build, reasonably similar facial features, especially if he grows a mustache.