According to Boles, part of the reasoning behind keeping the BC39 as the lead-in to Brickyard 400 weekend was to continue facilitating crossover between the stock car and dirt-racing worlds.
“That’s one of the things that we feel like makes the BC39 unique, is because it’s tied to a NASCAR weekend at a NASCAR track, and because of that then you get some NASCAR driver crossover,” Boles explained. “Had we left it in September where it’s been, we were just concerned that it would be harder for guys like Kyle Larson, J.J. Yeley, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe or Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to be able to run the BC39.
“We want them to continue to participate in it and having it on a Cup (and) Xfinity weekend makes it easier for them to do just that.”
It’s not just the NASCAR drivers’ participation that has spiced up the entry lists for the BC39.
Representatives from many different types of motorsports have displayed interest in the race, ranging from stock cars to sprint cars and more.
However, Boles hopes continuing to host the BC39 at IMS will help revitalize what was once considered “the original advancement pipeline,” giving drivers from the USAC ranks a chance to transition to Indy car competition — or vice versa, in the case of the BC39.
“When you look at it, notice that it’s also an off weekend for IndyCar,” Boles pointed out. “While so far, Conor (Daly) is the only one on the IndyCar side to participate in the event, we have gotten a lot of interest from IndyCar drivers who would like to try it. So that was a benefit as well, as it’s on an off weekend for both major series in this country. And, hopefully, we can get more than just Conor to participate as well from the IndyCar side going forward.
“We’re trying to, in a lot of ways, make the BC39 the Super Bowl of anybody who’s racing for and on the short-track side of racing,” he continued. “And I think that that date paired with our NASCAR weekend gives us the best chance to do that.”
For any racer, racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — in any capacity — is the pinnacle, said Boles.
“If you look back in history, the Indianapolis 500 was started to give drivers from all disciplines an opportunity to come prove themselves at the speedway,” Boles noted. “And we liked that feel of the short track being an opportunity for not just the regulars and short-track racing, but folks who have cut their teeth there and have it in their DNA … or people who have just grown up around it and never had a chance but wanted to want to try it, we want to give them those opportunities. We want them to be able to say, ‘Hey, I raced at Indianapolis.’
“That’s where I think the attractive side for an IndyCar driver is; they’re getting to race it there at their big track, just in sort of a different way. But make no mistake, we want this to be more than just one of the weekly stops on the USAC schedule, that’s for sure.”
Despite the rapid growth of the BC39, Boles claims IMS officials are content in focusing on that sole event for now, and he doesn’t foresee any expansion such as hosting an Indiana Sprint Week event.
“We’ve said really from the beginning that we don’t want to be in the weekly race business. We want to be an event that adds eyeballs to short-track racing generally, and therefore helps elevate things for all the short tracks, particularly in Indiana,” Boles said. “For us, it’s about getting people to experience the thrill of short-track racing that oftentimes, you know, unless you grew up in a small town with a race track nearby, they might not get a chance to do that. So, hopefully, this is something that’s helping elevate the sport and shining a light on the unbelievable talent that the drivers have that compete in this style of racing.
“Yes, we’ve talked about testing a sprint car on the track just to see if we’re the right size (of track), but none of us are sure. There are differing opinions, depending on the driver you talk to, as to whether or not a sprint car race would even be successful on our race track on a certain weekend,” Boles said. “But Indiana Sprint Week is one of the biggest short-track weeks of the year across the country and being part of that would be an honor at some point in time.
“Right now, though, our focus really is trying to make sure that the BC39 stands out as a bucket-list event for fans and drivers.”
Editor’s Note: Our interview with Doug Boles was conducted two weeks prior to the announcement of the sale of Hulman & Co., the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the NTT IndyCar Series to Roger Penske’s Penske Entertainment Corp.
As of press time, it was unclear what effects, if any, the change in the speedway’s ownership may have on the BC39 and The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.