I have the solution!

Yesterday I boldly proclaimed that I had solution for Indy Car racing's problems. Well, I am a man of my word. For your consideration may I suggest: Stock Block!

Instead of the horribly overpriced engine formula they currently use, why doesn't the IRL switch motor programs and run the venerable American small block? It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to LEASE a motor for just the month of May. With costs like that it's no wonder that only a handful of teams can compete in the IRL.

The small block has been an institution for decades in many forms of motorsport. Why not Indy Cars? Hey, it works for NASCAR. Would racing fans really care if it wasn't cutting edge? I think not; That's F1's niche, and to a lesser extent CART. In America we like our steak, potatoes, and our pushrod V8's.

Put some mechanical fuel injection on a 358 and run 'em. No turbochargers, no computers, nothing more exotic than an ASCS V8. They're durable. They can run hundreds of miles, and they wouldn't even have to push a heavy, bulky stock car through the air.

I think this would solve several of the IRL's main problems.

First, it would have to be cheaper than what they're currently running. I'm not sure of what percentage of a team's budget goes to leasing motors, but I'm willing to bet that it's a sizable chunk.

If you reduce that gargantuan cost, suddenly it's not so expensive to field an Indy Car team. Perhaps that would lead to more cars running the series. Maybe they would have more than 18 teams show up for a race. Maybe the month of May at Indy would mean something again.

And where would team owners find drivers for all of those new seats? Why they could look towards American grassroots racing again.

If the costs were lower it might give drivers an opportunity to race based on merit rather than the amount of sponsorship they bring to the table. Give oval-track open wheel drivers a chance. Drivers who would bring a built-in following to Indy Cars just like they have done in NASCAR.

I say change the engine formula, welcome Ford, Chevy, Mopar, hell even Toyota back to major open wheel racing. Give some sprint car and midget drivers a chance and let them bring their fans along. Make Indy Cars relevant again!