Another year of discontent; Brickyard fortune-telling (cont'd)

3. Which is the better race track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the Sprint Cup tour races Sunday, or O'Reilly Raceway Park, where the Trucks and Nationwide cars compete on Friday and Saturday, respectively?

Mark Aumann: For stock cars and trucks, ORP/IRP is the hands-down winner. You've got to love a tight bullring, with action all around the track. But there's something amazing about Indianapolis Motor Speedway, even though the racing is not always that great. The place is absolutely dripping with history.

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Duane Cross: For me, depends on what kind of race I'm looking for. Nothing compares to open-wheelers at Indy. The "other" track -- ORP -- should be hailed as one of the best short tracks on earth, but it just hasn't gotten its just due.

David Caraviello: OK, I've been to both, and I'd agree ORP might be the most underrated short track in the country. People love that place. Nothing says "Indy" like watching silver crown or sprint cars go around ORP. But the place is in the middle of a cornfield, and doesn't exactly have the atmosphere and presence of the big track.

Duane Cross: Maybe if the ORP folks put in a midway, or a casino, or had dancing bears -- maybe even something only Humpy Wheeler could conceive -- maybe then it would get some recognition.

David Caraviello: Yeah, that place seems to lurk a little under the radar, except when the NHRA's big show is in town. But I'll tell you, there's something to be said for just the aura the big track has. I know that doesn't help make the racing any more entertaining, but to me it clearly adds to the entire experience.

Duane Cross: Growing up -- and yes, there was a time before the Internet and 24/7 cable sports networks -- Indianapolis was it. Every kid dreamed of racing there. The mystic of the Brickyard stands alone in U.S. motorsports. Everything else is in the argument for second.

Mark Aumann: At most places, the media basically ignores the start of the race. But at the Brickyard, they're shoulder-to-shoulder at the window, watching the field take the green. It's truly a spectacle, unparalleled in the United States. I'd say Monaco and LeMans may rival Indy when it comes to the combination of location and history.

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David Caraviello: Yeah, the place is really the Augusta National of motorsports, worth the price of admission for the experience alone. I know there's a vocal segment of the fan base that hates it because of the racing, but every time I'm there and talk to fans, they seem to love it. I think the lunatic fringe may be smaller sometimes than we give it credit for. I also wonder if either of the Trucks or Nationwide cars need to visit ORP on a weekend other than Brickyard weekend, so they're not completely overshadowed by the events going on at the big speedway. Because it is a fun race track.

Mark Aumann: I wonder how much of the old Thursday Night Thunder broadcasts on ESPN added to the mystique of the place. I know for myself, it was cool to watch Jeff Gordon race midgets and sprint cars in person, having seen the track on TV.

Duane Cross: I wish the national touring series had separate schedules across the board, except for maybe a handful of combo weekends. I know ticket sales are a big part of the deal, but some of these tracks can stand on their own. I think ORP could be one if it wasn't in Indy's shadow.

Mark Aumann: I will say that Clermont's [the Indiana town where ORP is located] not what you'd call a destination location. Still, it's a typical Indiana short track. I've been to Gas City, Anderson, Bloomington and Fort Wayne, and they're all pretty much quite a ways out of town. I love the sound of race cars, but don't think I'd like to live next to the track.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the participants.