“Pato, who?”
That was the question, jokingly offered by Hy-Vee Milwaukee 250 Race 1 winner Pato O’Ward during his post-race press conference. The comment wasn’t a reference to any ongoing struggle with memory loss, but rather a remark made in response to the quotes from INDYCAR and Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles, who referenced the Mexican driver in a story on NASCAR beating the open-wheel organization to Mexico City.
This had been a recent, popular topic from the paddock, as O’Ward and Scott Dixon, to name a few, voiced well-meaning frustration that their series couldn’t crack the Enigma Code to get an event in Pato-O’Ward-opolis. Racing in Mexico, in any location there, has been on the table to make happen for years. But very little signs of progress have been documented, let alone disseminated.
No fault to O’Ward, who sets the standard on promotion and fan engagement well beyond any other driver – and at times – the entirety of IndyCar.
When Miles spoke in a story about what IndyCar has faced in getting a race in O’Ward’s backyard, the president explained that the track promoters weren’t willing to partner with the series. Instead, much like IndyCar does at NASCAR’s Iowa Speedway, the only means to run the event was if IndyCar leased it and promoted on its own. So at least the latest information was shared, right?
Unfortunately, the messaging was a bit skewed. In that same story, as part of the reasons given that IndyCar wasn’t deemed as partner-worthy, Miles included O’Ward in his comments. I will say that every reader should take a look at what he said, to ensure the context is understood. While many took it to mean that O’Ward wasn’t popular, that’s not how I interpreted it, as he clearly stated that his following was growing. That doesn’t happen if you aren’t popular, and Miles knows the impact his driver has on their series, otherwise O’Ward wouldn’t be front and center on their website or in the “100 Days to Indy” show.
But that doesn’t get Miles out of the woods, as how I interpreted the comments wasn’t about O’Ward’s popularity, but that…
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