Pretty sure one the owners (Penske) that Is driving this "guaranteed locked in" deal, is the same one that wanted an "even playing field" when Tony Geroge tried to do the same thing in 1996. Penske and the Cart car owners took their cars to Michigan because they didn't like the IRL drivers getting a guaranteed locked in spot. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure that's how it went down. I am a big Roger Penske fan but I see the irony in him wanting his drivers locked in, when he was totally against it after they missed the field in 1995.
Oh!! And don't worry about losing drivers and sponsor's. I saw 2 Arrow cars at the open test on Wednesday and pretty sure Pipa will be back this year..... Lets bump!!!!

Genesis and Andretti have taken the same postion. Rahal is also in this camp. Just talk at this point.

1 provisional,1promoters option

Just use pill draw.

"If you are a full-time team,you have the advantage.If you are a well resourced full time team, there are no excuses. Indy is the one remaining place that DEMANDS you bring your A game,we are all competitors,let's not shy away from that"
JR Hildebrand

Easy! Be one of the fastest 33 and you're locked in. Just the way it was meant to be.

Oh the hypocrisy. Isn't this what caused the US 500 at mis? Half the field crashed before the green after we were told they had the best drivers in the world. 70 plus entries at Indy that year, good crowd and race. I live 15 miles from mis and was offered as many tickets free as I wanted up to 50. I was friends with the director of competition of cart. He lost his job when they had to cancel the Texas cart show that one year. Short lived job but paid him well. I have come to terms with myself that cart won in the end. They got to the family and Tony was ousted. Same group of cart people now running the show. Mostly road and street courses with no whining of Indy just the other 2 high speed ovals.

Come on IndyCar... get your courage up and tell them "no" - despise the 25/8 idea

Not much tradition left at the big oval,road course ,golf course. Concerts ,Motorcycles all we need is a midway with rides on the front stretch.

In addition to this quote that ties into this topic, to me, JR has an all around solid Indy 500 record (in addition to a couple other podiums & top 5s on the circuit); with 5 "top 11s" in 8 starts. Really only one BAD result! - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._Hildebrand

...he only has had a couple FULL season chances, but seems to put in a solid 500 effort. & with the Ed Carpenter Racing connections, I have to wonder if he has took in some SC@M/SC races at any of the local dirt tracks...