The Driver Suit Blog

By David G. Firestone

I’m a graduate of DePaul University, and I’ve distanced myself from the University in recent years because they’ve made a number of decisions I disagree with. The coddling of students is something that needs to stop, because while they are coddled in college, real life isn’t as kind and sympathetic. Some recent firings have also been controversial as well.

But something that really confuses me is why DePaul needs the Wintrust Arena. DePaul for reasons that escape me decided that they need a basketball arena, and after a deal with the City of Chicago. Of the $179,000,000 that is being invested in this project, $103,000,000 of that comes from public funds. DePaul is on the hook for $70,000,000.

This is more proof that DePaul has its priorities all wrong. The City of Chicago is in financial trouble, as is the state of Illinois. Yet $103,000,000 of PUBLIC FUNDS are being used to build an arena for DePaul Basketball. Does anyone else besides me see something wrong with this? Furthermore, this deal was announced at around the same time the city decided to close 50 schools for budget reasons. So not only are you selfish, you clearly don’t care as much about education as you claim, because if you did, you would avoid an arena, and help the CPS out.

Another question that needs to be answered is “Do the basketball teams at DePaul need a new arena?” Based on my research, I would say no. The Men’s team since 1990 has made the NCAA Tournament a total of four times, only making as far as the second round in 2004, which was the last time they made the tournament. While they have had some success in the NIT, their season records aren’t that of a winning program.

The Women’s team has had much more success. Since 1990, they have made the tournament a total of 20 times in 26 seasons, with a number of high seeds, and making it as far as the Sweet Sixteen. They are a winning program. That being said, taking everything into account, I can’t say that DePaul basketball should spend $70,000,000 with another $103,000,000 from public funds that could be better used on a basketball arena.

The kicker is that while DePaul had no problem shelling out $70,000,000 for an arena they are going to use for 60 days a year, they had a real problem with being able to use the United Center RENT FREE FOR 10 YEARS! You read that correctly, DePaul had the option of using the United Center, which is closer than their current venue, The Alstate Arena, and The Wintrust Arena, RENT FREE FOR 10 YEARS, meaning they wouldn’t have to spend money on rent. For reasons that escape me, they turned it down, in favor of the current plan. This makes everyone involved look bad.

I’ve made it clear that I will NEVER donate anything to DePaul, I don’t go to alumni events, I don’t follow the sports teams, and this is why. The upper echelon of the University has their priorities wrong. $70,000,000 is a lot of money and could be better used for education, you know, WHY UNIVERSITIES EXIST IN THE FIRST PLACE! Make departments better, fix infrastructure, do more for the students, use the money better. If DePaul needs to spend $70,000,00 on a pointless arena…they are never getting one penny from me or my family. Don’t call me or email me…you are just wasting your time.

By David G. Firestone

I had a thought this last weekend, and I have to ask this question. Does IndyCar know that the race-used memorabilia market exists? Based on the research I’ve done over the past few years, I don’t know it they do. NASCAR, the NHRA, Formula 1, ARCA, and even the SCCA have not only figured out that the market exists, but they’ve embraced it. IndyCar is so far behind, that I’m not sure the league, the teams or the drivers really understand that there is a market for race-used equipment and uniforms.

I wrote about this some time ago, and I wondered then, as I wonder now. What amazes me here is that not only do the teams not seem to understand that fans want race-used memorabilia, they don’t seem to understand that fans want team BRANDED items. HALF of the team websites don’t have store options, and of the ones that do, only one, Team Penske, doesn’t link to IndyCar’s website. Am I missing something here? Why wouldn’t teams want to sell their own merch?

Above and beyond the obvious, one would think that tires, the most expendable part of the race car, would make their way on to eBay. You would think that, but it never happens. I don’t understand this. What happens to all the used tires from IndyCar races? I’m not saying that every tire should be sold, but you would think that one or two might get sold to fans! As of this writing, of the hundreds of race-used tires on eBay, THREE OF THEM are IndyCar tires!

I’d like someone, and I don’t care who to explain this to me! Could someone from IndyCar, one of the teams, or Firestone to get in touch with me, and tell me why the race-used tires don’t get sold as memorabilia to fans. Do NOT try and tell me that you think fans wouldn’t buy them! NASCAR and the NHRA have shown that there is a market for race-used tires! EVEN FORMULA ONE SELLS OFF TIRES!

IndyCar and their teams should be run by smart people, yet whoever is in charge doesn’t seem to understand that there is money to be made from race-used memorabilia. It goes further than just tires. Engine parts, pit crew uniforms, driver uniforms, and damaged body panels all are in demand by fans and collectors, yet little, if anything ever comes to the regular market. Occasionally, teams and/or drivers will donate items to charity auctions and raffles, but a lot of memorabilia never sees the light of day.

This isn’t a situation where teams would lose money either. Race-used memorabilia is in such short supply, and much of the stuff that is on eBay has questionable authentication, if any. Teams could sell used racing parts, and uniforms with good authentication and make a killing! Yet only a few teams take advantage of the market. Do you know how much money you are leaving on the table?

I’m saying this because I’m a racing uniform guy, and a racing memorabilia guy. I would love to have more IndyCar stuff in my collection, but I can’t, because nothing is hitting the market. Every other sport in America has embraced the game-used memorabilia market, yet IndyCar, one of the most technologically advanced forms of motorsports in the United States doesn’t grasp this. If they don’t, it will be just another bad decision from an organization that has made so many over recent years. I really hope someone will wake up…but I’m not betting the farm on it.