Indy Car’s Brian Barnhart: Should He Stay Or Should He Go?

May as well flog this topic again. The subject is not necessarily about Brian Barnhart per se, but more about a ‘fan’ witch hunt that has metastasized into a torch carrying lynch mob comprised mostly of nitwits making asses of themselves all over the Internet as they demand action of people much smarter than they are.

Many of the barely literate cretins making such demands invariably trot out some nebulous ‘integrity’ card. In order to demand integrity from the series, most of these witch burners probably ought to address their own personal integrity issues first.

It is not that I disagree with the premise of replacing Brian Barnhart; the execution is where my issues lie. In the midst of wading through the juvenile photoshops, the grammar-challenged meandering, the crips/bloods nature of lingering ‘split’ nonsense and the childish use of acronyms, a few of these angst-riddled attention whores actually have valid points. Even fewer manage to express them with something approaching professional eloquence. I simply disagree with the overall execution of the ‘can Barnhart’ agenda.

What these torch toting ‘fans’ fail to realize as they trash forums, Randy Bernard’s Facebook page and the comment sections of any story written on the topic, not to mention tweeting themselves into a short attention span frenzy, is that they themselves are making the sport look foolish, and that is something that we definitely do not need at this juncture. 99% of the idiots offering commentary are no more qualified to do so than an average special needs child.

Does Barnhart need to go as head of Race Control? Probably. But not because loudmouthed fans with delusions of grandeur believe he is inconsistent or stupid or whatever. Part of the problem recently is that more ‘fans’ are watching Race Control decisions than the damned race itself simply to second guess. The Versus crew has been first rate since that deal was signed, but even their critical commentary in an Indianapolis studio in the middle of the night during the Japanese race was far less than professional.

Count me in officially as someone who would like to see a change made in Race Control. Not because I feel Barnhart is incompetent (though I respect the taunting of those who try to prove he is ad nauseum), but because of the roots he has in Indy Car. I do not believe any part of a good old boy network or anything even remotely resembling business-incestuous relationships should enter into any Race Control/rules enforcement role. That function should be completely independent and run on a contract basis by an entity completely independent of Indy Car. In other words, no one who now works for the series should be considered.  It must be completely autonomous. In other words, if Brian Barnhart gets swept out, so should Tony Cotman, Al, Jr., and any other holdover. Clean sweep. Ensure the rule book is also cut and dried with little room for interpretation. That wiggle room inspires much of the ‘fan’ stupidity plundering the Internet.

It is not difficult to imagine Randy Bernard appreciates input on things that lead to aspects like two-wide restarts but shakes his head in disgust when fans try to take over HR functions.  It seems really surprising fans are not all up in arms about the delay in the much ballyhooed and repeatedly promised aero kits. Now THAT smells like something the owners fired and Randy Bernard just swallowed without gagging.  Thus far, at least where fans are concerned, he seems able to separate substance from bullsh!t.