The future of Formula One in the US remained cloudy as recriminations flew over Sunday's depleted US Grand Prix at the world's most famous race track.
Lawyers for a Colorado fan filed a suit in federal court seeking reimbursement for client Larry Bowers and other ticketholders who they claim were defrauded by Sunday's race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Only six cars competed after Michelin raised concerns about the safety of its tires in the final turn of the road course, prompting 14 drivers to withdraw.
Speedway spokesman Ron Green declined to comment on the lawsuit and said many fans were renewing their tickets.
"The renewals far outnumbered people who waited in line to talk about the possibility of a refund," Green said.
But even Joie Chitwood, president and chief operating officer of the Speedway, acknowledged that the politics of Formula One and the fallout from Sunday's race may have irreparably harmed the series in the US.
Despite worldwide popularity, Formula One has never drawn widespread interest in the US, where a lack of US drivers -- none since 1993 -- has hurt its appeal among fans more accustomed to Indy-style oval racing and the down-home flavor of NASCAR.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the series' only US appearance, and seemed a likely choice. The track draws hundreds of thousands of fans each year to the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Brickyard 400.
Chitwood said if the series can't succeed in Indianapolis, its chances for survival anywhere in the US may be beyond repair.
"This sets us back in all of our efforts or all of the gains we've made in introducing this sport to America," Chitwood said.
The fallout extended to Sportsbook.com, an online gambling Web site, which said Monday it would refund all bets placed on the 14 F1 drivers who did not compete.
"As each driver took part in the warmup lap, by definition each wager would have been a loss," Sportsbook marketing director Alex Czajkowski said.
"Many of our players are race fans and don't need the added frustration this race has already cost," he said.
Many race fans blamed Formula One. Formula One blamed the FIA, the series' world governing body. The FIA blamed Michelin for bringing the wrong tires to the race. Michelin blamed the Speedway for the design of the track.
And the Speedway? Chitwood would not rule out the possibility the contract with Formula One would end.
The Speedway opened its road course, which incorporates part of the 4km oval used for the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Brickyard 400, for the 2000 US Grand Prix and drew an estimated 200,000 spectators, but attendance has waned in recent years.
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