Flash.(News Briefs.)

Preparing for Indy

Tony George stirred the IRL faithful by saying he might one day reduce the number of starting spots in the Indy 500 if participation doesn't improve soon. He said the traditional 33, the minimum used by event organizers since 1934, was, ahem, "just a number,'' and that those in the Speedway public relations office were more preoccupied with it than he.

"It's getting harder and harder to put a lot of cars on the track,'' George said. "I think we'll get there [to 33] this year, but there's no reason why we have to force it in the future.''

Schedule reduced?

Tony George also said he was considering a reduction in the number of practice and qualifying days for the 2005 event. The reason: Most IRL participants want more races in the front half of the schedule, before Indianapolis, and he will probably have to structure it that way if the league wants to add four more races next season. The back half of the IRL schedule is relatively full, with two three-straight race stretches this season: Nash-ville, Milwaukee and Michigan, a week off, then Kentucky, Pikes Peak and Nazareth.

In other Indy 500 news, Robby Gordon announced his program for the event will be arranged in-house. Gordon has a race shop in Hunters-ville, North Carolina, and the Indy program will be led ...