Chilly reception awaits F/1 upon annual U.S. visit

	The mixture of exotic locales, cars and spectators have made Formula One inaccessible for many American racing fans. AP

Perhaps you know a Formula One fan or two, but likely not. This would be a good week to spot them, however, as Sunday marks the F/1 circuit's annual visit to the United States. The U.S. Grand Prix in Indianapolis is like Christmas for these fans; it only comes but once a year. As passionate as these fans are about Formula One, but they make up only a small portion of the racing fans in the United States.

Don't expect this to change. Most Americans can't identify either with the Formula One cars, the F/1 community or the Grand Prix way of life. And this won't be changing any time soon. Here are five reasons why:

1. The time difference makes it hard to be a fan.

Most races are held in Europe, so most of the events are either televised early on Sunday morning in the United States or are tape-delayed. Either way, it isn't satisfying for the fans. Of course, millions do watch the races all over the world, so there won't be any changes to the way the F-1 circuit does business just for American television.

2. The cars aren't anything like the ones we drive.

While NASCAR fans can pilot the same car as their favorite driver, only 25 people in the world have access to F/1 cars. These rides have such a high level of technological complexity that they are unmatched on the ground, with the best comparison being military fighter jets. The cars are so sophisticated that they actually are brittle. There are no John Waynes or Dale Earnhardts in Formula One because the technology won't let drivers be cowboys. Any nudge with another car, wall or barrier, and the car is finished for the day. Not even duct tape will help.

3. For most Americans, there's just not enough action in a Formula One race.

F/1 races are more like a chess match than a sporting event. Frankly, the racing is just not competitive. Compared to other forms of racing, there isn't a lot of passing on a Formula One track. When one car does get by another, it is usually through a mistake of the driver who gets passed, not the brilliance of the driver zooming ahead. Faster cars often get stuck behind slower ones for an entire race.

The strategy is extensive, but it is based largely on how many times and when a car needs to pit. Team engineers, a brilliant group of scientists, usually determine who wins. Most Formula One passing is done in the pits, but it's not like NASCAR pit stops. In NASCAR, the leaders frequently pit at the same time and the pit crew can instantly pick up several spots by getting their driver out on the track quicker. In Formula One, the teams often pit on different laps (much like when NASCAR has a long green period) and the shuffle takes place over several minutes. A fan at the track might not even be able to tell that a pass has been made.

4. The party is too swank for most racing fans in the U.S.

Both NASCAR and NHRA drag racing events are huge parties. just like the Formula One races. Thousands will show up and create a festive celebration that transcends a mere sporting event. The extravagant gala will last for long weekends. Formula One races give rise to similar festivities, but the differences in style are wide: The American event is like a Woodstock or a backyard barbecue, while a Formula One race is more like a Hollywood soiree. Most Americans would feel out of place at an F/1 race, much like the little boy in his itchy suit and strangling tie at church on Sunday. The air of exclusivity doesn't help either, as F/1 drives but once a year in the United States when not traveling from luxurious, exotic locations around the world.

5. There are no heroes for American fans to worship.

First, there aren't any American drivers except for Scott Speed, a second-year F/1 driver out of California whose best Grand Prix finish has been ninth. He's the first U.S. regular on the circuit since the early 1990s, when Michael Andretti had a brief overseas stint. Many U.S. Formula One fans did follow Michael Schumacher, a seven-time world champion who was so great that he transcended international boundaries, but the German retired last year. The quickest way for there to be a surge of American interest in Formula One would be for several F/1 drivers to become celebrities in the United States.