CARL HAAS & Junky to INDY ?!

[zerO]

NOTE to Monitors: even though there is "Indy" in the title of this post IT IS A CHAMPCAR RELATED TOPIC !!! and should be on this board as well - mainly because most CART fans DO NOT READ THE IRL BOARD and at the same time need to be aware of this situation ?! So, I kindly ask you to please leave this post on this board ?!
------------------------------------------


Don't panic, everybody... this isn't anything new, just an update ?!

First off, Carl Haas: he is a legendary motorsports eterpreneur in USA, he's been involved in Indycars; then CART, and NASCAB for many years; last year he resigned from the CART BoD due to "conflict of interest" (read that anyway one pleases); Haas is Lola Ltd agent aka "representative" or "distributor"; and above all, since two years ago it is known that he has intentions of being at Indy ?!

Now, even though many CART fanatics may dislike the cigar chomping Carl Haas for one reason or another the man has been quite beneficial and detrimential in CART's wellbeing during the last decade or so. Paul Newman has joined him in his CART team endeavour only out of respect for that man. And even though Haas has been planning on going Indy racing for quite some time, and Newman is a staunch anti-IRL proponent, they still are very good friends and very likely will stay that way 'til the very end.

But, at the time when OWRS is struggling to pick up the CART pieces and come out blasting out of the starting gate come "news" that Carl Haas will field a one-car team at Indy this coming May.

Even though last winter Haas tested Bruno Junqueira in a Dallara befitted with a Toyota engine, now it will be a Dallara-Honda. Don't ask as to why the switch - we all know the latest Honda shenaningas - very easy to add it all up.

Anyhow, the good news is that Paul Newman is completely washing his hands from this silly escapade.

Bruno Junqueira is expected to be the driver at Indy. NOTE: it is only an Indy effort !! There are no plans for Haas to do any more races in IRL this year. Also, it isn't known yet if PacifiCare will sponsor that effort. And it still should be considered as a possibility only - Haas hasn't announced it yet nor has anyone else - so far, it is the buzz in Indy now. And frankly, whether it does hapen or not, I don't give a dåmn ?!

zerO

[Kicking-back]

I've no problem with an Indy one-off, if they can fit it in.

[codename_47]

I see this post is delicatley worded, but I doubt many true Champ Car fans will have any ill feeling toward ANY team that wants to run Indy, after all, it is THE big race over there! (So long as it's Indy and only Indy! )

Plus, who knows, they could do quite well, taste the milk, and then have a lot more money to invest in their Champcar team.....

[macdaddy]

Mr. Newman would be mighty ticked if Bruno ends up getting injured.

[Dov]

Originally posted by codename 47
but I doubt many true Champ Car fans will have any ill feeling toward ANY team that wants to run Indy, after all, it is THE big race over there!

I think you mean Indy WAS the big race over there!

[jklein6419]

i think the owners need relize that indy isnt what it use to be and seperate themselves from from it. the only way champcar can move foward in my opinion is to forget about indy. i believe thats what the 3 amigos are doing and are trying to convince the the other owners to feel the same way. thats why i was really hoping there would be a champ car race in may during indy quals to try to dicourage owners from racing at indy. it seems everytime a champ car owner does a one off at indy, they end up having a whol IRL team the next year. i hope that dosent happen with haas.

[Mags]

An it's TOTAL nonsence, as I just did an interview with Seb.

“At the end of the day, Champ Car will be back on the road”

[JohnSSC]

What does an interview with "Seb" have to do with Haas wanting to run Indy?

For a lot of people for a long time "the 500" represented the pinnacle in American motorsport. Love him or hate him, Carl Haas is well aware of the aura. He is getting up there and like as not wants to put a personal exclamation mark on his career as a team owner by winning the thing.

As far as the money helping his OWRS effort, don't forget that an Indy effort costs quite a bit of $$$. How much has it cost him so far to by a car, engine, spares, tires, etc & test Bruno?

[The Snout]

Originally posted by Mags
An it's TOTAL nonsence, as I just did an interview with Seb.

“At the end of the day, Champ Car will be back on the road”

Seb's been a straight forward shooter, common sense says he should know a thing or two about it.

[JohnSSC]

I understand he feels OWRS will succeed, but what does that have to do with Haas running a one-off for Bruno at Indy?

[The Snout]

If you're after info on what Haas and Bruno may do, you could do worse than listen to what Seb has heard around the workshop.

[zerO]

Originally posted by The Snout
If you're after info on what Haas and Bruno may do, you could do worse than listen to what Seb has heard around the workshop.

Besides, the original plan as presented by Carl Haas to Paul Newman and the team's primary sponsors was to field a two car effort at Indy wearing the NHR colors... and even Bourdais was extatic at that time (around last Xmas)... ofcourse that is all past, but now Haas will take Junky to Indy in May and afterwards.................. think about it - they all just went to Indy first: Penske, Ganassi, Green, Rahal, etc. ?!

zerO

[macdaddy]

"Think about it...

Is it safe to assume that we already have?
And to tell the truth, I'm not too worried about it.

BTW - Green went to Indy once, and that was that. He couldn't have retired more gracefully.

[Liz]

Actually we don't care. This is a Champ Car forum.

[zerO]

Originally posted by Liz
Actually we don't care. This is a Champ Car forum.

Last I head Carl Haas owns a team in Champ Car World Series ?! - actually his team is THE OLDEST one on the grid... so what's the point of that silly remark, heh ???

zerO

[MLM]

Some of us do care.

[macdaddy]

That's precisely why a forum like this is such a great place.
Me? I don't care. Penske, Ganassi, MGF, Rahal...
Nope. Don't care.

[zerO]

Originally posted by macdaddy
That's precisely why a forum like this is such a great place.
Me? I don't care. Penske, Ganassi, MGF, Rahal...
Nope. Don't care.

I really don't care either - had said it in the original post, but I brought this issue up for people to look at it and develope their own opinions... and as you've said: that's what this forum is for ?! - that simple.

zerO

[macdaddy]

When I said, "Don't care", what I meant was, "I used to care but I don't anymore". When Penske left I feared for the end. When Ganassi left I was relieved, but still I feared for the end. When Barry sold his team, I didn't care much. MGF jumped, but was unable to keep KOOL. Likewise Rahal and Gigante. Heck, he couldn't even keep his driver! Fernandez was, admittedly, abit of a blow, but not nearly enough to capsize the ship, much less sink it.

Carl and Bruno want to go to Indy? Alright... Whatever.
Carl's looking at the fame, Bruno's looking at the fortune.
That's my opinion, mind you.

The "original" OWRS schedule had the ChampCars racing throughout the Indy quals. The way it is now, Bruno can run for the pole, but is racing in Mexico for BumpDay.

Like I said, I don't really care.
Three cheers for Mr. Newman!

[climb]

Fortunately for Bruno, no bump day will be held, since the total entries will hardly be more than 33.
And, even if they were, I don't think he will be in any danger.

Actually I agree with those who say that the main concern for Champ car about Indy is that Haas' drivers may result injured.

[indycool]

Haas is getting up in age and wants to add his first Indy victory to his long list of accomplishments in the sport. Same reason Patrick's going back, except Patrick has three wins there.

The word around Indy, as zerO said, is that Haas is coming to Indy with one or two cars and already has a shop established in Indy for the effort. Bourdais had on his website that he might run Indy and LeMans. Junqueira took the pole in his only appearance there. Lilly, which is based in Indy, could come back as a sponsor for the effort. Interesting that the Toyota offer has transformed into Honda, according to zerO.

Who knows where it'll land? And why would that be a detriment to OWRS?

[indycool]

Mags, I just read your interview with Bourdais. You say it's "total nonsense" that he might go to Indy. Yet, in the interview as published on rfm, you didn't even ask him about Indy. So, I guess I don't understand the connection between your "total nonsense" comment and your interview with Bourdais.

[rush1]

On RPM tonight last may, Sebastian Bourdais was asked if would like to compete in the Inidianapolis 500 and he said yes, of course he would.

I doubt his opinion has changed in the last year.

[climb]

I can't believe that an US-based open-wheel driver is not interested at Indy: a success over there yelds more than a whole season in OWRS or IRL itself, not to talk about the echo towards sponsorships etc.
It's the most rewarding open-wheel course of the year, and it's absolutely normal that Seb would like to have a go.

[Tim Northcutt]

Besides, just to make the field and to finish last in the race is a bigger team paycheck than most winning purses....

and the car that wins the race goes home with over $1 million....

not exactly chump change...