A turn for the better?

[oily oaf]

Interesting piece in the St Petersburgh Times 24/1/04. Apparently Dallara and Panoz G Force have been asked to prepare chassis capable of turning right and left for 2005 although a liason officer for Dallara says that given the right set of cicumstances 2004 is a definite possibility. Go figure!

[rustyfan]

So they could try to cram in a non-oval race in 2004 already after all. Interesting. Putting on the thinking cap for a moment, perhaps the following could be a possible scenario;

Say that the IRL does gain control of the assets it's interested in (including the contract for Long Beach). Would it not then be possible to move the traditional date (well, they pretty much would have to move it) to a slot late in the year, with plenty of time to scramble together a road-racing package for the cars and get them upgraded in time for that late-year slot?

Unlikely, yes, but not impossible I think.

[Hazza]

From the offical site

Clearly, it is in the best interests of open wheel racing to move forward into the 21st century with one series, based on the heritage of the Indianapolis 500, taking advantage of the many new oval venues built in the last decade and incorporating historic road and street courses which are important to fans and sponsors.

Yours, Tg.

(this was obviously if they get their bid of cart - read the full article from TG)

[climb]

From what I know Both chassis manufacturers have been encharged to design road-kits in 2003.Thus they should be available by now.

[GP Racer]

Rusty, I think your correct. The IRL will race at Long Beach this season. Grand Am will be ready to fill in some of the other road courses this year, because they're ready to do that now, and come 2005, both series will be running together.

TG sounds very serious about winning this bid and creating one series, and I say, good luck and get it done. End the pain, and start fresh. If it happens, there should be plenty of teams, drivers and cars, ready to do action by 2005, on the ovals and the road courses. And look for Grand Am to be the support series, due to the France/ISC/George connection.

It will be a powerful combination, as both GARRA and the IRL are readying themselves to go down the same path that made NASCAR such a powerhouse.

I'll be looking forward to it.

[oily oaf]

Looks like TG has really got the bit between his teeth this time. In an interview with the Indy star he has launched a pretty bullish attack on the OWRS boys saying "I have a greater appreciation of open wheel racing than any of these guys, their collective appreciation of open wheel racing does not equal mine" IRL have apparently tabled a primary bid of 3.3 million for the Grand Prix of Long Beach and the Cosworth engines just for starters.
IMHO reunification looks if not a nailed on certainty then at the very least extremely likely. I have to say I feel for the die-hard CART fans at this time. I myself love the series and have seen all the races staged in UK except the inaugral one at Brands in the 70s won by the great Rick Mears I think although I stand to be corrected on that one. I read some of the messages on www.tsn.ca and some of the good people of Canada are very upset indeed. I really hope that if the merger or takeover call it what youwill does come to pass that maybe some of the anti TG lobby will come round and enjoy the new format although having read some of the comments online and at this site it may be a forlorn hope.

[Down F0rce]

Long Beach I can understand...I hope they do win that one actually. But what use are the engines? :confused:

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by Down F0rce
But what use are the engines? :confused:

As far as I see it, to make it a lot harder for OWRS to get the CART carcass to move.

[GP Racer]

Oily, I also loved the CART series for years, but I think its time has passed. People can blame TG, and God knows they do, but I would say it was gross mis-management of the series that truly doomed it.

And sadly, you are correct about the die-hards, most will not come over. But there is a chance of gaining many of the more casual, couch potato fans, that are looking to kick-back with a beer and watch a race on a Sunday afternoon. The open wheel championship will be unified and it will become important again, and they will watch.

I also read many of the negative, to put it mildly, comments from the die-hards, and my opinion on things, have been the butt of many of the negative posts there. There hatred is blinding them to what may wind up being what we wanted all along, one strong series. It will be there loss if they don't give it a chance.

But I'm done debating the matter over there. As far as I'm concerned, bring on the new series!

[kingfloopy]

I heard back in the summer that the IRL was telling the teams to be ready to run a road or street race this season. So it doesn't surprise me that they prepared chassis kits to do this.

J.D.

[oily oaf]

No argument here GP. Unification has to be better than allowing a series that's a fading shadow of its former self to limp on for another year. Like you say my friend lets look to the future and enjoy some kick ass racing.
Hey if you think the guys in the CART forum gave u a hard time try the forums at tsn a Canadian online sports site but dont post for Chrissake those boys will hunt u down like a dog and nail your head to the wall.

[GP Racer]

Yeah, I'm not sure what those guys think there going to get out of OWRS. They will continue to struggle, for teams, drivers, sponsors, venues, and most importantly, fans. For however long that scenario can last, it will never come close to bringing back the glory days. Times are changing, and unless you've got big TV, with a solid schedule, alot of good teams, drivers, and sponsors, and a championship that people care about, you may as well save your money and get out of the racing game. For better or worse, NASCAR is the new standard to reach for.


Don't worry oily, I'm staying right here, where the water's a little calmer! You can only fight the tide for so long before you get tired

[Tim Northcutt]

I still do visit over there GP Racer...

But I agree with you....one series is the answer...this division has hurt everyone....but I believe it NEEDED to happen when it did....the direction of the sport was not a good one when the split came....

Gotta say that I've benefitted greatly from the split over the years....

I can get Indy 500 tix at face value...and that was unheard of before the split...

[GP Racer]

I had some great debates over there Tim. Its only recently, that it seems to have gotten abit ugly, so I'll give it a rest for awhile. It seems that some of us with divergent opinions, have worn out our welcome.

Yeah, I say get it done now, and let the chips fall where they may. Whats the alternative?

To bad you'll have to pay more for the Indy 500, when it takes back its #1 staus again! There are downsides to everything!

[Hazza]

All I can say is that Gp Racer is right (I asume, as allways) and I think that unification is best for everyone, even while being a Diehard Cart fan (and an Australian one at that, but I actually enjoy ovals and the tactics required.) So for once, when I read Tony's letter to the fans I thought - Good on ya son, goodspeed.

And then I relalised I was there, at the last Championship Auto Racing Teams Race - The day the music died - Too see the last CART Champion, and realy, out of that field, there was none more deserving.

Tony George, godspeed.

[GP Racer]

Thanks for the good words Hazza!

I thought Tonys words were very encouraging also. They were far more unifying than anything I've heard from PG and company, and I think that anyone who can put there hatred for TG aside, would see that.

I'm sure you never thought you might be witnessing the last CART race, when you were there, huh?

[Hazza]

No! For one there was meant to be one in a couple of weeks after the event! At the time all I thought was "Bugger me, when will it stop raining!"
And I was opposite the PK pits so I was rooting for them to do well...alas.

[climb]

IMO GP Racer is right too; what disappoints me about OWRS project is that, substancially, it implies a bare continuation of the unfortunate strategy implemented by CART.
Is there any good in repeating what has already proven wrong?
At least TG seems to outline something different, starting from a small but solid base (current IRL)

[Hazza]

I'm getting upset, I'm starting to fall for TG's Vision *sigh*

From the Official Site:
Ready to mix it up

Rutherford and Unser said adding road courses would enhance the IRL's schedule.

"We've obviously seen a need to diversify a little bit," Rutherford said. "The league has made sure it has become a solid part of motorsports. I think we need to be cautious in presenting road racing, make it a specialty event. We have the Indianapolis 500 and now, to accommodate the road racing fan, we can pick the better venues to make it something special to bring road racing to the fan again.

"It's a good show and we have the best racing going right now. Sometimes you get carried away and try to do too much too fast. But I think the progression has been right on."

Said Unser: "Road racing is very good. Let's throw in dirt tracks, too. If we can reach out to the fans of both kinds, that's what we should do. The Speedway reached out to NASCAR and Formula One and it's been successful."

During a career in which he chalked up four wins and six poles in the Indianapolis 500, Rick Mears came to be known as the "Master of Faster" on the ovals. He's now a driver coach for the Indy Racing League Menards Infiniti Pro Series™.

"I like all forms of racing," said Mears, whose only oval experience leading up to his career in Indy-type cars was a season in stock cars on a quarter-mile. "I doubt if there's any track I've disliked. Oval racing has its own art form as far as technique and style of driving. It's different, even as it's different from a one-mile oval to a speedway. It's more of a mental drain on a speedway, a different mind-set. You have to learn to let the car carry you instead of you carrying the car."

Mears concurred with Unser and Rutherford that broadening the schedule to include road courses would benefit the IRL. But the focus should be on ovals.

"In today's market with motorsports the way it is, you have to try to capitalize on audiences," Mears said. "We're entertaining, putting on a show. It just helps to put our show in front of more audiences."

[Tim Northcutt]

Note as a follow-up;

I won't mind paying more for great seats to the Indy 500 again...

They are worth every penny!!!!

[GP Racer]

I hear you Tim. Someday ,I'm going to have to forego my usual trip to the USGP at Indy, to try and make the 500. Can't afford two trips a year, unfortunately!

Good post hazza. Who would know better than those 3 giants of the sport you mentioned, Mears, Rutherford, and Unser, about what this sport needs? A good, steady progession towards a balanced series again, is just the ticket this sport needs, and I find the dirt track angle very interesting also.

Having a couple of dirt races would stop the bleeding of the great oval dirt drivers from leaving for NASCAR. We would be able to keep the guys like JJ Yeley, Ryan Newman, Gordon, and Stewart. Its an absolute shame that America's best open wheel drivers are all going to NASCAR for fame and fortune. Give them an open wheel series thats relevant and important again, and I'm sure they would stay.

Climb old friend, I can't add much to what you said, there truly seems to be no difference in the OWRS business plan and Pook's 100 million dollar "plan" that put them out of business in the first place.

[rustyfan]

While I would love to see it, I think an IndyCar race on dirt is a bit unrealistic - they'd need to do some serious design changes (mainly to the suspension that would need to be strengthened a great deal I think lol) if they were to be able to race on dirt without the cars falling apart at an early stage

[Testure]

The mention in there of dirt tracks is interesting, coz the US really needs a series to offer an alternative to NASCAR. I wonder if that's at all serious? Could be an interesting challenge for Dallara, eh?

I think the IRL has to try to "differentiate" itself more, otherwise it'll just turn into CART. Sounds like they're aware of that. There was a terrific post in this forum a few weeks ago about the IRL culturally being a road-racing series, which is the prob. Ah well, what will be, will be. Interesting times, 'n all that jazz!

[GP Racer]

Well, theres no way they would use IndyCars on a dirt track, no matter how much modification was done.

Teams would have to have a sprint/midget dirt car in the garage as well as an Indy Car. They used to do that when USAC was the sanctioning body, in the days before the "upstart" CART guys split-off(sound familiar?)and ruined everything.

That series ran ovals, dirt tracks, and a very few road courses. They even ran a hill climbing race up Pikes Peak. Ah, the good ol days, pre-CART!

I wonder how some of these present IndyCar drivers would handle dirt cars and tracks? For some probably not to well, but, damn, I'm sure they would have some fun!

[rustyfan]

I'm guessing Ed Carpenter would be among the better ones, considering he has a background in sprint cars and midgets

Or Tony Stewart would crash the party and whoop 'em all lol