strange rumor

[fordtc87]

Last night on RPM tonight Robin Miller reported that his mole inside IMS said that TG has not ruled out having road courses. Also he stated that the IRL cars are going to practice at IMS after the brickyard is done. Also he stated that there may be a race as an opening for the F1 race and maybe a date at watkins glen. Again, this was Robin Miller's report. Just wanted to know what everyone thought?
IMO I think that it makes the last 7 years of racing in the irl was a joke then. Does TG have any clue where he is going with the irl? I question him, my only hope is that Chris Pook is a better businessman then tg. That's all for now....Lata

[macdaddy]

There were whispers in the air quite some time ago about this.

Kinda helps to blow the old "American Drivers, American Ovals" thing out the window, doesn't it? Brazilians leading the championship, a race in Japan, Watkins Glen...

TG is like a puppet. Honda's got a hold of two strings, Bill France and Bernie Ecclestone each have three, and yet he really believes that he's in control.

[jcclausen]

Macdaddy, you got it right. When I heard that T.G. spent the upwards of $75 million to accomodate F1, I said he'd be lucky to have his shorts left after Bernie gets done with him. Now Bill France looks like he's poised to make a move on Tony as well. Tony George is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I suspect the $75 million IMS improvements were financed by Bernie or Bill or maybe some combination of both with IMS being the collateral. I suspect Tony borrowed big money to start and keep the IRL running. If this is the case it won't be long before the sharks that are circling will come in for the kill. You can make bet that Penske is sporting a big fin as well. He didn't come over to the IRL because Marlboro told him to. Hell, he is Marlboro. Last time I checked he was on the board of Phillip Morris directors.

[Bizzo5000]

And they say they smell blood in CART's waters? Looks like TG is being used like a Stretch Armstrong doll.

[JohnSSC]

I often wonder what it is that passes for a "thought process" in TG's world. He is seriously delusional (imho) if he thinks I would rather watch Billy Boat at the Glen than DaMatta, et al at Mid Ohio. Even Foyt, who was one of the big (no pun intended) "American drivers in an American oval series" proponents had his share of non-citizen drivers (Salazar come to mind).

Although with the level of talent in IRL I am sure it would be the fastest demo derby ever run if they do go to the Glen!

[Jordi]

Salazar and Airton Daré drive for Foyt right now.. not Americans really

[slicktoast]

Nothing should surprise anyone when it comes to what TG does w/ the IRL.

[Liz]

I noticed that Chris Pook had something to say about how secretive the Invisible Racing League is about its figures. True, they are a private corporation and don't have to tell anything. But it has always seemed to me that a company that was proud of its attendance figures and how much money it was making would be glad to tell the world.

It is also interesting to me that Chris Pook is the only man in the world who went nose to nose with Bernie and it was BERNIE who blinked. I bet he goes home and laughs himself hysterical when he hears stuff like this.

Attention Michael Andretti: Get a clue!

[Crash Test]

Sure he has a fantastic series, he has Bernie under his thumb, and opposition don't have official crowd numbers... but Pook had better find himself some teams for next season, or else his baby might run away from him....