OWR Press release

[GP Racer]

Well, I differ there, I believe that the country hosting the series, should have at the very least, a few drivers from that country racing in it.

I watch F1, fully knowing that there are no Americans in it, and I'm fine with that, because its not based here. I don't expect it. England is already wondering what will happen to F1 there, as there doesn't seem to be any English drivers coming up. Would Canada care about CART so much if there were no Canadian drivers competing for a few years? What will happen to the Canadian GP without JV in it?

Nationality matters, especially if you host the series. Its easy for you, as a Canadian with alot of drivers in CART, to sit back and tell me it doesn't matter. For KK to come along at this point and say he's worried about the Americans, is disengenuous at best, and pandering(great word!)at worst.

Woh, 700 posts, I'm talking to much!

[corkholio]

Originally posted by Mags
Name me one good American driver to hire? Available?

Jon Fogarty, Joey Hand, Rocky Moran Jr, and RHR, all of whom has won races in a development series that was suppposedly a feeder to Champ Cars, but sadly lack the Mel Gibson like Aussie movie star looks that Christian Murchinson has. Heck there are quite a few non-Americans that came to America and won in Atlantics too, which just shows how concerned KK is about Americans and when he himself hires people from Europe instead of people who have worked in the US.

[GP Racer]

Right now, the IRL has 9 American drivers the way it looks. Thats about half the field. For me thats a good mix. I like to see our drivers go out and take on the best of the world.

And Hornish is not the only American driver that can win.

[Dov]

There's 4 Canadians in CC and I expect that there will be 3 Americans in CC this year....Vasser, RHR and AJ. I wouldn't be surpised to see 2 to 3 more in the next few years! I find it funny when Corkholio always rambles on about the "foreign pay drivers", but has never mentioned a word about RHR!? Btw, Murchinson will be lucky if he starts out in Atlantics this year and I don't know of any other Aussies in CC, so I have know idea why you brought that up. While I'm sure they would like to see at least one Aussie in the series, you don't hear The Snout or F1manoz crying about it!

[Dov]

So what other American drivers are winning races, GP? That's why Hornish was the only American to get the new Ford engine!?

[Snrub]

Sure CART probably should have an American driver, but that's beside the point. If CART hasn't done anything to create this situation, I don't see what your morale objection is.

[GP Racer]

Well, how about T Bell, who is now testing for Jaguar, but was available. How about Scott Speed, Phil Geibler, or Paul Edwards? And don't forget about Antinucci, Cheevers nephew, who is tearing up the F3000 series. Lets not talk about JJ Yeally, who slipped through open wheel altogether, and all of the top NASCAR guys that started as open wheel guys. I guess they couldn't cut it in Champ Cars, right?

Please, if Lavin and Haberfeld belong in Champ Cars, so do these guys...

[GP Racer]

CART didn't do anything to PREVENT the situation and now they are paying the price Snrub.

[GTRMagic]

Hmmm.. interesting statement... OWRS has spend 6 months with unprecedented access to the CART Inc books before making a bid... all the while the value was diminishing as Sir Pookalot emptied the petty cash tin to zero

Unless I have the timing incorrect, OWRS did not make a bid for this business 6 months ago, nor was there any SEC release to suggest that the company was allowing others to take a look up its skirt.

So MPH, the CART Inc abbreviation, was trading in the market without the critical market information that a suitor was around, looking to take the company private. This was reported in all sorts of motorsport trade press but I dont recall an official filing.

I guess what I am saying is that OWRS had an intention to take the company private, the timing as detailed in the press release suggested this was knowledge that was perhaps denied the market while the shares were still publicly trading, and that the market may have suffered material loss because of their ignorance of the news.

While Sir Pookalot pontificated that the CART Inc operation had the resources at its disposal to operate into 2004.

It makes me wonder why the SEC wasnt called in earlier when such obviously smelly statements are now being made.

In regard to the incorrect use of process, I hope the CART Inc people get whats coming to them, while the series becomes an instrument of OWRS or indeed IRL...

[Dov]

Originally posted by GP Racer
CART didn't do anything to PREVENT the situation and now they are paying the price Snrub.

But at least OWRS is trying to change that. I would rather see T. Bell and Phil Giebler in CC then Lavin and Monteiro, but I would like to see Mario remain with us. I think in the right car he could really be exciting to watch. Me thinks he might be the next PT...at least on the track. I still don't understand why you guys (Cork/GP) never say a word about American pay drivers, but you can't stop talking about the foreign ones!?

[Jay]

CART doesn't hire the drivers the teams do....except maybe in the case of ASTJ last year, even then, Ryan Hunter-Reay was there because of his father's substantial 'investment' - not because he showed he was better than any other driver.

[GP Racer]

How did CART let all of the top, and I mean top, NASCAR guys get away from there open wheel roots?

They screwed up, thats how. They could have been the stars to take CART to the next level. But they thought that American drivers didn't matter, and now that they need them, they aren't coming if you dragged them kicking and screaming! There done with this mess, and there going to the big show. CART is left with drivers that nobody cares about, and a championship that nobody cares about.

Big deal, PT stumbled and crashed his way to a championship, against a bunch of rookies and other guys that nobody knows, half of which were driving in a chassis that couldn't compete! Wow, ain't he great!



God, I'm tired, I can't take no more, I'm going to bed....

[Dov]

That's funny, I don't remember you saying any of this stuff during the 2003 CC season, GP!? I remember you being very positive on the CART forum and you seemed to be enjoying the racing!? So where's all this pent up anger coming from? We talked many times during the season about how many American drivers there are and should be in CC and I don't remember you getting to excited about it then....so again I ask you.....why now?

[jj2728]

Originally posted by Mags


Canadian races are VERY well attended, and, until this year, we have never had a champion to cheer on! I'm a RACING fan.

uh.......what about jacques villeneuve?....

[Fogelhund]

1. Jacques Villeneuve was a CART champion in 95, raced in F1 in 96', so there has never been a Canadian CART Champion, racing in CART... well until this year.... IF

2. Judge Otte - PG has been pretty clear lately that it is his goal in this purchase to merge the series. We've talked about this ad naseum. So PG et al. want to buy the series, kill it through a merger, resulting in an unknown number of road races being run, such as Long Beach, CDN races,....

Let me explain exactly how TG wants to do this differently. He wants to buy the series, kill it, resulting in an unknown number of road races being run, such as Long Beach, CDN races.....

hmmmmm?

3. GP Racer - This is the statement whereby you are making a mountain out of a molehill.

“We’ve spent six months to acquire a thorough understanding of the situation and develop a business plan for the successful operation of the series."

This statement does not suggest that CART management were aware of PG, KK et al's intentions.

This statement does not suggest that PG, KK et al knew their intentions six months ago, just that it was at that time they started their due diligence.

A couple of days ago, I sent you in the direction of the SEC filings. This information is publicy available to anyone, and is where PG et al. would have started their due diligence, no different then an experienced investor would have reviewed the statements prior to purchasing the stock, or the company. Other statements and IRS filings could easily be had as well.

It is quite normal for a company to look at statements for a company, as they plan to takeover, or propose a merger with said company. The acquiring company never makes it public six months in advance that it is reviewing the purchase of a business, and creating a business plan for said purchase.

[Mags]

Originally posted by Dov
Well, we did have JVill in '95, but from the early 80's through the mid 90's, we only had Scott Goodyear to cheer on and PT in the early 90's....there was a few other Canadian drivers, but none worth mentioning.

Excuse Me??

Greg Moore? Youngest EVER to win a CHAMP car event? (until Dixon)... HOW soon they forget
Patrick Carpentier? MY Patrick?? *SIGH* :confused:

[macdaddy]

Dov was referring to the early-80's, mid-nineties, Moore et al weren't on the scene yet.

I have no idea what the press release had to do with driver nationalities ect ect ect. Some of you should have been spin doctors! Snout hit it squarely with "They offend some people by not saying anything. They offend some people by saying something."

IMO, Fogelhund's post kinda blew GTR's theory out of the water.
(Sorry, GTR!)

Myself? I think I'll concentrate on this statement more than any other.
"We are steadfast in our dedication and commitment to continue the Champ Car World Series for the millions of loyal open-wheel racing fans throughout North America and beyond." - PG

[corkholio]

It cracks me up to see that the 2 supposedly most hardcore CART supporters would miss so many obvious pieces of CART history in one single thread.

The difference between RHR and the Aussie Moviestar is that RHR actually worked and won his way up the very system that was advertised to bring drivers into CART, and even he practically had to start his own team when he should have been hired on merit. Heck for a perfect example of a pay driver who doesn't deserve to be in Champ Cars, try Geoff Boss.

For Aussies to be in Champ Cars, they would have to want to be going to it first. Exactly how many Aussies were in Atlantics this year? 0.

Here is a simple question that has yet to be answered: If KK's coming out and saying specifically that OWRS needs to be sold to him and his buddies because otherwise he is concerned that Americans would lose jobs, why doesn't he set the example by actually hiring an American to drive his car?

I would like to believe what PG is saying about North America, but I don't think there are any North American countries ready to annex Seoul. He might be throwing out false visions (like another series did when it began), it doesn't make it right.

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by Dov
That's funny, I don't remember you saying any of this stuff during the 2003 CC season, GP!? I remember you being very positive on the CART forum and you seemed to be enjoying the racing!? So where's all this pent up anger coming from? We talked many times during the season about how many American drivers there are and should be in CC and I don't remember you getting to excited about it then....so again I ask you.....why now?

Yesterday was a long, tough day, and I should have stayed away from all this controversy.

KK's statement about caring about American jobs, really frosted my butt, as you probably noticed, and I know I'm not the only American to feel this way. I think many of us feel that the series abandoned us quite some time ago. Thats one of the reasons the American races have become so poorly attended, and the TV ratings are in the toilet. Its not the racing thats the problem, its that we really have nobody to root for, and no reason to care. Americans love drama, soap operas, and marketable figures, and we're not getting that from this group of drivers.

God knows that I don't want to become a NASCAR fan, but there drawing the best drivers we have. Tell me why, no team in CART(or the IRL)for that matter, even spoke to JJ Yeally? I mean this kid is good, he's exciting, and he's just the spark this series needs, and don't give me "he's just an oval guy"! He's exactly the type of driver that can make this series interesting again to American fans, but he's gone now.

I know this rant sounds nationalistic, but I'm fine seeing and rooting for foreign drivers. I'm a big F1 fan, and there are no Americans there. I think MS is the greatest driver I'll ever witness. I'll also miss DeFerran, and I like Castroneves, and Johnny Herbert, Didier Theys and a bunch of others. But those guys and the others, besides MS, race against American drivers in there American series. That all I'm asking for here, is a chance. Hell, chances are I would still root for the foreign driver, if I liked him, but the series needs to be balanced in order to survive. Dov, you tell me that OWRS is now trying to do something about it, but maybe if they payed attention sooner, the series might not be in this much trouble now, thats how much importance I place on the driver situation.

So enough with your lip service KK, if you care about Americans in your series, go out and find an American to put in your seat, there out there.

[paul-collins]

Originally posted by GP Racer
And Players is gone now.

Who's next?

Well, if the various arts festivals are any indication, it'll be Canadian banks.

[CART_4ever]

You guys got way off the subject on this one... anyway - the point I would like to make is that IRL just wants to look at the paperwork. There is no bid made by the IRL yet. Considering they are in the same business, this makes sense. Also, like Gentilozzi says, they have spent 6 months preparing for this situation and the judge shouldn't let anybody come in and make a "blocking" bid for a company, especially if they wouldn't take on the responsibility of the outstanding assets.

[BootsOntheSide]

The team owners in CART who have been the most vocal and passionate about making CART/OWRS the leading North American series are arguably Paul N, Paul G, Gerry, Kevin, Bobby and Keith. Between them they have hired 5 North American drivers across 9 rides, and I could easily add Herta and Adrian Fernandez.

The IRl team owners who have been vocal and passionate about making IRL dominant in America have been Roger, Chip, Michael A, AJ and Eddie. Between them they have hired 6 Americans - Sam as a replacement for Gil, Renna, Herta as a substitute and now seemingly a development donkey, Rice who was promptly dumped, Barron and AJ's grandson - across 10 rides. What's the difference?

It is unfortunate that guys like Jeff have gone to NASCAR, but I feel the mian cause was the rising costs of the early 90s, which made teams have to often go for paydrivers.

Roger's team is fully funded whatever nationality of drivers he hires, yet he's chosen proven winners in Gil and Helio. The addition of Sam was because he was a champion and HAPPENED to be American, and hadn't hired a new American for a fulltime ride since 1994 - again, a proven champion. When did Roger take a risk on a new American talent?

[GP Racer]

Going for pay drivers, may have left the best local talent behind, (all the top NASCAR guys)and therefore hurt the series in the long run.

I mean, maybe they would have been better off, paying the price to get the right drivers in the series, instead of the ones we have today, that have little interest to the fans. The series might still have some fan appeal if they had done that, and might not be in half the predicament it now finds itself in.

That said, the IRL could find itself in the same trouble in the future, if the trend continues. Although they seem to be more aware and pro-active about nipping the problem in the bud than CART does on that matter. About half their field has Americans, which is a good mix.

You get what you pay for.

[jjspierx]

Originally posted by GP Racer
Snout, your last paragraph says it all. I'm both ****ed off and ready to throw my hands in the air.

KK, really touched a nerve when he mentioned the America jobs that would be lost. I've been complaining for quite some time now, about the lack of American drivers in this series, and an American chassis, but to no avail. There's been nothing American about this series in years. Now KK wants me to get all emotional about American jobs being lost, well forget it. He's years to late on that one. Save the crocodile tears for someone else. Tim has it right, they'll find work.

Get over it GP Racer, everyone BUT you seems to realize that a race driver makes up one VERY small portion of a race team. Obviously when KK was saying that Americans would lose jobs he was referring to CART employees, and the team employees. By not hiring an American driver, only 1 american is out of a job. By shutting down CART THOUSANDS of Americans WILL lose their jobs, and if you don't realize this then you are less intelligent than you've already made yourself look in this post. Why do you take it personally that are very few American drivers in CART. As if CART is personally attacking you and every other American CART fan by purposely hiring few Americans. CART doesn't hire drivers, the teams do. Besides the last 2-3 years, there have been very few American drivers who have come up through the system, or any system that matter to make it in CART. And please don't come back and start naming names, I know there are lots of great American drivers out there, but in comparison to other Nationality's its hasn't been a lot. In past few years however this has changed(RHR, AJ, etc..) and that will reflect in the next few seasons of CART or whatever its called when new American drivers will come into the sport.
So please, don't say KK doesn't care about Americans simply because he doesn't personally hire an American driver, that is just ridiculous, like you are acting.

[Mags]

Just read a VERY interesting atricle in our paper by Tags. He made a valid point - the judge is going to look at the proposal made by the people that have a plan for just who is going to make this thing run; not who just wants to buy the assets and chrush it into the ground.