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5 Jan 2005, 02:16 (Ref:1193341)
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#1 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 374
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Jourdain may leave
The news is getting around fast!
Link Michel Jourdain, Jr., will leave the Champ Car World Series in 2005 to run a full season on the NASCAR Busch Series for ppc Racing. PPC co-owner Greg Pollex told MRN Radio's Sirius Speedway that deals are all but finalized to put Jourdain in one of the team's Fords next season, with veteran Kenny Wallace driving a second entry with sponsorship from Stacker 2. "The deals are not completely finished, but we should have an announcement very soon," said Pollex. "We have tested with Michel, and while there is obviously a lot to be learned, I could not be more impressed with him. He is incredibly bright, and a very quick learner who I am confident will transition into our kind of racing very quickly. The Hispanic market is very important to Ford and to NASCAR, and from a team owner's perspective, I believe this is the first step in taking this sport international. Michel is the right guy to do this." The Mexico City native finished 12th in Champ Car World Series points last season, with six top-10 finishes for RuSport Racing.(MRN Radio's Sirius Speedway)(1-4-2005) |
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5 Jan 2005, 02:38 (Ref:1193345)
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#2 | |
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Veteran
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 5,702
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This is very disappointing news.
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5 Jan 2005, 02:52 (Ref:1193354)
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Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 588
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If true, Champ Car has just lost Mexico.
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__________________
Ten-Tenths F1 Results Prediction Competition—2005 Champion! |
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5 Jan 2005, 05:16 (Ref:1193379)
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#4 | ||
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Ten-Tenths Hall of Fame
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 12,053
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its a shame to loose Michel as he certainly has improved over the last 2 or 3 years (mainly due to equipment) but on the other hand I will be interested to see how he goes in nascar.
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__________________
In Loving memory of Peter Brock I hate it when im driving in a straight line & Seb Vettel runs into me GO THE MIGHTY HAWKS !!!! |
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5 Jan 2005, 06:19 (Ref:1193392)
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#5 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 8,125
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Terrible news for ChampCar, IMO.
I'm surprised that one of Tres Hombres didn't step in to circumvent this. Having already lost Adrian, Jourdain would seem to be quite important from a marketing perspective. Can't blame Michel, though, and I wish him the best of luck. |
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__________________
Don't make a fuss, just get on the bus! |
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5 Jan 2005, 08:15 (Ref:1193420)
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#6 | |
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Registered User
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 16,661
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If he was leaving Champ Car, I'd rather have seen him in the IndyCar series than in NASCAR - he's a single-seater driver.
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5 Jan 2005, 09:49 (Ref:1193472)
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#7 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 497
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Foreigners are starting to take a look at NASCAR now. Probably from a money stand point. I just read an article on SpeedTV.com that said "Caca" from Brazil is also eyeing Busch. His goal is to be in a Cup car within the next 4 years. I had never heard of the guy before, but apparently he is a huge name in the Brazilian Stock Car Series. Good luck to Michel. His heart is truly in Champ Car, but his interests are where he can race competitively. You cannot blame him for that. KB, I'm glad he's not going to the IRL.
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5 Jan 2005, 12:28 (Ref:1193560)
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#8 | |
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Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 2,983
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Wonder what this means to the rumored Pemex deal with HVM?
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5 Jan 2005, 15:53 (Ref:1193674)
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#9 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,744
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Horrible news.
1. Not only is CC losing out to Nascar, it's losing out to Busch, Nascar's feeder series! Could you picture Jeff Gordon leaving Nascar for Atlantics? (I realize it's not quiet that drastic) 2. As was said this will be devistating to CC in Mexico, particularly with Dominguez leaving after this season. What Mexican driver will be on the grid for 2006? Even if they can find a rookie sensation, surely they will not have huge initial draw. 3. Jourdain has been around for a long time. By his participation and experience in CC he became a terrific driver. We all talk about drivers who's ambition is to be in CC and are not using CC as a steping stone to F1, etc. He was that kind of guy. BTW: While equipment played a roll, there is no question that Jourdain improved massively. No one is suggesting Mazzacane of suffering by poor equipment anymore than they were for Dominguez in 2002. Jourdain was no different. 4. Jourdain stuck with CC when it ment giving up a lot of money and success in the IRL. He decided he'd rather have mediocre success in CC for a year to participate long term. Now he's decided to leave. I can't help but think that CC had so little to offer him that he had little choice left. 5. Busch is racing in Mexico City this year, correct? We had discussions regarding the importance of Mexico to CC and sharing it with other series, etc. You cannot tell me that there is no possibility that Busch may start to cut into Mexico's interest in CC and attendance at the Mexico City CC race. Last edited by Snrub; 5 Jan 2005 at 16:01. |
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__________________
No Rotor, No Motor. |
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5 Jan 2005, 16:03 (Ref:1193681)
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#10 | |
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Registered User
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 16,661
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Very very sad news.
I also hear that a certain other series is looking to race in Mexico and Canada (one race each) in 2006. Champ Car seems to be in a one step forward two steps back phase just now 
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5 Jan 2005, 18:52 (Ref:1193853)
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#11 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,215
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Senor Jourdain is not a "Good Ol' Boy"....
Therefore, he will never get drafting help when he needs to step out of the conga line to try to pass anyone...... He will not have any success in Busch cars.... Same thing happened to Christian Fittipaldi.....never got any drafting help...thus never got to the front.... Every time Robby Gordon gets near the front, the drafting help goes away.... Casey Mears faces the same thing as Robby does.... and in every IROC race the NASCAR clique picks a dance partner from their own series or their "sister" series and anyone who is an "outsider" from those three series NEVER gets any drafting help.... I'm sure he will enjoy spending the $$$, but this is a bad career move for him... Fittipaldi still hasn't recovered from his move... Sorry to see OWRS lose Jourdain.....it is a big loss....and I think there will be lots of ramifications south of the border....for sponsors, and for the two events down there... Last edited by Tim Northcutt; 5 Jan 2005 at 18:56. |
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__________________
Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
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5 Jan 2005, 19:38 (Ref:1193918)
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#12 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 13,000
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Agreed Tim, unless things change quickly Jourdain will struggle in Busch, even if he deserves to do well. It's bad news for ChampCars, but I can understand why he's decided to move on - outside the automatically-fast Rahal cars he has proved very little, and may've been sturglgign to get a decent ride for 2005. I don't know how he feels towards CCWS regarding Rahal's exit - if the Three Amigos had handled thigns differently he wouldn't've lost his ride there. He probably regards RuSPORT as the biggest mistake of his career, and must be keen to move on from it.
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5 Jan 2005, 19:39 (Ref:1193919)
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#13 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 670
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I personally would rather see Michel in the IRL but I will continue to be fan of him, I think that this a pretty bad career move he said that he wanted to go where he can win and as Tim pointed out Nascar is not whre that is going to happen.
I think that this will defenetively help the popularity of Nascar in Mexico, next year the're will be the launch of NASCAR Mexico a series racing stock cars very similar to those used in NASCAR. I think that Nascar can seriously phase out open wheel racing, as right now there are no high quality open wheel series like the ones that Michel, Adrian, and Mario came out of, instead tere are two very succesfull stock car series. Last edited by Tenoch; 5 Jan 2005 at 19:41. |
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__________________
Not even death can stop me, and if death takes me by surprise, it's more than welcome. |
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5 Jan 2005, 21:56 (Ref:1194036)
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#14 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,213
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Why couldn't he just do the one off Mexico race??
This is bad news, but from all reported websites it's his decision, turning down both PKV AND Forsythe (so compettitive equipment not enough to keep him then...) Neither is it official yet either.....but looks likely... If he'd rather run around at the back of a BUSCH pack for the next year, good luck to him.........but I'm willing to bet Champcar will suddenly find a new Mexican "talent" in the next year or two, and will be promoted to a top team, regardless of ability..... |
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__________________
We need to win like you need to breathe.... |
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6 Jan 2005, 00:41 (Ref:1194175)
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#15 | |||
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Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 588
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Quote:
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__________________
Ten-Tenths F1 Results Prediction Competition—2005 Champion! |
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6 Jan 2005, 01:45 (Ref:1194193)
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#16 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 5,073
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Tim, it is a rare day indeed when I disagree with you! Today, I have to.
3 years ago I would have agreed 100% with your post. These last few seasons though, NASCAR has made significant rumblings regarding the lack of diversity in the driver lineups. There has been significant Top - Down push for a more representative ethnic strata in order to conquer the last remaining market segments. NASCAR needs and wants very badly to broaden the support/fan base among Hispanics and African-Americans. As we know, when NASCAR puts their mind to it, they get things done. Unlike Fittipaldi, Jourdain is going to have the full support of NASCAR. They will ensure (imho) that everyone treats him just like every other "good ol boy" right down to the drafting. Even though leaving him out of the late-race draft hookups would be true to the "paying your dues" aspect, it ain't gonna happen in this case. Just remember that a "Yankee" was never going to be successful in NASCAR and that was the case (Pete Hamilton excepted) right up until NASCAR wanted to move North - Alan Kulwicki took full advantage of finally being able to be one of the "ol boys" and his talent took care of the rest. As far as Jourdain going to a lesser series from the "purist" standpoint he would have to be an idiot to turn his nose up at the chance to drive full-time, competitively AND make mega-gleeks in the process. To paraphrase Ross Perot: That 'sucking sound' you hear is the best talent in North American open wheel racing going to NASCAR. |
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__________________
"He's still a young guy and I always think, slightly morbidly, the last thing you learn is how to die and at the end of the day everybody learns every single day." - The Ever-Cheerfull Ron Dennis on Lewis Hamilton. |
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6 Jan 2005, 01:48 (Ref:1194197)
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#17 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,301
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I wish Jordain good luck. I don't see this as the end of Mexico for Champ Car. Jordain has been lackluster IMO except the 2003 season, yes a nice guy, but I have never viewed him as a stellar performer. And let's not forget about Dominguez. He could be a bright Mexican star should he break through and I think he's on the verge.
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__________________
A good friend will come bail you out of jail. A true freind will be sitting next to you saying "Damn...that was fun!" |
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6 Jan 2005, 04:38 (Ref:1194227)
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Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 8,963
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Quote:
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6 Jan 2005, 05:48 (Ref:1194252)
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#19 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 5,702
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Quote:
Hardly. A handy pedaller - but certainly not the best talent in North American open wheel racing. Who else was there? Ummmm, Christian Fittipaldi. Mediocre at best in Champ Cars. What's he doing now anyways? Casey Mears? Pretty useless in a Champ Car actually. So I'm presuming that Allmendinger, Bourdais, Justin Wilson, Tracy, Hornish, Castroneves etc. have all signed deals for NASCAR that will be announced shortly? The only sucking sound I hear is the vacuum cleaner that the cleaner is using in the next room. |
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6 Jan 2005, 05:51 (Ref:1194254)
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Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 8,125
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Quote:
He's F1-bound come 2006. |
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__________________
Don't make a fuss, just get on the bus! |
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6 Jan 2005, 05:53 (Ref:1194257)
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#21 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 390
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In one season we'll find out if he's F1 bound or bound to an F1 backmarker.
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6 Jan 2005, 11:31 (Ref:1194413)
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#22 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 5,073
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mac - you are going a bit far with my post. I am not saying that Jourdain is a stellar talent, not that those you mentioned are soon to sign either.
Facts are facts though. Most of the best young talent in open wheel (and I include USAC sprints, 3/4 midgets etc here) is going to NASCAR. Tim Richmond (former Rookie of the Year at The 500), Jeff Gordon, and a number of brighter and lesser lights have made their way to NASCAR and will continue to do so. The reality is here that the best drivers will go where the drives are. NASCAR has the largest number of hassle-free (by that I mean the driver doesn't have to bring $$) in North America. That pool of drivers will allow them to expand their market to the detriment of the IRL and OWRS. |
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__________________
"He's still a young guy and I always think, slightly morbidly, the last thing you learn is how to die and at the end of the day everybody learns every single day." - The Ever-Cheerfull Ron Dennis on Lewis Hamilton. |
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6 Jan 2005, 12:00 (Ref:1194438)
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#23 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,419
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Quote:
I have to say that you are stereotyping NASCAR a bit hard there, Tim. Take Jimmy Vasser in the 2003 Busch race at Daytona, for example - he did a stellar job, was near the front the whole race and had a solid top finish in the bag until he got taken out in an accident (and please, everyone, don't try to tell me the driver who tapped Vasser into his spin took him out 'because' he was a Champ Car driver - yes, I actually heard people suggest that back in 2003). Or how about Tony Stewart? I'd have to say he's done quite good since coming over from the open-wheel ranks (17 Cup victories, 2002 Cup Champion). Or perhaps IndyCar drivers are more "accepted" than Champ Car ones?   Also, drafting only really matters at two places - Daytona and Talladega. Speaking of drafting, considering the russian roulette restrictor plate racing is these days it's not just "outsiders" coming in that have trouble finding drafting partners - it goes for every newcomer since the veterans won't know how good they are in the draft with 20-odd cars tightly packed close around them. The Cup cars aren't nearly as stable as, for example, the IRL cars, and the tiniest tap in a RP race can trigger a 30-car pile-up faster than it takes for you to blink. Much can be said about Christian Fittipaldi, but the simple fact is that he never managed to adjust himself properly to stock cars. Of course it didn't do him much good driving for Petty Enterprises either, seeing as they haven't been anywhere near their former glory for the past 20 years or so. I also think Fittipaldi should have done like Tony Stewart - a full season in the Busch Series would have helped prepare him a lot better before stepping up to the Cup series. I reckon he felt he didn't "need" that though, and as such he paid the price. I mean, most of the former open-wheel drivers that are top Cup drivers these days did some form of ladder series before going to Cup - Jeff Gordon did two full years in the Busch Series and Ryan Newman did a full year that consisted mainly of Busch and ARCA races (and a few Cup races), just to make two additional examples other than the already mentioned Tony Stewart. I think the value of such "ladder-racing" is underestimated by quite a few 'outsiders' looking towards NASCAR - I guess they forget that even the Craftsman Truck Series is almost bigger than both Champ Car and IndyCar combined these days, and that the Busch Series has a massive following and regularly sees top Cup drivers race there. Moving on... While Fittipaldi had a miserable time, it's not quite as bad for Casey Mears - his 2003 rookie season was bad, yes, but 2004 saw a lot of improvement as he scored two poles and nine top-10 finishes (as opposed to zero in both categories for 2003). Had not Ganassi been in somewhat of a slump, he would probably have fared better, and I'm positive he'll improve even more come the 2005 season. Robby Gordon, on the other hand... Well, he's a different chapter altogether. He has skill, obviously, but he tends to be over-aggressive (something quite a few fans appreciated when he "stole" a win away from Jeff Gordon at New Hampshire, of course ). For some reason it seems he, somewhat similar to Fittipaldi, hasn't been able to fully, fully adjust to stock car racing either - and it's not for a lack of trying, considering he made his first Cup start all the way back in 1991. On the other hand, he hasn't had that "golden opportunity" either, really - while Richard Childress Racing obviously still is one of the top-teams, RCR is in a slump, and the second RCR car that Robby was driving up until this year has never seen the same success as the #3/#29 did. Then again, Robby Gordon managed something no-one else had managed in the #31 RCR car - bring it to victory lane (a total of three times - twice on the road courses and once on an oval).I certainly have to agree that IROC is a bit heavy on the stock car drivers helping each other though - but that is a completely different playground. In a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race, it's every man for himself (or every team, if you like). As for Jourdain, PPC Racing is a championship-winning veteran team, and as long as Jourdain can adapt to the heavier cars and the much different driving style needed, I think he has every chance to do well. Of course, don't expect him to get a lot of drafting partners come Daytona - restrictor plate respect is nothing you are given, it's something you earn. Hmm, yeah... I think I'm done now - get me fired up about stock car racing (which remains my 'first love' in auto racing, despite all it's current faults) and I have hard time stopping
Last edited by rustyfan; 6 Jan 2005 at 12:02. |
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6 Jan 2005, 12:47 (Ref:1194465)
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#24 | |
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Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 2,983
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Some have said here that Christian Fittipaldi was a failure in NASCAR. IMO, he never had a decent chance to succeed in NASCAR. He was never promised a full season ride and it came and went weekly with Petty Enterprises. He didn't get much testing in those cars. The Petty car he drove hasn't been at the front of a NASCAR pack since Richard was driving.
So Jourdain, with both feet on the ground and a full-season Busch deal supposedly in his pocket, is apparently following the path of a Jeff Gordon or a Tony Stewart. The difference is that Gordon and Stewart came from open-wheel short tracks and Jourdain comes from a road racing background. Will he be like a Boris Said or Ron Fellows when the series gets to the road courses and at the same time learn the ovals in a stock car? Time will tell. |
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6 Jan 2005, 14:07 (Ref:1194504)
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#25 | |||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,215
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Quote:
Diaz was in Chip Ganassi's Grand Am stable last year driving the second Riley DP entry they had.... I assume that he will retain one of those seats for this season as well, but I haven't seen any announcements of thier driver lineups.... |
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Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
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