The Season's Over... Now What?

[Amar7605]

The 2004 Champ Car season was no doubt a make-or-break test for the series. And although things were not as stellar as we may have liked them to be, I think we can all agree that this season was a successful one from which OWRS can build upon.

So now that this season has come to a close, I thought that it would be interesting to see what people think about what we should all be looking for during the off-season.

Is it the addition of more drivers? It is the 05 schedule? It is a possible addition of another engine manufacturer (not necessarily in 05 or 06, but beyond that)? Maybe it's a new engine formula?

What do you all think? What should we all watch out for?:confused:

[drewdawg727]

we should all go into hibernation like bears :P

[macdaddy]

And watch the NHL season!

[Amar7605]

What NHL season, macdaddy?

[Flatspot]

The first thing that I beleive we will see are changes in the schedule. Too few races and the Silicon Valley deal is really no deal at all IMO. As far as this is concerned I would like to see Laguna Seca and Road America back on the schedule. I suspect Laguna will happen but RA = ?????????

The Ford Cosworth is going to be the only engine package next year with the possibility of a little more push to pass built in and maybe even a little less boost on the norm. It should improve the racing as it will be harder to get off the corners but easier to pas if you're on the button. There was also talk on the Mexico broadcast that Ford is stepping up their support somehow.

I wouldn't doubt another tire entry as Bridgestone is encouraging it. The idea of the option tire being the primary gives hope to the idea that they may need to compete against somebody.

da Matta back in the saddle? Yes, as long as he's in a top team but I don't think it necessarily has to be Newman-Haas.

Prediction, Walker will expand his team and be in Lolas. I don't think it will happen but maybe daMatta should be there, add Servia to the lineup and Walker could give N-H and Forsythe a run for their money.

RuSport WILL give N-H and Forsythe a run for their money.

Unfortunately, pay drivers will still be grid fillers.

Champ Car attendance will increase. TV numbers will increase. My personal attendance will increase.

Dov, pass the shades man!!!

[racinthestreets]

I agree with Flatspot on the schedule. Couple of things recently have surfaced - Vancouver not completely out yet, Silicon Valley Grand Prix not existing and Laguna Seca with an open date. I think it might be too late to have the opener in South America as it would have to come together and be ready for race in about 18 weeks.

How about Forsythe saying that his people have told him that it is cheaper to run four cars as opposed to three!

GF says:

“I’ve spoken with (vice president of operations) Neil (Micklewright) says it’s almost cheaper to run four cars than three. More than that and we would have to expand our facility in Indianapolis . . . and we’re considering that.

I wonder what NH vice president of operations is going to tell his bosses who are considering running three with DaMatta.hrug:

Tire competetion would be very good IMO. I still wonder about the earlier talks that Bridgestone wanted ar merger or else. What is else now?

The furure is definately bright.

[Snrub]

I think the biggest thing that will happen over the winter is sponsors for teams. That's the bottom line, can they get sponsors? It will shape everything. For example:
* If Forsythe is not successful getting a sponsor for PT and possibly someone else in a non-pay driving capacity, I believe RuSport will surpass them in 2005.
* CDM needs a sponsor. If NH is going to dominate again we need to see battles within the team.
* Herdez is leaving. Wiggans needs a sponsor to keep Dominguez and RHR.
* RuSport needs a sponsor for Jourdain.
* All the other smaller teams need sponsors or they will not improve releative to NH.

On track competitiveness is at stake. In that respect we moved backwards in 2005. If we're going to have good racing everyone needs to be able to be setup the cars in a somewhat similar fashion. CC needs to pull in some of the excellent drivers that are floating around and retain the ones it has now. The series needs to get to a point where drivers are paid a decent amount to drive. Otherwise we're going to see them leave or never participate.

[codename_47]

This year really reminded me of the first year of a TV series from America.

You know how it goes, a new show interests you, so you await the premier, then gradually you get used to the new characters, players and scenarios, and by the end of the year you realise that this show has become one of your favourites and you eagerly await it's return.

That's allowed it a base as it establashes itself, and when it comes back it can really blow you away, as you are "used" to it now, and you don't have to waste time working out how it works and what it's nuances are....you know it, it's familiar and it builds on that base of familiarity and becomes something unmissable!

Wow....took that one too far, but hopefully you know what I mean. Champcar has had a good, solid, entertaining first year of it's re-birth, and the only way is up from now!

[Dov]

Amar7605
The Season's Over... Now What?

"One bourbon, one scotch and one beer" - John Lee Hooker

hrug:

[indycool]

Hey, Dov, we agree on one!

Think the big teams will roll out and be stable. What'll evolve over the winter is whether Herdez, Walker, Coyne and Bachelart find money or not. Gentilozzi will hang in there with two cars even if Johnson Controls leaves and RuSport will hang in there with two cars even if Gigante leaves.

Schedule and TV are the next things to be solidified. The teamas can't sell a sponsor if they don';t know what they're selling.

[Snrub]

I'd forgotten that there were rumblings that Johnson Controls wouldn't be around in 2005. Do we have any further info on that?

I think the schedule is firm enough that team can go to sponsors and say "this is what we're doing in 2005, plus a couple of extra races that haven't been firmed up." Are sponsors going to be turned off that a car they agreed to sponsor is suddenly also going to Vancouver? I agree that TV needs to be firmed up, but it sounds like they can atleast get discssions/agreements in principle by saying there will likely be ~6 races on CBS and others on Speed or better.

[indycool]

Snrub, that's still "on the come." They're likely to be doing what they can, but say they're talking about a domestic sponsor and all the rumors about added races are non-U.S. That could change a poential domestic sponsor's view dramatically. The last Gentilozzi quote I saw (from Mexico) said at least five on network. Some have had it as high as nine at times. With no TV deal down in ink, how can a potential sponsor assess potential ROI?

[Flatspot]

With way to much of a business hat on...

I can't figure at this stage how a team can formulate a credible budget with which to approach the sponsor's. Too many SWAG's for my liking. If you are debating how many cars you can afford to run etc. it's still just too open ended.

What's been published is better than nothing but....

[Kicking-back]

And at the same time IndyCar can say "here's our schedule, here's our TV package" and people can work out what they would get as an ROI from that.

I know ChampCar is in a rebuilding stage but it is still very much on the back foot.

[stmookeyj033]

I'd say there's a good chance that Infinitum (Whatever that is) could step up for Jourdain if required.

Pay drivers are par for the course. Not too many fields of motorsport don't have them these days.

I'd expect a TV deal before Christmas, I'd be worried if nothing was done before then.

I'd hope for 16 races with 20 cars. That should be the goal at this stage for the series and it would be a downer if this doesn't happen.

Now I'm watching the cricket as we wait for further developments.

[Snrub]

How can they assess ROI? They can look at the worst case scenerio that I outlined. It's going to be harder for teams, but if they can get sponsors on board for what's currently announced then they're not going to be disappointed if things are sweetened. Again the "agreement in principle" concept means that a sponsor could commit to comming on board with the details to be finalized when everything is known. At that point they'd discuss pricing and while it might be possible for everything to fall apart, if both parties are reasonable the picture won't change dramatically, but if things change dramatically (like another season of full Spike TV coverage) a sponsor could bail.

In terms of "credible budgets", why can't they produce that? 16 +/- 1 races cost X +/- travel expenses varying upon the distance of the final couple of destinations.

Bottom line is that at the moment the teams cannot present things in the best possible light, they're able to present ~85% of the picture. Using racing as marketing is not an exact science that can be predicted with great accuracy so I don't see these issues being a complete non-starter for all potential sponsors.

[indycool]

Guess we hafta diagree on this one, Snrub.

A sponsor is not going to base its decision on what the team's expenses are, i.e., number of races and tavel expenses. A sponsor is going to to base its decision on the markets it will be in, how much it will be on TV and their OWM goals in those markets. It's not "85 percent" of the picture when television exposure potential is not known at all.

[Snrub]

indycool it's true that TV's not 100% confirmed, but do you honestly doubt that they won't pay for ~6 of the races on CBS and get the others on Speed?

[indycool]

I don't know, Snrub. And sponsors aren't going to just jump right now because they don't know either. Last quote I read from Gentilozzi was "at least five" on network. I've heard it and read rumors as high as nine at one point.