CART vs. USAC---->OWRS vs. IRL - The official writeup

[jjspierx]

Ok, well I mentioned in another thread after I posted my website, that I was about to update it, well I have. About every 2 weeks or month I add an editorial column to my site so it always has something new, even if I don't have any new racing news to report. Well I decided I would just write some of my thoughts on the Bankruptcy proceedings for CART's assets, but it turned into something else entirely(as things usually do when I write). It ended up being the entire history of the feud that has existed in open wheel racing, dating back to before CART was even formed. Most of the knowledge I already knew, but I did some research to get the facts straight and to get the dates correct. Its quite lengthy, but it should only take maybe 10-15 minutes to read through. Most of it is simply straight up facts, but towards the end it becomes an editorial with my thoughts and opinions. Anyways, let me know what you guys think, I didn't sleep last night(quite literally)writing that, and doing other updates to my website. I can already see sloppy mistakes that I made at 6:00am this morning, but I'm at work so I can't fix them. Anyways, I'm rambling again. Heres the url's
www.jeremyspiering.com - main site
www.jeremyspiering.com/column.html - OWRS vs. IRL article.

[rustyfan]

Good article and a lot more objective than I had expected it to be

Just to comment about one thing towards the end of it though, regarding the IRL most likely never doing more than four non-oval races in the future; Keep in mind that during the first four years of CART, 1979 through 1982, the schedule had a mere three non-oval races (and just one in 1979). Not until its fifth year did the number rise to six non-oval events.

Personally I think that a similar development could be possible with the IRL, once the IRL establishes a working road course racing ground to stand on and people start to get interested in it. Then I don't see how TG could keep from adding more to the schedule (shouldn't, for example, be hard for a road course to pull more people than Pikes Peak, a track I wouldn't miss if it was dropped off the IRL schedule).

[GP Racer]

Very good editorial and article.

I'm old enough to remember the USAC days, and the commotion that was caused by the break-away CART guys. They were the bad guys then. I look back and wonder how it went from just being popular, USAC, to being huge, CART, to being out of business. But I understand why TG went out on his own. The Indy 500 and the IMS are his life, and he saw that men like Craig were going to marginalize it's importance. I can't blame him for protecting his business. It was extremely stupid for Craig to say "Indy is not sacrosanct". What would you or anybody do, if you saw your lively-hood threatened?

I guess I have to somehow root for both of these series now. It looks like a merger is about impossible in the forseeable future. I don't really believe there are enough sponsors, teams, quality drivers(CARTS field is very mediocreIMHO)and most importantly, fans that care, to go around for everyone. And NASCAR is eating the carcass of what is left of open wheel. That trend will continue. CART in America, is really hurting. If you notice, most pro-CART guys are Canadian. Only a few Americans seem to have any passion for the series anymore. I'm afraid that the international aspect of CART will continue, further alienating there fan base here at home.

I've rambled enough, great stuff jj, keep it coming!

[MLM]

No,you didn't ramble on....you've made some good points (in fact, I've been nodding my head at quite a few things you've said this past week ).

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by MLM
No,you didn't ramble on....you've made some good points (in fact, I've been nodding my head at quite a few things you've said this past week ).

Thanks MLM. Your support is most welcome. I often feel like the guy who's shouting FIRE!, but nobody hears me!

I wish I could be out there with the majority on this and feel good about the outcome, but I have some huge doubts about the future and where its heading. God, both series are barely able to scrape up 18 cars each! Pathetic...

I havn't seen you posting much since the decision, so my feeling is you have some doubts to... This is a good place to air them, you should visit more often, and don't worry, I won't tell the guys in the other forum your here!

[MLM]

Originally posted by GP Racer
Thanks MLM. Your support is most welcome. I often feel like the guy who's shouting FIRE!, but nobody hears me!

I wish I could be out there with the majority on this and feel good about the outcome, but I have some huge doubts about the future and where its heading. God, both series are barely able to scrape up 18 cars each! Pathetic...

I havn't seen you posting much since the decision, so my feeling is you have some doubts to... This is a good place to air them, you should visit more often, and don't worry, I won't tell the guys in the other forum your here!

I should be jumping for joy but I'm not. I wanted this split/feud to end, too. I hope everything works out but my gut feeling isn't good about this in the long run. I hope I snap out of this feeling because I've been a CART supporter for a LONG TIME and I don't like feeling this way

I won't go into why I'm so disillusioned right now...at least, not here. I'll PM you about it sometime, if that's OK.

[GP Racer]

Absolutely MLM, I'll look forward to it!

[Testure]

Originally posted by GP Racer
If you notice, most pro-CART guys are Canadian.

Well, if that worries you, consider this - the IRL has a similar problem! In fact, this forum sees much more interest from Europe than from the US. Almost none from Canada or Mexico. Take a look at the replies to my thread asking about attending races.

I've rambled enough

Sheesh, you talk like you've something better to be doing

great stuff jj, keep it coming!

Absolutely, sterling stuff. The history of US motorsports is both fascinating and bizarre, isn't it? I guess the IMS is a legacy that doesn't really have an equivalent anywhere else, so the sporting landscape is unique in the US. From my perspective, it's perplexing that a track owner should try to dictate terms to a racing series. From yours - the track is more important than the series/teams/drivers. Good read, Jeremy, thanks for sharing...

[jj2728]

good article, very well written and thought out and,i thought, objective....i agree that until there is one single top level open wheel racing series in north america, that the fan base will continue to be diluted.....

[MLM]

Originally posted by GP Racer
Absolutely MLM, I'll look forward to it!

I got yours and replied to it
I feel like we're starting a support group for disillusioned and burned out OW fans.

BTW, good article. In fact, I'd call that more like a thesis....looks like a lot of work and research went into it (man, why couldn't papers be THAT fun to do in college!? )

[GP Racer]

JJ, I'm sorry to see that your article and editorial got such a bad reception over on the other forum.

I know you put alot of work into it, and that your target audience was meant to be them, but don't worry, its better to be your own thinker, than always towing the company line over there.

You can keep them coming here, where we'll give you our honest opinion.

[MLM]

I couldn't get that reception, either. It dealt with OWRS just as much as the IRL.
Go figure...I sure in the h*** can't

[jjspierx]

Yeah, I left work today before I got any replies on the Champcar forum, and its now 3:03am(I never sleep)and I just read the replies over there. Not that I care whether or not they liked it or ever read it, I simply posted it as information about our sport, like or not. I just find it interesting that my article was better received on the IRL forum than the Champcar forum, espcially when the last several paragraphs of my article were completely editorial and biased towards Champcar. But whatever, I guess they just want to get on with the Champcar season, I think many of them just read the title of my post and thought it was something that it wasn't.

[Testure]

JJ, if you look, I don't think anyone in the ChampCar forum actually said a bad word about the article itself, did they? I think people are just, understandably, eager to concentrate on the future. I know we can all (both camps) appreciate that view. Chin up