Kyle Petty talks to Tracy

macdaddy · 15 Jul 2002, 07:52 (Ref:334042)

Kyle Petty flew to Cleveland to have a talk with Tracy. With all of the rumours regarding Team Green and the IRL, Paul has publicly stated that he'd leave the team and drive NASCAR. Well, obviously Kyle wants to have a piece of that pie.

Jordi · 15 Jul 2002, 16:49 (Ref:334344)

Tracy driving for Petty....? That would be KOOL!

Liz · 15 Jul 2002, 16:51 (Ref:334347)

That would be SCARY.

And Ron Fellows would cry himself to sleep if Our Paul got his drive.

Jay · 15 Jul 2002, 17:06 (Ref:334363)

I don't think that'll happen... I imagine Kyle is just inquiring in case Team Green would make the jump to IRL, which I highly doubt. If it did happen the entire team including Barry Green would be grovelling at every race. I know Dario and Paul would try and get out ASAP.

macdaddy · 15 Jul 2002, 17:07 (Ref:334365)

During the Cleveland broadcast, Varsha mentioned that Tracy is currently driving without a contract. What's the story there, does anybody know?

rollhoop · 15 Jul 2002, 18:31 (Ref:334418)

If Green goes to the IRL, I think PT will go NASCAR.

Jordi · 15 Jul 2002, 21:16 (Ref:334516)

I just hope Green stays in CART... After all, the only championship he has was conquered with a Ford and a Canadian driver...

SevenGrain · 15 Jul 2002, 21:19 (Ref:334517)

Quote:

Originally posted by macdaddy
During the Cleveland broadcast, Varsha mentioned that Tracy is currently driving without a contract. What's the story there, does anybody know?

Tracy signed with Green for five years back in 2000. He signed to drive in CART, that is...

Should Team Green defect to the IRL, Paul's contract is void. What Tracy is looking for right now is a committment from KOOL and from Barry Green as to what the 2003 plans are. Tracy wants to know so that he can start looking for a ride if Green goes to the IRL.

I personally feel that a NASCAR ride with Petty Enterprises is not that tempting. Why be field-filler in Winston Cup when you could be winning in CART or the IRL? If Paul jumps to NASCAR, he'd better look for a decent ride...

JohnSSC · 15 Jul 2002, 23:20 (Ref:334605)

As far as racing for Petty, just ask John Andretti about the "success" he has had with them.

Now that TG has gone and provided Barry Green the same sort of sexual experience that one generally has to go to prison to enjoy, I think that it is highly unlikely that he will go IRL. I am not a big Paul Tracy fan at all, but I would much rather see him (and Dario) remain in CART before they go to NASCAR (or as I like to refer to it: "WWF on Wheels").

Flatspot · 16 Jul 2002, 03:44 (Ref:334677)

I just can't take Tracy's comment about stock cars too seriously. He is a good bet for any other team in CART if Green leaves. To me, his comment about going to stock cars in lieu of the IRL is nothing more than to spit in Tony George's eye. Good on you Paul!

f1manoz · 16 Jul 2002, 07:43 (Ref:334736)

I get the feeling Tracy is not a fan of oval racing, so why he go to NASCAR where all they do is race on ovals??? (I know they race on a road-course or two as well

)

enemy-ace · 16 Jul 2002, 10:54 (Ref:334846)

If Team Green goes to the IRL look for Tracy to sign with Forsythe. However if a Nascar team did however manage to sign Tracy, it would certainly broaden the series appeal north of the border.

Liz · 16 Jul 2002, 11:30 (Ref:334883)

I think the "spit in TG's eye" comment is probably the one right on the money. (as it were). I would guess that Barry Green is explaining to Brown & Williamson that being in the Invisible Racing League without their star drivers would be less than desirable and perhaps they'll stick with Champ Cars for the two years the Nannies have left them.

I hope so anyway.

SevenGrain · 16 Jul 2002, 11:41 (Ref:334897)

It's no secret that Player's wants Tracy and Forsythe is now among the teams said to be expanding the three cars along with Rahal and Newman Haas.

Personally, I feel that TKG will stay put in CART. It makes the most sence.

Emfa · 16 Jul 2002, 18:02 (Ref:335158)

Let's just hope that sense prevails! (No guarantee.)

What's with all these 3 car teams (could be 5 if Forsythe join the club)? Do these guys see a bright future in this series?

TedN · 16 Jul 2002, 19:34 (Ref:335253)

Here's an article from the CART site on this very subject.

Ted
------------------

Tuesday, July 16, 2002
IT MUST BE SILLY SEASON
by John Oreovicz

Get set for one of the wildest silly seasons in years in American open-wheel racing.

CART and the rival Indy Racing League are competing for drivers and teams, and a number of top-line CART drivers are at the end of their contracts and are looking for new deals-�*including Dario Franchitti, Paul Tracy, Michael Andretti and Patrick Carpentier.

To a man, they all want to stay in CART, because they like the challenge of high-tech, turbocharged cars racing on a variety of ovals and road and street courses. Another point in CART¹s favor heading into 2003 is lower costs. With Cosworth engine deals at $1.125-million per season and the introduction of the $1.5-million Entrant Support Program, CART's 20-race international schedule will provide excellent value for continuing, as well as new sponsors.

None of the three drivers who finished on the podium at last weekend's Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland have finalized their future plans, but making the post-race press conference meant they got grilled about it. As usual, Tracy was the most candid and frank.

"I want to be in CART," Tracy said. "I've stated that all along since the beginning of the year. If I'm going to go oval racing, I'll go to NASCAR because it's prosperous. The IRL is not prosperous. It's the Indy 500 and a bunch of poorly-attended events, other than the ones that have NASCAR season-ticket deals."

Tracy continued: "Barry Green basically told me he doesn't know what's going on. I'm pretty much open right now to talk to anybody. I've been putting that off, giving Barry the opportunity to put the program together because my loyalty is to Team KOOL Green. But the clock is ticking now. The next couple or three weeks is the time you move."

Green has made no secret of the fact that he has prepared an IRL budget to present to KOOL the last few years. KOOL has stuck with CART, and Tracy hopes that trend continues, but Green is being strongly courted by Honda to move with them to the IRL.

"We're working very hard to keep 80 employees working in motor racing in very tough economic times," remarked Team Green General Manager Kim Green.

As one of CART's most prominent stars, Tracy has other options. He is in the frame for a ride at an expanded Player's/Forsythe Racing or with a satellite Newman/Haas Racing car associated with Mario Andretti.

Forsythe said at Cleveland that he is interested in expanding from two cars next year, and there is no doubt that Player's would be thrilled to add another Canadian driver, especially since Cleveland winner Patrick Carpentier hinted that he might not wait around for Player's to extend him a contract extension.

"I'd rather run three or four cars in CART than do anything else in Formula 1," said Forsythe, who has a minority interest in the BAR team but denied he was behind an effort to purchase the Arrows team. "We're looking at that and evaluating the idea. If the opportunity presented itself, we would do it."

After Sunday's impressive victory at Cleveland, Carpentier directly addressed the rumors about his future.

"If I wanted to, I think I could be signed within the next two weeks-�*but maybe not with Player's," Patrick said. "If they come forward by the time I'm ready to make my decision, then I'll look at it and go forward. I think I'm going to be gone by Montreal (August 25) if I don't get an offer by then. I'd love to come back because it's like a family to me. I love those guys and I think they deserve to win more and they should. They spend a lot of money on the team.

"I feel I'm at a crossroads in my life and the decisions I'm going to make in the next few weeks are important," he added. "Player's is going to decide what happens for the next few years. I understand the team has a lot of decisions they have to make. By waiting, it's a chance they take and a chance that I take. We'll see how it turns out at the end. Right now I'd say the chance that I am leaving Player's is 50-50."

Tracy's Canadian heritage makes him the logical choice to replace Carpentier if he leaves, but the Andretti-Newman/Haas possibility is also intriguing. Dario Franchitti is the other driver mentioned for the potential Andretti seat, though he said at Cleveland that he will listen carefully to what Barry Green has to offer if Green decides to jump ship to the IRL with engine supplier Honda.

"It's the same as everybody for me--I don't know what's happening," Franchitti remarked. "My number one option is here. I very much enjoy driving in CART. At the same time, the technical partnership with Honda has been very good for me. But I'm a road racer and this is where I want to be next year. I like the variety and the challenge."

Mario Andretti wasn't at Cleveland (he was on a promotional trip), but he commented on the situation Monday morning.

"We're definitely trying to go in that direction," Andretti said. "Now we'll see if anybody steps up. We have a couple of potential sponsor candidates, and one in particular looks good for 2004, but we¹re trying to move it ahead. If we can put it together, we will. Certainly we have the support within the team. Everybody seems very enthusiastic about the idea."

"We've been working on it for a long time and I'm sure there will be an Andretti association with Newman/Haas," remarked the team¹s commercial director, Ralph Hansen. "We've still got some work to do but I'm confident it will happen."

Added team owner Carl Haas: "It's not put together yet, but it looks promising. Mario wants to make it happen and we're very excited about it. It'll be very good for CART."

The biggest rumors have surrounded Mario's son Michael, who has been linked to a Honda factory team in the IRL. If Michael does switch series, it's unlikely to be a happy family holiday season in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

"I have a lot of balls in the air right now," Michael commented. "We'll have to see what comes down. There are some things that can happen pretty quickly, and there are some things that may take a little while. There is no plan at the moment. Everybody can put out whatever rumor they want because that's all they are--rumors.

"The IRL has its act together and seem to be getting better," Andretti added. "I will see if the IRL has an offer and look at it. But having said that, my heart belongs to CART."

crazytrain · 17 Jul 2002, 02:16 (Ref:335472)

I'm not sure where all this talk about Tracy going to Petty Enterprises came from. Tracy admitted to a Toronto Newspaper during the Toronto race that Richard Childress has been trying to get Tracy to test a Winston cup car for about a year now but Tracy has been saying thanks but no thanks right now. If he's offered a ride from RCR it could be very interesting!

MolsonBoy · 17 Jul 2002, 03:48 (Ref:335481)

Plus Tracy said that a NASCAR team has been calling him every year for the last couple years. Each time he says no. Other than having no contract currently, really it is nothing new for him.

macdaddy · 17 Jul 2002, 06:04 (Ref:335512)

All I said was, "Kyle Petty flew to Cleveland to have a talk with Tracy". Maybe it was for golf, I don't know. Odds are he was just there to offer him a test should Tracy choose to do so. Personally, I see it unlikely that he switch to NASCAR. Especially after reading that article. But alot of things have happened lately that I had thought to be "unlikely". It would be a great thing for NASCAR, though, as I'm sure that it would peak Canadian interest. Especially if he were successful.

gaines · 17 Jul 2002, 21:27 (Ref:336030)

If Petty was smart he was talking to Paul about joining him on the Charity Ride he takes across the country every year. We all know Paul loves bikes and if Petty can turn his Junction Hill Gang Charity into one that goes beyond NASCAR and into CART he could turn his charity into one that reaches across North America with a Canadian fanbase that loves Paul. Petty needs a winner to drive for him in NASCAR but I just can't see him going to open wheel racing to get one. NASCAR has a whole lot of good young drivers who specialize in turning left on their way up. Paul would be great in NASCAR but he doesn't like politics and he speaks his mind. He'd just be added to the list of multi-talented drivers NASCAR tries to call trouble makers(Stewart, Harvick, R. Gordon, etc.)

Paul needs to stay with CART and I for one want to see him win another title before he hangs it up. I also wish CART could pay it's drivers a little more cash so Da Matta wouldn't be in F1 very soon. I'm sick of losing all of our good talent to F1, IRL, NASCAR, etc. After CART gets built back up they need to find a way to pay these guys more dough.

Flatspot · 17 Jul 2002, 21:41 (Ref:336047)

OK, bear with me on this...go outside of the box... could Petty Enterprises be eyeing CART?

mac · 18 Jul 2002, 00:06 (Ref:336147)

If Tracy isn't at Green next year, he'll be at Player's. They're probably expanding to a 3-car team, and there's only a 50-50 chance that Carpentier will be back there next year.

gaines · 18 Jul 2002, 11:24 (Ref:336413)

Quote:

OK, bear with me on this...go outside of the box... could Petty Enterprises be eyeing CART?

Petty needs to get their NASCAR team back to winning before they worry about any other series. Unless John Andretti is ready to go back to open wheel I don't think Petty is even thinking about CART.

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