Haas to run 2 in IRL: Newman

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by GP Racer
But I have always found him to be abit whiny in CC

Oh I won't disagree with that

However, I believe (and this is my highly speculative and personal opinion/guess of course) Bruno might like the IRL 'climate' a bit better than the one in Champ Car one.

[Kicking-back]

I'd let his driving do the talking.

I don't care if a driver's a whiner, as long as he's good on the track.

[Down F0rce]

Jeff Simmons, Just Al Unser, Jacques Lazier, Buddy Lazier...so many drivers out there deserve a seat.

I don't like the idea of SeaBass and Junkie in the series. Junkie's not a bad driver, he does seem to be interested in running if he's raced at Indy twice but him over Jeff Simmons? Nah. SeaBass has only just recently slated the IRL. Maybe lots of money helped changed his mind.

Not impressed.

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by rustyfan
Bruno might like the IRL 'climate' a bit better than the one in Champ Car one.

I know I do! Oops, did I just say that?

I believe that his whiny attitude is probably holding him back from being a better driver though, KB. Driving at high speed, wheel-to-wheel, lap after lap, takes a pretty tough guy IMO...

[MLM]

Originally posted by GP Racer
I know I do! Oops, did I just say that?

I believe that his whiny attitude is probably holding him back from being a better driver though, KB. Driving at high speed, wheel-to-wheel, lap after lap, takes a pretty tough guy IMO...

Actually, my friend, I'm inclined to agree with Rustyfan and K-B.
Bruno has (to my knowledge) never criticzed the IRL and seemed very happy to be at Indy this year.

Also, he's won on an oval (Motegi, 2002) and has done well at Indy.
I think a change might be good for him and the atmospehere in the IRL(away from bad feelings, etc...and I won't go into THAT publically) might benefit him...IMO!

He didn't whine very much at Indy this year...if at all.
Methinks Bruno is tougher than a LOT of you give him credit for...in the right circumstances....IMO.

ps...DownForce, no offense...but your'e kidding, right!?
I'm sorry, but I STRONGLY disagree with your assessments of drivers.

[boom boom]

Funny I see so many posts with ranting about naysayers or doom and gloomers or what series is better or whose fualt it is over the state of open wheel racing the US. Yet so many people then say Bruno whines to much. He is pasionate like so many people on these forums. I agree with Kicking Back "I'd let his driving do the talking. I don't care if a driver's a whiner, as long as he's good on the track."
He may whine a little but he can drive and not to bad from time to time. Hey if he whines it usually is at the end of a race or an in car communication, in the heat of the battle. I can say this, He is very passionate about racing and winning and I think that is a very good combination. He would do well in the IRL though I would like to see him do both disiplines (more ovals or more Road courses..it does not matter.. when you could really then say they are the best drivers in the world but that does not exsist..oh well... now my rant is over).

[MLM]

I like your "rant", boom-boom
He's not well-liked among many CART fans. If he comes to the IRL, he should, IMO, be welcomed.

At least, HE didn't say "I'm never going to drive one of those cr*pwagons" like a certain Mr Tracy (let's discuss HIS whining someday, shall we? ).

Speaking of Canadians, did anyone catch what Miller said on Windtunnel....Patrick was mentioned as a possible teammate for Bruno on Haas purported IRL team.
(and CH may have to give up the CART team in favor of the IRL one. Of course, this is among what RM said tonight...take it for waht it's worth. Or not)

[Hazza]

Of course the fact that Patreek said he's leaving Indeck at the end of they year could mean anything! Patreek to Newman, or Patreek to Haas...

The plot thickens.

[MLM]

I know, Hazza...this is better than a soap opera!
Wonder who'll be next to join "the cast of characters"?

[Kicking-back]

Carpentier and Junqueira would be a strong combination.

[indycool]

Think at one point, Haas was a lock to move. Now I'm hearing that's not so sure. Stay tuned.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by indycool
Think at one point, Haas was a lock to move. Now I'm hearing that's not so sure. Stay tuned.

Just out of curiosity, do you have any idea what factors may have changed or shifted that would make the "Lock" to move "not so sure" now???

Does it involve incentive $$$ from either an engine maker like Honda not being there?? Or not as much as would be wanted to make the switch??/

Does it involve the OWRS types cutting a big incentive check to stay???

I'd be interested in knowing what kinds of factors play into these things when it comes to courting a high-profile team and owner to make a switch in Series...or to stay for that matter....


and I'd love to know what you're hearing as far as "factors" that are swaying this one way or another....

[MLM]

Guess it all depends, Tim, on Robin Miller's "latest scoop"
After last night, who knows...the Honda "ultimatum", Newman being a roadblock,etc....

[Tim Northcutt]

Was Robin going on about this on "Windtunnel" last night???

If yes, what did he have to say???

[MLM]

Let's see....

No announcement by N-H (I guess the announcement was RM making an anouncement about it ) And a lot of what RM said was stuff people have been discussing for some time
Supposedly, N. was giving H. an ultimatum about the plans for next year.
Honda is dangling BEAUCOUP bucks (and I think RM said TG was, too) and told Haas that it's either the IRL or not...H would have to give up his interest in CART.

Drivers (now this one did surprise me): Patrick and Bruno with H. in the IRL
SB and CdM with N. in OWRS.

I think I'm leaving something out, so if I did someone else could fill in the cracks (MacDonald's, perhaps? Seems to me it was sponsor related)

Stay tuned...this tale is getting more twists and turns than Erica Kane's lovelife!(on "All My Children")

[GP Racer]

I did like the ending, when Dave said to Robin, I'll bet Carl would love to come over to the IRL, and sell them some Lola chassis!

Hmmmm....

[Tim Northcutt]

Did the tone of what he said seem to indicate that Newman was saying "make your choice" while the IRL was saying "IRL Only" and Honday was saying "here's big $$$" but Haas says it 's not enough????

From waht I've just read, it sounds like Haas is still coming to IRL...

and Newman will have his own OWRS operation...

Am I missing somethin here???

Hell...if Carl wants to come over, he'll come over....he is the key principal in that partnership, correct???

[indycool]

I doubt the IRL is involved in what's going on. This is a Honda-Haas deal. The IRL couldn't say "IRL only" because it didn't to Rahal and Fernandez two years ago and it doesn't with Penske, Haas and Ganassi having various teams from Grand Am to Nextel Cup or Rahal running Danica Patrick in Atlantics.

I expect the biggest things floating through the program are McDonald's, Newman and Haas and whatever they're sorting out.

[mountainstar]

Don't be too sure about Lola wanting to do business with TOny George. Mr. Birrane was pretty teed off after getting the shaft back in 2002 from the IRL.

Newman/Haas split ownership of the team 50/50 as far as I know.

[sgw2]

NHR is 80-20 Haas according to folks I have talked with. Newman is not near as involved in the operations either.

Anyway, I think the original information has been polluted with speculations. No doubt the situation is fluid.

I doubt there is any plan to hold a press conference as some suggest, or make an announcement. But if speculation causes too much turmoil in the team - and they are going for the Championship - and the CART/OWRS fans give them too much grief, they may be forced to make one anyway.

This is just the openning round of OWRS' attempt to survive and field another year of racing. It'll be tough with Haas, Johnson Controls, the Hernandez Pons brothers split, the payment issues with smaller teams, and venues like Road America and Portland probably gone. Still I personally think they'll keep the show going in an even more watered down form. But it'll collapse sometime after Long Beach makes the all too obvious switch to IRL for 2006.

[MLM]

I've heard it's mostly Haas, also.

BTW, sgw2, who does control the sponsors? I know Newman has the salad deal with McD's but who has the say with Pacific Care?

I agree with you about the announcement. Right now, I can't see H announcing his plans or he will be "persona non grata" in the paddock(let alone with the fans! ).

You don't pull any punches, especially in the last paragraph. But, I'd rather have realism than "rose-coloured glasses" cheerleading. I mean, how much more watered down can things get?

[indycool]

Haas' sponsor seeker is a guy named Ralph Hansen and he's the guy who makes the deals. I would presume, though, that Newman controls the McDonald's money. The Pacificare deal is in concert with Eli Lilly, which is based in Indianapolis. Think that one and probably most of the others are controlled by Haas/Hansen.

By "going public" as Newman did, telling people Haas was jumping, he's pressuring Haas to make "his call." With no Newman-Haas announcement Monday or Tuesday and a supposed (by Mark C.) McDonald's announcement now "delayed until Montreal," Haas isn't buying into Newman's pressure and isn't coming out of the woodwork yet, or some pieces of this aren't done yet. Haas is holding some cards he hasn't played.....like his Lola parts distribution operation, for example.

[Russfeld]

PacifiCare is not related to Lilly. Notice Lilly moved on?

[indycool]

I said, "in concert with"....no, they're not related.

[MLM]

But wasn't there enough time or time ran out to make a deal with Lilly for 2004 because OWRS was rather late in forming?
Wasn't it like something that Lilly had to have their advertising budget in place and Haas couldn't cut a deal with them in time because of the delay in settling up the bankruptcy hearing?

indycool, what do you mean "in concert with" (I know what the term means but how is PC "in concert with" Lilly?)