Cheever & Red Bull Part Ways...

[Tim Northcutt]

Red Bull will not be back with Cheever next year....

Cheever also announced that to keep his team busy overthe winter, they are planning to run "multiple sports cars"...reads Grand Am to me....and that he will be one of the drivers in one of the cars...

This was reported in the Indianapolis Star this morning....

[kingfloopy]

Not a huge surprise that Red Bull would leave. Cheever's cars certainly have not been great performers the last few years and Red Bull has two F1 teams with the massive budgets that they entail. I've been waiting for a long time to hear this announcement. I think a move to Grand Am might be smart since the playing field is kept even and the budgets are more controllable. They could probably have a lot more success compared to the money spent in sports cars.

J.D.

[BootsOntheSide]

Can we realistically expect to see Eddie running a team in the IRL next year, considering this (expected) loss? Perhaps they will look to concentrate on Sportscars or race in ChampCar?

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Can we realistically expect to see Eddie running a team in the IRL next year, considering this (expected) loss? Perhaps they will look to concentrate on Sportscars or race in ChampCar?

This issue was addressed in an "IRL Notebook" in the Indy Star on monday that was titled "Cheever Undergoes Change"...you can find it by going to www.indystar.com

But the "Cliff Notes" version:

Cheever is planning on staying in the IRL, but the condensed schedule has him looking at running "multiple sportscars" (which I read as Grand Am) to keep his people on-board and focused over the long winter....

Oh....and Eddie will be one of the drivers in the sportscar program...

[drdisque]

Eddie already has a lot of money sunk into his IRL program and bailing completely would result in a huge book loss. Champcar is by no means cheap (its only slightly cheaper than the IRL) and has no Indy 500 with its accompanying huge check.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by drdisque

Eddie already has a lot of money sunk into his IRL program and bailing completely would result in a huge book loss. Champcar is by no means cheap (its only slightly cheaper than the IRL) and has no Indy 500 with its accompanying huge check.

But if you don't have a sponsor or patron to pay the bills then you'll really have a loss.

The 500 may have a big purse, but after the speedway nickels and dimes you to death for two weeks for every little expense, maybe only the winner comes way out ahead.

I think based on the numbers I have seen quoted over the past year, an irl program is running about twice the cost of champcar with a few exceptions of course.

[kingfloopy]

Money equals results and good equipment. Since Cheever's cars have not had the best results in the last few years I doubt Red Bull was putting much money into the team anyway and that the cars and equipment the team has is that good. The best thing would be to cut there losses and sell the equipment off if they can't get a good sponsor before next season begins.

J.D.

[drdisque]

the problem is nobody wants the equipment, Patrick's been trying to sell his all year.