Robin Miller: Merger for IRL, Champ Car?
01-26-2008, 02:37 PM
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Robin Miller: Merger for IRL, Champ Car?
01-26-2008, 02:59 PM
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Where have I heard this before?
They're slowing committing suicide if they don't do this quickly.
They're slowing committing suicide if they don't do this quickly.
01-27-2008, 01:44 PM
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If in fact Mr George is offering free engines and free chassis, I would suggest that we quickly form a "Rennlist Champ Car Ownership/Team" and ask Mr George to send the free equipment ASAP.
01-28-2008, 11:02 AM
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I watched his commetnary last night and he didn't mention what would happen to the Houston Grand Prix. If this deal goes through and we lose our Grand Prix it's gonna suck.
01-28-2008, 11:40 AM
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These two series need to unite and if because of than there's a a race or two that are "lost", it's well worth it.
These series need at least couple Monaco type of glamour races in places where there's beautiful backdrop, plenty of people etc.
GP of Miami back in the day was awesome and exactly that but even if they never raced here, I'd much rather see these two series unite.
However... I have a BIG issue with everyone running the same car.
I've seen Porsche supercup races and love Porsches but watching 25 same cars, only in different colors to run is not that interesting after a while...
There needs to be competition, creativity, innovation and development in a real, succesful series and everyne driving the same car doesn't have that.
01-28-2008, 11:48 AM
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The Indy 500 used to be a display of innovation and creativity, now it's just another spec race on an oval.
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01-28-2008, 12:22 PM
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01-28-2008, 01:32 PM
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Nope:
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../1052/SPORTS01
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../1052/SPORTS01
George scraps offer to help merge series
IRL owner would have helped Champ Car teams pay for the cars to join his racing series
By Curt Cavin
curt.cavin@indystar.com
January 28, 2008
The window of opportunity has closed for Champ Car World Series teams to receive Tony George's financial assistance to join the Indy Racing League for 2008, George said Sunday.
George, the IRL's chief executive officer, said that in meetings last fall with Champ Car's leadership, he offered to help its teams pay for IRL cars on the condition they participated in his series for at least two seasons. When none came forward in a timely manner, George chose to scrap his plan.
"Teams started coming to me in December and January, and there's not much I can do at that point," George said. "I needed to know earlier so we could get the cars ordered."
Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven said George never formally made an offer to either him or partner Jerry Forsythe.
"I never, ever saw an offer from Tony George," Kalkhoven said. "We never received anything in writing."
Champ Car's machines are different from the IRL's and not able to be integrated. George said the two-year stipulation was made because the IRL will introduce new cars for the 2010 season.
"For me to make the investment, it makes sense to do it for two years, not one," George said.
George said his offer came "back when there was time to do it for '08."
The IRL season begins March 29 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Champ Car's season is scheduled to open April 20 in Long Beach, Calif.
There have been two open-wheel series since George founded the IRL in 1996. Both are based in Indianapolis.
George said he told Kalkhoven and Forsythe in separate meetings that he would help teams acquire a new car and a used one as a backup for each full-season driver supported by a proper budget. He would not have bought the cars outright.
"I wasn't going to wholesale make that offer," George said. "I would make sure they had equipment; it would not necessarily be free."
Forsythe could not be reached for comment. Kalkhoven insisted he hasn't spoken with George "in nine months."
George said he made it clear the IRL would be the sanctioning body in a unified series. He offered to include several of the events that Kalkhoven and Forsythe own, such as the Long Beach (Calif.) Grand Prix, in future IRL schedules.
"I tried to get all those guys to consider not having ownership in the series; rather, they should make their other racing-related businesses a more profitable part of a unified series," George said. "I told them, 'Let us own and operate the series, and we'll make sure everyone is able to transition into equipment for the remainder useful life of the equipment.' "
IRL owner would have helped Champ Car teams pay for the cars to join his racing series
By Curt Cavin
curt.cavin@indystar.com
January 28, 2008
The window of opportunity has closed for Champ Car World Series teams to receive Tony George's financial assistance to join the Indy Racing League for 2008, George said Sunday.
George, the IRL's chief executive officer, said that in meetings last fall with Champ Car's leadership, he offered to help its teams pay for IRL cars on the condition they participated in his series for at least two seasons. When none came forward in a timely manner, George chose to scrap his plan.
"Teams started coming to me in December and January, and there's not much I can do at that point," George said. "I needed to know earlier so we could get the cars ordered."
Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven said George never formally made an offer to either him or partner Jerry Forsythe.
"I never, ever saw an offer from Tony George," Kalkhoven said. "We never received anything in writing."
Champ Car's machines are different from the IRL's and not able to be integrated. George said the two-year stipulation was made because the IRL will introduce new cars for the 2010 season.
"For me to make the investment, it makes sense to do it for two years, not one," George said.
George said his offer came "back when there was time to do it for '08."
The IRL season begins March 29 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Champ Car's season is scheduled to open April 20 in Long Beach, Calif.
There have been two open-wheel series since George founded the IRL in 1996. Both are based in Indianapolis.
George said he told Kalkhoven and Forsythe in separate meetings that he would help teams acquire a new car and a used one as a backup for each full-season driver supported by a proper budget. He would not have bought the cars outright.
"I wasn't going to wholesale make that offer," George said. "I would make sure they had equipment; it would not necessarily be free."
Forsythe could not be reached for comment. Kalkhoven insisted he hasn't spoken with George "in nine months."
George said he made it clear the IRL would be the sanctioning body in a unified series. He offered to include several of the events that Kalkhoven and Forsythe own, such as the Long Beach (Calif.) Grand Prix, in future IRL schedules.
"I tried to get all those guys to consider not having ownership in the series; rather, they should make their other racing-related businesses a more profitable part of a unified series," George said. "I told them, 'Let us own and operate the series, and we'll make sure everyone is able to transition into equipment for the remainder useful life of the equipment.' "
01-28-2008, 02:36 PM
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I hear you Flying Finn. It's amazing that St. Petersburg has a race and Miami doesn't. Let's take theirs away and give it to you but keep'em coming to Houston.
01-28-2008, 03:29 PM
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Seriously though, rase in St. Pete provides pretty good backdrop. It ain't Miami but still.
Imagine the racin in early March in downtown Miami with yachts and babes floating around when people up north are still plowing snow...
Succelful racing series isn't all about racing, there's so much more (some times unfortunately) to it.
01-28-2008, 03:39 PM
#12
It really pains me to say this as I think Tony George is the anti-christ, but if he really did make the offer to the champcar owners why would they not jump on it? Champcar is a shell of what if once was ( the best open wheel racing going) and it seems just a matter of time before it is dead. Their tv schedule this year is a joke, their teams and drivers have no recognition. Absent owning some good events like Long Beach, what do they have left? Unless Champcar is going to offer heavy subsidies, why stay? So sad that open wheel racing is so dis-functional while NASCAR just gets stronger.
01-28-2008, 04:53 PM
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So do we! Buuuut, who's gonna pay for it?
Sadly, open wheel budgets are fractions of what they were pre-Sept 11. Competing equipment costs cubic dollars for the manufacturers and of course it trickles down to the customer.
So, when budgets tighten-up, the drive for a one-make series becomes ever so strong. It makes sense on so many fronts, most of which is cost containment.
Do I miss the days we raced a Champ Car amongst five chassis mfg's, four engine suppliers and two tire companies? ABSOLUTELY! That was fast paced constant wind tunnel and mechanical development, tweak of the week production for us! Truly exciting -- but when the numbers were tallied at the end of the year -- as a business = no bueno -- much loss!! And we did this year after year after year.
JUST the tooling a new car costs anywhere from a million to three million dollars. Do this EVERY year to sell 6-8 chassis with a very narrow profit margin-- well, its not hard to figure out that tooling for a new car every three or four years make so much more sense. That is, provided you have the contract to do so.
I worked the Miami GP in 2003 - -loved it!! Then there was the 'jump' on the track circuit -- we sold some gearbox parts there!!