"The" Daytona 500

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mr. Shupe @ Mar 18 2008, 12:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Speaking of the IRL, I'm looking forward to see what Indy Car racing turns into now that the "merger" has taken place...sort of. Hopefully the schedule will gradually return to what it was in the CART days, taking the few good events from the Champ Car calendar and cutting out some of the 1.5-mile ovals.
I'll be lucky enough to see the Long Beach CART finale, but I'm of the opinion that Indy should have merged to CART (if that makes any sense). But I'm with you on this, I will watch, and I think they will make it work, and I hope they take the best of both worlds to make it a unique and true open-wheel championship.

Incidentally, does anybody know what Scott Speed is up to?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mr. Shupe @ Mar 18 2008, 03:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm sure it hurts. I feel a little funny, since I was a huge CART fan up until '01 or so. However, Champ Car had no future; it's time to move on.

However, I wouldn't say "I am Indy." I see the 500's importance and place in American open-wheel racing, but I don't think it should be chained to it as was Tony's original vision. Road courses and talented, international drivers are just as much a prt of the deal as Indy.

My big issue with the Indy Car series is not just the ..... Grandson running the series in Tony George, but the cars, the safety, the tracks. The Dallara is in it's 6th season of use, which is sad and the fact that the car is very prone to get airborne with the slightest of wheel to wheel contact. NO TURBOS. The sound of the turbo going down Road America (which is still absent), or Long Beach or Cleveland was like crack. Best sound on earth, a 2.65 liter Turbo V8 at 12 thousand rpm. The IRL's saftey record is scary. Very similar to F1 in the 80's and early 90's. Back injuires, leg injuries, death to numerous drivers. Mario Andretti nearly losing his life in a crash testing for a possible comeback.

Champ Car has a subsidie program, yes, but not to the extent the IRL is involved in. Any team can claim up to 2 million a year with their revenue sharing program. Many teams adding 2-3 cars for Indy, paid for by the League. TG's own team, adding 2-3 cars at Indy.





Many CC teams are not even making the move, looking elsewhere. Rocketsport has decided against making the move and closing up shop. Forsythe Racing continuing in the Atlantics series (which did not merge). Newman/Haas/Lanigan might pull out. Paul Stoddart will not run his Minardi team in the series, opting to look towards F1 again.

The only way for the thing to live more than Honda's contract with the series is to provide races the fans want. Street, Cleveland, Road America, open wheel fans seem to not like the 1.5 miles and the short tracks, or many other ovals. Indy, Milwaukee, Michigan, and we are good. Maybe Nazereth, but that was killed off by Nascar and the IRL's lack of attendance.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Mar 18 2008, 03:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'll be lucky enough to see the Long Beach CART finale, but I'm of the opinion that Indy should have merged to CART (if that makes any sense). But I'm with you on this, I will watch, and I think they will make it work, and I hope they take the best of both worlds to make it a unique and true open-wheel championship.

Incidentally, does anybody know what Scott Speed is up to?

I hope it works, but with the leadership that is not very good, I think they will eventually fail. I was going to go to Long Beach, but decided against it, the day the IRL takeover thing came out.


Scott Speed was brought to stock car racing and ARCA and Nascar Trucks by Red Bull. His open wheel career is over, as Scott seems very happy in the big, heavy cabs.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hayden Fan @ Mar 18 2008, 02:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Back injuires, leg injuries, death to numerous drivers.

IRL deaths: Scott Brayton, Tony Renna, Paul Dana, fans killed at Charlotte (?)

CART deaths: Jeff Krosnoff, Greg Moore, Gonzalo Rodriguez, fans killed at Michigan

The IRL crippled Sam Schmidt, while CART saw Alex Zanardi lose his legs. Adrian Fernandez suffered a bad back injury at Surfer's Paradise, while Kenny Brack and Ryan Briscoe were maimed in the 1.5-mile pack-racing fashion. Emerson Fittipaldi suffered career-ending injuries at Michigan in 1996...a CART race.

However, you are right that the IRL has the edge in total injuries. I think racing primarily on ovals is to blame, along with the cars. I think the number of oval races will decrease when there is more time to work on the schedule; I'm confident Road America will be back.

As for the cars, a new rule set is supposedly due for 2010; hopefully the issues will be worked out. If the series wants to take a "green" approach, turbos would fit nicely. Turbo-charging seems to be a more economical way of getting performance out of an engine.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>The only way for the thing to live more than Honda's contract with the series is to provide races the fans want. Street, Cleveland, Road America, open wheel fans seem to not like the 1.5 miles and the short tracks, or many other ovals. Indy, Milwaukee, Michigan, and we are good. Maybe Nazereth, but that was killed off by Nascar and the IRL's lack of attendance.

If the fans wanted street races, then why did Champ Car steer away from the "urban festival of speed" strategy?

I agree with you on the 1.5 mile cookie cutters too (Texas ). Those things are scary the way they allow the cars to reach high speeds yet bunch them together. They also need to ditch the high-drag, draft-lottery racing too; OW pack racing is ridiculous.

In the end, I'm going to give it a chance. The reconciliation, in true AOWR fashion, was a mess. And the IRL cars are a little dubious. However, I'm tired of the hate and the politics. I want to see Indy Car racing return to what it should be. Hopefully this thing will get straightened out after a few years; this year and next are probably going to be a little screwy.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mr. Shupe @ Mar 18 2008, 04:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I agree with you on the 1.5 mile cookie cutters too (Texas ). Those things are scary the way they allow the cars to reach high speeds yet bunch them together. They also need to ditch the high-drag, draft-lottery racing too; OW pack racing is ridiculous.

In the end, I'm going to give it a chance. The reconciliation, in true AOWR fashion, was a mess. And the IRL cars are a little dubious. However, I'm tired of the hate and the politics. I want to see Indy Car racing return to what it should be. Hopefully this thing will get straightened out after a few years; this year and next are probably going to be a little screwy.

IRL needs to steer far from this track. The attendance is decent, but that is like Daytona to Nascar. Pack racing with open wheels at 220mph is a very bad idea.

I'll giuve Detroit a chance. I probably will watch a few races, but with many of my favorite courses gone in Toronto, Road America, and Cleveland, they will have to do a hell of alot of work to win me over.

Still think bringing in someone other than Tony George to lead will be better for the series. Let him run Indy, and leave the rest to someone else. Only if Dan Gurney was 20 years younger.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hayden Fan @ Mar 18 2008, 03:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Still think bringing in someone other than Tony George to lead will be better for the series. Let him run Indy, and leave the rest to someone else. Only if Dan Gurney was 20 years younger.

I'm holding out hope that some of the smart people involved will steer him in the right direction (e.g. Tony Cotman, Roger Penske). I would love to see Mario run things; However, there could be a potential conflict of interest with AGR and Marco on the track.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mr. Shupe @ Mar 18 2008, 05:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm holding out hope that some of the smart people involved will steer him in the right direction (e.g. Tony Cotman, Roger Penske). I would love to see Mario run things; However, there could be a potential conflict of interest with AGR and Marco on the track.

Ed Carpenter runs for Tony George's Vision Racing, and Ed is Tony's step kid. And Ed still sucks on the track.