CART's current ladder
system goes from go-karts to Barber Dodge to Toyota Atlantics and then
to Champ Cars. While that ladder/path is certainly a decent
training ground, it is too out of touch with the rest of the racing
world. CART wants to get closer to F1 and play in the
international arena? Well then it had better walk the walk and
talk the talk. This article suggests exactly what the CART
ladder system needs to be.
Rung 1 (50 HP or so)
The world understands go-karts, so CART certainly has this rung of the
ladder right. No change needed, just better promotion.
Rung 2 (2.0 Liter
4-cylinder 200 HP or so)
Many people will tell you that the CART Barber Dodge Pro Series is a
good 2nd rung on the CART ladder. Wrong. The series needs
to run to 100% FIA Formula 3 specifications. If it did, the
world road racing motorsports community would immediately recognize
any driver who won the championship as a true F3 champion - i.e. it
will immediately click, "oh yeah, I know what F3 is." Ask them
what the CART Barber Dodge Series is and most will simply scratch
their heads.
The current cars are
getting a bit long on tooth. When the series officials announce
their new cars in the next couple of years, we will be shocked if they
are not 100% F3 specifications, with current engine supplier Dodge, or
any other manufacturer. It would be a mistake of monumental
proportions.
Petrobras Junior driver Antonio Pizzonia of Brazil in action
during the F3000 Championship held on September 14, 2002 in Monza,
Italy. Everything a CART Toyota Atlantic car should be
but isn't.
(Photo: M. Hewitt/Getty
Images)
Rung 3 (3.0 L V-8 450
HP or so) Many people will tell you that the CART Toyota Atlantic Series is
a good 3rd rung on the CART ladder. Wrong. Ever watch a
FIA F3000 race on SPEED TV? If you have not, you are missing
some fabulous car control and balls-out driving. The Atlantic
cars are simply not powerful enough at only 250 or so HP. The
series needs to run to 100% FIA Formula 3000 specifications. If
it did, the world road racing motorsports community would immediately
recognize any driver who won the championship as a true F3000 champion
- i.e. it will immediately click, "oh yeah, I know what F3000 is."
Ask them what the CART Toyota Atlantic Series is and most will simply
scratch their heads.
The current cars are
getting a bit long on tooth. When the series officials announce
their new cars in the next couple of years, we will be shocked if they
are not 100% F3000 specifications, with current engine supplier
Toyota, or any other manufacturer that can provide a 450 HP V-8 making
450 HP. It would be a mistake of monumental proportions.
Rung 4 (3.0 Liter V-8
750-800 HP or so)
Many people will tell you that the CART Champ Car Series is a good top
rung on the CART ladder. Wrong. The series needs to run as
close as possible to FIA Formula 1 specifications, but with technology
stripped away to control costs. If it did, the world road racing
motorsports community would immediately recognize any driver who won
the championship as a true F1 "Lite" champion - i.e. it will
immediately click, oh yeah, I know what F1 is. Ask them what a
CART Champ Car is and most will simply say it is an Indy Car...i.e. a
plug for the rival IRL series. If Bernie buys into CART as
rumored, he needs an "almost F1" series for drivers who just miss out
on F1 and for countries who want a F1 race but can not have one
because the schedule is full.
The current Champ cars are
getting a bit long on tooth and are grossly overweight. When the
series officials announce their new 2005 cars soon, we will be shocked
if they are not the same size and only slightly heavier than a F1 car,
with identical V-10 engines to their more sophisticated sister F1
series. It would be a mistake of monumental proportions.
There you have it, four
rungs on the CART ladder system, all in tune with the rest of the
world. It's about time CART stops operating on an island and
gets with the show.
P.S. See this
page for a comparison of the worlds "Formula" open wheel cars.
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