France Jr. played George like a fiddle
A lot of people have speculated this over the years and France's dislike of CART was evident in many statements he made. Was it because CART was getting too strong, or was it because they were increasingly becoming a road racing company?
Is it illegal to start, or have someone else start, a competing business to divide and conquer? Absolutely not. It happens all the time, one shrewd businessman (Bill France Jr.) plays another businessman (Tony George) like a fiddle to divide and conquer a competing business. If true, it probably all sounded good to Tony George back then, he would become the Bill France Jr. of Open Wheel Racing…..what's left of it.
In hindsight, perhaps it's good. Although successful back then, CART did have its problems, many of which have been fixed as CART, now Champ Car, rebounds under new leadership. Sometimes competition is good to force companies to become better. It's the essence of the free enterprise, capitalist, market theory. The only thing holding back Champ Car and the IRL is the fact they remain two competing entities. That would be OK if there was no NASCAR, with three strong divisions of racing. But there is, and as the IRL and Champ Car fight for survival and renewed growth, NASCAR is eating their lunch.