Honda notifies IRL of withdrawal
However, Barnhart said the Honda's letter was a regulatory formality and that he is optimistic Honda will extend its relationship with the IndyCar Series into 2007 and beyond. IndyCar rules require manufacturers that would like to compete in the series in 2007 to inform the series of their intentions by April 1, 2006.
"Yes, Honda has given their annual notification that they are out for 2007, but they certainly don't ask us to make that public," Barnhart commented. "We've had an awful lot of meetings with them involving the future engine specifications and policies, and they have a lot of people committed to the design and build of those specifications and a lot of resources already committed. Technically, they are not in, but on the other hand they sure seem to be putting forth a lot of effort in a way that would seem to indicate that they are going to continue."
Honda Performance Development president Robert Clarke agreed that the door remains open for the manufacturer to continue in IndyCars in 2007 and beyond — and perhaps expand into other American-based racing series.
"We've made a substantial investment in U.S. open-wheel racing over the last 12 years with CART and the IRL," Clarke said. "To just walk away from that, as Toyota is going to do, seems foolish because you lose all of that investment.
"We came to the IRL in the belief that we could make a difference and make it better," he added. "If we were to walk away too, we could do serious damage to the series, which is not what we came to do. We are awaiting the IRL future rules and an understanding of the structure of the league going forward. My feeling is that we need to stay regardless of the scenario. But that's not my decision to make." ESPN.com [Editor's Note: Here are a couple of interesting facts to think about. When Mercedes bought Ilmor in the UK a little while ago, Penske sold his shares to Mercedes that he had in Ilmor UK and in turn they sold shares to Roger Penske of Ilmor USA. Roger then bought Ilmor USA and they currently build the Honda IRL engine. So Brian Barnhart's very confident attitude comes from the fact that Roger Penske can power the whole field when/if the manufacturers leave the IRL in 2006. The only issue is that Ilmor does not have all the block and engine head casting facilities it would need.]
07/03/05 In this SPEEDTV.com article Honda's Robert Clarke now says they may be willing to stay in the IRL as the lone engine supplying, a 180-degree about face from his comments a few short weeks ago and exactly what Honda as a company is not about, i.e. no competition. In doing so the two series (IRL and Champ Car) will survive and both will be able to run each other into oblivion. If we didn't know any better we'd think it was a great plan by the France family to keep open wheel racing divided and their competition destroyed. 07/02/05 Honda has provided written notification that it will withdraw from the Indy Racing League after the 2006 season. But don't sound the alarm yet, the league's top official said Friday from Kansas Speedway. League president Brian Barnhart said Honda Performance Development, a California-based company that builds race engines for the auto manufacturer, is preparing to continue with the IRL.
Barnhart said the written notification the company provided by the Thursday deadline only highlights "a flaw" in the handbook.
The IRL asks manufacturers to submit withdraw letters 18 months before they intend to exit. But nine months later they can recommit, creating a window for making decisions. "All of the manufacturers have withdrawn 18 months before the season (at hand) only to turn around and reapply," Barnhart said. "It's something we didn't consider when we made the rule."
The difference is, Chevrolet meant it last year and Toyota officials have said the company will focus on NASCAR after its IRL contract expires next year. As for Honda, HPD's Robert Clarke said Friday his company needs more information about the IRL's 2007 rules before it makes a commitment either way. "We've got no formula to respond to yet," he said.
Barnhart said Clarke has been involved in all planning meetings, a sign that the IRL and Honda are still working together.
"On one hand, (Clarke) has provided written notification that he's out for 2007, and yet he's told us he's got 18 engineers and spending in the tens of millions of dollars on an engine that officially he doesn't know anything about.
"You do the math." Indy Star [Editor's Note: We can do the math and we can tell you that Honda will not stay in the IRL to compete against itself. Our sources say they have their old CART/Champ Car 2.65L turbo on their dyno and are detuning it (like Cosworth did to get multiple races between rebuilds) and may be preparing to reenter the Champ Car series to compete against the current Cosworth badged as a Ford, Chevy or another brand. The IRL's only hope of keeping Honda is if Roger Penske finds someone to badge his Ilmors, someone that Honda deems worthy to compete against.]