Feedback on IRL Champ Car unification talk
UPDATE #5 Another writes, Dear AutoRacing1, As a die-hard Champ Car fan and a casual IRL fan (hey I have to watch something on the off weeks) I have been following the discussion with great interest. I like the idea of two separate series that meet for a select number of combined races. The problem arises in fitting all of the cars on the track. Sponsors will not support a team that doesn't make the show, ask John Andretti. We could run all the combined races on the super speedways, but the field still needs to be raised to about 38 cars. That's getting a little too crowded for open wheel races. That's my two-cents. T. Fischer, NJ Dear Mr. Fischer, the joint races suggested should be able to accommodate 30 to 33 cars. Yes, some would go home early. Happens every week in NASCAR. Mark C. 04/19/05 Yet another reader adds, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I saw the headlines on the rumors page and for a moment I dared to hope that common sense might have been applied by either one or both parties in this mess….sadly looks like we'll continue to have two series for the foreseeable future. It's hard to believe that 10 years ago the PPG CART IndyCar series was the best open wheel racing series in the world- 25-30 car grids, packed grandstands, good TV viewing figures, massive corporate interest..all of that has dribbled away because of one man's vision and both sides inability to do the right thing for a sport they all claim to be working in the best interests of. Frankly neither series will flourish if the other exists, I wonder how long Champ Car can continue with ageing equipment and little or no corporate interest, as for the IRL, well if Honda and Toyota do both decide to leave then I can't see how it can continue at all, unless Cosworth comes to the rescue and supplies 20 odd cars with the same engine (now that would be ironic). I suspect the future of Indy Car racing is in the hands of the men from Japan, not with Tony George or the owners of OWRS. In the meantime I'll continue to hope that somehow this can be put back together again, so I can see the best drivers from both series competing against each other on the same track. It will never return to the glory days of 1991-95 but it would be a start. Derek Parkinson, UK 04/19/05 Another reader adds, Dear Autoracing1.com:I am a long time CART/Champ Car fan and hate the current state of open wheel racing in the United States. Yes, I blame Tony George for destroying the sport. Yes, an all oval series is very boring. Yes, the IRL cars are overweight and ugly. However, the IRL today is now looking more and more like the old CART with all the same teams and drivers and this year's entry into street racing. If a merger or some type of understanding could occur it would be great for the sport. I get the feeling that Autoracing1.com and some Champ Car fans do not want the merger to happen if it involves Tony George and IRL. I really think that we as Champ Car fans need to keep an open mind and encourage the merger before both series become completely irrelevant. LIFE IS WAY TOO SHORT. Ten years is way too long. We need to try and forgive Tony and try to work with him (as hard as that might be to do) because to remain bitter and for us to stay angry at TG is just spiteful and counterproductive. Tony has shown that he can change. (i.e., his opinion on engine leases, non-American drivers, street courses etc…..) He doesn't have everything figured out but at least he is not too proud to change his tune. And sure, TG may reject the olive branch and if he does SO WHAT. Champ Car can continue to move on, but if something can be done and a merger is possible, to try and discourage the merger would in effect amount to cutting off our collective noses to spite our collective faces. We all (Champ Car/IRL Fans) need to move on and remember we are on the same side and we have more things in common than things we disagree about. We have to try to save open wheel racing in America before NASCAR is racing at Long Beach. Peter M. Romero, Esq.
04/18/05 Another writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I thought I smelled a rat with this talk of reunification until I found out it was Champ Car that instigated the talks. This truly puzzles me as to why Champ Car would do this. Speaking purely from a Champ Car fan's perspective, there is no going back. This was a very messy divorce and I have never seen nor heard of one that was mended. As a Champ Car fan I despise Tony George for what he did. I am disgusted with and would not enjoy supporting the likes of Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi, Bobby Rahal, Michael Andretti and Adrian Fernandez. If this were a marriage, they cheated on me and I'll never forgive them for it. I believe it will be easier to mend the fences with ownership then it will be with the fans. Herein lies the problem, because the only people who love and have kept open wheel racing alive in America, hate the rival series. How will you mend the fences without losing half or all of your fan base? We all need to face the cold hard reality that one series will die and the other will live. When this will happen, no one knows but it will happen. I for one, could not and will not support a series that has anything to do with Tony George unless he is completely out of the picture. If the IRL is serious about reunification then have them announce they will not go after Long Beach. Until then, it's only wishful thinking by fans who miss the past. Arno Fritz, Milwaukee, WI 04/18/05 Another writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, Well, where do I begin? All this unification crap popping up, give me a freaking break. For the last ten years Tony George has done nothing but badmouth and try to destroy CART/Champ Car. He thought his dream came true a little over one year ago when CART filed for bankruptcy, but Champ Car was born thanks to three men who had a real vision and a real plan. They go about their business signing new drivers, new teams, new venues, new sponsors and so on, and it's working. Why would they for one single second think of unifying with an arrogant SOB who still only wants to buy them out and keep open-wheel racing trapped in the NASCAR world known as The United States? So don't believe for a second that three very smart businessmen would fall for all of this, they won't. It is clear as day that the IRL is sinking faster than the Titanic, and I for one say let Captain Tony go down with his crappy ship. He started this whole mess with dividing open-wheel racing and letting the glorified station wagons (NASCAR) nearly monopolize the U.S. and NAFTA market. I have NO pity for him. Furthermore, what good would it really do for Champ Car? In fact, I believe it would actually hurt them and set them back ten years. Patrick Carpentier's comments on Wind Tunnel last night were the perfect example. He said he would like to see the two sides unify and run the way it used too, with an equal mix of street circuits, road courses and ovals run in the U.S.. Well guess what? Things are a little different now. NASCAR pretty much owns the U.S. market (as far as oval racing anyway). Any open-wheel race on an oval now (including the Indy 500) is a waste of time, energy and money. Nobody cares! This is why CC is moving away from those events and hosting more road and street races in other counties. Tony George and the IRL offer almost nothing (with the exception of about 10 fans). Also, George is so despised by the ever loyal CC fans that CC might risk facing a backlash by joining Tony, whether or not it is as one division or two. I for one want absolutely nothing to do with the man, and neither should CC. Deke McTeer, Twin Lake, MI 04/17/05 A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I personally believe it is great that both sides are talking. Unfortunately, it still appears, after 10 years, that George still has to be "the man." I, for one, am very excited about the way Champ Car is heading and am very excited, after many patient years of waiting, to see the new and improved Champ Car chassis and engine. I can't wait!!! But, if a merger, although I believe best for both series, means ditching the new chassis and engine for another dumbed-down or seriously OVERWEIGHT current chassis/engine combo, I just can't deal with that. Now, if there was some way to unite the two series and still get the new Champ Car chassis and engine, I'm all for it, definitely.
04/18/05 Another writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I thought I smelled a rat with this talk of reunification until I found out it was Champ Car that instigated the talks. This truly puzzles me as to why Champ Car would do this. Speaking purely from a Champ Car fan's perspective, there is no going back. This was a very messy divorce and I have never seen nor heard of one that was mended. As a Champ Car fan I despise Tony George for what he did. I am disgusted with and would not enjoy supporting the likes of Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi, Bobby Rahal, Michael Andretti and Adrian Fernandez. If this were a marriage, they cheated on me and I'll never forgive them for it. I believe it will be easier to mend the fences with ownership then it will be with the fans. Herein lies the problem, because the only people who love and have kept open wheel racing alive in America, hate the rival series. How will you mend the fences without losing half or all of your fan base? We all need to face the cold hard reality that one series will die and the other will live. When this will happen, no one knows but it will happen. I for one, could not and will not support a series that has anything to do with Tony George unless he is completely out of the picture. If the IRL is serious about reunification then have them announce they will not go after Long Beach. Until then, it's only wishful thinking by fans who miss the past. Arno Fritz, Milwaukee, WI 04/18/05 Another writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, Well, where do I begin? All this unification crap popping up, give me a freaking break. For the last ten years Tony George has done nothing but badmouth and try to destroy CART/Champ Car. He thought his dream came true a little over one year ago when CART filed for bankruptcy, but Champ Car was born thanks to three men who had a real vision and a real plan. They go about their business signing new drivers, new teams, new venues, new sponsors and so on, and it's working. Why would they for one single second think of unifying with an arrogant SOB who still only wants to buy them out and keep open-wheel racing trapped in the NASCAR world known as The United States? So don't believe for a second that three very smart businessmen would fall for all of this, they won't. It is clear as day that the IRL is sinking faster than the Titanic, and I for one say let Captain Tony go down with his crappy ship. He started this whole mess with dividing open-wheel racing and letting the glorified station wagons (NASCAR) nearly monopolize the U.S. and NAFTA market. I have NO pity for him. Furthermore, what good would it really do for Champ Car? In fact, I believe it would actually hurt them and set them back ten years. Patrick Carpentier's comments on Wind Tunnel last night were the perfect example. He said he would like to see the two sides unify and run the way it used too, with an equal mix of street circuits, road courses and ovals run in the U.S.. Well guess what? Things are a little different now. NASCAR pretty much owns the U.S. market (as far as oval racing anyway). Any open-wheel race on an oval now (including the Indy 500) is a waste of time, energy and money. Nobody cares! This is why CC is moving away from those events and hosting more road and street races in other counties. Tony George and the IRL offer almost nothing (with the exception of about 10 fans). Also, George is so despised by the ever loyal CC fans that CC might risk facing a backlash by joining Tony, whether or not it is as one division or two. I for one want absolutely nothing to do with the man, and neither should CC. Deke McTeer, Twin Lake, MI 04/17/05 A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I personally believe it is great that both sides are talking. Unfortunately, it still appears, after 10 years, that George still has to be "the man." I, for one, am very excited about the way Champ Car is heading and am very excited, after many patient years of waiting, to see the new and improved Champ Car chassis and engine. I can't wait!!! But, if a merger, although I believe best for both series, means ditching the new chassis and engine for another dumbed-down or seriously OVERWEIGHT current chassis/engine combo, I just can't deal with that. Now, if there was some way to unite the two series and still get the new Champ Car chassis and engine, I'm all for it, definitely.
Most of us devoted and loyal Champ Car fans have remained very patient through these very trying years. You could actually say it was us, the fans, that actually saved Champ Car. That being the case, I believe all of us have been holding on dearly because we remember the glory days of Champ Car: when our heroes piloted those awe-inspiring 900+ hp rockets and F1 was quivering at its knees at their performance. It is that future (and better!) that I finally can see once again for Champ Car and I'm damn excited about it. To have that ruined, once again, by the man who started this mess would be unconscionable. We (Champ Car) have come through too much over the past few years to have progress stifled once again. As the article states, like the phoenix rising from the ashes. Derek Hughes, Florida Dear Derek, If there were to be a merger, which is difficult at best, there will have to be some compromises from both sides. I have yet to hear any fan say they prefer the look or the sound of an IRL car. The Champ Car is still a better platform, but a new chassis is necessary with more safety for the ovals because the current Champ Car chassis was designed years ago. One of the reasons an IRL car is so hideous looking is because of the way the sidepods are designed to protect a driver when he crashes into a concrete wall at high speeds. If high speed ovals are to remain a part of both series then the cars will always be a compromise. Mark C.