George again downplays merger talks

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Don't expect America's two rival open-wheel series to unify anytime soon. Tony George, founder and CEO of the Indianapolis Racing League and its IndyCar Series, said Saturday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway that talks with Kevin Kalkhoven, co-owner of the Champ Car World Series, have been put on the back burner for now.

"That was 12 months ago," George said before the start of the season-opening XM Satellite Radio Indy 300. "Kevin and I had been talking for four to six weeks, I'd say, prior to that. The reasons for being optimistic were we had had some good social interaction and we'd been kind of talking around some of the bigger issues.

"I felt those talks were going well, but we were not anywhere near ready to announce a plan for unification.

"As time went on," George added, "that whole thing changed and we've tried to stay in contact and see each other socially on occasion and have a professional relationship. As of last fall, we've kind of agreed that we don't have a lot to talk about in terms of unification and didn't likely have anything imminent that was going to change that in the next couple of years, but that we'd stay in touch. And, to a certain extent, we've done that." More from AP article