Peace in US single seaters...but at what price?

[kevin ritson]

Looks like the war may be over...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/65044

But with IRL chassis it looks like it'll be CART-lite. Is it too late now that NASCAR has taken the lion's share of US motorsport?

[jpf]

They would lose Road America?

[FourWheelDrift]

Looks like it, but they get Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio instead.

[flemke]

Let's not get too pessimistic before they've even begun.
Projecting forward a few years, I don't know why the combined series could not be globalised and, with the continued political restraints on F1 technical development, become the pre-eminent motor sport competition.

[rubystone]

I could be wrong, but aren't the terms George is ofering to Champ Car teams the same as it has been for some time? I think that what may force KK's hands will be the defection of NHL to IRL. It seems that Newman is now willing to consider that.

[johnph]

kevin ritson said:

Looks like the war may be over...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/65044

But with IRL chassis it looks like it'll be CART-lite. Is it too late now that NASCAR has taken the lion's share of US motorsport?

As I said on Ten-Tenths earlier today, its going to take a couple of years for them to sort out the calendar and the cars. IRL is/was schedled to bring in an new car in 2011. Road America is highly likely to be there imo due to its association with the history of CC.

Edited by johnph on Friday 8th February 21:29

[jpf]

I called Road America and their public position is that their race (with American Le Mans racing Saturday and Champ Car Sunday 8/7-10) is still on and the merger is not going to occur.

For those in the USA, Road America's number is 800 365 7223.

I would like to see the Champ Cars and IRL cars on the same track at the same time just to see which one is the better car.

[Teppic]

Trying to merge Champ Car and IRL with less than two months to go before the opening races for both series is an exercise in futility and is doomed to failure.

They would be much better off trying to arrange for a combined series for 2009.

Rushing something like this will never work.

Edited by Teppic on Saturday 9th February 13:56

[jpf]

Maybe let the Panoz Champ Cars race at Indy would be a good start?

[hornet]

With the state of CCWS over the last few years, I have a feeling that "merger" is a touch on the charitable side. Whilst the IRL isn't exactly in rude health, CCWS is dead in the water, and to be honest I'll be surprised if they make it through 2008. Unification / acquisition seems like the only viable option to me, and I say that as a fan of both series with no axe to grind either way. I just want to see things work out. Do find it rather ironic that a unified series, should it happen, will pretty much resemble the old CART series Tony George split from in the first place, but there you go.

[The Hypno-Toad]

I think we all knew ChampCars was dead in the water when at the Aussie race one of the cars was sponsored by a local BBQ chain...

Hardly Marlboro..

[kevin ritson]

hornet said:

Do find it rather ironic that a unified series, should it happen, will pretty much resemble the old CART series Tony George split from in the first place, but there you go.

With Mickey mouse cars, sadly.

Personally, if the merger goes ahead as planned, my interest in US Motorsport will be dead. With this and the loss of the US GP, the two sides of the Atlantic are further apart then they've ever been

[hornet]

kevin ritson said:

hornet said:

Do find it rather ironic that a unified series, should it happen, will pretty much resemble the old CART series Tony George split from in the first place, but there you go.

With Mickey mouse cars, sadly.

Personally, if the merger goes ahead as planned, my interest in US Motorsport will be dead. With this and the loss of the US GP, the two sides of the Atlantic are further apart then they've ever been

The Mickey Mouse cars would appear to be the lesser of two evils the way things are going. The CCWS cars are nicer than the IRL cars, but if there's no series to run them in, it becomes something of a moot point. I'm not a huge fan of the IRL cars, but better that than no cars at all. With a mix of tracks, a unified series could still be interesting. Stronger fields would attract more sponsor interest, which would in turn help bring the driver quality back up to something approaching CART of old, so it could still be fun to watch. I've enjoyed some of the racing in the IRL over the years, although some of the oval stuff has been scary at times, especially at places like Texas. I just don't think open wheelers belong on some of those ovals to be honest.

[jpf]

Has a truce been declared?

The Panoz Champ Cars look very good--they need to keep them!

[Jim Campbell]

jpf said:

Has a truce been declared?

The Panoz Champ Cars look very good--they need to keep them!

Maybe I could pick one up on the cheap. 750hp an about 700 KG’s hmm. Imagine turning up 2 a track day in that

Ta

[sniff petrol]

Jim Campbell said:

jpf said:

Has a truce been declared?

The Panoz Champ Cars look very good--they need to keep them!

Maybe I could pick one up on the cheap. 750hp an about 700 KG’s hmm. Imagine turning up 2 a track day in that

Ta

Nope, you'd need a test day as 99% of trackdays in the UK forbid open wheelers.