I read that. This is a big score for Cosworth. Will Ford still be involve? It seems the connection is good for sponsorship and promotion. How will this play out?

I like to see ChampCar tweaker with it's point system.

IRL keeps getting the black-eye. Love it!

look at what I was notified of earlier today....

I just have to say.... you almost heard it here first.....

keep me posted..

Sweet. So what does this does for CART, besides keep the engines in house? Also, what does it do to IRL, if anything? Also, Red Bull bought F1????

King,
What would you think of a race in Atlantic City?

Found this commentary on the Cosworth purchase insightful:

http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/13959/

Yesterday’s announcement that Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe have purchased Cosworth Racing from the Ford Motor Company (click here for story) is the latest blockbuster in a series of events reshaping the motorsports landscape in the United States, indeed, worldwide.

It was less than a year ago that Kalkhoven, Forsythe and Paul Gentilozzi, aka Open Wheel Racing Series, LLC (or, informally, the Three Amigos) abandoned their efforts to acquire Championship Auto Racing Teams lock, stock and barrel and instead rolled the dice on acquiring CART’s assets in bankruptcy court.

At the time, many observers thought Messrs. Forsythe, Gentilozzi and Kalkhoven were either a) daft, b) crooks or c) both. Eleven months and 14 Champ Car races later, it’s clear the correct answer was d) none of the above.

First, OWRS and its legal team ran rings around the Indy Racing League’s attempt to acquire CART’s assets. Next, they circled the wagons in the face of the 11th-hour defections of Team Rahal and Fernandez Racing to the IRL and, with the help of Carl Russo, secured a spot in the Champ Car World Series for Michel Jourdain Jr. Again confounding the skeptics, they managed to put 18 cars on the grid for the opening round of the season in Long Beach.

Most significant of all, when Roger Penske sent out feelers about a possible reconciliation between the warring factions of American open-wheel racing in May, the Three Amigos listened to what he had to say but declined to participate in a process which, history has shown, was destined to lead to a cul-de-sac.

“I’ve been involved in helping turn around several businesses,” commented Kalkhoven at the time. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s not to repeat the mistakes of the past.”

A simplistic bromide? More like an epiphany. For although Kalkhoven may have been speaking about the energy- and resource-sapping efforts of past CART administrations to find common ground with the IRL, his words now sound like
a clarion call for a new approach to the business of motorsports.

For if there’s one common thread running through auto racing from open wheel to stock cars, sports cars, rallying and drag racing it’s the double-edged sword of manufacturer involvement. Teams, drivers, sponsors, fans, tracks and series all benefit from the money spent by auto manufacturers on racing; all too often, those constituencies become addicted to the megabucks poured into the sport by those same auto manufacturers, only to crash and burn when they go cold turkey in the wake of the manufacturers’ strategic decisions to spend their dollars, yen, marks, francs, pounds and lire elsewhere.

The original Trans-Am? The original Can-Am? The Sports Prototype World Championship? IMSA? CART? WRC? Have I missed any? No doubt.

Only NASCAR and Formula 1 have managed manufacturer involvement to their benefit long term, primarily by becoming so big, so important that automakers have little choice but to get involved and stay involved if they are to be considered major players on the domestic and worldwide scenes, respectively. But as the events unfolding over the past 24 months have shown, even Formula 1 may have reached the limit of that particular model. Indeed, Cosworth came on the market precisely because Ford decided to sell its Jaguar team and withdraw from a Formula 1 environment that has long since ceased making financial sense.

Enter Forsythe and Kalkhoven with a new model. To wit, acquire the ability to produce your own engines. Not just any engines, but engines designed, manufactured, developed and maintained by one of the world’s foremost engineering firms. In one fell swoop Forsythe and Kalkhoven have gotten a handle on the hydra of escalating engine costs and technology for technology’s sake that have, ultimately, spelled the ruin of so many racing series in the past.

Manufacturer involvement? By all means, but manufacturer involvement contributing to the overall health of the series rather than lining the pockets of team owners and drivers while pursuing ever more esoteric technology that contributes little or nothing to the show.
The Champ Car field has changed a lot since this shot was taken in 2001, and manufacturer dollars are a big reason why (LAT photo)

Kalkhoven’s comments during yesterday’s announcement are revealing:

“Manufacturer support is, by definition, a two-edged sword,” he said. “The financial support that manufacturers bring is obviously significant; the financial support when it disappears as well we know in CART, now Champ Car, causes some significant heartburn.

“We worked through this and we’ve taken a very deliberate approach, which is we’ve worked with one manufacturer very successfully . . .our partners at Ford . . . in order to provide something that is increasingly important in motorsports, which is the fact that it is entertainment. We have to provide entertainment for our fans and that entertainment comes not just from seeing manufacturers compete with each other, but seeing close and competitive racing where the driver is the determining factor, not the manufacturer or the amount of money that they spend.

“And so what we’ve achieved in this year in Champ Car is a series where the driver is very much the king, where any driver, now that they all have very significantly the same package, can rise to the top. We’ve seen that clearly in the racing this year. When new teams can come in and rise to the top as we have seen with RuSPORT and A.J. Allmendinger.

“So what we have managed to do is, at least without the embarrassment of riches coming from the manufacturers in the way that it has in the past, is revert to what we think is important for the future which is to make motorsports entertainment, make it exciting, make it close, a lot of overtaking, a lot of incidents on track and not just have it dominated by money, but by the drivers.”

Kalkhoven stopped well short of saying the Champ Car World Series will be a one-engine-make series forever. Still, it’s clear the model developed with Ford – and for that matter, Bridgestone – in the past two seasons will carry Champ Car into the years ahead. In other words, working in partnership with manufacturers to strengthen the Champ Car World Series by investing money that might otherwise have been spent on unobtanium con rods, gumball tires and/or subsidies for drivers and teams on marketing their products and the series itself.

Only time will tell whether this model will work over the long haul. Will it really contribute to Ford’s bottom line? What happens if and when Ford decides to terminate its association with Champ Car? Will a Chevrolet or a Dodge be interested in assuming the manufacturer’s role in a Champ Car World Series so closely linked with Ford?

One thing is certain: when it comes to the role of auto manufacturers, Champ Car is not repeating the mistakes of the past.

just a heads-up..

Alex Zanardi will be on Letterman on December 3rd....

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"I am completely confident we will have at least 18 cars on the grid in '05 and possibly more" Kevin Kalkhoven

Speaking of numbers, a number of existing teams have yet to announce sponsorship deals for 2005. Things are awfully quiet and people are starting to wonder. "I am completely confident we will have at least 18 cars on the grid in '05 and possibly more. We have been approached by a number of new team owners and we hope to have some announcements early in the new year."

Part of the hesitation has been whether Champ Car will have all new equipment in 2006 and whether it pays to buy the old stuff now. "There are plenty of Lolas and Reynards around, which are perfect for new team owners who want to gain experience in our series in year one and year two. We have decided to keep the existing package through the 2006 season. Look for an all-new car/engine combo in 2007," said Kalkhoven.

Kevin Kalkhoven and his partners are venture capitalists, as such they are always looking for a return on their investment. Did he buy Champ Car because he's a sportsman and wanted to preserve the series or is this strictly a business opportunity?

"I would not have bought Champ Car had it not had significant business opportunities. We are about to start year two of our five year plan. Would we sell out after that? No, the most successful business ventures are the ones you can ride for the longest time," stated Kalkhoven.

"I have turned around a number of companies in my career. There were only two times that I had any doubt whether we could be successful with Champ Car. Of course there was some doubt during the bankruptcy proceedings in January and then when Fernandez and Rahal announced their 11th hour departures we had to scramble. Yes, we still have some issues to work through, but once we got past those two major hurdles we became pretty confident."

Take out your crystal ball and tell us what you see for Champ Car in five years time.

"I believe Champ Car will be America's interpretation of Grand Prix racing showcasing American racing, i.e. more of a muscle car approach vs. the European finesse approach. That means no driver aids, a good combination of tracks, and maintaining a close level of racing with no one team completely dominating.

"The key to our success is not engine manufacturer money but sponsor money. We have to have the product and geography that sponsors want. It has to be economically feasible for them. Manufacturers spending engine money is not the way to success. San Jose and Silicon Valley are very important to our sponsors as are markets in the Pacific Rim and North and South America that are not currently dominated by F1 and NASCAR."

NASCAR is sometimes described as a religion. With NASCAR getting stronger by the day, is the USA indeed a NASCAR-only nation?

"The USA market is a very important market for Champ Car and we will maintain a significant presence there," said Kalkhoven. "We will never gain the TV ratings NASCAR does, at least not short-term, but we can provide significant business opportunities for our sponsors in key markets and grow our TV ratings to respectable numbers. At the end of the day, for our sponsors who increasingly sell product worldwide, the cumulative TV ratings globally are more important than just the USA ratings, and far higher I might add."

In many respects a sport's popularity is directly proportional to the popularity of its athletes. NASCAR is a prime example. We hear the excuse that Champ Car simply does not have enough American drivers, that the young Americans are all going to NASCAR, hence Champ Car's popularity in the USA has waned. How do you respond to that?

"We must have a continuity of drivers. To do that we need to strengthen our series to the point where drivers want to be in Champ Car and our teams can pay them the salary they deserve," said Kalkhoven. "Right now drivers can earn the most money in F1 and NASCAR so naturally that is the first choice for many."

The question on many peoples minds is whether any new engine manufacturers have expressed a 'real' interest in joining Champ Car. "Yes," said Kalkhoven, "but I can't comment further at this time. I can tell you that we will have a maximum of two chassis suppliers when we roll out the new car, and possibly even one. And on the tire front, we have no plans to open the series up to a tire war. It creates excess speeds, requires more test days, results in tires that create marbles (single line racing) and increases costs. We will stay a single tire series for the foreseeable future."

NASCAR has 43-car grids, more than double Champ Car. From our perspective an 18-car grid is far short of what the series needs to develop a sizable following because each driver brings in new fans. "As far as what's the right number for Champ Car, I would like to see about 24 to 26," said Kalkhoven. "It's impractical to have 43 open wheel cars on a grid, the 26 number existed for many years."

Short-term Cosworth is the sole supplier of engines for Champ Car. What is Cosworth's role long-term with Champ Car, particularly if car manufacturers choose to enter the series?

"Cosworth has to stand on its own two feet. Champ Car must turn a profit and provide entertainment. We would not exclude any manufacturer for the benefit of Cosworth, so yes, in the right situation we will allow multiple manufacturers to compete, but whatever we do we will not allow engine costs to dictate our series," said Kalkhoven

Some people are highly critical that Champ Car is becoming an urban street circuit series and lament over the fact that Champ Car is throwing its heritage right out the door with the dropping of each natural terrain road course. What will it take to get the Road Americas of the world back on the schedule?

"Promotion," snaps Kalkhoven. "It's very simple. Promoters who are active with their promotion will be successful. Motor racing exists because of sponsors and fans. In markets where our promoters really promote we have sponsors and fans."

Speaking of natural terrain road courses, Mexico has one of the best. Champ Car's popularity in Mexico is a direct result of their biggest name drivers being in the series. With Fernandez gone, Dominguez talking about F1 and Jourdain talking to NASCAR, Champ Car must protect their interests in Mexico.

"A lot of people are talking. We will wait and see who will be on the grid come Long Beach. We are confident. I am paranoid about events in every single country we are in - Canada, the USA, Mexico, Australia, etc. It's important that we safeguard our best venues."

The Long Beach Champ Car contract expires after the 2005 event. Many in the IRL have told AutoRacing1.com that they will be in Long Beach in 2006. That appears to be the next big battle with Tony George. Could Champ Car indeed lose its signature event to its arch-rival and if so, can it survive the negative media that will result?

"There is a possibility that we could," said Kalkhoven, "but we have already been approached to hold another street race in the LA area or Las Vegas on the same day if that were to happen, and we will. I also believe that the Long Beach City Council is 100% behind us, and if there is a change they will not be behind the event and support will wane."

Besides San Jose, which was recently announced, are there other new USA markets that are on the horizon for Champ Car? "Absolutely, just wait and see," winked Kalkhoven.

What do you say to the many Champ Car fans out there who still worry about the future of the sport they love?

Nice..Seems that he's not too concern about Long Beach. What are your thoughs about the article?

I like a lot of what was said, but will be happier when I actually see some of it coming to fruition. I'll put together a longer response when I have some more time.

From SpeedTV.com:

Car-Count Blues
Written by: Cassio Cortes
Irvine, Calif. – 12/21/2004

Dwindling fields are no novelty in American motorsport, especially whereas open-wheel racing is concerned. These days, having a “2” ahead of your car-count figure means reasons to celebrate, a celebration that so far, heading into the holidays, is still on hold.

In the open-wheel civil war, car-count measures have usually favored the Indy Racing League in the past few years, albeit under insinuations from the Champ Car field that the IRL itself might be partially funding some entries. Whether that ever was true or not, it certainly doesn’t seem to be happening now.

Tony George’s league is scheduled to kick off at Homestead on March 6th - not much more than two months from now. And yet currently the IRL can count on about 18 IndyCars to line up for that Miami grid, a number its loyalists could mock as “Champ Car territory.”

So far, newly appointed IRL President Brian Barnhart relies on the return of the four Andretti Green cars, with defending champion and runner-up Tony Kanaan and Dan Wheldon being again joined by Dario Franchitti and Bryan Herta with Honda power, the same engine that will propel Rahal-Letterman’s expanded three-car assault, led by Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice, newcomer Danica Patrick and Brazilian Vitor Meira.

The Honda field will be further strengthened by rookie-of-the-year Kosuke Matsuura on Adrian Fernandez’s team - and that’s where things begin to get iffy. In spite of his multiple-winning season, Fernandez has lost his longtime backers Tecate and Telmex, which accounted for over 80 percent of his budget.

The Mexican is still fighting to continue as the IRL’s only owner/driver, but as of now, things look like he’ll be forced to sticking to ownership roles - “My priority is to do what is best for the team,” he stated, hinting that subsidizing his own driving career in 2005 is not among his plans. The downturn of the Mexican economy also hurts Fernandez’s perspectives.

At least his operation hasn’t gone to the great scrapyard in the sky, in the way Tom Kelley’s has. The misfortune of ones may be the joy of others, as the death of Kelley Racing put free agent Scott Sharp in the market with Delphi backing, and the 1996 series co-champion may land on Fernandez’s squad, which would then be able to retain its two-car status. The buyers of Kelley Racing’s assets, a consortium known as Playa del Racing, have been silent enough to suggest the new squad has drowned before reaching dry land.

Jumping over the fence to the Toyota side, Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi will bring back its Castroneves/Hornish and Dixon/Manning duos respectively. Chip has tested Toyota protégé Ryan Briscoe, and although the possibilities of a stateside move by the Australian seem high, no ink has been laid down yet. Toyota’s major addition is Eddie Cheever’s Red Bull-backed two-car team, where Patrick Carpentier is the only confirmed driver. Alex Barron’s chances to remain with the team are high, but Red Bull favorite Scott Speed has also tested and could either land the second RBCR seat or run a partial schedule, with Cheever adding a third car at selected events - perhaps restricted to Speed’s forte, road courses.

There’s no doubt Chevrolet’s withdrawal from the series is the main reason the IRL car count is hurting. The General has committed to only its traditional Pennzoil-backed Panther Racing entry, again to be steered by Tomas Scheckter. There’s still a possibility Chevy will supply a second Panther car, a seat that, in case it does materialize, would be up for grabs between Ed Carpenter and German Andre Lotterer, who’ll test for the team next week. Both are likely to have to bring money to secure the ride, which can also still go for its ‘04 owner, Townsend Bell.

Are you still keeping count? That’s 16-18 confirmed cars, dedicated to focusing on 2005.

Those still fighting as 2004 dawns include sponsorless Mo Nunn Racing, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Patrick Racing, Access Motorsports and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

Of those, the worst situation is by far Patrick’s. The veteran owner’s Chevy-powered operation is essentially closed, and could only be rescued by, literally, a Christmas miracle.

D&R also suffered a major blow with Chevrolet’s exit, but Japanese-American Roger Yasukawa has substantial Honda backing that could land on the team, whose 2004 driver Felipe Giaffone is also still in the hunt to stay in the series, trying to garner sponsorship from Brazilian companies.

Greg Ray’s Access outfit sailed through stormy waters this season, and also needs a major sponsor cash infusion to stay afloat.

Mo Nunn’s relationship with Honda means his team’s survival possibilities are high, albeit the same cannot be said of his wife Kathryn’s Infiniti Pro Series operation.

Ditto for A.J. Foyt, whose pedigree name is a big asset to the league. Grandson A.J. Foyt IV will likely be back, but don’t expect Foyt to show up at the IRL’s newly added road courses - streets of St. Petesburg, Infineon/Sears Point and Watkins Glen.

Still, IRL president Brian Barnhart remains optimistic: “If you put down 18 or 19 that are pretty firm and the ones that are trying to finalize things, you could go as high as 23 or 24 cars," he told the Indy Star. "Usually it ends up being halfway in that range, and 21 or 22 seems to be consistent with where we've been the past couple of years."

Consistency with the past couple of years is what Champ Car is shaping up to achieve, albeit in the case of the Kevin Kalkhoven/Gerry Forsythe/Paul Gentilozzi-owned league, that is not a good thing.

Even boosted by Kalkhoven and Forsythe’s Cosworth acquisition in the off-season, 14 seems to be the most reasonable number of assured 2005 cars so far, with six or so still in the frame to come to a best-case scenario of circa 20 rides. Ford’s monopoly may spare Champ Car teams from engine woes, but still, the only officially confirmed lineups for 2005 are RuSPORT’s Justin Wilson/A.J. Allmendinger pairing, Alex Tagliani coming back with Rocketsports, and Jimmy Vasser making what could be his last driving year at PKV Racing.

Newman/Haas has Sebastien Bourdais and Bruno Junqueira under contract, and wants to run 2002 champion Cristiano Da Matta “if sponsorship is found” (a phrase often heard from team owners' mouths these days). Whether Da Matta’s addition would mean a three-car effort from Paul Newman and Carl Haas or a threat to Junqueira’s seat remains unclear. The only certainty is Bourdais’ return to defend the Vanderbilt Cup.

2003 champions Forsythe ran three cars this season, but with Carpentier already canned, sure things are Rodolfo Lavin’s Corona-backed continuity and another year for Champ Car’s biggest star, Paul Tracy. Gerry Forsythe has tested several drivers in the off-season (including Toyota Atlantic standouts Andrew Ranger and Alex Figge), and maintains he could run “as much as four cars” in 2005, but that appears unlikely at the moment.

PKV’s biggest hiring so far has been new team director Jim McGee, an indication that Kalkhoven seems through with his team’s also-ran status. The second PKV seat will be filled purely on merit, and the squad has tested two-time Atlantics runner-up Ryan Dalziel and 2003 F3000 champ Bjorn Wirdheim. One of the two should get the nod, with Dalziel perhaps holding a slight edge over the Swede. That leaves Roberto Gonzalez and his Nextel Mexico sponsorship in the market, and where could the Mexican land is anybody’s guess.

Dale Coyne, Walker Racing and Conquest Racing are all in need of dough, and thus are strong possibilities for Gonzalez. Coyne will run one car for Gaston Mazzacane with sponsorship from Argentina, and has also staged several tests for his second seat, which could still be held by Oriol Servia, the man who brought a podium for the team after eight years.

Conquest will carry Nelson Philippe for another year, while Walker still doesn’t have anything confirmed. 2004 driver Mario Haberfeld, former Atlantics runner-up Michael Valiante and Dutch DTM driver Christijan Albers all have an eye on Walker’s operation, which could make a quantum leap up the grid next year “if sponsorship is found” for a pair of Lola chassis.

Herdez Competition is history with the Mexican company’s decision to withdraw from the sport. Keith Wiggins’ outfit will be known as HVM, and is expected to run Mario Dominguez next year. A second car is still possible, with RuSPORT exile Michel Jourdain being the frontrunner for it, even sans his Gigante sponsorship.

Former Herdez driver Ryan Hunter-Reay was the only American to win this season, and is seen by the Champ Car honchos as an asset for the series. In case he is indeed forced out of HVM, the second seat at Rocketsports could be his ultimate destination.

In all, putting up the IRL’s 18 alongside Champ Car’s 14 cars, and the grand total of 32 isn’t enough to fill a single Indianapolis 500 field. Champ Car and IRL officials surely would like to blame “the economy, stupid,” but with economical indicators on the rise, that no longer may be the case.

New technical packages are on the horizon for both series in a couple of years’ time. The clock is ticking for a final opportunity to strengthen open-wheel racing in North America.

Kalkhoven & Forsythe Buy Pi Group

Written by: Cassio Cortes London, UK – 12/20/2004


Kalkhoven continues to extend his domains in the racing world (LAT Photo)




In an expected follow-up to their purchase of engine specialists Cosworth, Champ Car majority co-owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerry Forsythe have agreed to buy electronics arm Pi Group from Ford.

As part of Ford's decision to withdraw from Formula 1 at the end of the season, Pi Group was put up for sale alongside Cosworth and the Jaguar Racing team.

“This was a logical step for us following our recent acquisition of Cosworth. Electronics are increasingly important in motorsport and in the automotive industry. Pi Group will play an important part in our business plans going forward," stated Kalkhoven.

Pi Group has operations in the U.K. and stateside, where its base are located in Indianapolis, Detroit and Charlotte.

Sebastien Bourdais collected seven wins and eight poles (in four fewer events) chasing the first drivers’ title under the Champ Car banner. (Photo by LAT Photographic)

2004 Racing Wrap: Champ Car World Series

Promising Signs: For Champ Car, the future looks like a future

J.P. VETTRAINO
Published Date: 12/20/04
A year can make a big difference... or not much difference at all.

In 2003 Paul Tracy ended one era with an emphatic championship run, and fans and participants had fair reason to believe this series could not survive another season. This year Sebastien Bourdais just as forcefully launched a new era. Doubts about the short-term survivability of the road show previously known as CART, however, should finally be buried.

Tracy won seven races and six poles en route to the last CART championship; Bourdais collected seven wins and eight poles (in four fewer events) chasing the first drivers’ title under the Champ Car banner. Whether or not more changed in 2004 than stayed the same, a 25-year-old Frenchman born in the infield at Le Mans was clearly the class of the reformed Champ Car World Series.

Bourdais was a relative unknown when he came to America in 2003, hired by Newman-Haas Racing on the strength of his 2002 FIA F3000 championship and an impressive preseason test at Sebring. He won three races as a CART rookie and four more in the first seven races this season. He did so in the calculated, precise, deceptively fast style of such legends as Jackie Stewart and Alain Prost. Bourdais was at his best leading a race, metering his pace and never going faster than he had to.

Yet a different Bourdais appeared for the next seven races. This one pushed when he might have cruised, to the point of creating some of his own bad luck. Occasionally he had no choice but to push. In Denver Bourdais produced the most stirring drive of 2004, passing every car on the track after he fell from pole position to last during first-corner contact. His thoughts after the season finale in Mexico City, where he trounced the field when a top-10 finish would have clinched the champion­ship, might have defined the real “SeaBass.” The thinking man’s driver is a charger at heart.

“I knew that if I could get through [the first corner] without crashing, I could take it as easy as I wanted to,” Bourdais said. “But then it became a question of honor. I’m a racer, and I’m supposed to win races.”

Bruno Junqueira, Bourdais’ Newman-Haas teammate, finished second in the drivers’ standings for the third straight season. The bridesmaid won two races to Bourdais’ seven, and stayed in it to the finish, thanks to a new points system that rewards consistency as much as wins. Junqueira nonetheless avoided the late-season meltdown he experienced in 2003. He seemed more comfortable with himself and got stronger late in the year, managing what was arguably the best race of his career at the penultimate event in Australia. Newman-Haas hopes to add a third car next season, and with the return of 2002 champ Cristiano da Matta likely, the prospect of a Newman-Haas World Series title looms large in 2005.

Third in the 2004 standings, perhaps surprisingly, was Tracy’s Forsythe Racing teammate Patrick Carpentier. Carpentier had his best season yet, punctuated by a dominant Laguna Seca win, his second in two years. He will not have a third in a row: Surely troubled by the belief he played second fiddle to Tracy, Carpentier is IRL-bound to drive for Eddie Cheever. The French Canadian’s switch could do more to broaden that series’ appeal than did the arrival of Penske Racing or Ganassi or any of several teams.

Tracy won in Long Beach and Vancouver, and at times was the only driver fast enough to hang with Bourdais. But against two wins he had three DNFs, and three more finishes of 10th or lower. His 2004 season more closely resembled his first 13 years than his championship run in 2003, and he seemed to see the writing on the wall just past the halfway point in the season. “Right now everything [Bourdais] touches turns to gold,” Tracy said. “I had some of that last year, so maybe it’s his turn.”

There were six different race winners. Ryan Hunter-Reay was so much better than everyone else at Milwaukee that you’d be forgiven if you suspected his team of cheating. It didn’t, or at least it didn’t get caught. At Road America Alex Tagliani ended four long-suffering years with his first win, but his Rocket-sports team seemed to backslide a bit in its second season.

A.J. Allmendinger, a 21-year-old California boy with a good attitude and finely tuned backside, won rookie-of-the-year honors with the startup RuSport team. RuSport has signed Champ Car’s other hot new commodity, Justin Wilson, for 2005. This well-crafted operation could regularly challenge the Forsythes and Newman-Haas Racings of the Champ Car world in only its second season.

Champ Car’s transition has proven a boon for containing costs, and it hasn’t hurt the show. The remaining Reynard chassis were hopelessly outclassed by the Lolas and will be gone next season. Cosworth is now owned by two of the series’ co-owners, Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven, ensuring an engine supply indefinitely. Bridgestone returns as tire supplier and marketing partner, and Ford is expected to return as a sponsor.

There were at least 18 largely self-sustaining entries from the first race through the last. Few beyond Champ Car’s new owners considered that a realistic possibility in January 2004. With a few exceptions, race attendance was impressive. On one hand, the 2004 schedule had one-third fewer races than CART at its peak, and ovals were a token rather than a crucial part of the champion­ship. On the other, there will be at least two new races in major international markets in 2005 (Edmonton and Korea), and all of the best draws (including Mexico and Canada) over the last several years are back on the schedule.

Television ratings fell below abysmal, but hardly more abysmal than the IRL’s, even with the Indianapolis 500 factored in. Plus: It’s expected roughly half the Champ Car schedule will be on broadcast networks next year. Minus: Big improvements will be measured in fractions of Nielsen points, and a month after the 2004 season ended, there was still no confirmed TV package for 2005.

Bottom line: Anyone still entertaining thoughts that CART-turned-Champ Car is a temporary phenomenon should have his head examined. The owners are committed to the series, and they have the resources to back it up. For better or worse, the open-wheel scene in North America remains a two-horse show for at least the next two seasons, and probably beyond.

Fortunes can change quickly in racing. Whether he thinks, charges, shines or stumbles from here forward, Sebastien Bourdais will be remembered for a truly impressive season that kept the Champ Car World Series in business.

from a fuckin' Indy paper..... This could be love....

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damn... Jourdain is off to the Busch Series.... only makes sense since Busch will race in Mexico City next year, but this really sucks. Jourdain stuck with ChampCar when they were in dire straits, and now he couldn't find a decent paying ride.... ?

TLK beat me to it, but anyhow ...
http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?...v=ap&type=lgns
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Champ Car driver Michel Jourdain Jr. signed a deal Thursday with Ford Motorsports to switch to NASCAR and run the full Busch series schedule this season.

Jourdain plans to drive a Taurus for ppc Racing and will be the first Hispanic to race a full NASCAR Busch schedule.

``I'm very excited about this chance,'' Jourdain said. ``I've been wanting to come to NASCAR for a couple years now, and (Ford Racing director) Dan Davis worked very hard with me to find the right opportunity where I could have a chance to work and learn with a top team like ppc.''

The 28-year-old Jourdain spent nine years in top open-wheel competition, and finished 12th in the Champ Car World Series last season in a Ford-powered car for RuSport.

The son of well-known Mexican racer Michel Jourdain Sr., he became the youngest Champ Car driver at age 19 in 1996 and was the former CART series' Most Improved Driver in 1997.

In 152 career Champ Car starts, Jourdain had two wins, 25 top-10s and nine podiums. His best championship finish was third in 2003, when he raced for Team Rahal.

But Jourdain shifted to RuSport last season rather than go with Rahal to the IRL.

Ford, which has a history of working with its drivers to get them in the best rides possible, arranged for Jourdain to test with ppc Racing last October. The team plans to test him at Daytona International Speedway, but it's unclear if NASCAR will approve Jourdain to compete in the February season-opener there because of his lack of superspeedway experience.

He will, however, be eligible to race on many other tracks, including the Mexico City road course. The Busch cars compete there in March.

``This is something that has been in the works for a couple years, and we've been looking for an opportunity like this to give a deserving driver like Michel the chance to succeed in NASCAR,'' Davis said. ``The fact that we've been able to get this program together this year when the series is going to have its first race in Mexico just adds to the excitement.''

His new team fields cars in all three of NASCAR's premier divisions. John Andretti drives for ppc in the Nextel Cup series, Kenny Wallace in Busch and Terry Cook in Craftsman Truck.

It could of been much worse, with the announcement coming this late. I can deal with three tape-delays, as two are oversea races and the other is a Saturday night deal....

Yeah, but I don't know about the three networks. Could be a ratings killer?

I might be wrong, but NASCAR used to spread over 4 or 5 networks before they made it. It needed to be done, and hopefully it all leads to a better 2006 contract. Seven network races is a big step from none the year before. This is just year two of a five year plan....

True...Do you think if the ratings are decent for the network telecasts, that they might try to get the SPEED races later in the year?

You know, every time I see this thread bumped I think, "damn, how many times can they run this freakin race anyway?"

Just wanted to point out that it was a horrible thread title for what turned into a long term thread.

Seeing as ChampCar is buying time on CBS and NBC, I don't see that happening. I wouldn't put it out of relm of possibilities that CBS carries and pays for a good portion of ChampCar races in 06'.

The thing to watch for in 05' is the ratings for ChampCar vs. the IRL. Both have 7 network races, the difference being one of the IRL races is the 500. If you remove the 500, I think they will similar ratings, with ChampCar having the slight advantage....

I recall ESPN, TNN, and TBS having NASCAR coverage at various times, along with CBS having a select few races. Not sure if more than 3 networks had races in a single season.

Looking at the 1999 schedule, NASCAR had races on CBS, TNN, ABC, ESPN, and TBS.

http://www.indymotorspeedway.com/nascar9.htm

How odd, I have no recollection of ABC ever having any NASCAR race. Hmm ... I think that may say more about their coverage than my memory ;)

The IROC Series will soon announce it's participants for the 2005 season. ChampCar will be represented for the first time in a while. A little more diversity than past years in regards to drivers, but I'd still like to see a road course thrown in again, or at least an oval infield....

Matt Kenseth - NASCAR Nextel Cup (2004 Crown Royal IROC champion)
Kurt Busch - NASCAR Nextel Cup (2004 Series champion)
Mark Martin - NASCAR Nextel Cup (4-time Crown Royal IROC champion)
Sebastien Bourdais - CHAMP CAR (2004 Series champion)
Bobby Hamilton NASCAR - Craftsman Truck (2004 Series champion)
Steve Kinser - World of Outlaws (2004 Series champion)
Max Papis - Grand American Road Racing (2004 Series co-champion)
Scott Pruett - Grand American Road Racing (2004 Series co-champion)
Martin Truex Jr. - NASCAR Busch Series (2004 Series champion)
Helio Castroneves - IRL IndyCar Series (2-time Indianapolis 500 champion)
Buddy Rice - IRL IndyCar Series (2004 Indianapolis 500 champion)
Danny Lasoski - World of Outlaws (2001 Series champion)

With all televison final, here is a complete schedule of open-wheel racing in 2005-

2005 Open Wheel Racing Combined Schedule

March 5 F1 - Australian Grand Prix - 9:30 PM SPEED
March 6 IRL - Homestead-Miami Speedway - 2:00 PM ESPN
March 19 F1 - Malaysia Grand Prix - 1:30 AM SPEED
March 19 IRL - Phoenix Int'l Raceway - 3:00 PM ABC
April 3 F1 - Grand Prix of Bahrain - 7:00 AM SPEED
April 3 IRL - Streets of St. Petersburg - 3:30 PM ESPN
April 10 CCWS - Long Beach, California - 4:00 PM NBC
April 24 F1 - San Marino Grand Prix - CBS**
April 30 IRL - Twin Ring Motegi - 12:00 PM ESPN*
May 8 F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - CBS**
May 21 CCWS - Monterrey, Mexico - 3:00 PM NBC
May 22 F1 - Monaco Grand Prix - 7:30 AM SPEED
May 29 IRL - Indianapolis Motor Speedway - 12:00 PM ABC
May 29 F1 - Grand Prix of Europe - CBS**
June 4 CCWS - Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 2:00 PM CBS
June 11 IRL - Texas Motor Speedway - 8:30 PM ESPN
June 12 F1 - Canadian Grand Prix - CBS**
June 19 F1 - U.S. Grand Prix - 1:30 PM SPEED
June 19 CCWS - Portland, Oregon - 4:00 PM CBS
June 25 IRL - Richmond Int'l Raceway - 7:30 PM ESPN2
June 26 CCWS - Cleveland, Ohio - 1:00 PM CBS
July 3 F1 - French Grand Prix - 7:30 AM SPEED
July 3 IRL - Kansas Speedway - 1:00 PM ESPN
July 10 F1 - British Grand Prix - 7:30 AM SPEED
July 10 CCWS - Toronto - 1:00 PM CBS
July 16 IRL - Nashville Superspeedway - 7:00 PM ESPN
July 17 CCWS - Edmonton - 3:00 PM SPEED
July 24 F1 - German Grand Prix - 7:30 AM SPEED
July 24 IRL - The Milwaukee Mile - 2:30 PM ESPN
July 31 F1 - Hungarian Grand Prix - 7:30 AM SPEED
July 31 IRL - Michigan Int'l Speedway - 3:00 PM ABC
July 31 CCWS - San Jose, California - 4:00 PM SPEED
Aug. 14 IRL - Kentucky Speedway - 3:30 PM ABC
Aug. 14 CCWS - Denver, Colorado - 3:00 PM SPEED
Aug. 21 F1 - Turkish Grand Prix - 7:30 AM SPEED
Aug. 21 IRL - Pikes Peak Int'l Raceway - 3:30 PM ABC
Aug. 28 IRL - Infineon Raceway - 3:30 PM ESPN
Aug. 28 CCWS - Montreal - 1:00 PM NBC
Sept. 4 F1 - Italian Grand Prix - 7:30 AM SPEED
Sept. 11 F1 - Grand Prix of Belgium - 7:30 AM SPEED
Sept. 11 IRL - Chicagoland Speedway - 1:30 PM ABC
Sept. 24 CCWS - Las Vegas, Nevada - SPEED*
Sept. 25 F1 - Brazilian Grand Prix - 12:30 PM SPEED
Sept. 25 IRL - Watkins Glen Int'l - 3:30 PM ABC
Oct. 8 F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - 1:00 AM SPEED
Oct. 15 F1 - Grand Prix of China - 1:30 AM SPEED
Oct. 16 IRL - California Speedway - 3:30 PM ESPN
Oct. 16 CCWS - Ansan, Korea - SPEED*
Oct. 23 CCWS - Surfers Paradise, Australia - SPEED*
Nov. 6 CCWS - Mexico City - 3:00 PM SPEED

SPEED TV's TAPE DELAY COVERAGE OF CBS BROADCASTS:
April 29 F1 - San Marino Grand Prix - 12:00 AM SPEED
May 13 F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - 12:00 AM SPEED
June 3 F1 - Grand Prix of Europe - 12:00 AM SPEED
June 17 F1 - Canadian Grand Prix - 12:00 AM SPEED

* - Events to be shown on a tape-delay basis, TV Times TBD
** - F1 CBS TV Times TBD

All times Eastern

NO IT ISN'T!!!

Now quit bumping this misleading Thread, or change the damn title!

why cluster the board with more than one open-wheel thread?

:edit: shall we also rename the NBA Draft thread that is popular, since the draft was held in the past? :) :/edit:

Yes please.

Why isn't Michael pushing his son into that great IRL organization (where he owns 1/5 of the cars announced for testing)?

[

Sounds good to me. The television last year was awful, so they can only go up.

Karma is a bitch...

Karma is apparently related to my boss then.

Seeds of change

Champ Car drivers get a chance to reap what Cosworth Racing and Ford Motor Co. have sown.



Sherri Koucky
Associate Editor

Paul Tracy stops for fuel and tires on his way to winning the Long Beach Grand Prix. Cosworth engineer examines a CAD drawing of a CART engine. Headers glow on the XF engine. With the recent exodus of Toyota and Honda, the Champ Car World Series, under the Championship Auto Racing Teams Inc. (CART) organization, was ripe for change. Enter Ford Motor Co. and Cosworth Racing Inc. Ford and CART entered into a two-year relationship, renaming the Series "Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford." Cosworth Racing, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford, is the sole supplier of engines for the Series, presenting a detuned version of the tried-and-true XF engine, now called the XFE. The XFE engine is the fourth evolution of Cosworth's X Series Champ Car engines. The XFE is a 2.65-liter turbocharged V8 that provides 750 hp at 12,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 400 lb-ft. The top speed for Champ cars is over 230 mph. To level the playing field and cut costs, teams now lease the same engines from CART. One team carries three engines and can have 13 rebuilds during the 19-race season for $1.3 million. Compare that to last year's lease, which cost teams $4 million, and included nine engines and 35 rebuilds. Evolution of X Entering the scene in 2000, the XF is said to be the smallest, lightest, and highest-revving Champ Car engine, and is 2-in. shorter and 18% lighter than its predecessor. The 2003 XFE is the evolution of the XF. It contains several performance modifications to comply with new Champ Car rules regarding horsepower and engine life. According to Ian Bisco, vice president of Cosworth Racing, "Our XF engine ran 300 to 400 miles before a rebuild. Now we have tripled the life of the XFE and we're running it to 1,200 miles." Two issues came up: lowering the usable power of the engine while maintaining efficiency and oil consumption. Basically, in the world of racing, high rpms equal more engine damage. "The biggest thing was to reduce the rpms from 16,000 to 12,000," says Bisco. Power range for the XF ranged from 11,000 to 16,000 rpm. Cosworth engineers brought the power band down to a range of 7,000 to 12,000 to get a 5,000-rpm spread that drivers could work with. Pistons in the XF were extremely light with low friction to maintain high horsepower. For the XFE, engineers designed a stronger piston by increasing the weight using more of the same material in different areas. Also, another O-ring was added to ensure oil consumption didn't escalate over 400 miles. This adds more friction to the piston, but boosts durability. Other changes for strength and longevity include switching from titanium components in the valve train back to steel, although Cosworth won't get into specifics. The increased weight of the pistons meant that the crankshaft had to be balanced differently and weight added as well. To get performance levels up, intake trumpet length increased from 1 to 3 in. Cam time and fuel-injection timing also were tweaked. But how to get the required horsepower? By increasing boost in the turbocharger. Over the past few years, as speeds rose, CART reduced the amount of boost from a whopping 45 psi down to 34, using pop-off valves. The valves are electronically monitored by sensors. The only way for teams to get power up was by increasing rpms, which was costly. "Part of the cost savings this year was our ability to reduce the rpms back to 12,000. But to bring the power back up again, we increased the boost," says Bisco. Currently, 41.5 psi blasts through the turbocharger, making 750 hp at 12,000 rpm. The XFE carries a conventional commercial-type turbocharger that runs with bronze bearings with aluminum and iron housings. Previously, the XF ran an expensive, titanium and magnesium turbocharger with roller bearings. A ring of injectors around the outside of the turbo would spray alcohol into the inlet wheel before it was forced into the engine. "This was costly, and a service problem because the turbo was separate from the engine," says Bisco. "Also, it was a maintenance issue because the electronic injectors and wire harnesses wrapped around a very hot turbo. But in the days when you were looking for that last 2 or 5 hp, it was a necessary evil," he adds. In the current turbo, Cosworth engineers reintroduced precompression injection (PCI) to the inlet runner and made it part of the engine. "The injectors now get serviced with the engine and there are no electrical wires around the hot turbo housing, which will help with maintenance," says Bisco. "The current turbo is $7,000 compared to $13,000," he adds. Garrett Corp., of Torrance, Calif., makes the turbo. Other modifications to the powerplant include changes to the fuel pump and materials in the engine. Fuel pumps had to increase flow to coincide with the higher turbo boost. The rpm reduction forced the mechanical fuel pump to turn more slowly. This necessitated increasing the size of the pump rotors, ensuring the same amount of fuel at lower rpms. Magnesium and carbon-fiber-engine components switched to aluminum for longevity. Dynamometer tests after 1,200 miles show the XFE with only an average 10-hp power loss. The powerplant weighs about 240 lb, or about the same as a conventional four-cylinder engine. CART controversy CART is considering changing its engine program from a V8 to V10 as early as 2005. However, Ford and Cosworth are pushing to keep the current program. According to Ian Bisco, vice president of Cosworth Racing Inc., an engine redesign would have to begin this July, complete with funding from manufacturers and major OEMs. "I think CART should concentrate on building the Series up a bit, and then more manufacturers will come on board," he says. Also, with a new engine comes a new chassis, new equipment, etc., all adding extra costs to teams. "Previously, manufacturers were working on the dynos every week to gain an advantage and, if you found a 5-hp advantage, the manufacturer would give that engine to his lead driver for the week," says Bisco. "That creates the haves and have nots. The drivers have been very vocal this year on how they like having the same engine because it's eliminated all that," he adds.

Christiano da Matta has signed to race for PKV Racing in ChampCar. I'm waiting for a press release, but the deal is done according to AutoRacing1.com .

Quote:

IRL Founder Tony George to Provide Ride for Stepson, Ed Carpenter

Written by: Robin Miller Indianapolis, Ind. – 2/6/2005 Ed Carpenter, driver of the #52 Cheever Racing Chevy, talks with a crew member prior to the 2004 Indy 500 (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)




Ed Carpenter drove for Eddie Cheever last year during his rookie season in the IRL, crashed out of six races and didn't have his contract renewed for 2005. But Carpenter's new owner figures to be a little more understanding.

SpeedTV.com has learned that IRL founder Tony George is becoming an official car owner in the series he started 10 years ago. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway president purchased the cars and equipment from Tom Kelley so his step-son, Carpenter, will have a ride this season.

"Yes, we're in the process of getting everything finalized and I'm happy to have this deal done," said Kelley, who campaigned cars in the IRL since 1998 before closing the doors at the end of 2004.

"Tony is also going to run the team out of our shop in Indianapolis."

It's long been assumed that George has spent millions since 1996 helping keep IRL teams afloat with cars, engines, travel expenses, etc. and his mother, Mari Hulman George, gave Stephan Gregoire financial assistance in the IRL's infancy. But this would be the first official ownership stance, although it's believed the team could run under the banner of Hemelgarn or PDM Racing.

George, who couldn't be reached for comment, is expected to have Toyota power in the Dallara chassis for Carpenter and veteran Tim Wardrop has been hired to engineer the 23-year-old graduate of USAC midgets and sprints. Larry Curry, who worked with Tony Stewart in their 1997 IRL championship, is reportedly the team manager.

Carpenter, who had one Top 10 finish during 2004 (eighth at Kentucky) in his under-powered Chevrolet, is expected to be testing at Phoenix this week. He will be the lone, American, short-track, sprint-car driver in the series that was originally created to restore the USAC, World of Outlaw and grass roots dirt drivers to Indianapolis.

George's entry brings the number of full-time participants to 21 and the IRL season opens March 6 at Homestead, Fla.

Champ Car's Musical Chairs Dance On

Written by: Cassio Cortes Indianapolis, Ind. – 2/7/2005


Relegated by Williams, Pizzonia could have the backing for a third Newman/Haas seat (LAT Photo)




With Champ Car’s season kickoff still a good two months and change away, the series’ silly season wages on well into 2005, a time when most other championships are making the final tweaks to their lineups - similarly-sized F1 and IRL grids are close to completion, for instance.

The CCWS’s lateness is not necessarily a bad thing, though, as silly season’s wildly speculative nature is a fan favorite for the majority of Champ Car’s followers (and a fun they deserve to have, after enduring two previous year’s in which the silliest rumor regarded their favorite’s series own extinction).

Let’s recap how the 2005 Champ Car grid is shaping up so far, then:

NEWMAN/HAAS:

Reigning champion and runner-up Sebastien Bourdais and Bruno Junqueira are confirmed, with McDonald’s and PacifiCare backing respectively. With the possibilities of a Williams race drive virtually over for him, word from Brazil is that Antonio Pizzonia could bring the backing to materialize N/H’s third seat, initially tipped for Cristiano da Matta. Though only speculation at this point, Brazilian oil giant and Williams backer Petrobras did come close to a Champ Car program with Emerson Fittipaldi’s now-defunct team. Pizzonia’s manager Jayme Brito is believed to have held talks with Carl Haas last week.


FORSYTHE:

Although still sponsorless (last year’s backer, Indeck Energy, belongs to team owner Gerry Forsythe) 2003 champion Paul Tracy is a certainty - the only one - in Forsythe’s camp. Previously a shoe-in to remain with the squad, Rodolfo Lavin may find his situation complicating in case the rumors he may lose his Corona beer backing materialize.
Toyota Atlantic racewinner Alex Figge has tested with Forsythe and Conquest (LAT Photo)




The team has tested a bunch of drivers, from Toyota Atlantic standouts Andrew Ranger and Alex Figge to Czech Jarek Janis, and Gerry Forsythe has stated he could run “as many as four cars” this season. Ryan Hunter-Reay has a commitment from “The Three Amigos” that he will have a 2005 Champ Car seat, which could be at Chez Gerry. Last but not least, Mathias Lauda, the son of three-time F1 World Champion Niki Lauda, has held talks with the squad and would bring a pedigree last name to the series.

In any event, as a stalwart of the “new” Champ Car, don’t expect Forsythe to run less than two cars.


RuSPORT:

The first squad to confirm its 2005 lineup, Carl Russo’s operation figures to mount a title charge this season on the back of 2004 Rookie-of-the-Year A.J. Allmendinger and rated new hiring Justin Wilson.


PKV RACING:

The confirmation of 2002 champion Cristiano da Matta last week means that Kevin Kalkhoven’s outfit is set for a quantum leap with two former champions - co-owner and 1996 Champ Car titlist Jimmy Vasser will continue to steer his traditional #12 car - and the winningest general manager in the sport’s history, Jim McGee.

Midland's Jordan acquisition has prompted Timo Glock to consider a stateside move - he tested with Rocketsports this weekend (LAT Photo)




ROCKETSPORTS:

Paul Gentilozzi’s team will run two cars. Alex Tagliani has a three-year contract with the squad and will remain in the Johnson Controls-backed machine. The second seat is all up for grabs, the latest frontrunner for the ride being Jordan F1 refugee Timo Glock, who tested with the squad at Sebring last weekend. Ryan Hunter-Reay’s promised ride could also come from Gentilozzi’s operation.


HVM:

Keith Wiggins’s team was rumored to lose Mario Dominguez for the new Midland F1 squad, but Jordan’s announcement of Narain Karthikeyan and former Champ Car driver Tiago Monteiro quelled such speculations - although Dominguez may still test for Jordan this year. The team is trying to finalize sponsorship to remain a two-car operation, with a Mexican with a bagfull of pesos being preferred. Roberto Gonzalez is a good bet if he manages to retain his Nextel Mexico support, with countryman David Martinez also in the frame.


CONQUEST:
With no Aussie drivers in the frame, New Zealander Matt Halliday is the next-best thing to boost interest in Champ Car's Australian round (LAT Photo)




18-year-old Nelson Philippe will return for a sophomore season. The team continues to scramble for a well-funded driver to take over its second car, having tested Alex Figge, New Zealander Matt Halliday and Frenchman Bruce Jouanny at Sebring this weekend.

Cousins Ricardo and Alex Sperafico and, according to the latest speculation from Europe, ex-Minardi driver Zsolt Baumgartner are also rumored to still be in the hunt for a seat with Eric Bachelart.


WALKER:

The only confirmation from Derrick Walker’s camp is that the team will make a long-awaited Lola switch this season, after being the last squad in the Champ Car field still relegated to Reynards. Perennial Champ Car hopeful Michael Valiante is highly rated by Walker, but the stars have yet to align to secure funding for the promising Canadian.

Walker tested new Minardi hiring Christijan Albers and seems keen to establish a Dutch Champ Car connection, meaning that Nicky Pastorelli, who also tested with the squad, has good prospects. The switch to Lolas may persuade 2004 driver Mario Haberfeld to remain with the team.

Nicky Pastorelly could seal Walker's Dutch connection (LAT Photo)




DALE COYNE:

Champ Car’s die-hard team wants to remain a two-car operation. Michael Valiante, Toyota Atlantic race winner Bryan Sellers and Estonian Tonis Kasemets have tested with the outfit, which would like to retain the services of Spaniard Oriol Servia, responsible for the squad’s first podium finish since 1996 last season. Gaston Mazzacane was considered a shoe-in for a ride when the confirmation of Champ Car’s Argentinean round was thought to be imminent. The race hasn’t been confirmed so far, and neither has Mazzacane.


JENSEN MOTORSPORT:

The team has announced last yeaer its plans to contest the four Canadian events this season, but no driver or sponsorship announcements have taken place so far.

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/champcar/auto/15070/

Robin rips all over my buddy
 

Tony’s “Vision” an Eyesore
Written by: Robin Miller
2/9/2005


Either he's acquired a great sense of humor in the last couple days or he's truly blind to the reality of what he's done in the past decade. “Vision Racing”. Are you serious? Hell, that would have been the name I chose for Tony George's new Indy Racing League team.

That or “Seeing Eye Dog Motorsports”. Or possibly “The Good, The Bad & The Convicted”. How about “The Latest Spectacle In Racing”?

The fact George has officially become a car owner in the series he started 10 years ago because he hated car owners who ran their own series is mildly amusing and highly hypocritical.

Let's see; it's evil to have car owners making decisions about the day-to-day business, engine leases, cars, rules, etc., unless they own the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

It should be interesting to see how IMS publicist Fred "Baghdad Bob" Nation spins this one. "Tony never said he wouldn't road race, street race, race in Japan, lease engines or own cars," is a likely quote we may be seeing shortly.

Whatever philosophy lesson Nation hands us you can bet it will also be tempered with "Tony continues to do what is best for the little guy, the American short track racer, the backbone and cornerstone of the Indy Racing League."

What you won't read is that George miscalculated back in the mid-90s when he declared there was an ocean of car owners out there waiting to jump into Indy-car racing. Turns out there wasn't even enough to fill White River.

Counting TG and if A.J. Foyt finds a sponsor, the IRL now has double digits (10 owners) but if you took the funding from Honda and Toyota out of the equation, it would be a real struggle to field 10 cars.

So, in order to make sure there will be at least SEVEN rows at this year's Indianapolis 500, that stepson Ed Carpenter's career doesn't end after one season and the IRL will have at least 20 full-time runners this season, Tony did something his mother wanted to do back in the '60s.

At that time Mari Hulman George wanted to field a car for husband, Elmer George, but Tony Hulman wouldn't hear of it. According to the late David Cassidy, Mr. Hulman felt like it was way out of line to have a "house car."

IMS co-founder Carl Fisher recognized the need to have an autonomous sanctioning body to run the Indianapolis 500 so he commissioned Triple AAA.

Of course we all remember the inaugural Menard's Inifitini Pro Series race at Indy in 2002 when Carpenter "motored" to a runaway victory. At one point when he was a half a lap ahead of second place, Mari felt so uncomfortable she whispered to a friend, "I sure wish Ed would slow down a little."

But, unless Ed wins the pole position by five mph or Brian Barnhart decides to invert the field, Indy won't become incestuous. Carpenter is a good kid who showed some spark in midgets, sprints and Silver Crown and it's tough to judge him by last season since he was driving for Eddie Cheever.

What's really questionable is George's decision to hire Larry "Save Big Money at Menard's" Curry as team manager. Yep, the same guy who stole a million dollars from John Menard when he ran Menard's IRL team. I understand Curry served his jail time but I wonder how Menard (who sponsors the IPS and IRL driver Vitor Meira in 2005) really feels about Curry being back in the pits.

And all this time I thought Tony Stewart was the worst judge of character because he fired his father and hired Curry to run his sprint/dirt car team.

The saddest part of this story is that before he ripped a hole in open wheel racing and mangled the month of May, George could have opted for ownership instead of dictatorship in 1996.

Back then some of us suggested that if, in fact, Tony truly cared about the fate of the American short tracker he could field a three-car effort in CART for the reigning USAC champions or whomever he chose from the nation's grass roots. Good lord, he could have put the entire Little 500 field in the Indianapolis lineup for all the money he's spent keeping the IRL afloat.

But here we are, 10 years removed from "Tony's Vision" and what have we got? Two series struggling for survival, abysmal attendance, not enough cars or owners to contest Indianapolis, pathetic TV ratings, two engine companies dictating drivers and one sprint-car guy with a full-time ride who sits across from George at Thanksgiving dinner.

Some may call that a vision. I call it an eyesore.


Tony’s “Vision” an Eyesore

nothing more to add to this thread.... I plan on starting a new thread before Long Beach, but here is a great photo of Tonis Kasemets testing a Coyne car this week in the snow....