Comments on: How an Indycar merger might affect F1

By: theRoswellite

theRoswellite — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 04:43:56 +0000

Sorry, should have added: 11) A successful open wheel series in US will create even more fans demanding a return of the US GP…and it will.

By: theRoswellite

theRoswellite — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 04:36:56 +0000

Open wheel racing in the US now has an opportunity. The complication should only be in implementation, not in the identification of goals.

They need to: 1) Re-establish Indy as the top single race in the US.

2) Adopt the NASCAR production/promotion template.

3) Initiate a same weekend feeder series. (again, see NASCAR)

4) Establish US driver base. (see #3)

5) Make sure cars can oval/road race…equally.

6) Totally reinvent “track model” now in use.

7) Rethink the track/team/fan interface. (see #6)

Adopt new race day format. (see Superleague Formula)

9) Do everything humanly possible to make each race fan friendly.

10) Create racing for the 21st Century, not the 20th.

By: Gman

Gman — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:38:00 +0000

Because i’m a newcomer to F1- and racing in general- I don’t know anything about the history of CART, Champcar and IRL that you are all discussing. From what i’ve gathered, the merger sounds like it would be a good deal for all parties involved.

As for the potential impact on the USGP returning to Indy, the financial dilemmas mentioned above could be a major stumbling block to F1 going back. If it were anyone else but Bernie running the show, i’d say that a deal could be worked out with a little give and take, but now perhaps the extra cash throw in by sponsors could be the only realisitc way of coming back to the IMS. I still remain very optimistic of a return to Indy, but it won’t be a cut-and-dry solution as it is in other places.

By: SoLiD

SoLiD — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:09:46 +0000

It will be great if they come together.
In 2009 they would add more road courses, wich I hope is true…
I loved the indycar series in the 90’s when you had newman-haas/penske/ganassi/Forsythe… and now they will all come back together.
It’s shaping up to a nice indy500 this year

By: openwheel

openwheel — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:59:19 +0000

CART’s set up was flawed from the start. Their charter had no “commissioner” with any power over the team this is why CART had sowed the seeds of its own demise in its infancy. Had they had a strong head like the commissioners of all the American major sports I feel that it would have just as big here as NASCAR.

By: Obster

Obster — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:56:02 +0000

Man, there has been soooo much passion and emotion from the fans of both series. Reading the newsgroups and forums for each side for the last decade has been hilarious and very sad.
This unification really needs to happen.
Some of the CART road and street races were boring-Mid Ohio and Portland come to mind.
Some of the IRL oval races were close run but had no individual identity.
It was great seeing SeaBass conquer CART, and it was great to see roadracer Dario triumph on the ovals. It would be better if they were tested against one another.
There is lots of potential for the future…

By: John

John — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:43:10 +0000

A lot of people think they didn’t succeed because they didn’t have a single string leader, like the France family or Bernie. “Championship racing”, which is essentially the only name you can use that encompasses the large open wheel formula used to compete in the Indy 500 for the past 100 or so years, has actually been many different series from several different sanctioning bodies, including AAA, USAC, and CART among others. CART was formed to take the series over and be group focused soley on championship racing (as opposed to the other bodies), but it ws owned by all the team and essentially tore itself because there was no one person who could guide the series for growth. I saw an article in the last year or so from Chris Economaki or Robin Miller detailing all the heads CART had in its life, and it’s just a joke how many there were (something like 13 in 20 years?).

That’s why I’m kind of happy that the IRL is winning and not CCWS. There are 4 owners of CCWS right now, and if you believe the Miller articles they are fighting with each other. My dream is that Tony George pulls a Bill France and can guide the series back to greatness, including bringing more road courses into the series.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:19:43 +0000

Short answer: small men with big egos.

By: oliver

oliver — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:10:22 +0000

The last viable competitor to F1, was killed by greed and ego. Not that I really liked the sound of the cars though. The only thing the formula had was speed, every other thing was low tech. Teams spent only a fraction of what F1 teams were operating on. Why didn’t they succeed?

By: Haplo

Haplo — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:37:43 +0000

Nonsense, the only american driver able to turn right, was JVi, and he was a canadian!

Sorry, but I just hate those fugly cars, they could be racing icecream trucks for all I care

By: openwheel

openwheel — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:57:07 +0000

A day that is long past for it to be succesful I feel. I agree with Robert McKay in that I wish the merger would be the other way around. The rebuilding of USA openwheel racing is a 10-15 year proposition. The kids karting today will be the stars but they need guidance to stay in openwheel and not go to Stock Car. This will be a uphill battle. I am not as excited as I would have been even 5 years ago. I feel that this may be the last gasp for openwheel racing in North America!!!

By: Robert McKay

Robert McKay — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:06:11 +0000

It’s a shame it’s not IRL merging with Champcar, rather than the other way around, because it seems in the first instance it will just mean an expanded IRL grid with a couple extra roadtracks – not so much of a merger but a forced evacuation of Champcar. IRL is ok, but I always preferred Champcar.

Apparently some teams/sponsors are not happy about IRL being largely oval-race based, so that might cause problems. Hopefully over time the “new” IRL will take the path towards the middle ground between old IRL and Champcar and have a 50-50 split of ovals and road/street tracks.

By: Nathan Jones

Nathan Jones — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:42:00 +0000

i am looking forward to the merger!
the Champcar hey day as u could call it was simply awesome
street circuits, good racing, variety of circuits!
variety of winners!!!!!!!!!
what more could we ask for?

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:59:35 +0000

Ecclestone says he always tells prospective new race holders they will lose money on it. Given that George had to compete with the relatively lower ticket prices for NASCAR races I’d be surprised if he was making much on the race.

By: John Beamer

John Beamer — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:24:58 +0000

Having taken that huge financial hit, he surely won’t be prepared to meet Bernie Ecclestone half way on a deal to bring F1 back to Indianapolis – especially if he sees it as a competitor to a new Indy Car series

Presumably F1 is revenue positive for him, so provided he makes money on the race he might actually not see F1 as a competitor but as a companion …