Chevy team owners trying to oust Randy Bernard

**numanoid** · 30th May 12, 18:43

So Twitter kinda blew up last night with the allegations of several full time team owners (all Chevy) trying to get RB fired. RB tweeted that this was in fact true. I think the story broke on a local Indy sports radio show and I did hear Robin Miller going into some details about it. I'd imagine this is all due to "Turbogate" and the fact that Honda took 1-2 in the 500.

I find the timing funny as RB was awarded the "STP Unsung Hero" award by Andy Granatelli just days earlier. He said RB had done more for the series in 27 months than anyone in the last 27 years.

Barfield came out with some cryptic tweets as well that night.

What say you? Is RB doing a good job or a poor one? Should he stay in or be ousted?

**FIAT1** · 30th May 12, 19:09

Randy is doing superb job, and a fact that owners are not pleased I know he definitly is doing his job well. I hope I'm wrong on this but I smell tg and company in this.

**numanoid** · 30th May 12, 19:33

Apparently it's 1 owner lobbying others to get him fired. Not sure who the owner is, but sources close to it say it is not Penske.

**Jag_Warrior** · 30th May 12, 20:50

Wonder if he's going to try to give them all $25,000 fines?

But seriously, I think Bernard has done a very good job so far, especially considering the limited resources that he apparently has at his disposal. What the owners probably want is another stooge that they can boss around. These guys aren't used to being told what to do. Let's just be honest, whether looking at CART or the IRL, this sport has been headed by complete and total goof balls for many years - which is part of what has so deeply wounded this sport: Andrew Craig, Joe Heitzler, Kevin Kalkhoven, Tony George, et al. None of them were good sports business managers or visionary leaders. And none of the upper echelon owners in Indy Car (as far as I know) have any kind of successful track record in sports business entertainment. Some/most do have a successful track record as team owners or race track owners. But when it comes to taking a series from a position of weakness to a position of growth (not just survival), I wouldn't want ANY of them calling the shots. As with CART, they'll do what's best for themselves first and what's good for the series second - and that's a big part of how we got to the lowly place that we are right now!

IMO, the Hulman-George family should let Bernard know, in no uncertain terms, that his position is safe, and he should then (in tactful way) tell Penske and all the other owners to just shut up and race!!! And if they don't like that, they can go be backmarkers in F1 or NASCAR. No other top series needs or cares about even the biggest Indy Car owners. Best that they stay where they are and try to make things better for all.

**Phoenixent** · 30th May 12, 22:05

Originally Posted by numanoid

Apparently it's 1 owner lobbying others to get him fired. Not sure who the owner is, but sources close to it say it is not Penske.

I would lay money on it being Ed Carpenter as his step father is still running the show and Ed Carpenter Racing(Vision Racing). He is also the one most upset that RB told the public about it ans it goes to show how much of a POS Ed Carpenter and Tony George are......

**numanoid** · 30th May 12, 23:28

Robin Miller posted an article that sheds a little light on things as well as look over RB's wins and areas for improvement.

Miller: The Most Repulsive Revolt

**SarahFan** · 30th May 12, 23:30

I've heard it's John Barnes ..

I say keep randy fire Barnes

**DBell** · 31st May 12, 00:17

Here is another article on the "unrest".

Chevy teams grow restless with Bernard | Page 1 | IndyCar News | May 2012 | Crash.Net

You have to admit, no one does self-inflicted damage like IndyCar. That group doesn't mess around, they strap hand grenades to themselves.

**00steven** · 31st May 12, 00:54

Robin also reported Tony George wants control. Needless to say, if that happens I'm done.
Randy actually cares and has done a fantastic job. I say lock Barnes out of Indycar.

**methanolHuffer** · 31st May 12, 01:04

So correct me if I'm wrong:

Chevy team(s) are miffed that Honda was allowed to develop a better turbo (after they went in with an inferior set-up, I assume)? I can kind of see that might be a valid complaint. Why can't Chevrolet do more development? Indycar should at least give them something. Of course there shouldn't be a tech war so soon, but give Chevy teams a little something to pacify them. Like children need to be.

Getting rid of Randy would NOT be an acceptable move. Chevy teams feel slighted so they scream and cry like children? I kind of get the feeling that team owners - all team owners - get to their position in life by being fussy. Never give a quarter BUT expect one in return.

I swear, don't they even care that they make themselves and their teams look pathetic for being so childish? Will they think that race fans can look at a Chevy logo and not think of this situation that they are trying to create?

**beachbum** · 31st May 12, 01:37

Originally Posted by SarahFan

I've heard it's John Barnes ..

I say keep randy fire Barnes

Barnes is the most likely candidate. He is probably still upset about being fined for his twitter remarks - acting like a spoiled child.

**call_me_andrew** · 31st May 12, 02:19

For too long Chevy has suffered under RB! And by "too long," I mean it hasn't happened yet.

**numanoid** · 31st May 12, 02:38

Originally Posted by methanolHuffer

So correct me if I'm wrong:

Chevy team(s) are miffed that Honda was allowed to develop a better turbo (after they went in with an inferior set-up, I assume)? I can kind of see that might be a valid complaint. Why can't Chevrolet do more development? Indycar should at least give them something. Of course there shouldn't be a tech war so soon, but give Chevy teams a little something to pacify them. Like children need to be.

Getting rid of Randy would NOT be an acceptable move. Chevy teams feel slighted so they scream and cry like children? I kind of get the feeling that team owners - all team owners - get to their position in life by being fussy. Never give a quarter BUT expect one in return.

I swear, don't they even care that they make themselves and their teams look pathetic for being so childish? Will they think that race fans can look at a Chevy logo and not think of this situation that they are trying to create?

To get the whole deal on the "TurboGate" controversy, you can google it, but from my memory it goes something like this...

In a meeting before the season started, all parties agreed if there wasn't parity in the turbos the manufacturer that was at a disadvantage could make some changes. The thing was that they had lost the meeting minutes of the meeting so it wasn't "officially" a rule. Chevy people said if it isn't an official rule, then Honda should not be allowed to make the changes. They brought someone in to hear the case and it was determined that Honda could make the changes they wanted. This was not a redesign of the turbo and no additional horsepower was granted. I believe it was the compressor cover or something that was an aero change to the initial spec. It was not engine development and Indycar did the right thing and did not allow Lotus to change their engine specs to compete at Indy.

It seems to me that it was nitpicking on the part of Chevy owners (and poor sportsmanship to boot) to challenge and then appeal the decision. It speaks loudly to exactly what Miller is saying about the good of the series vs the good of the owners.

**FIAT1** · 31st May 12, 15:05

[QUOTE=numanoid;1040735]Robin Miller posted an article that sheds a little light on things as well as look over RB's wins and areas for improvement.

I knew it was tg and old club of losers the moment Ed responded with out provocation. Day that tg comes back I'm done with Indycar for good, and I'm sure there is many fans like me who couldn't take this garbage one more time. Idiots, they should be embracing and celebrating great season to date, but no they want to descurige fans like me to come back and buy the tickets
and help make Indycar great again. Disgusting!

**FIAT1** · 31st May 12, 16:44

Rumors and reports of strife spoil Indy 500 boost | Fox News

**Nikki Katz** · 31st May 12, 18:13

Hmph. I really hope that this doesn't happen.
Personally I don't see what was wrong with a spec series, though I do see why the chassis needed to be changed. And I'm not at all supportive of these weird fines that seem to get handed out to teams every now and then, when drivers that cause collisions generally get off without penalty. Having to be bailed out by Andretti for a couple of the tracks is not ideal either. But I think in general that Bernard's done a much better job than his predecessors in a short amount of time, and the move to oust him just because he wanted to try to ensure something approaching engine parity instead of having Power win every single race is really pathetic.
IndyCar's had some tough times recently and it could really do without this. Didn't the teams used to help each other instead of suing each other? That's the one bit of F1 that I'd rather the IRL didn't incorporate!

Also, I'd hate to have George back in charge considering that he caused most of the series' problems in the first place.

**anthonyvop** · 31st May 12, 20:51

Interesting all the hatred directed towards Tony George when if it wasn't for him there would be no IndyCar Series

**SarahFan** · 31st May 12, 20:59

That's a dumb post

**anthonyvop** · 31st May 12, 22:20

Originally Posted by Starter

Today is much better than the last 10 - 15 years and is looking up for sure.

Is it?

Apparently some who have an actual financial stake don't agree with you!

**00steven** · 1st Jun 12, 00:34

Originally Posted by anthonyvop

Interesting all the hatred directed towards Tony George when if it wasn't for him there would be no IndyCar Series

If not for the merger, I don't think there would be an open wheel series in America. It's clear the current Indycar series draws inspiration from CART and the old IRL guys like TG and John Barnes don't like that.