Barber Test Entry List

[Mark in Oshawa]

I don't disagree with the fact PT and Graham NEED to be part of the picture, but Tony proved it didn't work.

Scott's point was that Tony put all those guys in rides or helped them. THAT is great, but look at all those names...and how many of those move the needle emotionally or figuratively? IT DOESN'T WORK to subsidize people because of their passports for rides. How many Ameircans tuned in to watch Townsend Bell? Nobody outside of friends and family. Davey and RHR? Ryan maybe...but still, if RHR isn't driving tomorrow, would anyone stop watching?

PT isn't there, and he is probably not half the driver he used to be, but what he did was more promotion. No one promoted the series and stirred up the press like PT. Yet HE Cannot get a sponsor. Face the reality guys, it is a real mugs game to subsidize guys you want with the faint hope of getting more ratings. Racing is a business, and a cruel one at that. The economics of this series do NOT make sense and havne't for a decade due to the stupidity of people running the sport. Subsidizing young Graham ( the one guy I would think the IRL would try to help if they had some spare cash )isn't going to change the dynamic. The only way out is a cheaper formula to run coupled with a healthier economy and interesting racing. If the show is dull, it don't matter, and face it, the racing has been fair at best for many races in the last 2 years.

[gofastandwynn]

However let's be clear here, he did so as a series owner using his families reserves as much as he did this as a team owner.

Gary

And to add to the point that Bell & Hamilton both brought Sponsorship along with them (Rock & Republic and HP, which is funny since they are american but they can get sponsors to step up for them).

And Cavin has said that Coyne wants to put Rahal in the Boy Scouts car, but Graham only wants a 1 year deal while Coyne wants 2, so my sympathy for Rahal is a little bit short, plus is look like J.R. Hildebrand will get that ride.

Plus per Simona De Silvestro's facebook account "Can't wait to be back in the team stargate worlds/ HVM indycar tomorrow!!!"

Honestly what the series needs now is purely cash, it need a influx of cash to spend to get drivers in cars so they can be sponsored at discount rates (but that can hurt teams in the long run too).

But as Mark said, since TG is gone it is all about the bottom line for the Hulman-George family right now ad they are not willing to spend $15-20 million a year to get these drivers rides when they haven't exactly improved the ratings & attendance when they were running in the past.

[Scotty G.]

Scott's point was that Tony put all those guys in rides or helped them. THAT is great, but look at all those names...and how many of those move the needle emotionally or figuratively? IT DOESN'T WORK to subsidize people because of their passports for rides. How many Ameircans tuned in to watch Townsend Bell? Nobody outside of friends and family. Davey and RHR? Ryan maybe...but still, if RHR isn't driving tomorrow, would anyone stop watching?

The point Mark, is that Tony at least tried to put some interesting drivers in his cars over the years.

And putting Townsend Bell or Davey Hamilton in a car, won't automatically change things overnight. Won't even do it in a year.

But if you keep a Bell or a RHR (who will be on his 4th team in 2 years) or a Foyt IV or a Rice and about 10 other American drivers in the sport OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, market them (because you know they will be here long-term) and have a few of them have some success (like a Hornish or a Allmendinger did), then Americans would start to take notice.

This is a process. Its a process that this sport has royally botched for YEARS and are paying the price for now.

Having so few Americans in either Indy Car or Indy Lights this year, just shows the sad state this sport is in and how long it will take to dig out. But it better start with what I talked about above. Because if it doesn't, its never coming back.

[Scotty G.]

And Cavin has said that Coyne wants to put Rahal in the Boy Scouts car, but Graham only wants a 1 year deal while Coyne wants 2, so my sympathy for Rahal is a little bit short, plus is look like J.R. Hildebrand will get that ride.

The Coyne rides are nowhere near as good as they were even last year. I don't blame Rahal and Hildebrand for turning them down. Coyne's team could be resorting back to backmarker status. You don't take Duno's cash, unless you are desperate.

[Chamoo]

I think if there is any year to pump cash into PT and Graham it is this year. This is the year Izod will be pumping major advertising into the series. This will be the first time in IRL history that the drivers will be marketed to the people, and if you let Izod put these guys in the public eye, then this will be a major positive.

If we don't show an improvement with Izod this year, Izod does have out-clauses. We can't let that happen.

[V12]

It will be Rossiter. KVRT are referring to him as a test driver right now as he will be in the third car for KVRT this week.

They are simply waiting for his cheque to clear before signing him.

A Brit with money?!

[Placid]

We were hoping for John Edwards to enter the Indy Lights. Instead, he has jump ship to Grand Am.

We hope this does not happen to Hildebrand. Indy Car needs more US drivers.