What Happens Next?

[NoFender]

+1

[Chris R]

I hear repeatedly on both side of the fence how "far" each series has come relative to 1996 (the IRL) or 2003(OWRS).... The problem with looking at the situation that way is that the real benchmark should be 1995 - and neither series is anything close to 1995.

Anyway, back to the original question - what happens next....

I think it is clear we need one series and at this point I think it might take the emergence of yet another entity to make it happen. Perhaps there is a person or group who can work with TG but bring sufficient credibility to appease the corporate type who actually fund racing and the fans who have so much animostiy toward TG.

Here's hoping somebody other than the France family (imagine tube frame pushrod open wheelers...) can come along and put both OWRS and the IRL in the history books and start anew....

[Mark in Oshawa]

a new car, new events, revived Atlantics with the winner going to CC, tv contract,new teams,an engine manufacturer,that's quite an accomplishment in 4 years. Much more than the IRL has done in 12.

If a promoter doesn't put on a race, it doesn't take away anything from what the series has already achieved. Things need to be done ,absolutely.But its not the end of the world,or the IRL would fold without Michigan too. Maybe I'm not understanding that one race that never happened is outweighing all the good racing I saw this season.

See you in 2008.

Maybe you can feel that way, but you are a fan. If I am a sponsor, I am looking at the way Phoenix fell apart and Iam not getting warm and fuzzy feelings. You cannot set a schedule out and write it down in Crayon the way CCWS has.

The revised Atlantics, the use of Star Mazda as a support series as well, the addition of Tremblant, Assen and Zolder, not to mention the street course in Vegas, and the securing of LB, Toronto and Cleveland are all fine things. As is the control of Cosworth by KK. That said, if no one is selling the series, or giving it the appearence of stability, then you have just wasted your money.

I don't want to see them fold or give up the ship entirely, but I think this is where KK is going. I think he is hoping to cut a deal for he and his partners, and they have to devalue their product while not losing any more money on it. Lets face it, the pluses he will bring to the DP-01 ( it will be a good car in time, and the Dallaras the IRL uses are long in the tooth) and the Cosworth connection to build motors if Honda ever bails. KK, purely on business reasons along might be angling to sell to TG, if he gets his price. THAT would be a betrayal, a tragic end to all of this, but I wonder if that isn't the scenario coming, and we just haven't seen it. It would explain why the Amigo's have quit promoting this series to the level they promised they would, and it would explain why no one seems to be saying definitively what their direction is. I think they are just hoping to cut a deal, and they are not going to care what we think if they get the money they want....

[Rogelio]

The silence of the Amigos makes one suspect that something is seriously wrong. It was not that long ago that KK apologized for his vacation in Antarctica and one would assume he woud not make the same mistake again. According to many speculator/media, Champ Car is in the mist of a crisis and CC management has nothing to say.

A simple lie that everything is fine and we are looking forward to a wonderful 2008 season would help squash many or some of the rumors. How about some or any good news?

I guess all we can do is hope for the best.

[Kal]

ChampCar isn't in the best shape and has these annoying mismanaged resulted mishaps, but it's still better than the crap / fake racing of IRL.

I guess it gets to the point where we would prefer ANYTHING other than IRL.

[NoFender]

Well that's been some real constructive thought from Kal.

[Kal]

Well that's been some real constructive thought from Kal.

What else do you want me to say?!

Having an open wheel formula founded on lights cars with ridiculously high aero grip levels and low rev limits is crap. If it was about safety, fine... But it's not. It is about contrived racing to entertain the dumb ones incapable of understanding what's really going on.

[Pat Wiatrowski]

Well that's been some real constructive thought from Kal.

Kal is exactly right, IMO.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Kal aint wrong, but if the other guys have such a crappy product, how come we are having this conversation about what is wrong over here?

It is about management...the fact is the racing doesn't sell a series anymore sadly, it is marketing. It is only us die hard fans who understand the racing part of it.....

[NoFender]

What else do you want me to say?!

Having an open wheel formula founded on lights cars with ridiculously high aero grip levels and low rev limits is crap. If it was about safety, fine... But it's not. It is about contrived racing to entertain the dumb ones incapable of understanding what's really going on.

So your calling anyone who watches dumb and incapapble of understanding what really is going on???

Please, enlighten me oh wise one.