2008 Schedule..... blah

[jimispeed]

This board has been on the blink; I've not been able to post in several days.

Anyway:
I don't hate the EARL so much as hate TG for destroying racing. Don't you and other racing fans find incredible irony that TG came about to "fix" racing, but in the meantime open wheel racing has ebbed to an all-time low, and the very thing TG set about to "correct" is exactly what he has become.

Whatever, let IRL become CART. But if you applaud the "new IRL" with a straight face, then I question your grasp on the history of racing.


-TU

.

[DanicaFan]

I was so hoping for 20 races next year.

[Mark in Oshawa]

This board has been on the blink; I've not been able to post in several days.

Anyway:
I don't hate the EARL so much as hate TG for destroying racing. Don't you and other racing fans find incredible irony that TG came about to "fix" racing, but in the meantime open wheel racing has ebbed to an all-time low, and the very thing TG set about to "correct" is exactly what he has become.

Whatever, let IRL become CART. But if you applaud the "new IRL" with a straight face, then I question your grasp on the history of racing.


-TU

Homer has it right on. The whole REASON the IRL was supposively formed was because CART was on the wrong path, was spitting on the Indy 500 and American sprint and midget stars were having no career options. Well, outside of Tony Stewart and Sam Hornish, no Sprint or Midget guy has ever had a fair shake in the IRL, the Indy 500 isn't what it once was because half of the normal racing world who would go isn't allowed to come unless they pay for a car they would only use once a year, and we have seen what happened to the traditions of qualfying and bubble day. What is more, the IRL is more CART like all the time, and that really isn't a bad thing, it is the reason the IRL is getting traction, but to then turn around and say Change was always part of the mandate is BS. It was because the IRL as Tony envisioned it was a dog with fleas, and he spent a few years figuring this out.

OW racing is at its lowest ebb in North America right now because of this split, and while I am reaching a point where I can forgive Tony a little because at least he is seeing the light, I cannot abide by this fiction that this version of the IRL was always in the cards. This was a power play by Tony George to gain control of Open Wheeled racing because he was worried about the future of his Indy 500? Please....CART knew what they had with their association with the 500, and their sponsors reminded them of it. It is FICTION that the CART people were dumping on the 500. It was the jewel in a great series. Now that jewel is a bit more tarnished, but still a jewel, but the rubbish of OW racing is nothing compared to what it once was. I give the IRL credit at least for recognizing that the old CART format worked, and I see the IRL heading in that direction.

The IRL right now is almost to the point where they will cross the threshold of success. THey are not there yet..and likely wont get there until they either push CCWS out of business, or get a merger with them. Once one of those two events happens, we will see what is left. Right now.....the former is more likely to happen than the latter, but the latter would be better for the sport, and would do more to win over Champ Car fans who are bitter on how their series has been mismanaged the last 2 years...

[Chris R]

Excellent post Mark!!

[Mark in Oshawa]

Chris, I am not used to people agreeing with me on this board. I used to be the enemy over here, but I have sort of observed what the IRL is doing right and wrong over the years, and they are slowly morphing into something that is at least professionally run and managed......if it wasn't for the ugly way the IRL was rammed down race fan's throats, I might be an enthusiastic fan, but alas, I have to come to terms with a lot of the things I don't like.

Gordon Kirby quoted Bill France Jr. 10 years ago in one of his recent columns, and he asked Kirby in 1995 why he was so upset about the formation of the IRL, and he basically told Kirby that "they will screw up a good thing" or something to that effect. Sorta puts paid to the fiction maybe that Bill France TOLD Tony to do the IRL. I think just giving him the Brickyard 400 gave him the financial wherewithal to fund the IRL. Tony did the rest on his own....and lucky for race fans, is now taking the IRL to a place where maybe some old bitter CART fans can relax and maybe watch in a few years....