Chaparral66
12th February 2008, 05:15
Written by Curt Cavin
Indianapolis Star
The Indy Racing League apparently is armed with options to negotiate a reconciliation of open-wheel racing following a Monday meeting in Japan.
The IRL sought and likely gained permission from Honda to move its April 19 race at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit north of Tokyo to accommodate the addition of Champ Car’s marquee event, the Long Beach (Calif.) Grand Prix, which is obligated for April 20.
If Champ Car is folded into the IRL, the Long Beach race will be one of several Champ Car World Series events added to this year’s IndyCar Series schedule.
To do so means moving the Motegi race. The options there include moving it to August, when the IRL has a break in its schedule, or to the end of the season as a non-points race. An other option is postponing the event for a year.
At least one of them apparently was approved by Honda because Robert Clarke, the former president of U.S.-based Honda Performance Development, said today that he is optimistic merger talks with Champ Car can continue.
“It was a good meeting, yes,” said Clarke, who joined George and IRL presidents Brian Barnhart and Terry Angstadt in the meeting.
“Am I optimistic? I don’t see any reason why not (to be).”
Clarke said all other questions must be answered by George, who was not available for anything more than a brief e-mail comment. He is due back in Indianapolis Tuesday.
Motegi, a 1.5-mile oval track, has held IRL races since 2003 and was a Champ Car venue from 1998 to 2002.
In an e-mail to The Star, George warned that there are still no guarantees to ending the sport’s 13-year-old split.
“Nothing is going to happen quickly, if at all,” he said.
George has already offered to help any Champ Car team that wants to join the IRL acquire cars and engines to participate this season, provided it comes for at least two years and has sufficient funding to field an entry.
The IRL’s season begins March 29 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.
If this mean that the sides are talking, good. I still think 2008 is too quick. 2009 is a more realistic goal. But I do hope the discussions continue.
Indianapolis Star
The Indy Racing League apparently is armed with options to negotiate a reconciliation of open-wheel racing following a Monday meeting in Japan.
The IRL sought and likely gained permission from Honda to move its April 19 race at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit north of Tokyo to accommodate the addition of Champ Car’s marquee event, the Long Beach (Calif.) Grand Prix, which is obligated for April 20.
If Champ Car is folded into the IRL, the Long Beach race will be one of several Champ Car World Series events added to this year’s IndyCar Series schedule.
To do so means moving the Motegi race. The options there include moving it to August, when the IRL has a break in its schedule, or to the end of the season as a non-points race. An other option is postponing the event for a year.
At least one of them apparently was approved by Honda because Robert Clarke, the former president of U.S.-based Honda Performance Development, said today that he is optimistic merger talks with Champ Car can continue.
“It was a good meeting, yes,” said Clarke, who joined George and IRL presidents Brian Barnhart and Terry Angstadt in the meeting.
“Am I optimistic? I don’t see any reason why not (to be).”
Clarke said all other questions must be answered by George, who was not available for anything more than a brief e-mail comment. He is due back in Indianapolis Tuesday.
Motegi, a 1.5-mile oval track, has held IRL races since 2003 and was a Champ Car venue from 1998 to 2002.
In an e-mail to The Star, George warned that there are still no guarantees to ending the sport’s 13-year-old split.
“Nothing is going to happen quickly, if at all,” he said.
George has already offered to help any Champ Car team that wants to join the IRL acquire cars and engines to participate this season, provided it comes for at least two years and has sufficient funding to field an entry.
The IRL’s season begins March 29 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.
If this mean that the sides are talking, good. I still think 2008 is too quick. 2009 is a more realistic goal. But I do hope the discussions continue.