OK, now that we're all here...

[Chaparral66]

OK, we're all back together, for better or for worse. What can we as fans do as a united group to make sure this deal continues in a positive direction? Where would you like to see the series go? What kind of things would like to the series do? How do we deal with the juggernauts of F1 and NASCAR? How do we promote this thing and drive up interest in it? How do we make sure Tony George keeps his eye on the ball now that it's his deaal?

[Ruben Barrios]

I want Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Germany, Spain, USA, Canada, Japan.... for tracks
I want drivers from every nationality that has a track....

I want 850 hp.

In the states... Road America, Laguna Seca, Michigan, Houston, Fontana, Long Beach, Portland, Indy, Homestead, Las Vegas, Detroit, Mid Ohio, Belle Isle

In Canada... Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Mont Tremblant

In Mexico... Autodromo, Monterrey

Australia...Surfer's

Brazil... interlagos

Spain... Jerez

Germany...Lausitz

Japan... Motegi

[!!WALDO!!]

I want Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Germany, Spain, USA, Canada, Japan.... for tracks
I want drivers from every nationality that has a track....

I want 850 hp.

In the states... Road America, Laguna Seca, Michigan, Houston, Fontana, Long Beach, Portland, Indy, Homestead, Las Vegas, Detroit, Mid Ohio, Belle Isle

In Canada... Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Mont Tremblant

In Mexico... Autodromo, Monterrey

Australia...Surfer's

Brazil... interlagos

Spain... Jerez

Germany...Lausitz

Japan... Motegi

Nice, so who is going to play the $4,000,000 average sanction fee?

4X 23 is $92,000,000 plus $12,000,000 for Indy. $104,000,000
TV is worth about $40,000,000 rest is worth $12,000,000 so where is the other $52,000,000 going to come from?

Nice idea, but reality kills it.

[ShiftingGears]

More horsepower, less grip.

Less cookie cutter ovals and more quality road courses (Road America, Watkins Glen)

60/40 road courses to ovals split.

[jarrambide]

I want Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Germany, Spain, USA, Canada, Japan.... for tracks
I want drivers from every nationality that has a track....

I want 850 hp.

In the states... Road America, Laguna Seca, Michigan, Houston, Fontana, Long Beach, Portland, Indy, Homestead, Las Vegas, Detroit, Mid Ohio, Belle Isle

In Canada... Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Mont Tremblant

In Mexico... Autodromo, Monterrey

Australia...Surfer's

Brazil... interlagos

Spain... Jerez

Germany...Lausitz

Japan... Motegi

Monterrey´s track doesn´t exist anymore, at least not in a way that will let OW cars race there.

Monterrey just had an event called "Universal Forum of Cultures", they decided to use Fundidora Park as the main stage of the events, they constructed a new museum on the park an exposition center and a few other buildings and structures (like a river that connects Fundidora Park with the big square on downtown), all those new additions make staging a race an impossibility.

[Ruben Barrios]

Jose, if I recall correctly there is another track in Monterrey... The autodromo, it can be "souped" up to FIA standards... Guadalajara would also be a good option, I think I have heard about an oval there....

[jarrambide]

Jose, if I recall correctly there is another track in Monterrey... The autodromo, it can be "souped" up to FIA standards... Guadalajara would also be a good option, I think I have heard about an oval there....

That other track in Monterrey is a joke, that track is mainly used as a Hot Road track which is very popular in the area, that is why the main straight is the only part in good condition, but the circuit as a whole is substandard, that is why a track had to be built for CART instead of trying to upgrade "Autodromo Monterrey".

Guadalajara´s track (Autodromo de los Hermanos Gallo) is also substandard, a race there would be amateurish at best.

After the changes in Monterrey´s track the only track in Mexico outside of Mexico City with good standards was supposed to be the track in Puebla (Autodromo Miguel E. Abed) , which has a road course and an oval, it used to have a FIA grade 3, but after many drivers complained after 2 WTCC championships (Zanardi being one of the drivers) fia cancelled the 3rd WTCC race and the track lost the FIA grade, supposedly they will fix the track and the WTCC race will return this year, but the track is nothing to write home about.

[bravefish]

A 33.3333333333333333333333333 etc etc split between Ovals, Road courses and street races. 21 race season - 7 a piece.

A revised points system with the top 12 only scoring :

20,16,14,12,10,8,6,5,4,3,2,1 - 1 point for pole,1 point for most laps led.

This current rule that DNF's still earn points is pathetic.

More international races.

Get rid of the go-kart tracks at Richmond and Iowa.

To name a few

On another note the qualifying format for this year is excellent

[elan 02]

Three ovals,Indy,California,Milwaukee Mile,drop Sonoma add Laguna !

[hacker-pschorr]

CART circa 1994?

[Ruben Barrios]

CART circa 1994?


Good idea!!!

[rpralon]

A real race car !!!
No stupid 100% throttle ovals..
Road America, Cleveland, Michigan,Fontana, Assen, Montreal...
OW drivers from NASCAR like Montoya,AJ Allmendiger ,Sam jr,Franchitti ,S.Speed,Villeneuve, ...
multiple engines & chassis

[!!WALDO!!]

Good idea!!!

16 races with the Penske Team winning 12 out of 16 races and sweeping the podium 6 times.

Yes, let us wish for that year.

[Skid Marx]

Heh heh, I love it. "I want this, I want that, etc." Yeah, whatever. While I agree with most, if not all, of the stated wants, does anyone really get what has happened? It's TG's show now. You can say "I want..." until the cows come home, and Tony's gonna say, "Yeah? Well, here's what you're gonna get, like it or lump it." And there ain't a d@mn thing you can do about it! That is, other than just not follow his series, which no one seems to have the cojones to actually do, because hey, "It's the only series there is, we're finally all together, we have to pull together to beat big, bad NASCAR, F1, etc., blah, blah, blah..." Get ready to be disappointed, because with Tony running the trough, you'll get only whatever gruel he slings out, and nothing else!

[garyshell]

My wish list is pretty simple.

1. A decent ride for PT.
2. Hearing the drivers having to lift when entering a corner on all ovals.

Gary

[jimispeed]

Heh heh, I love it. "I want this, I want that, etc." Yeah, whatever. While I agree with most, if not all, of the stated wants, does anyone really get what has happened? It's TG's show now. You can say "I want..." until the cows come home, and Tony's gonna say, "Yeah? Well, here's what you're gonna get, like it or lump it." And there ain't a d@mn thing you can do about it! That is, other than just not follow his series, which no one seems to have the cojones to actually do, because hey, "It's the only series there is, we're finally all together, we have to pull together to beat big, bad NASCAR, F1, etc., blah, blah, blah..." Get ready to be disappointed, because with Tony running the trough, you'll get only whatever gruel he slings out, and nothing else!


Well, hopefully he recognises what needs to be done. If not, things won't change for the better without a better product.

If not, viewers won't watch, or go to races, myself included!!

I'm hoping he embraces what is true, opens his mind, and uses the right team around him to build a strong series!!

[Rogelio]

We definitely need a mixture of street, road, and oval races. The diversity gives our series a unique quality that no other major series can claim. To win the championship, the driver needs to be an all-around competent driver.

1. If F1 can race at the Indy 500, why can the IRL not do it? The series should pick a good month and then go racing. Certainly, it will not compare to the Indy 500 but it would draw some interest. For that matter, end the season there with an infield race.

2. Try to avoid as much as possible the tracks that are NASCAR dominated and where there is little fan support. I am a "former" CC fan and it seems that most of the IRL oval races that I saw, it was always with less than spectecular crowds. This can not be good for sponsorship.

3. Bring back Michigan, Fontana, and Phoenix as ovals.

4. I loved the CC Vegas race last year and certainly believe there is a lot of potential. Again, who does not want to be in the entertainment capital of the world.

5. Mexico City had a lot of potential and should be added to the schedule. What will Forsythe say about that?

6. Portland, Road America, Cleveland, and Toronto all have a long tradition of supporting CART/CC, we should definitely not abandon those venues.

7. Try to start the season a little earlier as an attempt to take a little of the THUNDER away from NASCAR. During the winter months, race in the Southwestwern U.S. or race in the Southern Hemisphere where it is summertime.

Sorry for the detail, but oh well.

[bblocker68]

Road America / Mid-Ohio on back to back weekends.

[DBell]

My wish list is pretty simple.

1. A decent ride for PT.
2. Hearing the drivers having to lift when entering a corner on all ovals.

Gary

I agree with both, except my thing with # 2 is how do we do that? The IRL engine is under 700 HP, the car has big wings and they still do 225 at Indy. I like Ruben's 850 HP on road courses, but improving the racing on ovals while keeping speeds acceptable seems like an issue that really needs some thought by designers of the future car.

[garyshell]

2. Hearing the drivers having to lift when entering a corner on all ovals.


I agree with both, except my thing with # 2 is how do we do that? The IRL engine is under 700 HP, the car has big wings and they still do 225 at Indy. I like Ruben's 850 HP on road courses, but improving the racing on ovals while keeping speeds acceptable seems like an issue that really needs some thought by designers of the future car.

I think if you trim out the wings, limit the angle to reduce the downforce on the rear. Or possibly something along the lines of what NHL did (I think it was them) by putting some openings in the endplates which "dumped" air out of the rear wing. I know this was being done on road courses, of course, but I wonder if it would work for ovals as well.

Where is tamburello when I need him? Tamb, you're the aero man. What's the best way to accomplish this???

Gary

[stmookeyj]

- 5 Ovals apart from Indy with a big money purse on the line for the driver who can win 3 of the 5 or failing that the most points.

- Staying away from Europe

- Moving Japan to Suzuka PLEASE!?!?!?!?!?!?

- A diverse range of drivers, but please no plodders (that means you Ms Duno)

- A forward movement, not back. Ex-open wheel stars coming back to me is a backwards step. They burned their bridges and now it's united there's no point in inviting them back

- An end to teams with more than 2 cars except for Indy

- For an Aussie driver to show the American "has-beens" and "never-was's" how it's all done!

[Skid Marx]

Well, hopefully he recognises what needs to be done. If not, things won't change for the better without a better product.

If not, viewers won't watch, or go to races, myself included!!



Ah, would that that were true, Jimi. Unfortunately, I think that there are just way too many sheep out there who aren't willing to take that firm a stand (i.e., won't watch, or won't go to races). Too many will just take whatever garbage is fed them if it's (supposedly) "the only game in town."
If TG made a new rule that each fan attending one of his league's races had to eat a sh** sandwich before the race, I fear we'd soon start hearing, "Y'know, it doesn't taste THAT bad once you get used to it!"

[hacker-pschorr]

16 races with the Penske Team winning 12 out of 16 races and sweeping the podium 6 times.

Yes, let us wish for that year.
A season with THREE F1 champions (Villeneuve later)? I'll take this again over the past 12 years:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngbRRYSEQcg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZtPqfi93ZQ

[Pat Wiatrowski]

Road America / Mid-Ohio on back to back weekends.

No Road America. Keep those crappywagons away from RA.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

I like the proposed schedule (10 ovals, 10 road) but only if the oval races will be meaningful, unlike now. If the chassis doesn't change radically in 2010, I don't think I'll watch.

As for international events, here's what I think is realistic: Toronto, Edmonton, Mexico City and a Honda-sponsored Pacific Swing with Motegi and Surfers Paradise.

[Hoop-98]

My wish list is pretty simple.

1. A decent ride for PT.
2. Hearing the drivers having to lift when entering a corner on all ovals.

Gary

They havn't lifted on superspeedways since the 90's (on a full out lap).

Michigan, Fontana, Indy, etc...

Finding some economically viable ovals they need to lift on is the challenge.


When they went to the Speedway package at the short ovals it was pretty bad racing.


So that leaves us with finding a better way to keep speeds down on the 1.5s.

The prior candidates are the Handford MK II and the minimum wing angles, bot of which add aero drag. Can't say I am a fan of either.

Maybe it's more like restrictor plate racing, let's just cut the number down.

I would like for them to run a split rev limit, say 10300 for speedway and 10,900 for the Road Courses. That would get the current cars within a second or so of the DP01.

Then spend a lot of aero research on the next gen car. The DP01 would have never cut it in a series with competition between chassis makers. It's mechanical grip is no big deal, the aero comes from opening up the tunnel rules.

I'd like to see Panoz/Lola/Dallara of course for chassis suppliers but the economics might not work.

THe current cars are best for Indy but their road course times are quite good for only 650-670 BHP. The problem with high banked 1.5's is you need very little downforce to be flat, a track problem more than a car problem.

If we go Turbo lets look to a 1.8L 4, then we can get the cars down 100 pounds or so.


I hope we get back to talking about the cars and the racing now !!!!!!!


rh

[Chris R]

I would like to see a radical formula change in 2010. Higher tech with reasonable development and cost caps. I think they can go for a pretty open formula with a pretty serious "nozzle" - i.e. - limit the human capital available for each car on race weekends (limit # of personnel working on a car and how many hours they can work....) - no matter how much tech your $$ can buy, a human being can only accomplish so much in one weekend. It is sort of like the water saver things in shower heads - no matter how big a pump you have and no matter how much you spend on it you are only going to get .6 gallons per minute our of that nozzle..... You could similarly limit the supplies any car can use on a given weekend buy requiring all teams to start with a standardized transporter.... This should allow for a very exciting and relatively "open" formula....

BTW - I would place no restrictions whatsoever on the number of team members that can contribute to PR, hospitality etc..... this is all about limiting the competition advantage for higher budget teams....

As for venues - given the current availability of ovals in the USA - I would like to see around 5 or 6 ovals on the schedule. Perhaps bring back the triple crown with Indy, California and Pocono (yes, Pocono - only if they are willing to the necessary upgrades)- make them all 500 milers. Pay $5 million or something outrageous for anyone who wins all three - no consolation prizes - all or nothing.... If Pocono can not be brought up to snuff - consider building a 2.5 mile flat oval somewhere on the east coast north of Washington DC. (I know, pie in the sky - but a guy can dream, right???).

The rest of the venues should be a split of road and street courses - perhaps some of the street courses. Ideally we would have a 21 race schedule with 7 ovals, 7 road, and 7 street courses - but that should be flexible based on the availability of excellent venues. As I stated above, I do not think the current NASCAR ovals flatter open wheelers - so maybe less ovals right now.....

As for locations - 2 or 3 each in Canada and Mexico. 1 or 2 in South America. 1 in Australia, 1 in Japan (unless the manufacturers drop support, then none...), 1 in any other home nation of a significant sponsor/supplier (eg.- if a German carmaker comes aboard - go to Germany), 1 or 2 rotating international events (one or two years in a row on established international circuits as sort of an exhibition...) the rest here in the good old USA. I am thinking somewhere around half to 2/3 of the events should be in the United States.

I want the best drivers, I do not care where they are from - but a nations cup might be a good addition to the drivers cup, the team cup, and possible chassis and engine cups in the future....

[Dr. Krogshöj]

They havn't lifted on superspeedways since the 90's (on a full out lap).

Michigan, Fontana, Indy, etc...

Finding some economically viable ovals they need to lift on is the challenge.


When they went to the Speedway package at the short ovals it was pretty bad racing.


So that leaves us with finding a better way to keep speeds down on the 1.5s.

The prior candidates are the Handford MK II and the minimum wing angles, bot of which add aero drag. Can't say I am a fan of either.

Maybe it's more like restrictor plate racing, let's just cut the number down.

I would like for them to run a split rev limit, say 10300 for speedway and 10,900 for the Road Courses. That would get the current cars within a second or so of the DP01.

Then spend a lot of aero research on the next gen car. The DP01 would have never cut it in a series with competition between chassis makers. It's mechanical grip is no big deal, the aero comes from opening up the tunnel rules.

I'd like to see Panoz/Lola/Dallara of course for chassis suppliers but the economics might not work.

THe current cars are best for Indy but their road course times are quite good for only 650-670 BHP. The problem with high banked 1.5's is you need very little downforce to be flat, a track problem more than a car problem.

If we go Turbo lets look to a 1.8L 4, then we can get the cars down 100 pounds or so.


I hope we get back to talking about the cars and the racing now !!!!!!!


rh

I remember a couple of years ago, maybe in 2002/2003, I was watching the CART race at Motegi, and I'm pretty sure they had to lift.

[Hoop-98]

Motegi is a bit of a wierd track a mini pocono I wish we hasd more flat ovals...

[ezhop7]

I think my schedule below would be a great mix of street, road , superspeedways, and short ovals. Plus the schedule would have a great mix of everything:

1. Homestead (oval 1.5mi)
2. St. Pete (street)
3. Mexico City (road)
4. Long Beach (street race)
5. Kansas City (oval 1.5mi)
6. Japan(Motegi oval 1.5mi)
7. Indy ( oval 2.5mi)
8. Milwaukee (oval 1mi)
9. Texas (oval 1. 5mi)
10. Iowa (short oval))
11. Cleveland (airport)
12. Toronto (street)
13. Edmonton (airport)
14. Richmond (short oval)
15. Infineon (road)
16. Australia (street)
17. Houston(street)
18. Nashville( oval 1 mi)
19. Kentucky (oval 1.5mi)
20. Detriot (street)
21. Chicago (1.5mi oval)

Canada, Mexico, Japan and Australia. PLus USA races

[ShiftingGears]

The prior candidates are the Handford MK II and the minimum wing angles, bot of which add aero drag. Can't say I am a fan of either.


If the rear wings were removed completely it removes the aerodynamic grip and doesn't increase drag, meaning the drivers would need to lift. That should work. If it doesn't, maybe there would be a restriction on the front wings in addition. More horsepower would also help in giving the driver a bigger contribution to lap times.

And will also give the series better racing, along with harder tyres.

IT WORKS!!

[ShiftingGears]

I think my schedule below would be a great mix of street, road , superspeedways, and short ovals. Plus the schedule would have a great mix of everything:

1. Homestead (oval 1.5mi)
2. St. Pete (street)
3. Mexico City (road)
4. Long Beach (street race)
5. Kansas City (oval 1.5mi)
6. Japan(Motegi oval 1.5mi)
7. Indy ( oval 2.5mi)
8. Milwaukee (oval 1mi)
9. Texas (oval 1. 5mi)
10. Iowa (short oval))
11. Cleveland (airport)
12. Toronto (street)
13. Edmonton (airport)
14. Richmond (short oval)
15. Infineon (road)
16. Australia (street)
17. Houston(street)
18. Nashville( oval 1 mi)
19. Kentucky (oval 1.5mi)
20. Detriot (street)
21. Chicago (1.5mi oval)

Canada, Mexico, Japan and Australia. PLus USA races

Wheres The Glen or RA?

Blasphemy!

[Hoop-98]

If the rear wings were removed completely it removes the aerodynamic grip and doesn't increase drag, meaning the drivers would need to lift. That should work. If it doesn't, maybe there would be a restriction on the front wings in addition. More horsepower would also help in giving the driver a bigger contribution to lap times.

And will also give the series better racing, along with harder tyres.

IT WORKS!!

Texas et al would be just "fine" with no wings, they would have more than enough downforce with the undertray to run 235.

I'll go into more detail when I have time, just think if a Stock Car can go 190 with 500 pounds DF , weighing 3700 pounds with skinny hard tires, what would you have to do to get an Indy Car under 220?

rh

[ShiftingGears]

Texas et al would be just "fine" with no wings, they would have more than enough downforce with the undertray to run 235.

I'll go into more detail when I have time, just think if a Stock Car can go 190 with 500 pounds DF , weighing 3700 pounds with skinny hard tires, what would you have to do to get an Indy Car under 220?

rh

Plus a flat undertray for ovals, perhaps. Or restrictor plates. The only problem with that idea is that it doesn't give much room for tweaking for the teams...

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Motegi is a bit of a wierd track a mini pocono I wish we hasd more flat ovals...

Me too, but let's face it, it's not realistic that TG will dump Texas, Chicagoland or Kentucky, as they are the highest attended ovals outside of Indy. So we'll have to search for a solution.

[BenRoethig]

Street/Road:
St. Petersburg
Long Beach
Belle Isle
Cleveland
Surfers
Edmonton
Toronto
Houston
Portland
Road America
Watkins Glen
Infineon
Mid-Ohio
Some place in Quebec

Ovals:
Indy
Milwaukee
Chicagoland
Texas
Homestead
California
Michigan
Phoenix
Las Vegas.

I think if you trim out the wings, limit the angle to reduce the downforce on the rear. Or possibly something along the lines of what NHL did (I think it was them) by putting some openings in the endplates which "dumped" air out of the rear wing. I know this was being done on road courses, of course, but I wonder if it would work for ovals as well.

Where is tamburello when I need him? Tamb, you're the aero man. What's the best way to accomplish this???

Gary

The simplest way is to make the car fundamentally less stable and less capable of producing grip.....so ditching the ground-effects and going completely flat with the under-tray is the way to do that.

The problem then is that the cars are solely reliant on upper-body aerodynamics for their grip, and that makes over-taking more difficult since the 'dirty air' becomes a big factor. You would still get a tow and be able to slip-stream, so it would work on an oval....but come the road courses and you'd be bored to tears within 3 laps.

Reducing wing angles would only really work if the under-tray was not creating grip, since the current oval-spec cars are pretty much trimmed-out on wing anyway.

Reducing the size of the rear wing, in conjuction with a flat undertray would certainly make a driver have to lift.....but then the marketing men would start complaining that there was nowhere for the likes of Marlboro, Target, 7-Eleven, Motorola, Mcdonalds and Ethanol to put their biggest sticker.

[Ruben Barrios]

Road street course car.... oval car...

[ezhop7]

Wheres The Glen or RA?

Blasphemy!

Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio in my viewpoint are boring races. Toronto yields a bigger fan market and Cleveland is a bigger market than Mid-Ohio. That is my reasoning.

[peatsea]

1) A nice mix of tracks: 1/3 ovals, 1/3 road courses, 1/3 temp street courses.

2) 16000 rpm engine, turbo would be nice, but increased revs will do. Turbos are great for in the city, holds the noise down.

3) Decent chassis, pinched down dallara just not making it hear... Their gp2 car is quite pretty though. Lola, Dalarra, Panoz... Someone can draw this ...

4) New logo, like the name "Indy Car" need an update on the logo though.
Oh, and you've got to drop the "League" thing, what league? Come on.

5) Driver stability, I gotta be able to cheer for a guy for more than a half a season. It would be nice if he was American, but the international flavor plays Ok too. Think wine and cheese here guys....

[Jag_Warrior]

OK, we're all back together, for better or for worse. What can we as fans do as a united group to make sure this deal continues in a positive direction?

Other than prayer, I would say, not much. Whether a fan of CART, IRL ver. 1.0, IRL ver. 2.0 or CCWS, the desires and wants of the fans have generally not mattered to the sanctioning bodies.



Where would you like to see the series go? What kind of things would like to the series do?

Most anything that registers above pitiful and pathetic on the old "Condition Scale" would be good with me. Certainly an "interesting" new engine formula - and I'm not married to turbos, methanol, DP-01's or Cosworth. Just something innovative that peps up the interest in this style of racing. A car design that doesn't make me think of a lawn dart or a bad sci-fi movie. How about a juiced up turbo 4 that at least three manufacturers are willing to build & badge? And mated to a couple of chassis designs that make me think more about a Lotus 78(Sophia Loren) than the current Dallara(Sandra Bernhard).



How do we deal with the juggernauts of F1 and NASCAR?

Take care of business. Only be concerned with the things that affect the series' success. Don't meddle with others. Stay quiet. Keep a low profile. Offer to go get soft drinks if Bernie or someone named France looks thirsty. Just don't do what CCWS did: poke a dog that bites... and then cry when teeth sink into your azz. And if you screw up, don't create fantastic excuses about why you screwed up.



How do we promote this thing and drive up interest in it? How do we make sure Tony George keeps his eye on the ball now that it's his deal?

"We"??? :confused: If a product appeals to me, I will watch or attend. As for promotion and making sure that this guy or that gal does their job... that's not my department. I'm in charge of "gawking at girls in short skirts at the track". The guy that takes care of fan promotion and making sure that Tony George doesn't get his head stuck in his rectum, his office is down the hall.

If Anton doesn't get it right, there will be fewer sponsors, teams and drivers as time goes on. He will have to dig further into his pocket to make it happen. But as long as he is willing to do the bending, someone will be willing to do the spending. With every screwup he's made thus far, he always had a pool of Indy struck CART/CCWS teams to pull from. That pool has now dried up. And no one at Daytona or Le Mans has that condition. And if he offers $12 million to get a NASCAR team to come over... he and Jimmy Hoffa might wind up playing cards together. This is it, Anton. The spotlight is all on you, old stick.

[Hoop-98]

I think there are two basic paths. The low cost path and the increased value path.

The low cost path was the route CART/CCWS adopted in 2003 and the IRL in 1997.

When teams can race for under 5 million a year that's cool, but it isn't a tier one series/league.

While CART was never in F1 land, it was still a cut above any other series for those hard to describe things that give the impression of "world class".

After the 2002 moves of the big teams CART lost it's "panache" but some how the IRL didn't gain the reciprocal panache/mojo.

Anyone who attended races and paddocks in the 90's and say 2001 in CART saw professional crew, hospitality, spare cars that were ready to go and many other indicators of health.

The IRL picked up some of that, but not enough to offset the CART losses.

So the other route is we get the sponsor value up where you can support 12 tier1 cars and 12 tier 1.5 cars and 4 tier 2.

As opposed to this years probable 10 Tier 1. 4 Tier 1.5, 6 Tier 2 and 2-6 Tier 3's.

That's my hope, the return of sponsor value vs the further lowering of costs.



rh