is today PT's last race.... ever?

[SarahFan]

thoughts?

[TURN3]

thoughts?

No flippin' way. With all the limited time, experience, & prep he's out there basically the only driver taking it to the big 2. I know Watkins Glen wasn't great but all things considered, he's shown he is competitive week in and week out. I think if he were at KV full-time instead of Moreas, KV would've obviously had a few podiums and maybe even a few wins. Plus, he said somewhere (twitter, blog?) that they've got enough support to do Indy, Toronto, & Edmonton at the very least again next year.

I know this too....the races would have been a H$#% of a lot more exciting!

[SarahFan]

A part of Paul Tracy can't help wondering if today in Edmonton is his last ride.

The last race of his season, and perhaps the last race of his illustrious and controversial career.

He can still drive circles around half the drivers out there, but as the 40-year-old drifts farther and farther away from his last full-time ride -- in a global economy where most companies are giving out more pink slips than sponsorship deals -- the next race is never automatic.

And next year ... right now there isn't a next year.

Could this be it?

"Right now it could be," said Tracy, who's only managed to scrape up enough cash to race seven times in the last two years. "I don't take anything as a guarantee anymore. We're hoping we can pull together some sponsorship to run a couple more races before the end of the year but as of right now I don't have anything for the rest of the season or for next year.

"The frustrating part is now I'm finally feeling at one with the car and driving it where I feel I can compete at a high level and my season is over after (today). I've been up at the top of the time sheets all weekend, to have it come to an end now is a shame."

It's almost ridiculous to think a guy who, in two of his four starts this year, finished 9th in the Indy 500 and was second with 20 laps to go in Toronto before getting knocked out of the race in a bump with Helio Castroneves, can't be a driver anymore? But in a sport that's as much about fundraising as racing, he's fresh out of backers, and spends most weekends on the outside looking in.

"It's frustrating for me because I feel I'm still one of the top guys and one of the top draws with the fans, great with the sponsors, great with the media. But at the end of the day you have to have money."


^^^article in this mornings edmonton sun

[DanicaFan]

I hope it isnt but my honest opinion says it is.

[TURN3]

I hope it isnt but my honest opinion says it is.

I'm not worried at all that it is the last race of his career. As I mentioned before, PT himself has indicated they have the backing to do the Indy, Toronto, Edmonton again next year. What I'm more concerned with is 1. Is it the last race of this year (probably) and 2. Will his gig next year be full-time? (I think he'll have something next year).

[SarahFan]

As I mentioned before, PT himself has indicated they have the backing to do the Indy, Toronto, Edmonton again next year. .

'I don't have anything for the rest of the season or for next year'--pt yesterday

[TURN3]

'I don't have anything for the rest of the season or for next year'--pt yesterday

I think he meant he doesn't have anything full-time for next year because he said they had backing for at least those 3 races. I read it either on his Twitter or maybe the blog on Racer, can't remember. I'm not worried about it, there is sooooo much going to happen this off season it'll be worthless to speculate. He'll have more races, whether it is full-time or not is my concern.

What has me ticked off is that a back of grid driver is really the key to it all. Watch AGR suddenly get competitive again next year with their new stable of drivers.

[Easy Drifter]

Part of PT's and Tags' problem with getting Cdn. sponsorship, as opposed to general sponsorship is TSN. Yes, the TV coverage of Indy racing in Canada.
When the the race is on ABC, which pretty much everyone up here gets TSN show the race at the same time and there are CDN ads on the ABC broadcast in Canada not ABC ads. Most people have TSN.
When the race is on VERSUS it is carried on TSN2 which the majority of Canadians do not get as it is an additional cost channel and most, including me, won't pay the extra as in most cases you have to take another 'bundle' with a bunch of stations you don't want.
Even then it is sometimes on a delay basis and at least once this year not even shown.
Cdn. marketing companies are not stupid. They look at the coverage IRL gets and then where it is shown and say no thank you.
Not the entire reason of course but TSN are certainly part of the problem.
So much for a Cdn. network supporting Cdns.
They have also cut back on their F1 coverage and this year have had Speed coverage blacked out by Govt. regulations.

[NickFalzone]

PT said recently in his blog that he'll get Indy and the CDN races next year, but that's it. He sounded almost so frustrated with that, that he's willing to throw it away unless he's going to get a fulltime ride. His point is that it's a lot to expect a driver to compete with the best when he's on such a small race schedule. I think he'll still take what he gets though. Hopefully it's a full season ride, even with a smaller team.

[beachbum]

I have always had mixed feelings about PT, but find I like him a lot as he has gotten older. Unfortunately, every driver eventually gets to the end of a career, and one can only hope they leave on their own accord and have a graceful move to retirement. It becomes sad when a driver is still competitive and has the desire, but the opportunities dry up. Racing is a cruel sport, but I hope we haven't seen the last of PT.

[Chamoo]

If rumors are true that Moraes is trying to take his sponsorship to AGR next season, then KVRT might need to shell out some money for a driver. If they can't find anyone who brings money, you'd think PT would be next on the list, and I'm sure they could get partial sponsorship deals for him, and KK or JV would have to cover the rest of the season themselves if they want to race.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Drifter's points are good, but I will add this. Canadian Corporate culture tends to back events in sponsorship, not actual athletes. They all lined up to be corporate sponsors of the Vancouver Olympics. Look around in the US, and the TD Banknorth Arena in Boston (Toronto Dominion Bank), RBC Ventura Center in Raleigh NC (Royal Bank of Canada) and the sponsorship of the RBC Canadian Open (PGA Golf) and you start to see the trend. Canadian Companies sponsor buildings and events. No Canadian sponsor save Players has ever really put SERIOUS sustained effort into backing racers. Canadian Tire sponsored Jacques Villeneuve (the Uncle) in the 80's in CART for two seasons, but now sponsors the NASCAR Canada series. Again, concentrating the real money on the events.

PT would have that sponsor if Canadian companies were not so conservative in how they enter sponsorship deals. American companies have never really backed the guy....because of what reason I guess I don't know. I know times are tough, but this man deserves a full time ride the way Mark Martin got his senior tour full ride in NASCAR. A veteran guy who wants one last good kick at the cat.

He will be back....just maybe not full time.

[FIAT1]

Maybe agr should hire him to show their drivers how it,s done.

[Marbles]

I noticed Leon's sponsorship in Toronto wasn't on Tag's or PT's car. That stuff bugs the crap out of me.

BOT:
My gut feeling is that PT will race again this year and it will be with KVRT.

[Jag_Warrior]

They have also cut back on their F1 coverage and this year have had Speed coverage blacked out by Govt. regulations.

You mean the F1 coverage on Speed or the channel is no longer available there?

If you guys can't get ALMS on Speed, that's bad. But to not be able to get all that other fine Speed programming (Livin' The Lowlife With a Hoochie Mama, Pinks, Pinks All Out, Pass Time, Wrecked, Jacked, Whacked, Cracked... and coming soon, Yacked), well, that's just a crime.

[Marbles]

You mean the F1 coverage on Speed or the channel is no longer available there?

If you guys can't get ALMS on Speed, that's bad. But to not be able to get all that other fine Speed programming (Livin' The Lowlife With a Hoochie Mama, Pinks, Pinks All Out, Pass Time, Wrecked, Jacked, Whacked, Cracked... and coming soon, Yacked), well, that's just a crime.

I get sad when I think of the potential SPEED had in the early years and what SPEED ultimately ended up being. You just made me sad.

We still get SPEED but F1 is blacked out because of Canada's TSN. No other programming conflicts. There are fewer and fewer reasons to have SPEED these days and that's another one.

[JasonD]

You mean the F1 coverage on Speed or the channel is no longer available there?

If you guys can't get ALMS on Speed, that's bad. But to not be able to get all that other fine Speed programming (Livin' The Lowlife With a Hoochie Mama, Pinks, Pinks All Out, Pass Time, Wrecked, Jacked, Whacked, Cracked... and coming soon, Yacked), well, that's just a crime.

no, no. We get all those shows but when the F1 qualifying/races are on its blacked out on Speed and only shown on TSN, (well some races are shown on FOX too but thats usually later in the day and TSN has already broadcast the race.

There used to be a 2.5 hour broadcast for F1, some pre-show stuff then the race, now its 2 hours and 5 minutes, just enough to show the rush before the lights go out.

Now NASCAR, thats a whole nother story. :rolleyes:

Admittedly I havent watched an Indycar race all the way through this year, but the coverage seams to be better, though it is on TSN2 but atleast it doesnt cut to commercial on lap 15 and come back on lap 35.

[Mark in Oshawa]

.
They have also cut back on their F1 coverage and this year have had Speed coverage blacked out by Govt. regulations.

That is the CRTC for you. Protecting Canadian broadcast rights holders. Just like ABC has the rights for the Indy 500 and wouldn't let I am sure CBS carry the international feed and rebroadcast in the US. It is the nature of being a rights holder and the law....

[Mark in Oshawa]

As for SPEED.....we get everything but their F1 coverage....and that is starting to suck more and more.....