“What the f@*#&’s the last thing Paul Tracy ever did in racing?” Ganassi shouted.

[Marbles]

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/columnists/dean_mcnulty/2010/04/16/13605896.html

Heh! Still can't believe he ain't running in this series. Maybe we could take up a collection. An investment club! We could save this series from itself! Goes to show how out of touch the prime movers in this circus can be.

[SarahFan]

Pauls response was awesome

[Mark in Oshawa]

Chip Ganassi as a driver couldn't carry Paul's shoes around the corner, and as an entertaining interview, he cannot either. It is why people like Chip Ganassi, as good as he is as an owner, don't need to be actually running the series. He couldn't promote a strip show of beautiful women in a men's prison.

[Chris R]

now this is the sort of stuff the series needs - a little reasonably good natured banter/bickering/trash talk between "players". Funny thing is they both have pretty good points....

Don't get me wrong - we don't need any WWe sort of stuff - but these guys publicly disagreeing etc. is not a bad thing.....

[nigelred5]

At this stage of his carreer, Paul needs to follow the lead of his fellow Canadian, pull some funds and a partner or two together and start the STFU racing team. He's still as good or better than half the field of current drivers, but the money isn't there to run a car and PAY a 40+ driver. If he wants to race, he's gonna have to foot the bills and figure out how he's going to pay himself later.

[Mark in Oshawa]

At this stage of his carreer, Paul needs to follow the lead of his fellow Canadian, pull some funds and a partner or two together and start the STFU racing team. He's still as good or better than half the field of current drivers, but the money isn't there to run a car and PAY a 40+ driver. If he wants to race, he's gonna have to foot the bills and figure out how he's going to pay himself later.

PT knows how you make a small fortune in racing...you start with a large one. I think PT's money is better in his bank account. You are right...but PT wont see it that way.

[elis]

Meh, If PT was 'all that' he'd have been hired by one the top 3 long ago.. clearly there is a reason they steer well clear of him. He really doesn't help himself by being so outspoken in such a 'corporate' World... However, he does provide us with a ton of entertainment :D

[Phoenixent]

Meh, If PT was 'all that' he'd have been hired by one the top 3 long ago.. clearly there is a reason they steer well clear of him. He really doesn't help himself by being so outspoken in such a 'corporate' World... However, he does provide us with a ton of entertainment :D

Well PT has driven for two out of the top three IRL teams during his career. He was a Penske driver from 1991 to 1994 then loaned out to NHL in 1995. Then back to Penske from 1996 to 1997 driving the garbage PC-26 but still won 3 races in it. In 1998 he went to Team Kool Green (Andretti Autosports) and was there until Michael Andretti moved the team over to the IRL at the end on 2002.

[jackmart]

what happen between PT and Penske?

[elis]

Well PT has driven for two out of the top three IRL teams during his career. He was a Penske driver from 1991 to 1994 then loaned out to NHL in 1995. Then back to Penske from 1996 to 1997 driving the garbage PC-26 but still won 3 races in it. In 1998 he went to Team Kool Green (Andretti Autosports) and was there until Michael Andretti moved the team over to the IRL at the end on 2002.


Tell us something we didn't know ;) My somewhat wry point was, have any of them offered him a ride in 'recent' times.. Surely if he was that great of a 'catch', where was the call? I mean Penske had a vacancy when Helio was temporarily out of action, did PT get an offer for example? Like I said Paul DOES bring a lot of amusement to many fans, has good race stats, & has provided some great on track action no doubt :D but let's face it, he hasn't exactly done himself any favors by being so controversial or outspoken, especially regarding Indy Car. Slate the company then expect them to hire you :s Sometimes no matter how much we want to rebel & be 'ourselves', if we truly want something, the more 'sensible' thing to do is to bite our lip....... at least until we've signed on the dotted line ;) jmho

[TURN3]

what happen between PT and Penske?

As I recall, he publicly spoke out about how the Penske chassis, engine and tire combo they were using was junk and suggested to Roger they go to the Reynard/Honda/Firestone. They had struggled heavily for the better part of 2 years with developing their equipment. Roger fired him after the final race of the year in Fontana. When DeFerran won the championship a couple years later (in a Reynard/Honda/Firestone) PT joked about how it was his suggestion to Roger that was the reason. It got a good laugh at the banquet...PT was right and he lost out on a championship at TKG because of it.

[Phoenixent]

As I recall, he publicly spoke out about how the Penske chassis, engine and tire combo they were using was junk and suggested to Roger they go to the Reynard/Honda/Firestone. They had struggled heavily for the better part of 2 years with developing their equipment. Roger fired him after the final race of the year in Fontana. When DeFerran won the championship a couple years later (in a Reynard/Honda/Firestone) PT joked about how it was his suggestion to Roger that was the reason. It got a good laugh at the banquet...PT was right and he lost out on a championship at TKG because of it.

Thanks T3 for explaining the deal with Penske and PT. It's is interesting that Penske was working on Reynards since Indy 1995 trying to improve his own cars. But it was the whole package of Reynard/Honda/Firestone that was the winning combo not just the chassis. I have photos somewhere of a Reynard being tested by Penske in the late 90's.