Fat lady sings

[namarow]

So it looks like Franchiti is gone to Nascab. Lets see if that is enought money for him. A road racer gone oval trackin. What a joke. He took Hondas Money and when JJ said go elsewhere he did.

You and I fight over the IRL and CC. But seriously, it is all about money. I am getting tired of both. I am watching more F1, and motogp. Dario is the perfect example of rich getting richer.

There are thousand of guys who who would give there arm to rid in his current ride let alone a CC.
US open wheel is dead

[deadsquirrel]

Dario has had a long, toplevel career - and deserves his success. I remember being involved in the Autosport/McLaren Young Driver of the Year competition in 1991 when Dario was a finalist (he lost out to Oliver Gavin). He's come a long way since then!

I will watch his progress in NASCAR with interest - a Scotsman playing with the Good Old Boys will be interesting!

[ChicagocrewIRL]

US open wheel is dead

Tell that to the crowds at Indianapolis and Long Beach.

[Lee Roy]

Tell that to the crowds at Indianapolis and Long Beach.

How about the crowds at MIS, where open wheel had raced since 1968.

[Anubis]

You're "getting tired of money" and you're watching F1?!

Dario is a professional racing driver and is free to race in whatever series he chooses, in the same way that I'm free to pursue my career in whatever business area I decide. He has no reason to be loyal to IRL, or any other series for that matter. If the IRL is a competitive series it will have no problem attractingg new talent, if not it will die, just like any other series. Given his upside down antics this season, I can't say I blame him for wanting a roof over his head from now on. I'm sure he'll be very well paid for his troubles, but I don't see how anyone can begrudge him that? Market forces.

[luvracin]

You're I can't say I blame him for wanting a roof over his head from now on.

I agree. In the interview after his second flip... you could see it in his eyes that he wanted out.

[mark123]

namarow (http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/member.php?u=70011) - if you want to watch F1 then all power to you. get off this forum and go play somewhere else. what an absolutely pointless post from someone who obviously is very hard to please and has nothing better to do.

[Old3Fan]

namarow (http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/member.php?u=70011) - if you want to watch F1 then all power to you. get off this forum and go play somewhere else. what an absolutely pointless post from someone who obviously is very hard to please and has nothing better to do.

And who are you to tell someone to get off this forum. I wouldn't really classify your post as being a must read.

[Komahawk]

Why anyone would prefer F1 when he can watch a race like Chicagoland on Sunday is beyond me. Sorry, I just don't get it. F1 is easily the by far most boring racing series I can think of. And just to create some "heat" they start this political bs. McLaren's poits lead gets bigger, so all of a sudden thete's new "evidence" about this "espionage". That's all they talk about. F1 is a technology parde with lots of political backstabbing in the paddock and primadonna drivers.

As far as the topic goes, I don't have a problem with someone taking a new job because of a higher wage. But I have a problem with that person not publicly admitting that it's all about money. It's not his passion for stock cars. I bet he can't even name a Daytona winner except maybe Earnhardt or Petty, let alone the exact year. Dario going to NASCAR hurts the IRL, but it also hurts NASCAR. Hiring drivers who obviously only care for money is ultimately not going to pay off. It's the same with Villeneuve BTW.

[DRC]

This article ( http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/columns/story?seriesId=2&columnist=blount_terry&id=3013994 ) seems to imply that it's more about safety than money.

"But one reason stands far above the rest for the classy Scotsman -- safety.

It's really that simple. Driving a Cup car, especially the Car of Tomorrow that will race in every event next season, is much safer than racing an Indy car on high-speed ovals.

Franchitti had two scary accidents in back-to-back races this year when his car got airborne and became a 200-mph target of destruction.

Sources say famous wife Ashley Judd had seen enough. She didn't want her hubby taking those kinds of risks any longer."

Can't say I blame him. And good luck to him. But FWIW, no, I won't be watching..

[indycool]

The loss of one or two drivers isn't the end of a circuit, nor is it the end of open-wheel racing. It was just the START of the IRL in 1996 when many previous Indy winners were at Michigan opposite Indy.

Dario is popular. Ashley is popular (although her comments about Duno were out of place in light of the joy of her husband's victory and championship). Hornish is popular.

But so are Kanaan, Marco, Danica, Wheldon, Dixon, etc. Still plenty of folks to get fans' attention and the replacements might, too. If Hornish goes to Cup, I think it's safe to say that RP isn't going to put a ****er in the second car.

[Lee Roy]

But so are Kanaan, Marco, Danica, Wheldon, Dixon, etc.

Who?

[Mark in Oshawa]

Boy, talk about trolls..... Lee Roy, behave yourself.

I think if Dario goes, life will go on in the IRL. It is just another symptom of AOW racing being an artificial world where two series race essentially the same type of car thinking they are holding onto something unique. Life will go on, the IRL will soldier on, providing decent entertainment while some of their top stars will go to NASCAR where a guy can make more money selling swag from his trailer than actually racing. The drivers are not there because they care ONLY about money, they care because of the money and the competition. No other series puts 43 guys on the track and sends close to 10 more home. Racers like a challenge, and right now, the OW driver has decided the mountain that is NASCAR is one worth climbing. It is not just about the money. God knows Jacques Villeneuve has enough of it, but he needed a new challenge and the IRL and Champ Car were not worth risking his rep nor butt in. NASCAR is for the most part safer..and as guys get older, they think about that.