What Happens Next?

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Originally Posted by jimispeed

I don't agree....

It's a terrible way to end it....

Champcar deserves to survive in the merger, not die....

More time is needed to secure that...

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Okay Jimispeed, whatever.

The truth is that The Champ Car World Series has twice failed to prove its case as a viable business to teams, drivers, sponsors, manufacturers, TV partners, promoters, the media and the vast majority of the world's racing fans. More time won't change that.

Oh, and this is not a merger. It is the consolidation of a failed business into another business that is far more viable. To color it as something else is intellectually dishonest. This isn't a TV sitcom that is being cancelled and can somehow be revived by a fanatical online fan campaign. Sorry. The Four Stooges has been dumped and it ain't comin' back.

In my view (and I am far from alone) ChampCar does not deserve anything other than the fate created for it by the blind greed and blustering hubris of The Amigos. When it all finally goes Tango Uniform it will truly be the end of an error.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jimispeed

I don't agree....

It's a terrible way to end it....

Champcar deserves to survive in the merger, not die....

More time is needed to secure that...

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Jimi, what part of THERE IS NO MONEY LEFT is that hard to understand?

If there was money left, do you think the Amigos would be looking to get out?

As far as CCWS "deserving" to survive, you should know that in ANY business, nothing is deserved, it is earned. Unfortunately, the poor management of the Amigos has probably removed much of that "deservidness" from the series, and future events will probably reflect that.

Time, in this case, is money. There is none of either left for CCWS, IMO.

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Originally Posted by tbyars

Jimi, what part of THERE IS NO MONEY LEFT is that hard to understand?

If there was money left, do you think the Amigos would be looking to get out?

As far as CCWS "deserving" to survive, you should know that in ANY business, nothing is deserved, it is earned. Unfortunately, the poor management of the Amigos has probably removed much of that "deservidness" from the series, and future events will probably reflect that.

Time, in this case, is money. There is none of either left for CCWS, IMO.

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Amen to that, tbyars.

You know what's fun to watch this 2008 in CC? I am hoping to see a cancelled race, another article that the amigos are not getting along, and teams moving to IRL or anywhere. How do I know? Look in the past 4 years. As long as these clowns are still own and run this series, 5 bucks says it's getting worse and worse every year for the series, sadly. If I see Tony Cotman somewhere, I'll buy him a beer. I suggest some of you do that too. Buy him a beer for leaving his executive job working with his hands tied up. Sad to see where CC is now. But it's all business and that's the reality.

If I'm TG, I'd wait til 2010 until the Amigos are selling CC in ebay.

Indycool and ChaimWitz,
Thanks for the information and extrememly insightful and intelligent posts.

Tbyars,
I don't think you should be too hard on Jimispeed. We are all fans of Champ Car/CART, and it is very distressing to see what is unfolding right now. You know, it really should not be ending like this, but the reality of business can be harsh.

I hope Jimispeed will one day see an AOWR series that looks quite close to what he would like. Keep an open mind Jimispeed and you may see the IRL change their cars to be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye (Lola/Reynard circa (1997-2001), more road, natural terrain and airport courses on the schedule, and finally more American and Canadian drivers.

Finally to Cart750hp,
Please don't say that this is funny to watch, because it isn't. I know you don't mean to laugh at the hundreds of people who will struggling to find work and therefore pay bills in 2008, due to Champ Cars financial situation.

Believe me, all the people who have depended on Champ Car for direct and indirect employment will not find that work in the IRL, ALMS or NASCAR. A few will, and quite a lot won't.

These are difficult times for those people. Let's be sympathetic and grateful for all their hard work since 2004.

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Originally Posted by FlatChatRacer

Indycool and ChaimWitz,
Finally to Cart750hp,
Please don't say that this is funny to watch, because it isn't. I know you don't mean to laugh at the hundreds of people who will struggling to find work and therefore pay bills in 2008, due to Champ Cars financial situation.

Believe me, all the people who have depended on Champ Car for direct and indirect employment will not find that work in the IRL, ALMS or NASCAR. A few will, and quite a lot won't.

These are difficult times for those people. Let's be sympathetic and grateful for all their hard work since 2004.

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I think I'm over being sympathetic about this situation. For me, I'm in a point where if you are associated with CC and can continue on working under these circumstances for the past 4 years, it's no longer CC's management fault when worse come to worst. Sure, employment is hard but there is no reason not to find one 2-4 years ago. And with what's going on in CC as we speak, ever thought of sending their resume somewhere else? I'm being sarcastic, of course, to how the CC ownership and management are still continuing on. For me this is more than a joke. For the people who are working or hanging on, maybe they could've start checking their options 4 years ago. Just my opinion, of course.

FCR, just IMO, but I think the idea presented in the CART bankruptcy hearing about how many jobs would be lost, and that idea presented again now, has been A) overpresented in number, and B) is constantly present in major league sports.

A vendor of widgets or crabcakes isn't going to go out of business if the Grand Prix of Waxahatchie doesn't take place. He's going to do his business and try to find somewhere else to sell widgets or crabcakes.

Mechanics, team receptionists, PR guys and gals, marketing people....they move around all the time.

It's the professional sports world. Mike Bibby just got traded from Sacramento to the Atlanta Hawks for four players. Those four are expected to be in some city Tuesday to play for the Kings. Remember to pack your underwear and toothpaste and your plane leaves in two hours and the equipment manager is on the phone to ask how you spell your name and what size jersey you wear and what number you want.

How many players go to camp with an NFL team? 80-90? They can keep 53 plus six, I think, on a practice squad at low pay. 30-odd people out of jobs in "X" number of cities on cutdown day. Some go somewhere else, some sell insurance.

This is a sports world that the fan doesn't see, an EVENT world that a fan doesn't see. But to say the clerk at the Hyatt in Toronto is going to lose his job if there's no CC race there is ridiculous, IMO.

Indycool,

I am not referring to the clerk in a Toronto Hotel or any other Hotel where Champ Car has pitched a tent before.

I am talking about the mechanics, engineers, marketing and other professionals who are associated with Champ Car. Some of those people will lose out when the dust finally settles on this mess.

However, to take CART750hp point about looking for a job. I have to agree that if you are a forward thinking employee of Champ Car, then your resume/CV will already be doing the rounds in other series or another industry altogether.

I am just trying to make the point that this is NOT fun to watch! IMO of course.

Oh, true, some will miss, some will luck out, some new people will be hired. There'll be a scramble. The teams that are viable now will be viable in a melded series but most likely, there'll be fewer teams. Some of those teams are volunteer-type efforts, anyway. Matter of fact, how many drivers in CC aren't paid?

So, this is finally "it". The Split is all but over and we all (most of us, at least) move forward together. My hope is that in few months we will all ask ourselves "what took so long?". I also hope the sport's leaders remember to ask themselves the question that Dr. Jack used to start this thread. "What happens next?" is now what everyone should be focused on. Yesterday I took a moment to re-read post number 1 in this thread. I suggest you do as well. Please reflect on what we have all lost in the 14 years since this sad argument began and then reflect on what we have to gain in the century ahead. Here's is to a new day and a unified future for our sport!

Dr. Jack, Does this mean another "Crest" backed effort? :)