What Happens Next?

[Chaparral66]

Both series have been on different sides of the same roller coaster ride since 1996. It's been creaking for years and been patched with balsa wood...

[FlatChatRacer]

Once again ChaimWitz has tried to steer the discussion in a cerebral direction. Alas, very few are paying attention and can see the wood for the trees.

Therein lies the problem with AOWR. The way posters behave on this forum is like a microcosm of the way the leaders/owners of the IRL and CCWS behave. Mine is better than yours, blah, blah, blah.

In the meantime, NASCAR has gone racing ahead into the distance, barely a speck on the horizon, and the ALMS has just zoomed past leaving dust trails in the collective faces of the IRL and CCWS.

Jim Strong has put forward some interesting and wonderful ideas that are devoid of ego and self interest. Unfortunately, the powers that be of our favourite series, don't seem to be able to forget the past and look to the future with optimism, forgiveness and not a little humility.

However, as Open Wheel fans we all live in hope!

[Chaparral66]

Once again ChaimWitz has tried to steer the discussion in a cerebral direction. Alas, very few are paying attention and can see the wood for the trees.

Therein lies the problem with AOWR. The way posters behave on this forum is like a microcosm of the way the leaders/owners of the IRL and CCWS behave. Mine is better than yours, blah, blah, blah.

In the meantime, NASCAR has gone racing ahead into the distance, barely a speck on the horizon, and the ALMS has just zoomed past leaving dust trails in the collective faces of the IRL and CCWS.

Jim Strong has put forward some interesting and wonderful ideas that are devoid of ego and self interest. Unfortunately, the powers that be of our favourite series, don't seem to be able to forget the past and look to the future with optimism, forgiveness and not a little humility.

However, as Open Wheel fans we all live in hope!

Very true, and I have said this for years, and so has Robin Miller, that the only real winner in this conflict has been NASCAR. And as you say, ALMS is actually doing what open wheel should be, and generating new teams and sponsors; and Grand Am is also creating buzz, as some of the world's finest drivers, from Formula 1 to local short track stars, are coming to compete in the Rolex 24, which has now become the defacto IROC.

[ChaimWitz]

CC does get sanction fees and the ALMS paddock is okay,but it isn't that great.

Sanguin, I wonder just how you claim to know that Champ Car gets a sanction fee for all their races... I thought you were just a fan. Regardless, this claim does not jive with what I have been hearing from those inside a number of ChampCar's 2008 events. I am told that many are not paying a sanction fee or only a very discounted fee where the risk is in Champ Car's corner. Given the pattern of the past few years cannot be good for Champ Car's bottom line.

As for the ALMS paddock, I beg to differ. It has very cool cars, professional presentation, famous teams and a real buzz going on. There is true optimism there that I don't see in either the Champ Car paddock or the Indy Car Series paddock. There is also far less B.S. and justification of things that are unjustifiable going on—despite the presence of a viable competitor in the form of the Grand-Am.

[gofastandwynn]

You would think the IRL would be more successful and not have a sponsor suing to get out. NHL is not going to IRL.

Which sponsor would that be?

[garyshell]

This letter that Gordon printed has all the hallmarks of things said here and elsewhere for quite some time. The problem with it is that it has no teeth. We the fans have no REAL way to hold "...king George" or the Amigo's feet to the fire. Oh sure we could all just refuse to go to the races. Like THAT is going to happen.

The only players with any hope of being able to pull this off are the team owners. It is why like the author of the letter, I have been calling for an team owners revolt.

Gary

[tbyars]

NHL is not going to IRL.

Aren't you the one who said they would never drop San Jose for Laguna, because San Jose was going to be another Long Beach, and nothing ever draws flies at Laguna but the bikes?

Frankly, I don't think you know, because I don't think the decision has been made yet.

[ChaimWitz]

Two quotes from that great American "race" fan Eldrigidge Cleaver, come to mind when reading these forums:

"You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem."

"The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less."

Have some people here forgotten this was once "one" sport?

Have they also forgotten that this has been a business competition based upon differences in business ideals and business models?

In the end, the IRL is becoming much more CART like (or is it lites?) in its make up... while the CCWS becomes less so. One series is more promoter centric and the other is more entrant centric. One series is likely far more sustainable and the other is likely not.

Business, like racing has a finish line. People do look at the results and ask themselves "who won?" Sometimes, like in racing, the winner looks like it has been trough a war and will require a complete rebuild.

I think the hard truth is that we are there now and the IRL is limping to the white flag lap while the CCWS is slowing to a crawl with smoke trailing behind it.

When the checkered flag falls soon, I have little doubt that the IRL car will be in the winner's circle. Too bad the grandstands will be less than half full and the TV time window will have been exceeded so few will notice or care. There will of course be a few thousand fanatical CC fans rioting outside the winners circle crying "foul" but the race will have been run and won and the results will stand. Business is business and is the most unforgiving competition outside of armed conflict and open wheel racing itself.

So, back to the topic of this tread: what happens next?

Do the Amigos cut a deal now with The Grandson and salvage some of their investment, their key events., Mazda Atlantics and Cosworth or do they play to their own egos (and those of the fanatical haters) and drive the series into oblivion?

My hope is for the former while they still have a hint of leverage left.

[indycool]

Well, next seems to be that Jani is "out."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64808

P.S. -- As far as Strong's letter goes that Kirby put up on his site, what elements are in that letter that haven't been suggested by somebody on one of these forums multiple times before? What's new about any of that? What hasn't been argued and/or discussed about this on any of these forums before? I see absolutely nothing new or exciting about that proposition.

[heelntoe]

Well, next seems to be that Jani is "out."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64808

And, according to Cavin, GF has been spotted at the IMS offices...will wonders never cease