Rahal-Letterman Files Suit Against Sharp, Patron

[Jag_Warrior]

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/indycar/41828/

Well, there's a good deal of irony in that one, IMO.

[mark123]

whats going on with Sharp? no one has said where he wants to race next year?

[CCFanatic]

I think Sharp was looking at ALMS or Grand Am. But the rumors I heard was Sharp going to race ALMS with RLR, so now I have no clue.

[Alexamateo]

This is a countersuit. Sharp filed suit first to get out of his contract. I think he wants to start his own team or shop the Patron sponsorship somewhere else. His ultimate goal is team ownership and evidently he was not happy working with Rahal.

[Alexamateo]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor...al-sharp_N.htm

Days after Rahal Letterman Racing was served with a breach-of-contract lawsuit by driver Scott Sharp, the Ohio-based team countered with a suit.
"We have learned that Scott is interested in racing somewhere else," team co-owner Bobby Rahal said in a statement Wednesday. "If that is his direction in the future, so be it, but not in violation of his 2008 commitments."
Sharp, 39, filed suit in Florida last week seeking his release from RLR, citing the team's inability to be competitive in his first season there.
He finished eighth in the Indy Racing League's IndyCar standings with a best finish of third place (twice) in 2007. Sharp is a nine-time winner in the IRL's top series, but hasn't won since August 2005.
"He's not going to be driving for Rahal next year," Sharp's lawyer Michael R. Josephs said Wednesday night.

He's suing Rahal for breach of contract. What that entails, I have no idea, but I am sure some other folks will let us know sooner or later!


EDIT:
I'm not sure what "inability to be competitive" means since he was the highest placed of the non-big 3 teams(Penske/Ganassi/AGR).

[mark123]

he may have been a bit quicker on the road courses if he kept it on the black stuff!!!

[bennybigb]

Do all drivers have an LLC that they drive under?

I was very suprised to see the suit was against Scott Sharp Sports and Scott Sharp LLC.

There must be tax and liability advantages, is this common practice?

[Alexamateo]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...4/-1/NLETTER05

More Info.

Sharp believes Rahal Letterman is no longer committed to IndyCar racing because of the recent release of 10 crew members, including race engineers Jeff Britton and Ray Lehto, Sharp's attorney, Michael Josephs, said Thursday.
Britton had been Sharp's engineer since he won the pole for the 2001 Indianapolis 500 at Kelley Racing. Lehto was Danica Patrick's engineer when she nearly won the 500 in 2005.
Sharp's complaint also alleges that Rahal doesn't want to field an Indy Racing League program, won't participate in the league-provided test sessions and is not investing in a research-and-development program.

It lends credence to the folks that say Bobby Rahal doesn't want to be in the IRL.

[Rudy Tamasz]

Yes! We told you so! This is the beginning of the end for IRL! The domino starts falling!

Nevermind guys, just fooling around. Just finished writing a boring memo in my office, bored to death and waiting for COB.

[Wraith]

This is a countersuit. Sharp filed suit first to get out of his contract. I think he wants to start his own team or shop the Patron sponsorship somewhere else. His ultimate goal is team ownership and evidently he was not happy working with Rahal.

I can see Rahal wanting to keep the Patron sponsor rather than Sharp himself, via the contract. Given the direction of IRL in recent years, Sharp is unlikely to be a future potential winning driver, and Rahal, acquiring the services of Hunter-Reay, knows this.