Surfers Gone.......

[CCWS77]

The IRL is not in a desperate situation like A1GP is or CCWS was. The IRL can afford to pick and choose viable dates. Surfers was no longer viable. You can't fault TG for dropping a race half way around the world that was costing the teams money and not really adding anything of substance to the series.

Then again, you probably will (fault him).

What a bunch of nonsense!

If the IRL was stable then they would keep a race with international prestige even if actually cost money. Instead, the IRL is in the position of carefully selecting individual races that fit its current sponsors and finances and is NOT looking at the long term or the big picture at all. What sponsors could be gained from it in the future? Who cares, we need an emergency focus right now on pleasing current sponsors and domestic fans before they bail!

[downtowndeco]

You're talking out of both sides of your mouth at once. Your post makes no sense.

What a bunch of nonsense!

If the IRL was stable then they would keep a race with international prestige even if actually cost money. Instead, the IRL is in the position of carefully selecting individual races that fit its current sponsors and finances and is NOT looking at the long term or the big picture at all. What sponsors could be gained from it in the future? Who cares, we need an emergency focus right now on pleasing current sponsors and domestic fans before they bail!

[indycool]

Ditto, dd. First he's pitching international. Then he says the IRL needs to please its domestic fans. Well, the latter is what the IRL seems to be trying to do, so I guess he can complain ablout the other.

[NickFalzone]

Well of course the truth is that there are all kinds of fans. Some want American only, drivers, tracks, engines, all the way down the line. Others want an international A1 type series. Others, perhaps the largest group, want something in the middle like CART was before the split. But it's assinine to act like you or anyone here speaks for all the fans. As soon at TG makes a move in one direction, he has people complaining from another. All the trolls come out of the woodwork when they think they've been slighted. Which is not to say that bad decisions and bad management are nonexistent, but that trying to appease everyone involves compromises. I think dropping Surfer's was a compromise, no one wanted to do it, but it didn't make sense in the big picture right now. Hopefully soon it can come back.

[F1boat]

Yes, it does. That's a good spin from down there because it's a face saver for 'em. But the Queensland government isn't the only promotional entity involved in the event and its other partners (IMG, etc.) would also be involved in any deal. It would NOT be the IRL just asking the Queensland government for $3 million. It wouldn't work that way, in reality.

No complaint here, really. A1GP is more suited to do the deal and that's fine. As I have already posted, the IRL seems to be making it clear that it wants to shore up the North American market before it goes globetrotting. Makes sense to me when two series just went bankrupt doing it the other way.

I agree and we are in a crisis, after all. Costs should be cut.

[millencolin]

Won't miss it a bit. It's just too far to go for a wet tee shirt contest. I hate street races...but "different strokes"...

Wet t-shirt competitions are for the weak and feeble : Indy far far FAR outranks that... some of the stuff makes 'girls gone wild' look like sesame street


Who is the real winner here? The QLD gov't. Even though i hate the sports minister Judy Spence more than anybody, they did well out of this. They scored a series who will bend over backwards for them, for an event where most of the crowd come to get blind and party like its 1999

Having the IRL was good for us racing fanatics, but we are far outnumbered.

As i mentioned, My time as a Indycar fan has come to an end, I was a Indy fan first, then became an AOWR fan.

Peace out homies

[nigelred5]

Well, nigel, a bit of history. Long Beach switched from F1 to Indy cars because it couldn't afford F1 any more and the lure was INDY cars, the cars and drivers of the Indianapolis 500. For 12 years, that has not been the case. Now, again, it will be, and if you ask Long Beach GM Jim Michaelian about it, returning to that tie is going to be an important draw in the U.S. Previous to this, attendance was going down at Long Beach and the blending of the series should be the START of going back up, all things considered.

Well, I guess I'll wait to see who's right. I agree the cars and drivers of hte Indy 500 USED to be a draw. I can hardly say they are anywhere near the draw they were in the 80's and early 90's. LongBeach is just as much of an excuse to "be seen" as Surfers is to party. Honestly, the track layout hasn't been very good for years.

[namarow]

WOW

so they killed it!??!?

I have been away from this madness. I realized that watching a sport should not be so stressful and demoralizing.

But having seen the headline ( all I can see as I let my AR1 subscription lapse) I am amazed at just how retarded Tony George and company are.

Nothing has changed. But I have, as have alot of other die hards. When Mondy comes to Toronto, about a mile from me, I will up north enjoying the sun, water, and and perhaps enjoying my new favorite sport... Motorcycle racing!!!

What a joke

[downtowndeco]

Read the thread before you start blaming anyone. Unless, of course, you have a preconceived idea who's at fault before you even know the facts. Typical CCF.

WOW

so they killed it!??!?

I have been away from this madness. I realized that watching a sport should not be so stressful and demoralizing.

But having seen the headline ( all I can see as I let my AR1 subscription lapse) I am amazed at just how retarded Tony George and company are.

Nothing has changed. But I have, as have alot of other die hards. When Mondy comes to Toronto, about a mile from me, I will up north enjoying the sun, water, and and perhaps enjoying my new favorite sport... Motorcycle racing!!!

What a joke

[garyshell]

Read the thread before you start blaming anyone. Unless, of course, you have a preconceived idea who's at fault before you even know the facts. Typical CCF.

Back off, will ya? Enough with suggesting everyone who dares say anything against King George is "typical CCF". When will this ever stop? I know for FACT that nmarrow is not "typical CCF". And know for FACT that you owe nmarrow an apology for suggesting that he is "typical CCF".

Starter may break out the ruler and whack me across the knuckles, but I have had just about enough of you and your constant "us versus them" bull.

When I was summarily given my count down at CCF over the Paul Tracy incident, nmarrow was one of the folks who dared rise to my defense. Hardly what I would call "typical CCF". So, how about letting folks actually display "typical CCF" traits, BEFORE you make your preconceived branding of them as "typical CCF" just because they raise some concern.

Gary