Whats the deal w/O2 Racing Tech being suspended from FIL?

[Otto-Matic]

Suspension of Indy Lights team O2 Racing Technology, owner Mark Olson upheld - ESPN
i read the story on Espn, that the tea has been suspended for the rest of the 2011 season and 2012 for trying to organize a boycott for the FIL race, but no reason why they were trying to oranize such a boycott and no explanation from league officials. Nothing on SpeeTV or Racer.com, kind of strange. can someone shed some light?

[DanicaFan]

He withdrew his entries at the Milwaukee Mile this year and was trying to get other teams to withdraw from the race. Im not sure what his reasons were for doing it though.
According to the official report, this is what he was in violation of..

• Rule 1.1: Actions threatening the integrity of INDYCAR, Firestone Indy Lights and/or orderly conduct of an event.
• Rule 2.11 (C): Conduct creating adverse notoriety with respect to INDYCAR, Firestone Indy Lights or an event.
• Rule 9.3 (A): Attempting to or engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct or conduct detrimental to racing, INDYCAR and/or Firestone Indy Lights.
• Section 14 of the Event Entry Form: Engaging in tactics which would disrupt or delay the events

[00steven]

Got what he deserved.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Why did he want to organize a boycott?

[Otto-Matic]

thats whats frustrating, the story offeres no explanation for what got under his skin and made him take these actions. thats what i'm fasinated by...what happened to make him this angry?

[Lousada]

This explains a little:
O2 Racing Withdraws from Milwaukee Mile Race Event « Marketing Jewels
O2 is angry that there were already 26! tech failures up to Milwaukee. None of them were on O2 Racingcars. Then after Milwaukee qualifying two Sam Schmidt cars were penalised after tech failures. But later the penalty was withdrawn. Sort of what happened at Toronto... They also named and shamed some who failed post-race inspection, namely Garcia at Long Beach and Sam Schmidt Motorsports at the Freedom 100.

[Lousada]

Why did he want to organize a boycott?

He didn't want to organize a boycott, the Indycar officials admit that themselves:
The INDYCAR Race Director Tony Cotman today upheld the penalty and suspension of O2 Racing Technology and team owner, Mark Olson. In the penalty (authored and assessed by Roger Bailey, Executive Director of Firestone Indy Lights), INDYCAR claimed, “… you encouraged team owners to boycott the [Milwaukee] event …”. This allegation against Olson was simply false, leading to an appeal by O2 Racing Technology and Olson of the penalty and a hearing held by INDYCAR on July 14, 2011.

At the hearing, INDYCAR admitted that it had conducted an investigation that failed to find a single person who claimed to have been encouraged to boycott the Milwaukee event by Olson. However, INDYCAR maintained that the burden rested on Olson to prove a negative, i.e., that Olson did not encourage a boycott. Despite Olson’s testimony to his innocence and personal team owner letters supporting Olson’s position, INDYCAR denied the appeal and ruled that there was insufficient evidence to reverse the penalty and suspension.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

He didn't want to organize a boycott, the Indycar officials admit that themselves:
The INDYCAR Race Director Tony Cotman today upheld the penalty and suspension of O2 Racing Technology and team owner, Mark Olson. In the penalty (authored and assessed by Roger Bailey, Executive Director of Firestone Indy Lights), INDYCAR claimed, “… you encouraged team owners to boycott the [Milwaukee] event …”. This allegation against Olson was simply false, leading to an appeal by O2 Racing Technology and Olson of the penalty and a hearing held by INDYCAR on July 14, 2011.

At the hearing, INDYCAR admitted that it had conducted an investigation that failed to find a single person who claimed to have been encouraged to boycott the Milwaukee event by Olson. However, INDYCAR maintained that the burden rested on Olson to prove a negative, i.e., that Olson did not encourage a boycott. Despite Olson’s testimony to his innocence and personal team owner letters supporting Olson’s position, INDYCAR denied the appeal and ruled that there was insufficient evidence to reverse the penalty and suspension.

That sounds exactly like the BS you'd expect from IndyCar officials.

[bennybigb]

I honestly cannot understand why anyone would want to be involved with this series.

Fans of the league, racers of the league, employees of the league......why?

These guys pull crap like this all the time. I had hoped that removing TG would make things better, but it's the same old crap on 16th and Georgetown.

I'm just waiting for the HG's to sell out so we can start rebuilding what was once a great sport.

[DBell]

That sounds exactly like the BS you'd expect from IndyCar officials.

+1