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Old 02-08-2008
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Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Robin Miller had reported talks were on between the two leagues. I was wondering if anyone has heard anything since his report a couple weeks ago? I found this article today which suggests it's not dead yet, but has there been any new news since his report?

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headline...08114308.shtml
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Old 02-09-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

There's this.......
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...peace-at-hand/


and this...

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/s...d=1&id=3237154

Last edited by rcote; 02-09-2008 at 12:42 AM. Reason: added 2nd link
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Old 02-09-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

as the (open wheel) world turns.....

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...-developments/

let's hope this actually DOES lead to good news soon..
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Old 02-09-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Seems we go through this little whisper dance once or twice a year with these guys, always yielding the same results.

Wouldn't you think they'd be as tired of it as we are and get ahead of the schedule and just work the damn thing out?!

Meanwhile we have almost two generations of kids who have no awareness of open wheel racing in this country.

Having witnessed in person AJ Foyt win his last Indy 500 in 1977 and remembering how the whole country used to stop and focus on Indy it's hard to believe how far things have fallen.
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Old 02-09-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Hope we live long enough to see Champ Car and IRL back together. Then, with the same chassis and engines, it would be about like SBR
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Old 02-09-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

You could probably run two seasons of Skippy for what it would cost to replace a corner on one of those Champ cars.

Had the chance to watch some Champ Car practice last Sunday at Sebring through the turn 7 hairpin and the carousel. Have to admit they have a lot more downforce, insanely late brake points, much higher speeds, double wide slick tires with four times the grip and a ton more acceleration... but other than that they're hard to tell apart from a Skippy car!

True on the chassis and engines. Big bucks spec racing. Seems to work for Skippy... and Nascar for that matter.

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Hope we live long enough to see Champ Car and IRL back together. Then, with the same chassis and engines, it would be about like SBR
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Old 02-09-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

And then comes this late today:


IRL Champ Car merger talks heat up UPDATE #4 We are opening this rumor back up to 'strong' from 'false' despite the statement from Kalkhoven and Forsythe that they are planning for the Champ Car season to go forward in 2008. We spotted Derrick Walker being interviewed on Indianapolis TV and in the background was his new Dallara IRL car. If the latest rumors are to be believed, four Champ Car races will be added to the IRL schedule in 2008 because they do not conflict with IRL races - Long Beach (if Motegi can be moved), Edmonton (if moved by one week), Mexico City and Australia. If true this means there are going to be a lot of lawsuits thrown at Champ Car and OWRS for cancelling races that had signed contracts. In addition, we wonder what it means for Panoz and for the Champ Car teams that have so much inventory invested in the Panoz and the Cosworth engines. More lawsuits. And what about Champ Car's signed contract with ABC and ESPN. Still more lawsuits. And what about the Atlantic series? What will become of that? We suspect that would be retained.
We are not lawyers, but the only way we see this coming down for 2008 is if OWRS files for bankruptcy (and soon) and they let everyone sue the bankrupt company. They probably won't get much.
Despite the Champ Car fans being thoroughly disappointed with this rumored outcome, the good news is that peace will finally be at hand and open wheel racing in this country can start the long process of healing and closure.
We support a final end to the silliness of the split, and so should all the fans. 2008 will be a transition year because it is happening in the 11th hour. The sure to be bitter Champ Car fans can look forward to 2009 and 2010 when more of the best parts of Champ Car (such as the races in Toronto and Road America, and the turbo engine, etc.) can be rolled into the Indy Racing League, hence making the reunited series even stronger. We suspect some of the weaker teams from both sides will fold and some of the weaker IRL races (such as Iowa, Watkins Glen, Sears Point, etc.) will be dropped in favor of some of the stronger Champ Car races that cannot make it on the 2008 schedule. Mark C.
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Old 02-09-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it. Too many times the bridesmaid on this deal... And where is Gene Simmons when you need him?
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Old 02-10-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

My spies are, how should I say this, much more active on watching this rumor. From what they say, 2008 could indeed be a transition. The exact makeup of that could still be anything, but my suspicion is there will be a Champ Car series in 2008 (way too much invested for 2008 at this point), but the entire year's focus may be for something special beginning in 2009.

Keep your fingers crossed. This might actually be the time, but it will be a journey, not a quick event. Let's enjoy the show.
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Old 02-10-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Hmmm, let's see.

Champ car/IRL merger goes through at end of 2008 season.

25 slightly used Panoz champ car chassis and a ton of spare parts come on the market, cheap.

The top brass at a certain racing school that has been searching for a cost-effective way to upgrade their open wheel fleet sees an opportunity they can't resist. . . .



(just kidding )
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Old 02-10-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

New home of the $50,000 lapping day and the $150,000 race weekend (before practice or crash damage.)

Good news... The instructors get a huge pay increase...
Bad news... They only work about once every 3 years...
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Old 02-10-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

More on the topic from Autoracing1.com today:


02/10/08


Deal seals Indy's future If you thought this past year's Surfer's Paradise Indy race was a beauty -- brace yourself; it is going to get bigger and better. In an agreement that has the motorsport world abuzz, the two rival North American open-wheel racing bodies are poised to sign a historic merger deal. It will mean more teams at the iconic Gold Coast event, fiercer competition and a brighter future for the race. The secret deal between the warring bosses from Champ Car and the Indy Racing League (IRL) is being hailed as the savior of the Gold Coast race.
Had an agreement not been reached over the weekend, the Bligh Government would have been faced with the prospect of having a world-class motorsport event in October without the international teams and drivers. The deal will cement the Gold Coast race as the No. 1 motorsport event in the country, particularly on the back of speculation that Melbourne's Formula One is all but dead.
Prominent Australian Indy team owner Craig Gore said last night that the unification of both series was clearly the best option for everyone in motorsport. Billionaire team owners Gerry Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven of Champ Car have been in talks for two weeks with Indy Racing League founder Tony George and high-profile team owner Roger Penske to end their divisive and bitter war.
By amalgamating Champ Car and the IRL, America's most famous motorsport race, the Indianapolis 500, would also be part of the super series. Champ Car would retain its key races -- Long Beach, Edmonton and Surfers Paradise -- and the best races in the IRL would be added to create a much stronger, more viable series.
There would be 24 drivers linked to the most powerful teams in the sport, instead of the weak field of 16 last year at Surfers Paradise.
In the past week, the major hurdle that needed to be cleared was getting officials at Twin-Ring Motegi in Japan to move its race date from April to later in the season so that the Long Beach could be added to the IndyCar schedule.
Mr. George was due to meet with Honda race officials today to get the date changed, because that facility is owned by Honda, which is the sole engine supplier of IndyCar. Honda is a former long-time naming rights sponsor of the Gold Coast event.
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Old 02-12-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

IRL and Champ Car merger talks heat up UPDATE #5 As we surmised below, word is that Champ Car or OWRS will file for bankruptcy on Tuesday to facilitate the merger with the IRL. If true, as our sources tell us, Champ Car will be out of business and there will be once again a single open wheel series in the USA and that will be the Indy Racing League.
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Old 02-12-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

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Originally Posted by dlippert View Post
We suspect ... some of the weaker IRL races (such as Iowa, Watkins Glen, Sears Point, etc.) will be dropped in favor of some of the stronger Champ Car races that cannot make it on the 2008 schedule.
Looks like the end for Mont Tremblant: http://canadianpress.google.com/arti...0RkQNl_zjM0SKA

Gotta convince them not to abandon any of the Skippy tracks.
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Old 02-12-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Yeah... They had a lot of set up costs fabricating the cross over pedestrian bridge on the front straight and putting up and taking down all the stands for fans to sit on. In its normal state the track has almost no regular spectator areas other than the start/finish area. They also had to bring in portable toilets and concession stands as none of that exits there except for one concession stand across from the pits. Granted it's not as expensive as constructing a street circuit but I wonder what sort of attendance they had given the minimal parking and odd logistics of the track.

Was anyone there for that recent Cart race?

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Looks like the end for Mont Tremblant: http://canadianpress.google.com/arti...0RkQNl_zjM0SKA

Gotta convince them not to abandon any of the Skippy tracks.
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Old 02-12-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Pat I was there in the early 70s. You could sit on what was then a bigger hill at the end of the straight from 8 to 10.

Those were the days, Trans-Am racing all over the east coast - LRP, WGI, MT, NH & Bridgehampton. I thought it would last forever.

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Old 02-19-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

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Old 02-19-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

IRL-Champ Car merger talks ramp up, but clock ticking

2/19/08
By Gary Graves, USA TODAY
With their season-opening events more than a month away, America's open-wheel racing series still are trying to patch up differences and settle on one series. But until an agreement is reached, both will continue in separate directions.
For example, Champ Car World Series runner-up Justin Wilson was in Chicago being fitted for a seat in his Panoz chassis for Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing, while IRL teams forged on with preparations for next week's testing sessions at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Everybody's plans will change if a deal is finalized to end the 12-year rift between the sanctioning bodies, but so far nobody's phones are ringing with news either way.

"We're actually moving ahead and planning for 2008," said Jim Haskins, general manager for the Grand Prix of Edmonton. "What Champ Car told us (Tuesday) is that it's business as usual. The rumors seem to change by the hour."

While confirmations were hard to come by Tuesday on both sides, the anticipation of something tangible happening was palpable compared to previous false alarms about unification. IRL spokesman Fred Nation said Tuesday that both sides were "inching closer" to a resolution that wouldn't be announced until Thursday at the earliest.

"We are still trading drafts of a (possible) agreement," Nation told The Indianapolis Star. "We are whittling away at the issues, but they have not been eliminated. We're optimistic these things can be resolved but because of the persons involved it's always possible that one of them will decide they don't want to (unify)."

The consensus feeling was of curiosity to see if a generation of disagreement could be resolved within two weeks, or at least in time for Champ Car outfits to migrate to Florida to prepare and compete in the IndyCar Series season opener March 29.

"I know as much as you (the media) do, believe me," IRL and NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi said. "I just hope it happens. There can't be five people on the planet that don't want it to happen.

"If they were to get back together, I think that's only when the work would begin," Ganassi added. "It's probably like the 1994 baseball strike. The work really begins once you get all of the problems behind you. It would be nice to get all of the issues in one place. Get all of the rulesmakers in one place. Get all of the promoters in one place. Get everybody at one table instead of two. It would certainly end a lot of confusion in the marketplace."

One racing legend optimistic that the break between the rival series may finally be mended.

"I think, God willing, this could be the time," said Mario Andretti, who led previous merger efforts. "This would be the best belated Christmas gift that I'd ever received."

About a half-dozen Champ Car teams appear ready to accept IRL founder and President Tony George's offer of $1.2 million with free cars and engines and jump from the road-based series to the oval-based circuit.

The 10 teams that raced in Champ Car last season spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a new race car and chassis that can't be used in the IRL, which has said it would help teams find compatible equipment. Still, many Champ Car teams might not have the financial wherewithal to make the switch.

Neither George nor Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven could be reached for comment Tuesday. Rocketsports team owner Paul Gentilozzi said, "I think the majority of Champ Car teams would cease to exist."

And those who switch won't have it easy.

"The Champ Car teams will be at a huge disadvantage," said Derrick Walker, a Champ Car team owner contemplating a switch to the IRL even if a merger isn't worked out. "It would be a mad scramble. Almost overnight we'd have to adjust to different specs. Still, we need to get this done, even if it means we won't be competitive until 2009."

Gentilozzi said his Rocketsports team will not be among those making a move toward the IRL.

"I can't make the (financial) numbers work," he said. "Plus, I have a Brazilian driver (Enrique Bernoldi) who has never been on ovals, and he's not very interested in doing that."

If a deal is reached this week, the calendar also seems clear for the series to race in Long Beach in April and in Edmonton, Alberta, two Champ Car venues in which race officials were adamant about upholding long-term contracts.

Beyond that, questions remain about whether the IRL will absorb other Champ Car venues this season. Sites such as Surfer's Paradise in Australia and Mexico City are attractive but problematic because they occur more than six weeks after the IndyCar Series finale at Chicagoland Speedway in September.

"We are still awaiting the official announcement from all of the involved parties as to the proposed new structure and its implication with regard to our event here in Long Beach," Grand Prix Association of Long Beach CEO Jim Michaelian said in a statement.

"But we are excited about the prospects for such a merger because it would bring clarity to the world of open-wheel racing."

Nation said George, who is in Orlando, attending a motor sports safety conference, is negotiating with Kalkhoven. Kalkhoven is working on behalf of fellow Champ Car owners Gerald Forsythe, Gentilozzi and Dan Pettit.

Kalkhoven is in London attending to family business, but Gentilozzi confirmed the group has not voted on documents relating to Champ Car's future.

David Higdon, Champ Car's executive vice president of strategic development, said the series is "in the same position (it) was last week. Discussions are being held, but nothing is done," he said.

Both sides have struggled for fans, sponsors and TV ratings since the IRL began competition in 1995, competing against the established CART series. CART later went into bankruptcy and was bought by its current owners.

Most of the previous negotiations broke down over the issue of who would control the merged series.

Most recently, each series lost its top stars — four-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais to Formula One and 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti and three-time IndyCar champion Sam Hornish Jr. to NASCAR.

Contributing: A.J. Perez and Nate Ryan, USA TODAY; Curt Cavin, The Indianapolis Star; The Associated Press
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Old 02-20-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

the Charlie Brown ref is perfect Charles

the France family needs to buy open wheel racing in the US, then it will work......did I just say that???!!!???

may need to do a photochop of what the France version of an Indy car would look like
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Old 02-20-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

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the France family needs to buy open wheel racing in the US, then it will work......did I just say that???!!!???
If you include SBRS in that open-wheel package, then I will do a somersault.
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Old 02-20-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

How can a team set up a new car, driver, engineer, test and make it to the beginning of the season? Seems like there cutting it pretty close at this point.
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Old 02-20-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

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How can a team set up a new car, driver, engineer, test and make it to the beginning of the season? Seems like there cutting it pretty close at this point.
They are cutting it extremely close. Although the drivers and engineers will switch together presumably. The big challenge is adapting to a new car. All the Champ Car teams who switch will be at a huge disadvantage for a long time as they struggle to get up to speed with the IRL car.
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Old 02-20-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

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They are cutting it extremely close. Although the drivers and engineers will switch together presumably. The big challenge is adapting to a new car. All the Champ Car teams who switch will be at a huge disadvantage for a long time as they struggle to get up to speed with the IRL car.
Hey John, have you had any seat time in the new Panoz Champ Car chassis? It looks like such a sweet ride. I would bet it's more a of a driver's car in terms of feel and sensitivity to inputs than the IRL chassis. Shame to see it go.
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Old 02-20-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

02/20/08


Merger to be announced Friday, Champ Car to be no more IndyCar officials have tentatively scheduled a press conference for Friday as early as 11 a.m. in Indianapolis, where they will announce that the long American open-wheel racing war has come to an end. Series officials had hoped to make the announcement Thursday. But Champ Car principal Kevin Kalkhoven will not be back from England, where he is tending to family business.
Friday's announcement will end the 13-year feud that began when Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Tony George announced the creation of a new racing series on March 20, 1994. At that time, most of the teams that competed in the Indianapolis 500 were in CART, a series that went bankrupt and would later be revived as Champ Car.
George's original intention was to have CART teams participate in what was then known as the Indy Racing League. But most of those teams refused, starting a lengthy and divisive battle for supremacy in North American open wheel racing.
But Champ Car has agreed to cease operations, which will allow its teams to accept George's offer of a free Dallara car and free Honda engines to make the transition to the new series.
As part of the agreement, IndyCar will purchase Champ Car's "intellectual properties," including the historical database.
For example, Sam Hornish Jr. is officially listed as the series' all-time wins leader with 19. But under the new agreement, the all-time lead would be returned to A.J. Foyt, who has 67 career victories.
In addition, IndyCar is expected to get Champ Car's race dates for the Long Beach Grand Prix along with street races in Edmonton, Alberta; Surfer's Paradise, Australia and Mexico City. SportsTicker
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Old 02-20-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

great to hear it's finally happening. any word on the Atlantic Series?
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Old 02-20-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Only this rumor and the fact that ALMS has hired Beaux Barfiel who has been the Atlantic race director.

ALMS to buy Atlantic Series? Rumor has it that if the merger between Champ Car and the IRL goes through as expected, the Champ Car Atlantic Series could be purchased by the ALMS. In a merger the Indy Pro Series and the Atlantic series would be redundant so it makes sense that the Atlantic Series could be sold.
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Old 02-20-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

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Originally Posted by dlippert View Post
Only this rumor and the fact that ALMS has hired Beaux Barfiel who has been the Atlantic race director.

ALMS to buy Atlantic Series? Rumor has it that if the merger between Champ Car and the IRL goes through as expected, the Champ Car Atlantic Series could be purchased by the ALMS. In a merger the Indy Pro Series and the Atlantic series would be redundant so it makes sense that the Atlantic Series could be sold.
Would the purchase occur before or after bankruptcy is declared?

I'd actually assume that Grand-am might be interested considering the recent deals with Skip Barber and the Mazda link.
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Old 02-21-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Beats me. I don't know the legal structure of CC and the Atlantic series.
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Old 02-21-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

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Would the purchase occur before or after bankruptcy is declared?
I'd actually assume that Grand-am might be interested considering the recent deals with Skip Barber and the Mazda link.
ALMS is Don Panoz, who is going to want a new customer base for his formula-car chassis if Champ Car dies. So makes sense that he is interested in Atlantic. Would also make sense for the Frances to take a look at Atlantic too through their GrandAm subsidiary, since they are in direct competition with ALMS for professional road racing in North America and it might be a coup to steal Atlantic just for spite. Although it's likely the Skippy National tie-in is a sufficient open-wheel supporting event and pipeline for new young drivers, and probably costs them next to nothing.
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Old 02-21-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

If this goes down, what awesome news! Maybe open wheel racing can become a legitimately professional sport again!

Of course, they'll probably find a way to squander all the momentum they could gain from this announcement. They need to completely re-brand the entire sport and create very aggressive marketing campaigns and incentives to bring the fans back. Like the NHL did after their lock out, but 10000 times bigger.
Will they do that?

I wouldn't bet on it.

Anyways, if they don't do the sane thing and introduce the DP-01 as the new car in 2010, I wonder how cheap you could buy one for. New skippy car anyone?
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Old 02-21-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Quote:
Originally Posted by cdh View Post

the France family needs to buy open wheel racing in the US, then it will work......did I just say that???!!!???
I don't think the France family would do anything to help open wheel, why encourage competition for their own product?
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Old 02-21-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie25 View Post
If this goes down, what awesome news! Maybe open wheel racing can become a legitimately professional sport again!

Of course, they'll probably find a way to squander all the momentum they could gain from this announcement. They need to completely re-brand the entire sport and create very aggressive marketing campaigns and incentives to bring the fans back. Like the NHL did after their lock out, but 10000 times bigger.
Will they do that?

I wouldn't bet on it.

Anyways, if they don't do the sane thing and introduce the DP-01 as the new car in 2010, I wonder how cheap you could buy one for. New skippy car anyone?
Well, the IRL do have Danica in the SI swimsuit edition, maybe they could launch a marketing program from that. Or not.
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Old 02-21-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

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Originally Posted by dlippert View Post
Well, the IRL do have Danica in the SI swimsuit edition, maybe they could launch a marketing program from that. Or not.
That's true. There's a lot they could do, and they have a good start with that and with Helio's exposure from Dancing with the Stars. But I haven't seen much over the last 12 years that suggests the people working in either Champ Car or the IRL's marketing department are all that inspired, and the fact that the split has lasted this long suggests to me that none of the "businessmen" in either organization is particularly astute.

I could be wrong, hopefully I am. Maybe some day I'll be able to do something about it...
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Old 02-21-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

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Originally Posted by dlippert View Post
Only this rumor and the fact that ALMS has hired Beaux Barfiel who has been the Atlantic race director.

ALMS to buy Atlantic Series? Rumor has it that if the merger between Champ Car and the IRL goes through as expected, the Champ Car Atlantic Series could be purchased by the ALMS. In a merger the Indy Pro Series and the Atlantic series would be redundant so it makes sense that the Atlantic Series could be sold.
Beaux is the former race directer for Atlantics. Atlantics hired a new race director (Johnny Unser) for 2008. Beaux's move to ALMS does not mean anything for the merger, or the future of Altantics, in my opinion.
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Old 02-21-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

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Originally Posted by Slowhands View Post
Hey John, have you had any seat time in the new Panoz Champ Car chassis? It looks like such a sweet ride. I would bet it's more a of a driver's car in terms of feel and sensitivity to inputs than the IRL chassis. Shame to see it go.
No, I haven't had any seat time in the Panoz. However, the corner speeds are not far off Atlantics. The Champ Car's biggest gains to the Atlantic are in high speed corners (bigger car makes more downforce) and on straights (750 HP vs. 300).
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Old 02-21-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Watched some Champ Car practice at Sebring a few weeks ago. As a spectator the most impressive sight from that horsepower and downforce was the speed acheived between the carousel and hairpin and how late they were braking into the hairpin. Took your breath away. Leaving the hairpin was also impressive as explosive acceleration came on after the first 100 feet including a high pitched scream that was exotic without being painful.

A full field at speed would have been a lot of fun to watch for sure... Wonder how the Dallara/Honda's match up?
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Old 02-21-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

All this speculation sounds great. Should be great opportunities for both leagues. I can't imagine the logistics that will need to be figured out but hopefully we'll have a great season ahead. A guess we will all know tomorrow.
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Old 02-22-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Has it happened!!!???!!!!

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...ion-announced/

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...y-way-forward/
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  #39  
Old 02-22-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

According to autosport.com:

Champ Car and IRL confirm merger

By Jonathan Noble Friday, February 22nd 2008, 22:03 GMT

Champ Car and the Indy Racing League have signed a breakthrough deal to merge their series with immediate effect.

Following talks over the past few days to try and close a deal to unify the two series, a statement was issued on Friday night confirming that an agreement had been reached between Champ Car chiefs and the IRL.

The short statement said: "Owners of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League completed an agreement in principle Friday that will unify the sport for 2008.

"Gerald Forsythe, co-owner of Champ Car, signed an agreement in principle in Chicago, joining his partner Kevin Kalkhoven and Indy Racing League founder and CEO Tony George who had signed late Thursday in Indianapolis.

"Details of a press conference about the agreement will be forthcoming."


Thank god... Its about damn time!
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Old 02-22-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Wow... Hell has frozen over and the fat lady's all warmed up ready to cut loose.
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Old 02-22-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

I wonder how much you can get a DP01 for ?!
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Old 02-22-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

How much have you got? Ever heard the phrase... "No resonable offer refused..."
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdc916 View Post
I wonder how much you can get a DP01 for ?!
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Old 02-22-2008
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Thumbs up Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

We've had our tickets to Homestead since December, is anyone going to be there? Will the field now be a little larger?

IRL is one of the venues where you can still get up close and personal with the teams. On Sunday they're letting us drive on the track!

OLDMAN
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Old 02-22-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

I don't know if this had anything to do with the merger going through, but it gives an interesting insight into the future of Panoz/Elan nonetheless... There is a new international racing series called Superleague Formula that is based on racing teams being tied to popular soccer (football) clubs. To this point they've got a fair number of the top tier clubs in Europe and Brazil signed up to lend their names and colors to the race teams. I'm not going to go into detail about the series itself (read autosport if you want that), but they had a comment about Panoz. Credit to autosport.com for the quote:

Teams will use identical carbon fibre Panoz chassis developed by Elan Motorsport Technologies in the USA.

Now, maybe its just me, but the pictures they have of this new chassis look remarkably similar to the "old" champ car chassis. My guess is that Panoz gave this new project the greenlight when it became clear the merger was going to happen; the timing of the two announcements seems too coincidental to be otherwise in my opinion.
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Old 02-23-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Bad pic of the DP01, got tired of lookin. There are alot of similarities in the nose, sidepod, and roll hoop area...

Anyone else with pics and an eagle eye for your 2 cents ??

Is it me or does it look like the SF car took a right cross to the nose????

http://superleagueformula.net/
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Old 02-23-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Any word on the "new" schedule? I assume this will affect the Skippy National at RA.
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Old 02-23-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Very good question Ash. It would terrible to lose the race. I assume there will be more oval racing than road racing. I watched virtually no IRL races and all of the Champ car races. Seems like CART ran mostly road races?
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Old 02-24-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

2007 IRL sked -
Date Venue Television
March 24 Homestead-Miami Speedway, 1.5-mile oval (Night) ESPN2
April 1 Streets of St. Petersburg, 1.8-mile street course ESPN
April 21 Twin Ring Motegi, 1.5-mile oval ESPN
April 29 Kansas Speedway, 1.5-mile oval ESPN2
May 27 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 2.5-mile oval ABC
June 3 The Milwaukee Mile, 1-mile oval ABC
June 9 Texas Motor Speedway, 1.5-mile oval (Night) ESPN2
June 24 Iowa Speedway, .875-mile oval ABC
June 30 Richmond International Raceway, .75-mile oval (Night) ESPN
July 8 Watkins Glen International, 3.37-mile road course ABC
July 14 Nashville Superspeedway, 1.33-mile oval (Night) ESPN
July 22 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, 2.258-mile road course ABC
Aug. 5 Michigan International Speedway, 2-mile oval ESPN2
Aug. 11 Kentucky Speedway, 1.5-mile oval (Night) ESPN2
Aug. 26 Infineon Raceway, 2.4-mile road course ESPN
Sept. 2 The Raceway at Belle Isle, 2.096-mile street course ABC
Sept. 9 Chicagoland Speedway, 1.5-mile oval ABC
***
12 ovals - 5 with left and right turns

2007 Champcar
Apr 8: Streets of Las Vegas - Las Vegas, NV USA
Apr 15: Streets of Long Beach - Long Beach, CA USA
Apr 22: Reliant Park - Houston, TX USA
May 20: Zhuhai International Circuit - Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province China Canceled
Jun 10: Portland International Raceway - Portland, OR USA
Jun 24: Burke Lakefront Airport - Cleveland, OH USA
Jul 01: Circuit Mont Tremblant - St. Jovite, QC Canada
Jul 08: Exhibition Place - Toronto, ON Canada
Jul 22: JAGflo Speedway - City Centre Airport - Edmonton, AB Canada
Jul 29: Streets of San Jose - San Jose, CA USA
Aug 12: Road America - Elkhart Lake, WI USA
Aug 19: Streets of Denver - Denver USA Canceled
Aug 26: Circuit Zolder - Zolder, Belgium.
Sep 02: TT circuit in Assen, Holland, The Netherlands
Oct 21: Gold Coast - Surfers Paradise, Qld Australia
Nov 11: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez - Mexico City Mexico
Dec 02: Streets of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ Canceled

may be some errors, didn't cross check
.
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  #49  
Old 02-24-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

ALMS is still racing racing at RA that weekend even without ChampCar. So Skippy should still be running too.
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Old 02-24-2008
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Re: Indy / Champ Car Merger?

Check out ALL the guests on Wind Tunnel tonight:


UPDATE: George, Kalkhoven on Wind Tunnel Tonight

Written by: SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com
02/24/2008 - 08:23 AM
Charlotte, N.C.

Two more guests have been added to this week’s line-up for Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain—the two main players in last week’s unification in open-wheel racing, Tony George and Kevin Kalkhoven will be interviewed together (but in separate locations) LIVE on Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET.
Tony George, the founder and CEO of the Indy Racing League, and Kevin Kalkhoven, former co-owner of the Champ Car World Series, will join Dave Despain and Guest Co-Host Robin Miller LIVE via satellite to talk about the big announcement and discuss their views on the future of open wheel racing in America.

This week’s guests:

Guest Co-Host Robin Miller (SPEED Open Wheel Racing Analyst)

Featured Interviews Tony George (Founder and CEO, Indy Racing League)

Kevin Kalkhoven (Former Co-Owner, Champ Car World Series)

Featured Interview Mario Andretti (1984 CART Series Champion)

Featured Interview Jacques Villeneuve (1995 CART Series Champion and NASCAR Sprint CUP Rookie)
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