motor

HeilSvenska · 02-19-2008, 04:33 PM

IRL/Champ Car deal reportedly done
By Steven English Tuesday, February 19th 2008, 11:10 GMT

The deal to unify Champ Car and the Indy Racing League has finally been completed, according to reports in America.
Respected American journalist Robin Miller last night reported on SpeedTV that the two weeks of negotiations have ended successfully.
He claimed Champ Car teams have been told to stop work on their cars and to expect delivery of new IRL cars later this week. Autosport.com understands that the announcement of the merger will be made by IRL officials tomorrow.
IRL boss Tony George's offer of free cars and engines, plus $1.2 million for any Champ Car team that will contest the full IRL season is believed to have been taken up by at least five teams.
Although nobody would confirm a deal had been reached, several team bosses are expecting the announcement imminently. When asked where his team would be running this year, Conquest Racing boss Eric Bachelart said: "I think I will be in a unified series."
After speaking to Champ Car co-owner Gerry Forsythe, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing's Mike Lanigan said: "He indicated we were likely looking at one series."
Walker Racing boss Derrick Walker added: "We should all hear something positive on Tuesday or Wednesday."
Newman/Haas/Lanigan, PKV, and Forsythe are expected to enter the IRL with two cars each, while Walker, Conquest, and Dale Coyne Racing are likely to field one each. The futures of Minardi Team USA and Rocketsports are unknown, and Pacific Coast Motorsports are believed to be heading for the American Le Mans Series.
Champ Car veteran Paul Tracy will fly to Indianapolis for a seat fitting later this week, before heading to Homestead for the first IRL test of the season on February 27-28.
"We're going to have to thrash to make it to Homestead," he told SpeedTV. "We don't have any experience with those Dallaras so we're going to need all the practice we can get. But this s definitely the best thing that can happen for open-wheel racing."
It appears that an agreement has been reached on one sticking point in the deal: the date clash between the Champ Car round at Long Beach and the IRL race at Motegi on the April 19-20 weekend. The Motegi date is believed to have been rescheduled for later in the summer.
Champ Car's race at Edmonton, Canada, which draws the series' biggest crowd is likely to be confirmed in the IRL schedule, as well as a non-championship race at Surfer's Paradise, Australia. That brings the schedule to 19 races this year, with more road course events likely to be considered for 2009.
But Indy boss Tony George still refused to confirm a deal on Monday evening, telling SpeedTV: "While it is true that I continue to believe we're at the threshold of something long-overdue, we have not yet stepped across it."

As long as Long Beach GP's secure, I really don't care. I don't think either racing series command a large enough following to make them economically viable in the future, although... I know for a fact that Champ Car series has a strangely devoted fan-base... even more than it deserves... maybe. This also means that I can meet Danica Patrick in person!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/fea...atrick_28.html

Pokiou · 02-29-2008, 12:12 AM

racing around a circle sucks..

styla21 · 02-29-2008, 12:29 AM

^^ You should head up to the Surfers paradise race, stud.

PBS Equities - 2007 Gold Coast Indy 300 - YouTube

Pokiou · 02-29-2008, 01:28 AM

why would i when i got the F1 down here in my home town

HeilSvenska · 02-29-2008, 02:04 AM

^Cause it's going to go away.

79TA · 02-29-2008, 02:14 AM

Well, I've already benefitted from this merger. I got a used pitcrew (same spec as driver's suit or atleast good enough for my own purposes) PKV firesuit on ebay!

styla21 · 02-29-2008, 02:18 AM

Originally Posted by Pokiou

why would i when i got the F1 down here in my home town

I have nothing. Nothing at all for that one. Great comeback.

I'll be down there next month for it!

79TA · 02-29-2008, 02:24 AM

aren't you guys losing your grand prix?

styla21 · 02-29-2008, 06:30 AM

Nope. But it is up in the air whether or not it will count in the series (in terms of points).
It is definately still on until 2010 as at least a ''glamour'' race though.

HeilSvenska · 03-10-2008, 05:54 PM

The Champ Car World Series is declared bankrupt just days after two of the most popular teams, Forsythe Racing and Walker Racing (Team Australia), announced their withdrawal from racing due to lack of funding. This is terrible news for drivers as they, quite literally, have no where to go... except for Sebastian Bourdais, who made it to F1 thanks to either a brilliant foresight (no pun) or inside knowledge. So. Champ Car owes at least $2 million to Cosworth, their engine provider, and $4 million to the organizers of (my local) the Long Beach GP. It's tragic that this Indy/Champ Car merger is turning out to be a massive buyout.

Originally Posted by Autoweek

The Champ Car World Series is officially in bankruptcy court in Indianapolis.

The filing shows an assortment of creditors, including four companies owned by the four men who filed the bankruptcy: Gerald Forsythe, Kevin Kalkhoven, Dan Pettit and Paul Gentilozzi.

Cosworth, which is owned by Forsythe and Kalkhoven, seeks $1.825 million; PKV Racing, owned by Kalkhoven and Pettit, wants $645,883; RuSport, which was bought by Pettit, seeks $424,861; and Forsythe Championship Racing, which is going out of business, wants $327,961.

The filing also shows that Indy Racing League founder Tony George will pay $6 million for key assets of Champ Car, including the mobile medical facility. Also, George will pay Kalkhoven and Forsythe, the series' two primary owners, $2 million each to promote and stage the Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 18-20. George agreed to continue the Long Beach race in future IRL seasons.

Champ Car and the IRL will finalize their contract once Champ Car's filing passes through U.S. Bankruptcy Court. They signed an agreement in principle on Feb. 22.

Originally Posted by Autosport.com

Forsythe Championship Racing have announced that they will close down after Long Beach having failed to secure funding to join the merged IRL IndyCar Series.

The team closure raises questions over the future of 2003 Champ Car World Series champion Paul Tracy, who had a long-term contract with Forsythe and was expected to move across to the IRL with them.

"Forsythe Championship Racing is announcing today the cessation of its racing operations," said Forsythe's VP of Operations Neil Micklewright.

"After 13 years of competition in CART and the Champ Car World Series, the team has been unable to secure the necessary sponsorship to be able to compete in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series in 2008.

"Forsythe Racing Inc., the parent company of FCR, will participate in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the Champ Car finale, with drivers to be announced."

Gerry Forsythe founded the team in 1995, after parting company with his former partner Barry Green. Forsythe enjoyed early success with the late Greg Moore and took Tracy to a dominant title in 2003.

But the team struggled to attract sponsorship to replace long-time backer Player's after anti-tobacco advertising legislation forced the company to pull out before the 2004 season. Gerry Forsythe's own Indeck company had been the primary sponsor of the team's cars since 2004.

The team was set to run under the Forsythe Pettit Racing banner this season after Dan Pettit - formerly Kevin Kalkhoven's partner at PKV Racing and briefly the owner of the RuSPORT team - joined forces with Forsythe over the winter.

Originally Posted by Motorsport.com

Derrick Walker was one of the first Champ Car World Series team owners to support the unification talks, while at the same time eyeing an entry in the IndyCar Series even if Champ Car continued and the famous open-wheel racing feud in America did not come to an end.

The feud ended on February 22, 2008 and the Champ Car teams were handed an offer from Tony George, founder of the Indy Racing League. The offer, while nice, does not find the necessary sponsorship that the teams need to move comfortably into the IndyCar series.

Craig Gore, the Australia businessman who recently put his V8 Supercar Series team up for sale, and Walker have ended their partnership of Team Australia. The Champ Car team's sponsors were two companies owned by Gore -- Aussie Vineyards and its Au brand.

No reason was stated to why exactly the partnership ended. But in the long run it left Walker high and dry for the 2008 season.

With Walker's admission that his return to the Indy Racing League had to be shelved -- permanently or temporary is an unknown factor -- two drivers, Will Power and Simon Pagenaud, are now scrambling for rides. Pagenaud did test with Conquest Racing at the Champ Car open test in Sebring and was one of the drivers the newly switched IndyCar team was considering.

Power, who was one of the hot-shoes in Champ Car and an early season favorite for the now defunct Champ Car 2008 season, may be on the short-end of the stick unless a team grabs him up fast enough to make the March 19-20 Sebring test for the new IndyCar teams.

"It's a great pity that the team has had to abandon our IndyCar program. So much work by so many has gone into the Team Australia program over the last three and a half years, but now it will remain unfinished business for us. I wish my co-partner well with his new venture and so to Will and Simon and all the employees, associates and fans who have given me the opportunity. Many thanks," said Walker, owner of Walker Racing.

styla21 · 03-10-2008, 06:02 PM

Insert cuss-filled rant here.

...I'm saddened. Bigtime.

Mattk · 03-10-2008, 08:34 PM

Will Power was Australia's best hope for open-wheeled glory until his team went bust. Now we're back to Mark Webber... I'm also pissed that Surfer's Paradise, the best track of the Champ Car season, is now a non-championship round.

styla21 · 03-10-2008, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by Mattk

Will Power was Australia's best hope for open-wheeled glory...

Note the southern cross, (you'll have to squint) within the wreath down the side of the car below....

A lot to be seen however through the fallout of the B.K, as to what will happen with all the teams concerned.

philip · 03-12-2008, 11:24 PM

Merger caused the cancellation of the Grand Prix of Houston, which caused the American Le Mans series to stay away too.

HeilSvenska · 03-13-2008, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by philip

Merger caused the cancellation of the Grand Prix of Houston, which caused the American Le Mans series to stay away too.

Sorry to hear that. Long Beach GP was threatened because IRL had a race at Motegi on the same date, but thankfully, that was moved. Even so, I'm worried about the future of LBGP.