The End of "Champ Car" almost official?

[nthfinity]

MILLER: Titanic Time for Champ Car


The straw boss quits in disgust because he's sick of the false promises and lack of business sense from the series owners. The Atlantic champ goes to the Indy Racing League because he can't get a square deal for $2 million in the series he loves. The latest television package is almost as embarrassing as the coverage itself.

It's two weeks before the first test and only three drivers have been formally announced.

And, oh by the way, nobody has been paid any of their paltry prize money from 2007.

Welcome to Champ Car, mid-January, 2008.

I think I hear Celine Dion singing that song as the bow thrusts upward and the ship sinks into an icy grave. We don't have any big icebergs here in Central Indiana but it's Titanic time for Champ Car.

They don't make lifejackets big enough to save Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerry Forsythe from themselves or Paul Gentilozzi. They may tread water for another season but it's only a matter of time before they drown in a torrent of bad decisions, stupidity and financial reality.

Cotman's exodus should be the handwriting on the wall.

A smart, savvy guy who won over the paddock with his fair and firm jurisdiction, plus his common sense application on and off the track, T.C. poured his soul into trying to improve the product. And he did.

But he still couldn't overcome the fact his series is run by a couple rich guys who really don't understand television, marketing, driver continuity, people and the nuts and bolts of auto racing.

Kalkhoven and Forsythe didn't become wealthy running their businesses like they do Champ Car and why they continue to let Gentilozzi influence their decisions is a mystery to anyone with a brain.

The bottom line is that their current business model cannot succeed. They pay to be on television, they promote and own races, they have no identity in the U.S. media, they have no sponsorship to speak of, they don't have the Indianapolis 500, they must fund other teams and they have no game plan (oh yeah, they're going after that Far East market, I forgot).

Cotman knows Indy is the only race where a team can score a decent sponsor or get any national media penetration and he was pushing to keep May open this year in hopes management would at least send Paul Tracy, Graham Rahal and Bruno Junqueira to compete. Instead, a race was scheduled for mid-May -- a direct slap in the face to him.

A few months ago, Cotman drew up an all-encompassing multi-year budget and we can only assume it got rejected. Or maybe he didn't hear what he thought was necessary to keep Champ Car competitive in today's market.

Whatever happened, losing Cotman is catastrophic to the overall product as well as the morale. He was one of the few bright lights in that office and Tony George would be smart to find a place for him.

The Matos Mutiny is simply another public relations disaster and another example of the flawed business plan. A kid from Brazil comes to America with $200, works in a go-kart shop and climbs the ladder until he wins the Atlantic title and $2 million to put towards a Champ Car ride.

But, imagine this, he actually wants to be paid a salary to drive and that doesn't fly with PKV or Forsythe so they try to pawn him off on Gentilozzi's team (and he wisely says, no thanks).

Rafa's agent makes a deal with Michael Andretti's team and now a future star of Champ Car is an Indy Pro Series driver. He gets a little money, his expenses, a multi-year deal and peace of mind -- which is a lot more than Simon Pagenaud has right now. He was the recipient the first $2 million bonus and did a splendid job for Derrick Walker but Pagenaud has nothing for 2008.

This kind of scenario should really make those Atlantic drivers excited about their future.

The immediate future for Champ Car? Team owners with their hands extended, some new foreign drivers with money, pathetic TV ratings and a couple of guys who pay the bills but don't pay attention.

Last year I suggested Kalkhoven and Forsythe wise up, sell Long Beach, Toronto, Cleveland and Mexico City to T. George so we could end this charade and go racing under one roof.

Is the IRL some super series with big benefits, strong leadership and a bright future? Only when compared to Champ Car.

Robin Miller covers open wheel racing for SPEEDTV.com, SPEED Report and WIND TUNNEL. A lifelong resident of Indianapolis, an 18-year-old Miller stooged for his hero Jim Hurtubise at the Indianapolis 500 in 1968 and began covering motorsports for The Indianapolis Star in 1969. Besides working on Indy pit crews from 1968-78, Miller also competed on the USAC midget circuit from 1975-83. During the past 35 years he's also been a contributor for Autoweek, Autosport, Car & Driver, ESPN The Magazine and several publications that folded and still owe him money. He is single, a degenerate gambler and despises the NASCAR phrase, "We had a Top 20 car today."

Robin Miller is not affiliated with RACER magazine and his views should not be considered representative of RACER or of Haymarket Worldwide Inc.
~~~~~~~~~

just WOW considering I hadn't heard anything about Champ in such a long time.... Unfortunate news... kinda reminds me of the GTX-1 story... oh, do I have to post that too?

[styla21]

There's a lot of untruth to this, Nth.
I know some of the people mentioned in this article quite well, and can assure that 2008 is looking very strong and bright.

IRL will never match the Champ series. The cars are not in the same league.
The branding and management is however, and they will continue to run a successful series.

I hope there's enough open wheel racing to go around for everyone.

[nthfinity]

Originally Posted by styla21 There's a lot of untruth to this, Nth. I know some of the people mentioned in this article quite well, and can assure that 2008 is looking very strong and bright. IRL will never match the Champ series. The cars are not in the same league. The branding and management is however, and they will continue to run a successful series. I hope there's enough open wheel racing to go around for everyone.

I hope your right; Like I said, I don't know much about the series for the last 15+ months...

[yg60m]

It seems Sebastien Bourdais was lucky to have an F1 wheel before to see this But anyway, it would be sad because it's a very nice series that I personnaly prefer to the IRL .

[gangajas]

When IRL and Champ took different paths was the beginning of the end, now Nasacar is much, much bigger than the two OWR series.

[nthfinity]

Originally Posted by gangajas When IRL and Champ took different paths was the beginning of the end, now Nasacar is much, much bigger than the two OWR series.

IRL is huge in the states.... not as big as NASCAR, but definitely no small force, nor is it going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

[gangajas]

Originally Posted by nthfinity IRL is huge in the states.... not as big as NASCAR, but definitely no small force, nor is it going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

IRL is the Indy 500, without it.....

[nthfinity]

Originally Posted by gangajas IRL is the Indy 500, without it.....

IRL is a lot of tracks that all get lots of attention here. Indy 500 is a very internationally broadcast event because of it's history.