DP - Tellin' it like it is...

[Sean Malone]

Let’s see . . . one Champ Car partner/team owner spent a critical few weeks in the off-season “communing with penguins” while another hasn’t been to a race since Houston. The other two merged their teams then divided them – all in the course of six months. Meanwhile the folks they put in place to run Champ Car while they attended to more important matters have failed to secure a series sponsor, presided over a series that saw three of 17 scheduled races canceled (not to mention San Jose for ‘08) and has fewer regular starters than it had in its first year of operation. As the non-billionaires make the tough decisions that have to be made to run their teams like a business, it would be nice if the billionaires and their minions ran Champ Car like a business as well.

Today's DP commentary at Speed.

Derrick Walker mirrors exactly what I wrote about here a few weeks ago.


“It’s fine to be able to swap your plan, but when you do that you have to be out there with a new way forward. You have to have your sales pitch of what you’re selling now,” says Derrick Walker. “At least when we had the ‘three-day festivals of speed’ we had a mission statement. Right now I don’t know what the mission statement is. I don’t know how we are selling the package or how we go about defining the series to attract more sponsors to our program.

[spinner26]

lost balls in high weeds.:shakehead :thumdown:

[Insomniac]

I doubt they'll survive much longer with no plan.

[Andrew Longman]

Who hasn't been to a race since Houston?

The "three day festivals of speed" concept is officially gone? Because a Denver, Phoenix and SJ are gone or because they don't think they can sell downtown races elsewhere beside LB, TO, Houston, Cleveland and Edmonton? I always thought three days I spent at the track, whether street or natural terrain, were one big building party leading up to the CC race.

Does this mean no more beach volleyball? :gomer:

But seriously, if Walker can't say what their mission statement is, then they are unable to pitch to teams and sponsors and so they are toast unless that get's clarified.

[Ed_Severson]

Who hasn't been to a race since Houston?

Gerry Forsythe, who is kind of weird about certain things. This seems to be his way of telling the team that if they can't get their **** together, he isn't going to be bothered to show up and support them. Between that and the fear-of-God ad in Autoweek, it's pretty obvious Gerry is not satisfied with his team's results.

[DagoFast]

Derek Walker sounds more and more like a man getting ready to make a hard decision and choose the best future for himself and his team.

I can't say I blame him.

[jonovision_man]

Mission statement:

"Survive another year, maybe even two!"

jono

[Insomniac]

Mission statement:

"Survive another year (with no plan), maybe even two!"

jono

[Spicoli]

:club racing:

:penguins:


:bye:

[spinner26]

:club racing:

:penguins:


:bye:


BS! They make club racing look like top line professionals.

[grungex]

Derek Walker sounds more and more like a man getting ready to make a hard decision and choose the best future for himself and his team.

Derrick is always making the decisions for the best future of himself and the team. It is a never-ending process.

That said, don't be too quick to wave goodbye...

[DagoFast]

Hey, I didn't say I wanted him to go. A couple of Mansell's might be a compelling reason for me to go to a race next year.

I just don't think he has anymore faith in the management than I do.

[grungex]

Hey, I didn't say I wanted him to go.

That wasn't how I took it, I just think he's a bit more inclined to stick it out than you inferred.

[NismoZ]

Mansells!? Gimme a break. I really enjoyed the Arrivederci Nigel tour in '94 though.:p

[Hesketh]

Gerry Forsythe, who is kind of weird about certain things. This seems to be his way of telling the team that if they can't get their **** together, he isn't going to be bothered to show up and support them. Between that and the fear-of-God ad in Autoweek, it's pretty obvious Gerry is not satisfied with his team's results.

Oh please. **** rolls downhill and if there's anything wrong with FCR, it started at the very top. A good manager doesn't go into hiding when things aren't going well; he rolls up his sleeves and gets in the trenches to fix things and to lend moral support. But everyone left over there is so freaking afraid of losing their job, morale is in the toilet and Gerry, once again, is nowhere to be seen. The fear-of-God approach is a lousy management tactic that doesn't work. Gerry needs to grow up, quit pouting and get the job done right. He can start by looking in the mirror, then he needs to take a serious and objective look at PT, then do an honest evaluation of Neil and Phil. Once he straightens that out, I think you'll find the team has its **** together. And I can vouch for those who were fired last winter: they definitely had their **** together.

[cart7]

“It’s fine to be able to swap your plan, but when you do that you have to be out there with a new way forward. You have to have your sales pitch of what you’re selling now,” says Derrick Walker. “At least when we had the ‘three-day festivals of speed’ we had a mission statement. Right now I don’t know what the mission statement is. I don’t know how we are selling the package or how we go about defining the series to attract more sponsors to our program."

"What's this racing series about Mr. Walker?"

"It's about nothing!"

"So you'd like us to back you to the tune of 2 or 3 million a year for nothing?"

"Once the bugs get worked out this thing is gonna be bigger than Britney."

:tony: