Great interiew with John Oreovicz

[pressdog]

Great Q&A with Oreo on MyNameIsIRL.com. (Please note, I didn't do the interview. Credit for that goes to my buddy, Jeff. I'm just posting the link.)

Oreo Interview (http://www.mynameisirl.com/2008/01/my-name-is-john-oreovicz.html)

[Methanolandbrats]

>>>But the configuration of the car is an extremely minor point right now>>>

No it's not, he's clueless.

[dando]

However, I do believe that to appease the CCWS hardliners (still a vocal and significant group), Tony needs to publicly accept some responsibility for the IRL’s direct role in the decline of the sport over the last 12 years. The Champ Car fan base needs to hear that so they can start the process of forgiving and forgetting. I think the absolute best thing that open-wheel fans can hope for is that Tony would help find a way to put an end to Champ Car gracefully by incorporating the best that CCWS has to offer - say Long Beach, Toronto, Cleveland and Surfers Paradise, half a dozen key teams and Cosworth engines - into the IRL. To me, the challenge is: How can Champ Car be put to rest without ruffling Kalkhoven and Forsythe’s egos. If the two sides were collectively putting effort into something like that now, they could certainly be ready to make an announcement by mid-season that open-wheel racing will be back together under the IRL banner in 2009. If the general impression that comes from that is that Champ Car lost, so be it. Because if the status quo continues, everyone involved will be a loser sooner rather than later.

I will NEVER forgive and forget. :flame: I agree that this is the best course of action to save face, as long as FTG is involved, there's no way in hell I'll have anything to do with it. Lastly, everyone involved already IS a loser....the owners, drivers, fans, etc. The only winners here are F1 and NASCAB. :(

-Kevin

[KLang]

open-wheel racing will be back together under the IRL banner in 2009

:yuck: Count me out.

[Methanolandbrats]

To me, if Champ Car folds, USA open wheel racing will no longer exist. Until they screw it up, there is F1, ALMS (already partially screwed up) and WRC (not on television).

[dando]

>>>But the configuration of the car is an extremely minor point right now>>>

No it's not, he's clueless.

IMHO, initially it is not as important as getting a title sponsor and getting more eyeballs and butts on the racing. That being said, the cars and engines would need to be addressed ASAP so that this one chassis, one engine crap is over. The thought of Legge and Stoopid Mario on TMS dicing with Danicle and the like is down right horrifying. :eek: :thumdown:

-Kevin

[Insomniac]

I don't need an apology from TG and I doubt one would appease anyone who holds a grudge and will refuse to spend/watch anything he has a hand in. I think at the end of the day, it would be the on-track product that would decide the success or failure of a unified (by merger or by default) open wheel series.

For me, I know TG made a mess. But if there was one series that he ran, it would need the turbos, better looking cars and a CART-like mix of tracks for me to get dragged in to watch. Basically, 1995 with $millions less money, no sponsors, 1 chassis, 1 tire and 1 engine manufacturer. Thanks Tony, at least you'd control it.

[Sean Malone]

I don't need an apology from TG and I doubt one would appease anyone who holds a grudge and will refuse to spend/watch anything he has a hand in. I think at the end of the day, it would be the on-track product that would decide the success or failure of a unified (by merger or by default) open wheel series.

For me, I know TG made a mess. But if there was one series that he ran, it would need the turbos, better looking cars and a CART-like mix of tracks for me to get dragged in to watch. Basically, 1995 with $millions less money, no sponsors, 1 chassis, 1 tire and 1 engine manufacturer. Thanks Tony, at least you'd control it.

yep.:thumbup:

[indyfan31]

To me, if Champ Car folds, USA open wheel racing will no longer exist. Until they screw it up, there is F1, ALMS (already partially screwed up) and WRC (not on television).

That's pretty much where I stand on the issue, it won't be that hard to not watch Watkins Glen, or TMS, or IMS, etc.

[cameraman]

WRC (not on television).

Max & friends hellbent on screwing up the WRC too.

[TravelGal]

To me, if Champ Car folds, USA open wheel racing will no longer exist.

A few years ago I couldn't imagine that we'd even be considering such a thing. Now....... I completely agree.

One must remember that this is written by a self-proclaimed IRL apologist, however. I just with I didn't have this writing-on-the-wall feeling about it.

[Gnam]

My FTG hate is completely separate and wholly indpendent from my IRL hate. Theoretically, the IRL could change into something worth watching (not freakin' likely). My membership in the Indy Heli-chopper Crash Scenario Fan Club will never expire.

If Champ Car goes down, part of me hopes KK & the Gang go out like Khan in Star Trek: total destruction so nothing is left for FTG to claim. "From Hell's heart, I stab at thee... For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee." :flame:

[Rogue Leader]

My FTG hate is completely separate and wholly indpendent from my IRL hate. Theoretically, the IRL could change into something worth watching (not freakin' likely). My membership in the Indy Heli-chopper Crash Scenario Fan Club will never expire.

If Champ Car goes down, part of me hopes KK & the Gang go out like Khan in Star Trek: total destruction so nothing is left for FTG to claim. "From Hell's heart, I stab at thee... For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee." :flame:

And leave a whole ton of unemployed drivers, mechanics, support, etc, and a whole generation of new ones with no where to go?

I Love CC, I hate the IRL and TG, but theres a time to throw in the towel and this is it, in the past it SEEMED like we had a chance, but we don't. Merge, hope for the best, save the best events, maybe save the DP01/Cosworth combo (it would be cheaper for the IRL to adapt it than to build their own new setup) and at least have SOMETHING to go back to. Maybe in a few years it can regain enough popularity to not suck.

[Indy]

^^^

Agreed. Maybe it is the Indy Chamber channeling through me, but it would be a shame to see a once vibrant industry here completely die.

I think the time will come soon when the split fanatics of whatever variety will be shed and left behind. At that point you will either choose to enjoy what exists or move on.

[Methanolandbrats]

^^^

Agreed. Maybe it is the Indy Chamber channeling through me, but it would be a shame to see a once vibrant industry here completely die.

I think the time will come soon when the split fanatics of whatever variety will be shed and left behind. At that point you will either choose to enjoy what exists or move on. Not much work for horseshoe makers either. Move on is the best choice. It took a century to build up what was destroyed in a few years and it won't be "fixed" anytime soon.

[mueber]

I just can't imagine that I am ever going to reward Tony George with any of my time or money, nor can I imagine Tony George ever being gracious. Since the short-comings that led to the formation of CART are still present in the IRL, chances are that CART II will form some time after the demise of Champ Car, maybe there is hope in that.

No one seems to have learned anything from the last decade: Greed is rampant, management skills are non-existent, the fans are considered only after the promoters, suppliers and participants have everything they want. Say what you will about NASCAR, but they succeeded by developing new fans while keeping the old ones reasonably happy. The Gomers, and the management of the IRL, are still living in the past, and the team owners, and the management of the IRL and Champ Car can’t free themselves from the silly yard of bricks to develop a viable series. Previously, cubic money helped cover over the short-comings of our heroes, now that the money is gone, professional, future-oriented management is of paramount importance, and if Champ Car had had it, they might have done well. Where is that going to come from now that we are going forward to the 60’s? My guess is that it won't come from anywhere.

[nrc]

And leave a whole ton of unemployed drivers, mechanics, support, etc, and a whole generation of new ones with no where to go?
What? I'm supposed to feel bad because they can't make a living whoring for the IRL? Mastercare needs mechanics and Greyhound needs drivers.

I don't support racing as a jobs program. I suppport it as a meaningful sporting challenge. If it's lost all it's meaning why should I have any loyalty to the people involved? How many of them have any loyalty to us? How many have any loyalty to The Sport?

I think that has a lot to do with the growing apathy around racing. Not only are the old school heros gone, but there isn't anyone we can look to and say, "He get's it. He's in it to prove himself against the measuring stick that we consider important." There is simply nobody in the sport anymore that doesn't see it as a paycheck. The fatter the better and with no loyalty to anyone but the highest bidder.

Screw them. The whole racing business needs to collapse so that it can be rebuilt by people who are in it because they give a crap.

[Sean Malone]

What? I'm supposed to feel bad because they can't make a living whoring for the IRL? Mastercare needs mechanics and Greyhound needs drivers.

I don't support racing as a jobs program. I suppport it as a meaningful sporting challenge. If it's lost all it's meaning why should I have any loyalty to the people involved? How many of them have any loyalty to us? How many have any loyalty to The Sport?

I think that has a lot to do with the growing apathy around racing. Not only are the old school heros gone, but there isn't anyone we can look to and say, "He get's it. He's in it to prove himself against the measuring stick that we consider important." There is simply nobody in the sport anymore that doesn't see it as a paycheck. The fatter the better and with no loyalty to anyone but the highest bidder.

Screw them. The whole racing business needs to collapse so that it can be rebuilt by people who are in it because they give a crap.

:thumbup:

[Winston Wolfe]

To me, if Champ Car folds, USA open wheel racing will no longer exist. Until they screw it up, there is F1, ALMS (already partially screwed up) and WRC (not on television).

I'm with M&B on this one.... OW racing in america will cease to exist when CCWS folds, or what few teams are left are blended into whatever FTG is allegedly in charge of.... Toknee will never make a fan out of me.

And I dont think that putting all the teams back under one umbrella league will not work either. Pimpski, Fata$$i and Fernandeth, and Rawhore and Andretti the Lesser are the ones who got us into this fine mess in the first place. Thinking that 6 or 7 years has changed them is wrong thinking. Penske and Ganassi are businessmen first, and its likely they dont spend alot of their own money running their race teams. IN fact, they are pretty damn good at spending other peoples money to make their own wallets fat.....

KK and Co have been spending their own money running this thing, and you have to see what they see, and that is... this OW racing battle of who runs out of money first just aint worth fighting anymore... many of us are still waiting for the day when we log on to the computer to see the headline news stating something about a helicopter crash in Indy, or that Tony got set up with a bad batch of blow..... but not before KK and Co run out of money and\or interest in this thing....

Too much water has passed under the bridge for me, and for many others here. Sure, I tune in and watch a bit of the Earl500 each year, just like I tune in to watch the Kentucky Derby, because its a tradition of a race.... but I aint no fan of the rest of the races that get them to their respective version of the Derby... and dont think I will be anytime soon. I hope Honda says they're done, and have proven all they can prove when their engine supply contract is up.... that will push the decision as well. But one more year of "wait until next year" sounds like a New York Mets fan....

I just want it back when I was more interested in the racing and the cars, and the events, that when you had to know more about the politics of racing and the people who were trying to screw it all up.... getting old sucks!

[manic mechanic]

What? I'm supposed to feel bad because they can't make a living whoring for the IRL? Mastercare needs mechanics and Greyhound needs drivers.


Beg to differ with you here, boss. I'll admit that most in the ChampCar paddock could kick my lilly-white around the car they work on all the time, but when it comes to multiple different sub-types of cars and the production level needed to sustain income in the real world, I'd mop the floor with them (and I have slowed down since I worked at a shop that does the volume that a MasterCare store does).


I don't support racing as a jobs program. I suppport it as a meaningful sporting challenge. If it's lost all it's meaning why should I have any loyalty to the people involved? How many of them have any loyalty to us? How many have any loyalty to The Sport?

I think that has a lot to do with the growing apathy around racing. Not only are the old school heros gone, but there isn't anyone we can look to and say, "He get's it. He's in it to prove himself against the measuring stick that we consider important." There is simply nobody in the sport anymore that doesn't see it as a paycheck. The fatter the better and with no loyalty to anyone but the highest bidder.

Can't say as I disagree with that viewpoint, but I ask you this:

If your reputation preceded you as one of the best in your field and you had the ability to get a marketable amount (or more) for them, would loyalty to a product make you more apt to consider a lesser offer?

Face it, we are all MERCENARIES in our own right.


Screw them. The whole racing business needs to collapse so that it can be rebuilt by people who are in it because they give a crap.

Reading the last part WRT my comments above, I will agree to disagree. ;)

manic


P.S. TG will never get my money, and the family trust will lose as soon as I can find a different baking powder!

[jonovision_man]

What? I'm supposed to feel bad because they can't make a living whoring for the IRL?

Maybe they don't see things as black and white as you do. The mechanics who worked for Penske or Ganassi who went to the IRL aren't whores, they're guys who are making a living doing what they love.

I don't care if you "feel bad" for them or not, but at least recognize that this is how they make their living. They're not whores for doing it.


Screw them. The whole racing business needs to collapse so that it can be rebuilt by people who are in it because they give a crap.

If the racing business collapses, it won't be rebuilt.

And this delusion that the IRL is collapsing is just that. With the Indy 500 + BY400, TG is still making money, and the IRL isn't going anywhere.

jono

[Cam]

Maybe they don't see things as black and white as you do. The mechanics who worked for Penske or Ganassi who went to the IRL aren't whores, they're guys who are making a living doing what they love.

I don't care if you "feel bad" for them or not, but at least recognize that this is how they make their living. They're not whores for doing it.



If the racing business collapses, it won't be rebuilt.

And this delusion that the IRL is collapsing is just that. With the Indy 500 + BY400, TG is still making money, and the IRL isn't going anywhere.

jono

Bullhockey!! I know guys that are, for a better term, "married" to the series. Jono I will stick by those that stick by their convictions.

[mueber]

Wallowing in hatred isn’t going to do anyone any good. Sure, Tony George is a moron, but he had plenty of help on the road to trivializing open wheel racing. The mechanics are hardly foremost amongst them. The simple truth of the matter is that professional auto racing is dead in the U. S. with the exception of NASCAR, a situation the France family has done nothing to discourage. I am less than distressed by the near demise of Champ Car, because it’s painful to watch a semi-pro series limp along on life support when what I want is balls out professionalism. I hope it gets better, but if it doesn’t, it doesn’t, and I’ll follow Formula One, and, like many before me, it's unlikely I'll ever be back

[TrueBrit]

What? I'm supposed to feel bad because they can't make a living whoring for the IRL? Mastercare needs mechanics and Greyhound needs drivers.

I don't support racing as a jobs program. I suppport it as a meaningful sporting challenge. If it's lost all it's meaning why should I have any loyalty to the people involved? How many of them have any loyalty to us? How many have any loyalty to The Sport?

I think that has a lot to do with the growing apathy around racing. Not only are the old school heros gone, but there isn't anyone we can look to and say, "He get's it. He's in it to prove himself against the measuring stick that we consider important." There is simply nobody in the sport anymore that doesn't see it as a paycheck. The fatter the better and with no loyalty to anyone but the highest bidder.

Screw them. The whole racing business needs to collapse so that it can be rebuilt by people who are in it because they give a crap.

Agreed.

[jonovision_man]

Bullhockey!! I know guys that are, for a better term, "married" to the series. Jono I will stick by those that stick by their convictions.

I'm sure some are "married", but a lot aren't. It's a job.

Ever notice that the drivers don't care as much about the split as fans do? They cross over between series... the teams that switched to the IRL mostly brought their drivers (and staff) with them without a whimper, Buddy Rice comes and does a race at Forsythe, Dan Clarke leaves when the opportunity looks good, Matos leaves Atlantics for IPS.

This is just a sport, business, and for many a job. I don't blame anyone for putting their livelihood over their feelings about the split.

jono

[nrc]

Maybe they don't see things as black and white as you do. The mechanics who worked for Penske or Ganassi who went to the IRL aren't whores, they're guys who are making a living doing what they love.I don't care whether they do or not. I'm responding to comment that implied that we should care whether there is anything left based on all the drivers, mechanics, etc who will be out of work. My point is that's BS. I'm not here to provide someone an opportunity to make a living doing something they love. It just so happens that our support for the sport has benefitted them by providing them with that opportunity. That doesn't mean I'm obligated to hope that continues purely for their benefit.


If the racing business collapses, it won't be rebuilt.
Nonsense. Racing will survive. If there's nothing left but weekend warriors someone will start paying prize money and someone will charge to see it.


...and the IRL isn't going anywhere.

I think that's true, but not in the sense that you do. :)

[jonovision_man]

I don't care whether they do or not. I'm responding to comment that implied that we should care whether there is anything left based on all the drivers, mechanics, etc who will be out of work. My point is that's BS. I'm not here to provide someone an opportunity to make a living doing something they love. It just so happens that our support for the sport has benefitted them by providing them with that opportunity. That doesn't mean I'm obligated to hope that continues purely for their benefit.

I don't disagree.


Nonsense. Racing will survive. If there's nothing left but weekend warriors someone will start paying prize money and someone will charge to see it.

There is nothing left but weekend warriors. :gomer:


I think that's true, but not in the sense that you do. :)

I guarantee the IRL will outlast ChampCar, and will be around in 10 years, if not 20. Maybe under a new name if they pretend to merge or something, but with TG at the healm. Get used to him.

jono

[Hesketh]

I'm sure some are "married", but a lot aren't. It's a job.

Ever notice that the drivers don't care as much about the split as fans do? They cross over between series... the teams that switched to the IRL mostly brought their drivers (and staff) with them without a whimper, Buddy Rice comes and does a race at Forsythe, Dan Clarke leaves when the opportunity looks good, Matos leaves Atlantics for IPS.

This is just a sport, business, and for many a job. I don't blame anyone for putting their livelihood over their feelings about the split.

jono



Bingo. Most mechanics and drivers are racers first and will compete wherever they can, even if they're not 100% in love with the politics of the owners or the spec of the car. Racing is what we do and we go where we have to in order to do it.

[cart7]

...

I think that has a lot to do with the growing apathy around racing. Not only are the old school heros gone, but there isn't anyone we can look to and say, "He get's it. He's in it to prove himself against the measuring stick that we consider important." There is simply nobody in the sport anymore that doesn't see it as a paycheck. The fatter the better and with no loyalty to anyone but the highest bidder.

Screw them. The whole racing business needs to collapse so that it can be rebuilt by people who are in it because they give a crap.

I disagree. Of all the drivers out there in any form of racing, 2 guys come to mind. John Force and Tony Stewart.

Force has built a drag racing empire but he still shows up each week to win when it would be just as easy for him to sit back and run the empire and let his daughters take the main stage.

Stewart, while having some obvious personality problems early in his career is about as dedicated and passionate a racer as I've seen. He's jumped into just about anything and won or run well. When he didn't know how to road race, he went about learning the craft and is now a threat to win any Cup RR. It's also clear he's in Nascar to build a fortune so he can return to his real passion, dirt racing.

Neither is in OW but both are passionate about the sport of racing and "Get it".