Hiro Cotman rides off to the sunset

[G.]

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/indycar-cotman-consults-ando-to-usf1/

Be interesting to know how involved he will be and why he's moving along.


Tony Cotman is going to continue officiating on race weekends and helping with new track preparation but he’s no longer a full-time employee of the IndyCar series.

Cotman, hired as the IRL vice president of competition in 2008 following four years of running the racing side of Champ Car, has left IndyCar to start his own company – NZR Consulting.

[Sean Malone]

What an anticlimactic story line Cotman was.

[G.]

What an anticlimactic story line Cotman was.
Agreed. I get the feeling that he was not given any control though. Maybe that's why he's leaving and why RM's been pimpin for him.

But I really don't get why some thought that he could save the earl :confused: .

[NismoZ]

Maybe not, but he knew and understood the Atlantics (& maybe a powered-up Super Atlantic) would make a beter feeder than the Lights series and he was shot down on that. Word was the League powers were worried that the FAs would be too fast, an obvious threat to REAL Indy cars. My guess is he's leaving for the same reason he came...better opportunities elsewhere. I think he is/was one of the best things :tony: had going for him but he was allowed NO power or authority to actually make things better.

[oddlycalm]

As long as he had to report to Brainfart how much could he really change? He sounds wise to get a piece of the pie without having to directly work for the gomers. Once he builds his business he won't need them.

oc

[NismoZ]

Yup.

[Gnam]

This is like reading about what happened to Eli Whitney after he invented the cotton gin. :p

[SurfaceUnits]

This is like reading about what happened to Eli Whitney after he invented the cotton gin. :p

and like what happened to TOney GOrge after he invented opened wheeled racin

SPEEDtv.com has learned that George is resigning his seats on the IMS board of directors and Hulman & Company. This comes eight months after he was ousted by his family as president and CEO of IMS.

He also refused to accept the position as president of the Indy Racing League, the series he started in 1996, following his ouster.

George is currently out of the country and could not be reached for comment, while emails to Fred Nation and Jeff Belskus were not returned.

George seemed content to run his one-car Vision Racing team with step-son Ed Carpenter and has been supportive of the proposed Delta Wing project (a new Indy car for 2012 owned by several IndyCar owners).

But, without longtime sponsor John Menard on board for 2010, George is scrambling to keep Carpenter on the track. Recently, in a team meeting, he reportedly told his crew that he hadn’t given up and was searching for sponsorship but it was possible the season might only include Indy and a couple of ovals.

George also told his crew that if they were approached with a good, full-time offer, they might want to take it.

[oddlycalm]

George also told his crew that if they were approached with a good, full-time offer, they might want to take it.
How about an offer to put him in a shipping crate and send it to Tierra del Fuego via slow boat...? :gomer:

oc

[Chief]

Tony should leverage his power to find a sponsor. :rofl: