Kirby W/ Lisles

[Corner5]

Pretty damning- Randy, and the Iconic decision are not spared.


Perpetually poor TV ratings over many years and weak crowds at most races have drained Indy car racing of commercial value. This indelibly sad fact is at the heart of IndyCar's many problems.

http://www.gordonkirby.com/categories/columns/theway/2010/the_way_it_is_no249.html

The Irl only knew how to do one thing ,spend money to defeat CC.

It would not surprise me if he Haas team gets sold or folds after this season.

I heard Lanigan was supposed to buy it ,but backed out.

[Andrew Longman]

So how many times over the years was TG approached about a merger and he rejected it out of hand? Little in the article is new. The economics have been totally screwed up since at least 2001 or 02. There are just no cheerleaders left to admire the emperors clothes.

I even think KK and crew knew there had to be a merger but felt by pulling together a viable schedule with some talented teams and a new spec that TG eventually would buy into it. And he could have. PG as much as said at the times this was the plan until he was muzzled.

[STD]

What remains still is well past the flush date.

[Corner5]

Good to see Honda and Penske will still make money-


"Certainly, they did not do a very good job at all of reducing the teams' costs. The car is still expensive and the engine is still horrendously expensive compared to what could have been done. It was a pretty half-hearted attempt. The car should be less expensive and the engine should be a half or a third of what they've done the deal for and we should have been tackling the marginal costs too."

[NismoZ]

Well, there ya go, all you 'wang haters...it was the last chance! (Is that animated video of them racing at Mid Ohio still around?)

[nrc]

I don't buy that a freak show car would make any difference. It would have been a laughing stock among racing fans. Among non-racing fans I see no indication that odd looking cars are the missing element.

[Methanolandbrats]

I don't buy that a freak show car would make any difference. It would have been a laughing stock among racing fans. Among non-racing fans I see no indication that odd looking cars are the missing element.

The drifting crowd might like it :gomer:

[Tim]

I think all these people are wasting time trying to find a solution to make the series popular. When you've pissed off every single fan of either side it's pretty much game over. Eventually all of the owners who are putting money into it will die.

[Methanolandbrats]

I think all these people are wasting time trying to find a solution to make the series popular. When you've pissed off every single fan of either side it's pretty much game over. Eventually all of the owners who are putting money into it will die.

I agree. I didn't even read the article. Why bother. It's over. Might as well try to bring harness racing back. Game over, move on.

[NismoZ]

That's IT! Hook up the cars to horses, open it up to betting, dirt tracks...problem solved!

[Indy]

Stick a fork in it. The morons don't have a clue what racing is.

[Ed_Severson]

It's hard to argue with much of what Lisles had to say there. I am not of the opinion that the Delta Wing was a very good option for various reasons, but the proposed cost savings of the new Dallara/Honda package is a dog and pony show until the third or fourth season at the earliest, if they even last that much longer.

The same thing happened with the DP01. Had it been in place for a few seasons, eventually guys like Coyne and Bachelart would have seen some real economic benefit from it. But in reality, it was 2-3 years too late in coming to make any difference.

[Andrew Longman]

But in reality, it was 2-3 years too late in coming to make any difference.By the time the new IRL spec is in place it will be 5-7 years too late. All the more reason they should have adopted the DP01 as their spec 3 years ago (or even longer). Had they done that the DP01 would have realized actual savings for the teams while acting as a bridge to 2012 or whenever they could introduce an even better solution.

[pchall]

By the time the new IRL spec is in place it will be 5-7 years too late.

Unfortunately it will be a spec, when what they really need is just a set of technically interesting and useful regulations that appeal to racers, manufacturers, and fans.

[Methanolandbrats]

Unfortunately it will be a spec, when what they really need is just a set of technically interesting and useful regulations that appeal to racers, manufacturers, and fans.

I remember a time when there was a series like that :(

[SurfaceUnits]

Unfortunately it will be a spec, when what they really need is just a set of technically interesting and useful regulations that appeal to racers, manufacturers, and fans.

Damed CArt strret race loosers, always pissin and monin bout somethin,,,guess what??? acordian to this KOsworth fella,, the IRl has got somthin better that n that...in fact the IRl ain't got nothin and that makes it better than somethin


And I have to say, some people have said the IRL have been a bit vague on the rules but actually I think that's a good thing. I think it’s more likely for them to be able to attract a manufacturer because actually I think they’re more open to be accommodating to a manufacturer rather than turning a manufacturer away because it doesn't quite fit the detailed rules that they could easily put into place.

# The IRl: Were not only pissing in the wind

[Chief]

Actually I think that guy actually is doin some actual thinkin'.:p

[pchall]

I remember a time when there was a series like that :(

Yes. Even the little bastard F5000/FA was interesting. What? a 5.0 ohv prod block vs. a 3.0 F1 engine and some goofy smaller displacement dohc prod derived engines allowed as well... Just don't talk too much about the Can Am or I will start crying.

[NismoZ]

Mario often said his T-332 of '74-5 was faster than F-1...and BUCKETS of $ cheaper.

[miatanut]

I don't buy that a freak show car would make any difference. It would have been a laughing stock among racing fans. Among non-racing fans I see no indication that odd looking cars are the missing element.

Among former racing fans (like myself), it would have been a step way from the same old same old of the last thirty years. I didn't care for the looks, but a TF'er who is a professional auto designer came up with a variant that had a nose similar to a mid-80's Indycar with something a bit like front wings in front of the front wheels. They may have shrunk or eliminated the gigantic shark fin. I don't remember. I do remember it was halfway decent looking and didn't give up much of the original concept.

Instead, there will be more of the same winning formula that chased me away.

I'm down to one race a year now. The Only Race That Really Matters, in France every June. Or maybe not. This year I was in a class about energy efficient buildings during 1/3 of it and that was frankly a LOT more interesting. Some actual technological innovation going on there. :)