JohnHKart
03-13-04, 08:34 PM
A friend tipped me off to this column last night here it is.....this was written pre FAF fiasco. Oh yeah, seeing those losers from the IRL breaking gearboxes in their crap wagons as they lap Hornish for the tenth time is really what I want to see.
John
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Judge might have erred in Champ Car ruling
DAMIAN DOTTORE
Register columnist
MOTOR SPORTS
ddottore@ocregister.com
The judge who presided over CART's bankruptcy case might have made a mistake.
Maybe Judge Frank Otte should have awarded the Champ Car World Series' assets to Tony George and the Indy Racing League, then this war that has destroyed the popularity of open-wheel racing in United States finally would have been over.
Instead, he ruled in favor of Paul Gentilozzi, Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe, the three guys trying to save this once-proud series.
I respect what they are trying to do, but there is no way two rival open-wheel series can survive in this country.
Though George's series isn't in the best of shape - only 19 cars were entered in the Toyota Indy 300 last month at Miami-Homestead Speedway, and the IRL opener drew a dismal 0.9 TV rating - he has won this war. The IRL has the Indy 500 on his schedule, and a TV deal with two major networks, ESPN and ABC. The Champ Car World Series can be seen this year on Spike TV.
What does it say about the health of the series when Forsythe Racing, the marquee team in Champ Car racing, can't find enough sponsorship to field a third car for Patrick Carpentier, who finished fifth in the driver standings last year for this team?
Forsythe Racing essentially has replaced Carpentier with Rodolfo Lavin primarily because Lavin brought the big bucks of Corona beer with him.
All Carpentier can offer is his talent. Team officials said Carpentier is still a "contracted driver." They just can't afford to buy him a car right now.
I felt good about the future of the Champ Car World Series until I attended the Forsythe Racing news conference Monday at the Westin Hotel in Long Beach during the series' "Season Premiere."
Just listen to what Peter Davies, a high-ranking team official, had to say:
"I hope that Gerry's name can eventually come off of the cars," Davies said. "Otherwise, I might be looking for a new job."
Indeck and Forsythe's last name are on the side of Paul Tracy's car now, and Tracy is the defending series champion. Forsythe is the chairman and CEO of Indeck, which owns and operates cogeneration and independently owned power plants.
"Finding any kind of sponsorship right now is a challenge," he said.
With just a little more than a month left before the Champ Car season kicks off on the streets of downtown Long Beach, there are only enough cars for 14 drivers.
The terms of the series' contract with the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach say that at least 16 cars must take the green flag.
This race, which helped turn Mario Andretti into an American icon, deserves better than this.
Nelson Phillipe, a 17-year old, will be in the Champ Car opener, and last season he was driving in the Barber Dodge Pro Series, which is just a few steps above a go-kart. No matter how talented a driver is, that is just too big a leap. But Rocketsports gave him a job, supposedly because he brought a little money to the team, and the series needs drivers.
When Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach officials announced the Season Premiere was coming to Southern California, demonstration laps were a part of the schedule. Cars were supposed to speed around a portion of the race track on Shoreline Drive. But reportedly none of the teams could afford to bring a few mechanics to Long Beach.
You would think Kalkhoven, Gentilozzi and Forsythe, all team owners, could have found a way to get at least a couple of cars running on the streets to give people proof that the series is still alive.
The IRL tried to add this year's race in Long Beach to its schedule, but race officials decided to stick with the Champ Car World Series. The IRL has been making changes to its cars to adapt them to road/street course racing.
Wouldn't it be neat to see Sam Hornish Jr., a two-time IRL champ, racing against Tracy? How cool would it be to see Dario Franchitti, Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan back at Long Beach?
But alas, it's only a dream.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTACT US: ddottore@ocregister.com
John
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Judge might have erred in Champ Car ruling
DAMIAN DOTTORE
Register columnist
MOTOR SPORTS
ddottore@ocregister.com
The judge who presided over CART's bankruptcy case might have made a mistake.
Maybe Judge Frank Otte should have awarded the Champ Car World Series' assets to Tony George and the Indy Racing League, then this war that has destroyed the popularity of open-wheel racing in United States finally would have been over.
Instead, he ruled in favor of Paul Gentilozzi, Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe, the three guys trying to save this once-proud series.
I respect what they are trying to do, but there is no way two rival open-wheel series can survive in this country.
Though George's series isn't in the best of shape - only 19 cars were entered in the Toyota Indy 300 last month at Miami-Homestead Speedway, and the IRL opener drew a dismal 0.9 TV rating - he has won this war. The IRL has the Indy 500 on his schedule, and a TV deal with two major networks, ESPN and ABC. The Champ Car World Series can be seen this year on Spike TV.
What does it say about the health of the series when Forsythe Racing, the marquee team in Champ Car racing, can't find enough sponsorship to field a third car for Patrick Carpentier, who finished fifth in the driver standings last year for this team?
Forsythe Racing essentially has replaced Carpentier with Rodolfo Lavin primarily because Lavin brought the big bucks of Corona beer with him.
All Carpentier can offer is his talent. Team officials said Carpentier is still a "contracted driver." They just can't afford to buy him a car right now.
I felt good about the future of the Champ Car World Series until I attended the Forsythe Racing news conference Monday at the Westin Hotel in Long Beach during the series' "Season Premiere."
Just listen to what Peter Davies, a high-ranking team official, had to say:
"I hope that Gerry's name can eventually come off of the cars," Davies said. "Otherwise, I might be looking for a new job."
Indeck and Forsythe's last name are on the side of Paul Tracy's car now, and Tracy is the defending series champion. Forsythe is the chairman and CEO of Indeck, which owns and operates cogeneration and independently owned power plants.
"Finding any kind of sponsorship right now is a challenge," he said.
With just a little more than a month left before the Champ Car season kicks off on the streets of downtown Long Beach, there are only enough cars for 14 drivers.
The terms of the series' contract with the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach say that at least 16 cars must take the green flag.
This race, which helped turn Mario Andretti into an American icon, deserves better than this.
Nelson Phillipe, a 17-year old, will be in the Champ Car opener, and last season he was driving in the Barber Dodge Pro Series, which is just a few steps above a go-kart. No matter how talented a driver is, that is just too big a leap. But Rocketsports gave him a job, supposedly because he brought a little money to the team, and the series needs drivers.
When Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach officials announced the Season Premiere was coming to Southern California, demonstration laps were a part of the schedule. Cars were supposed to speed around a portion of the race track on Shoreline Drive. But reportedly none of the teams could afford to bring a few mechanics to Long Beach.
You would think Kalkhoven, Gentilozzi and Forsythe, all team owners, could have found a way to get at least a couple of cars running on the streets to give people proof that the series is still alive.
The IRL tried to add this year's race in Long Beach to its schedule, but race officials decided to stick with the Champ Car World Series. The IRL has been making changes to its cars to adapt them to road/street course racing.
Wouldn't it be neat to see Sam Hornish Jr., a two-time IRL champ, racing against Tracy? How cool would it be to see Dario Franchitti, Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan back at Long Beach?
But alas, it's only a dream.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTACT US: ddottore@ocregister.com