Where the IRL got their Teams/Drivers

[Brickman]

Former CART Teams

Andretti Green Racing - 4 cars
Mo Nunn Racing - 1 car
Team Rahal - 2 cars
Fernandez Racing - 2 cars
Target Chip Ganassi Racing - 2 cars
Marlboro Team Penske - 2 cars
Patrick Racing - 1 car
(14)

Always IRL Teams

Panther Racing - 2 cars
Kelley Racing - 1 car
Access Motorsports - 1 car
A.J. Foyt Enterprises - 1 car
Red Bull Cheever Racing - 2 cars
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing - 1 car
(8)

Former CART Drivers
Alex Barron
Helio Castroneves
Scott Dixon
Adrian Fernandez
Bryan Herta
Dario Franchitti
Tony Kanaan
Darren Manning
Tora Takagi
Scott Sharp*
Robbie Buhl*
(11)


Indy Lights Drivers
Dan Wheldon

Toyota Atlantics
Sam Hornish
Buddy Rice
Greg Ray

Other
Mark Taylor - IRL Menards Infiniti Pro Series
Tomas Scheckter - Formula Nissan
A.J. Foyt IV - IRL Menards Infiniti Pro Series


*With IRL since inception.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Can you name the driver(s) or Team(s) not primarily there because of manufacturer dollars?

[Jervis Tetch 1]

I think you are going to see three of the IRL "originals" go out within one to two years.

Access, Foyt and Dreyer-Reibold.

They don't fit the bill of the new "vision."

Besides, they aren't that competitive. In two or three seasons, don't be surprised to see Cheever and Kelley fall out. Panther too as Pennzoil won't be funding them after another season.

[DaveL]

I think you are going to see three of the IRL "originals" go out within one to two years.


It will happen faster than that. GM isn't throwing millions at teams to run Cosworths so those teams have to actually find ways of funding themselves. Right now all the IRL is a playground for Toyota and Honda factory backed teams.

Someone pull up some circa 1996-1997 quotes from the IRL on this issue.

[Jervis Tetch 1]

It will happen faster than that. GM isn't throwing millions at teams to run Cosworths so those teams have to actually find ways of funding themselves. Right now all the IRL is a playground for Toyota and Honda factory backed teams.

Someone pull up some circa 1996-1997 quotes from the IRL on this issue.By golly Dave L, I hope you are right. I'm currently cleaning out my storage and will get rid of some old On Track and Racer magazines from that era, so I'll be happy to look up some old quotes.

[Madmaxfan2]

The old quotes will just prove the obvious, and the TG defenders will simply state what was said has been misinterpreted. Sorry but true.

[Ruok]

Someone pull up some circa 1996-1997 quotes from the IRL on this issue.

Won't matter. The spin according to TF*:

It's an evolution, at least TG is in control
It is bad business if your vision doesn't change every 2 years
The ends justify the means


*Paraphrasing from actual TF regulars.

Maybe you can think of more?

[ferrarigod]

Even CrackForum has noticed the CART II apperance. Maybe they are starting to see the light of ftg's b.s. Well read the thread, it is funny, Meltdown is in full effect :laugh:

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=40675

[Madmaxfan2]

The meltdown at TF may be in full mode, but what does that prove. I have come to the conclusion that Open Wheel Racing has two very p.o.'d fan bases. The first group is the original USAC-IRL faithful who are begining to understand that TG sold them out, but they hate road racing to the core. The future of IRL with road races is sickening to them. We by in large represent the second group, we love road racing to the core, but do not mind or actually like some oval racing because of it's unique challanges. But we despise Tony George to the core. The IRL has never held any interst to us and we never intend to support the IRL, road racing or not. That arrogent group of car owners have made a major miscalculation when they cast thier lot with the IRL, along with Toyata and Honda. I can say the business prospects of the IRL are indeed bleak. OWRS is not in rosy shape either.
The sport's future is bleak indeed. My only hope, somebody in the Hulman - George family gets a clue and kicks TG out on Georgetown road and tells him to get lost.

[RobGuru]

My only hope, somebody in the Hulman - George family gets a clue and kicks TG out on Georgetown road and tells him to get lost.

That would be nice. I've said elsewhere that I would support unification with the following 10 conditions.

1. TG is not involved.
2. - 10. See Condition #1.

[Anteater]

My conditions for unification are the same as yours, RobGuru, but I would like to add:

11. They run 750 HP engines with turbochargers
12. Chassis are Lola, Reynard, and (oh, what the heck) Swift

That's all I ask for. :D

[Fio1]

The fact is, the OG IRL drivers (Buhls, Laziers, Cheevers, etc) were mostly ex-cart backmarkers, who figured a ride in the IRL with ex-cart backmarker teams (Hemelgarn, Foyt, Menard) was better then fighting for 17th in Cart. Then the IRL actually got some 'American open wheel' stars like Stewart, Beechler, Michner & Fisher. Those guys & gal got pushed out because although a midget is an open wheel car it is not a formula car and formula car drivers who raced on road courses found an all oval series extremely easy and started to dominate the minute they stepped in those s**** boxes (Castroneves, de Ferran, Dixon, etc). Therefore, sending the good-old boys from the dirt tracks back to the dirt tracks. All but Tony Stewart actually went any where....The whole stupidity of giving an American oval-tracker a chance at the big time failed when the only 'oval' winning driver went Nascar racing....But, if Tony G actually wanted to do what he said and didn't set out to kill Cart instead, then fans would be seeing Tony Stewart battling Ryan Newman in a 220 mph Indycar rather then a 175 mph taxi-cab at Texas or Michigan.....

Basically, the IRL is successful, because Cart went sour. The teams and drivers needed places to go and F1 is waaaaaay out of their price range. Hardcore IRL fans can't really be stocked when Scott Dixon or Helio Castroneves kicks butt because they really are just a road racing ex-cart drivers making a living doing something that Brian Tyler or Donnie Beechler couldn't do well..... :rolleyes:

Hey Tony, remeber the 25/8 rule? Well, those 8 became 30, and the 25 are now 3! Nice going dude! :laugh:

[Jervis Tetch 1]

Brick,

I'd include (as much as I hate to) Foyt with CART because ole A.J. ran there for several years before entering the minor leagues.

[DaveL]

Brick,

I'd include (as much as I hate to) Foyt with CART because ole A.J. ran there for several years before entering the minor leagues.

AJ ran CART from 1982-1995 and never won a race. He's also 0 for NASCAR and that dates back to the mid 70s, albeit off and on.

The only series AJ's teams have EVER won races in are those sanctioned either directly or by proxy by IMS (USAC/IRL).

[pinniped]

In his day Foyt was one of the best, which probably includes some NASCAR wins (too busy to research it). He also won in sports cars, sprint cars, etc.

[FCYTravis]

AJ Foyt IV also won the Formula Continental championship in the Southwest Division of the SCCA.

Of course, that in itself is something of a joke, as the SoWDiv is one of the smallest in the SCCA. I rather doubt he had much substantial competition.

[dando]

Brick,

I'd include (as much as I hate to) Foyt with CART because ole A.J. ran there for several years before entering the minor leagues.
True, but AJ cast his lot w/IRL from the start...the C^RT teams that are listed were in C^RT post-split and switched to ToneyVision.

-Kevin

[Racewriter]

In his day Foyt was one of the best, which probably includes some NASCAR wins (too busy to research it). He also won in sports cars, sprint cars, etc.

The only NASCAR race AJ ever won in his own car was a 125-mile qualifier at Daytona in 1978. By this point, the 125s no longer carried NASCAR points. His NASCAR wins were accomplished in cars owned by Ray Nichels, the Wood Brothers, Banjo Matthews, and Jack Bowsher. He did win two USAC Stock Car championships in his own cars. He also has one IMSA win in a Porsche that was co-owned by himself and Preston Henn, and prepared in his shops.

[pchall]

In his day Foyt was one of the best, which probably includes some NASCAR wins (too busy to research it). He also won in sports cars, sprint cars, etc.


His "best" ended with the 70s. The only success he had in the 80s was in sportscars. I've always marked the "end" of his career at the point where Mears motored away from him in the last segment of the 500 in 1979...

[pinniped]

No doubt...he did the Petty/Waltrip drive around in circles thing for far too long...arguably so did Andretti but he never embarrassed himself...regardless of Foyt's affection for tenderloins and the IRL he was still a great driver...

[RichK]

No doubt...he did the Petty/Waltrip drive around in circles thing for far too long...arguably so did Andretti but he never embarrassed himself...regardless of Foyt's affection for tenderloins and the IRL he was still a great driver...

I disagree on the Mario thing. Even during his last few years, he was consistently 6th or 7th it seemed. You could tell that the edge was gone, however.

Mario's Results (http://www.formulaone.free-online.co.uk/cart/drivers/mandretti/results.html) (scroll down for last few years)

[pchall]

I disagree on the Mario thing. Even during his last few years, he was consistently 6th or 7th it seemed. You could tell that the edge was gone, however.

Mario's Results (http://www.formulaone.free-online.co.uk/cart/drivers/mandretti/results.html) (scroll down for last few years)


Mario never sucked (as did Foyt) at the end. Even in "retirement" he still had enough to haul that Courage-Porsche back up to 2nd place at LeMans in the rain after the early mishap.

[pinniped]

Never said he sucked...