Honda wants higher tech

[nrc]

So while Toyota is on record as wanting lower costs, Honda says they want higher tech engines. They do have on thing in common, though.



"However, there is the issue of viewership and attendance. It's very disappointing. We know how much we are putting into the program, and to roll the cars out onto the grid on race day and look up in the grandstands when there is nobody watching makes you wonder why the hell you're doing all of this -- though regardless of whether there was one person or a million we would put the same effort in.

"It's kind of disheartening. Ultimately when it comes down to budget time and getting approvals, you can't avoid questions being asked about the promotional value of being involved."

What did you expect, you nitwit? That you could betray the fans who supported you to go dancing with the devil in front of a crowd that has hated you for years and the fans would suddenly crawl out of the woodwork?

I really hope that Tony George sells Honda down the river to keep Toyota on board and Clarke throws another tantrum that will send Andretti, Rahal, Fernandez and that whole band of back stabbers swirling down the toilet.

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?id=1992272

By the way, Clarke, you can still kiss my butt.

[Brickman]

Yea this is going to be more of the interesting engine moves when the time comes. When they pulled the tablecloth out from under CART we know what happened. When Toyota pulls and Honda pulls it will be interesting to say the least.

As for Clarke... I thought Clarke was taking directions from Honda Japan and that TG had done an end around to get Honda on board?

[cart7]

We'll know soon enough. May is only 3 months away. To think the earl could decide in favor of Chebbie and yoda and go with Production based engine would make for the best humour in all this. Honda, after spending gozillions of yen trying to sink Cart, winds up getting back-handed by TG in favor of yoda. How sweet that would be. Half the field would disappear overnight. :laugh:

[Spicoli]

Time for Hyundai to step up. :thumbup:

[SteveH]

Although we don't know what the '07 engine is, we're working on what we guess an '07 engine will be.

Huh? Anyone care to explain why that is? If it costs too much to run in the IRL, why inflate your expenses with working on what might be the next gen engine? Unless, you already know what the specs will be. :rolleyes: :gomer:

[Wheel-Nut]

Time for Hyundai to step up. :thumbup:

Drop the Y and its almost a Honda. "Hundia"

[Wheel-Nut]

. . . . . Unless, you already know what the specs will be. :rolleyes: :gomer:

Tony wouldn't spill the beans early, would he??

[Don Quixote]

Unless, you already know what the specs will be. :rolleyes: :gomer:

I wonder if Toyota and Chevy were let in on the little secret, or is Honda the only one given the jump start?

[pchall]

Time for Hyundai to step up. :thumbup:

Wouldn't KaKaKaKia be more appropriate?

[trauma1]

it's over, FTG has pissed them all off, thier leaving EARl faster than when they left CART, they will not go for stock blocks, maybe chevy i doubt it

[JoeBob]

Or, Honda is working on what they want the engine to be - and if it isn't what they want, they'll go to other series and say, "We have this engine already developed..."

[DaveL]

"However, there is the issue of viewership and attendance. It's very disappointing. We know how much we are putting into the program, and to roll the cars out onto the grid on race day and look up in the grandstands when there is nobody watching makes you wonder why the hell you're doing all of this -- though regardless of whether there was one person or a million we would put the same effort in.

"It's kind of disheartening. Ultimately when it comes down to budget time and getting approvals, you can't avoid questions being asked about the promotional value of being involved."

That's make them 3 for 3 as far as engine mfgs not liking the R with all of their I and pointing to attendence (and I'm sure they don't notice the ratings either) in particular.

[JLMannin]

Or, Honda is working on what they want the engine to be - and if it isn't what they want, they'll go to other series and say, "We have this engine already developed..."

I suspect you are on the right track. They design the engine, then go and whisper in Tony's ear what the engine specs should look like and commit to supply the engines to get indy up to 33 (even though "it is just a number") Tony then has to choose between turing over control of his series to Honda or risk not having enough cars at Indy. I guess the third choice is to run taxicabs for the traditional May date.

[Wally]

What is it about Clarkes little spew that sounds so familiar??? ;)

[Andrew Longman]

Huh? Anyone care to explain why that is? If it costs too much to run in the IRL, why inflate your expenses with working on what might be the next gen engine? Unless, you already know what the specs will be. :rolleyes: :gomer:

Yes that sounds odd to me too, unless you just want to keep 120 people busy doing an engineering exercise, which given some of Honda's expressed interest in going racing is possible, even if unlikely.

I actually agree with some of the vision stuff he offers about Indy. Open wheel racing has always had a technology component in its appeal. Stock car is much the opposite. If open wheel, whether its CCWS or IRL, is going to distinguish itself from NASCAR, technology is a place to look.

I've often thought that 500 miles isn't what it used to be, in terms of building equipment to last. How about upping it to 1000 miles? Or as he suggests, eliminate pitstops. Or alternative power plants such as fuel cells (too quite for me though). Or doing the safety things needed to let speeds climb again.

Anybody heard from Franklin? :gomer:

[RusH]

The 500 miles run at Indy in 1911 was an endurance race right? Now look at it.

One month until Sebring. :thumbup:

[Peter Venkman]

What did you expect, you nitwit? That you could betray the fans who supported you to go dancing with the devil in front of a crowd that has hated you for years and the fans would suddenly crawl out of the woodwork?

I really hope that Tony George sells Honda down the river to keep Toyota on board and Clarke throws another tantrum that will send Andretti, Rahal, Fernandez and that whole band of back stabbers swirling down the toilet.

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?id=1992272

By the way, Clarke, you can still kiss my butt.[/QUOTE]


You do have to remember, that John Oreovicz is a Tony George Toady, and a poor substitution for Robin Miller.

[Peter Venkman]

Anybody heard from Franklin? :gomer:[/QUOTE]

I think the last update was that he's trying to catch up with Yoyager II to attach a new idea he has, and is a little bit past Pluto....

[Methanolandbrats]

"Instead, Clarke is pushing for the IndyCar Series to adopt a more radical level of technology for its 2007 engine package, believing it could spark a revival for the Indianapolis 500 and American open-wheel racing. "

:rofl: :rofl:

[mueber]

The more things change, the more they stay the same. It will be a frosty day in hell before I buy another Honda product.

[trauma1]

either FTG has told fonda he'll go with thier engine or fonda is gambling that thier yen will prevail, and piss yoda off and chevy will never go back. either way he trys to play it he loses :thumbup:

[Rogue Leader]

One will be leaving by 07, and the other will be not far behind....

[nissan gtp]

Or, Honda is working on what they want the engine to be - and if it isn't what they want, they'll go to other series and say, "We have this engine already developed..."

and KK tells Robert Clarke where to stuff his engine :thumbup:

how grate would it be.... the earl implodes when yoda goes cab-racing, but fhonda can't get it (NASCAR will stop the yen/yen war before it starts)

fhonda and whindretti are left together, watching from outside the fence :D

[Sean O'Gorman]

Isn't this the same excuse they used to get out of CART when they announced the 3.5L V-8 formula?

What Honda did to CART sucks, but I'd be one of the first to welcome them back. Engine manufacturer $$$ is good as long as there is something to justify it. Obviously there wasn't enough value to justify it in CART, and there isn't enough in IRL, so they are the mercy of T&H. Find a way to make it so the manufacturer presence is valuable, but not necessary (such as NASCAR, or World Challenge), and I think it would work.

[dando]

What a frickin' gomer. Blindly developing an engine w/o specs. :shakehead I wonder if Clarke and his bunch are prepared to fund the entire Indy field come '07. :gomer:

-Kevin

[clutch]

:rolleyes: Yeah Clarke, we're really impressed with your "high" technology. CART Indycars went faster 15 years ago than your new technology engines can now. Why waste money trying to match and failing at beating 30 year old technology? :shakehead

[racer2c]

I thought Ilmor was still building Honda's IndyCar engines?

[KobySon]

Yeah, every d@mn word clarke says, you have to interpret as a lie.

How can we see it differently after the way they dumped Champ Car?

I did agree with the last paragraph or so of the story where Clarke talked about the need to use real new technology in racing such as fuel cells. That would be a great thing for the transportation industry, environment and world. I hope that wasn't also a lie.

kk