Tony George's vacillating vision..Gordon Kirby

[SurfaceUnits]

Back in 1993 and '94 what was then known as the PPG Indy Car World Series was beginning to challenge Formula 1 in the worldwide television market. When Nigel Mansell defected from F1 as the defending world champion after a protracted argument with Frank Williams to drive for Newman/Haas in CART in 1993 he brought with him a media circus of British newspaper reporters like we'd never seen. Mansell also created a spike in CART's international television audience as he won the championship in '93, beating Emerson Fittipaldi and a young Paul Tracy who was in his first full season with Penske Racing.

Through the late eighties and early nineties Fittipaldi helped introduce CART to a worldwide market but Mansell ratcheted the global interest in Champ car racing to new heights. Suddenly, British and European fans started to take a serious interest in Champ cars as more and more people watched the races on TV, many of them also reading about Champ cars in their national newspapers and racing magazines.

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=8938

[oddlycalm]

Amazing what has been pissed away for no good reason. Kirby is correct on pretty much every detail. The Idiot In Indiana only slightly surpasses the myopic and self serving CART team owners as far as not having any business running a major racing series. They could have challenged F1 for woldwide popularity but instead sold out for a few pieces of gold. :shakehead

oc

[coolhand]

But it was the preserve the tradition of indy, and to stop all that street racing :gomer:

[Sean O'Gorman]

And yet, everytime the current owners drop something that was once important to CART, I'm told its for the sport to grow? :confused:

[racer2c]

And yet, everytime the current owners drop something that was once important to CART, I'm told its for the sport to grow? :confused:

The glass is half full crowd. Personally, I don't think anyone would disagree with you over your points of contention, but they (we) are keeping their (our) fingers crossed that the new ownership will make the right decisions once the series is on solid ground. It is still a very new series that still has many hurdles to overcome. I think RA needs to be on the schedule within two years. I think a few more ovals need to be added. One oval is not worth it. I think a title sponsor who is willing to sign for a long term contract and actually help promote the series is a must. And as far as the competition is concerned, I think a three or four race CCWS vs. IRL is about all I want to see. The benefits to the sport with that scenario, that I believe Mario is promoting, is obvious. Especially the Indy angle.

The US/world economic picture is much different than it was at CART's peak and NASCAR has doubled its popularity making sponsors that much more reluctant to enter into a series that doesn't have Indy. I'm actually amazed that they are doing what they are. I'm just giving them the benefit of the doubt at this point, because I'm thrilled we still have a Champ Car series to watch. If they do compromise with the IRL and decide that crapwagons are the cars they will go with, I'm out like a light.

Auto-racing journalists can wax nostalgic over the 'good 'ol days' of pre split CART, but unless the articles actually reach Tony's laptop or desk, they don't mean nuthin'.

[nrc]

And yet, everytime the current owners drop something that was once important to CART, I'm told its for the sport to grow? :confused:It's for the sport to survive. Big difference.

[cart7]

And yet, everytime the current owners drop something that was once important to CART, I'm told its for the sport to grow? :confused:

I'm not going to argue your point because I do find some validity to your statement. This continued lack of RA on the schedule along with the questionable outcome of the LB decision is very disconcerting. That said, the current regime has to try and build a profitable series or at least one that's break even, in a market that's saturated with the likes of the earl. Where else do you go? How do you keep from dumping millions of your own $$ into a series by running road races at places like M/O, RA or Laguna where there aren't enough fans to pay the bills for the porta potties let alone new Kohler flushers?? ;)
I'm being patient and watching whats going on on the other side. Certain implosion in the earl will hopefully spell some relief for our guys.

[skaven]

Part of me was shocked to see such a partisan article on the official website.

But the more I think about it, Champcar has a duty to the fans to spread the truth about the split and our history. Good article and keep spreading the word. :)

[oddlycalm]

But the more I think about it, Champcar has a duty to the fans to spread the truth about the split and our history. The pictures from years gone by and the Kirby article seem to be part of a low level effort to reclaim Champcars rightful heritage. Keeping it low key and factual is certainly the professional approach. On one hand, it seems a bit like preaching to the choir, yet it provides a constant historical reminder and a context for the series. I'd like to see more of this material make it into the broad race media, and hopefully it will.

oc

[JT265]

Tony George's vacillating vision.

I haven't a vision.





But I vacillated once. Man, did it ever ease my pain!!! :D

[Andrew Longman]

[QUOTE=skaven]Part of me was shocked to see such a partisan article on the official website. QUOTE]

Going back to last year I have been very pleasantly surprised by columns on the CC website. They are often brutally honest about mistakes they've made, doubts they have, and controversy about aero rules and engine specs. Even the Kirby piece points out that the Champcar series isn't what it used to be. Most marketers would tell you to not highlight that fact.

But because they've pointed out their warts, I'll accept a little factual bashing of the IRL. That's not partisian. It's just treating your fans like adults. And I'd actually read it as opposed to a puff piece I'm likely to find on another series' site (e.g., 10 top reasons you just don't know what Indy means. Or, Dale Jr's personal dedication to Budweiser keep him and his sponsor on top)

[skaven]

Or, Dale Jr's personal dedication to Budweiser keep him and his sponsor on top

:rofl:

My personal dedication to Lagavulin doesn't seem to be advancing my career. ;)

[Steve99]

In this WindTunnel interview Mansell made it sound like N/H Racing sold his contract to an F1 team, so he had to go back to F1. Anyone remember this?

[Jervis Tetch 1]

Give 'em Hell Gordo!

[formulaben]

In this WindTunnel interview Mansell made it sound like N/H Racing sold his contract to an F1 team, so he had to go back to F1. Anyone remember this?

Yeah, IIRC, I seem to remember him working in the background, pompoms in hand, pushing for a return to F1, back to where the money was...