wheldon to neckcar

[trauma1]

1st earl and ftg loses all three engine makers, next texas bail and now wheldon to neckcar, something is brewing in earl land and it's not going to be good news

Wheldon Open to NASCAR Offers

Thursday, 07 July 2005 10:47

Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon is considering a switch to NASCAR should the imminent withdrawal of Toyota and Chevrolet undermine the level of competition in the IRL, according to this week's Autosport.

[Andrew Longman]

"undermine the level of competition in the IRL"

That's one way to describe an implosion

[Jag_Warrior]

It's also a way to describe Honda not writing fat checks to AGR after this or next year. I wonder where Dashing Dario will try to land? What does he make, $3 million or so a year? He's not good enough to be an F1 test driver. Poor Dario. Maybe he'll just become a house hubby and sit around eating bon-bons and drinking corn liquor with Wynonna.

[G.]

It's also a way to describe Honda not writing fat checks to AGR after this or next year. I wonder where Dashing Dario will try to land? What does he make, $3 million or so a year? He's not good enough to be an F1 test driver. Poor Dario. Maybe he'll just become a house hubby and sit around eating bon-bons and drinking corn liquor with Wynonna.[put on firesuit]I guess that I'm an apologist for Dario. He never wanted to be in the Earl, tried getting rides in ChampCar, no one could afford him. I guess I would welcome him back to CC. [zip up firesuit]

[Chief]

They're all done...they have no star power, many are way past their primes and they've all pretty much have had some sort of back surgery or broken bones or concussions. Hope they all invested their YEN well. C'YA SUCKERS.... :rofl:

[racer2c]

They don't care. Honda will set them all up with their own dealership.

[trauma1]

they are also trying to say knose is signed with AGR, but he's really signed with honda and he's admitted to it, are the other 3 drivers signed with agr or with honda?????

[mapguy]

Seems like a natural fit. Dave Marcis wore wingtip shoes in the car. Now Danny-boy can wear his pumps....

[Insomniac]

1st earl and ftg loses all three engine makers, next texas bail and now wheldon to neckcar, something is brewing in earl land and it's not going to be good news

Wheldon Open to NASCAR Offers

Thursday, 07 July 2005 10:47

Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon is considering a switch to NASCAR should the imminent withdrawal of Toyota and Chevrolet undermine the level of competition in the IRL, according to this week's Autosport.

You mean he doesn't want to race in the best series in the world with the best drivers in the world?

[IlliniRacer]

He'll make Jeffy look like a Good Ole' Boy

[Jag_Warrior]

[put on firesuit]I guess that I'm an apologist for Dario. He never wanted to be in the Earl, tried getting rides in ChampCar, no one could afford him. I guess I would welcome him back to CC. [zip up firesuit]

:laugh:

[Insomniac]

[put on firesuit]I guess that I'm an apologist for Dario. He never wanted to be in the Earl, tried getting rides in ChampCar, no one could afford him. I guess I would welcome him back to CC. [zip up firesuit]

He close the $$$ over ChampCar over and over. He's a nice enough guy, and at least he doesn't go on and on about how good the IRL is, or how much more superior it is. I can't blame the guy, but he made his decision.

[cartman]

He close the $$$ over ChampCar over and over. He's a nice enough guy, and at least he doesn't go on and on about how good the IRL is, or how much more superior it is. I can't blame the guy, but he made his decision.

I couldn't disagree more. I had the displeasure of meeting and talking with Dario quite a few times when I was working for what used to be CLP (CART Licensed Products). He was pretty much a rude, conceited jerk every time I talked to him. His agent was quite a piece of work as well. I remember how his agent used to gripe at us about why we didn't sell more Dario product. The answer that I wanted to give (but couldn't, wouldn't be professional) was, "you know, we'd probably be able to sell more Dario product if Dario would actually win a race every now and then and quit taking out his teammate". I was standing right next to the Team Green pits at the 2000 Chicago race when Dario and Paul took each other out, let's just say it wasn't a pretty sight in Team Green's pit box. I always got the impression that Dario cares a lot more about $$$$ than racing and him going to the IRL proves it. As far as I'm concerned, Dario screwed himself right into the IRL. Not being a proven consistent winner and asking for that much money from a Champ Car team in a struggling series is absurd.

Not that I'm some kind of expert or anything, but if any of you would like any insight into most of the drivers from the 99' or 2000' seasons I can probably help you out. I got to know a lot of these guys on a level beyond the show they put on for cameras and fans.

[Wabbit]

I couldn't disagree more. I had the displeasure of meeting and talking with Dario quite a few times when I was working for what used to be CLP (CART Licensed Products). He was pretty much a rude, conceited jerk every time I talked to him. His agent was quite a piece of work as well. I remember how his agent used to gripe at us about why we didn't sell more Dario product. The answer that I wanted to give (but couldn't, wouldn't be professional) was, "you know, we'd probably be able to sell more Dario product if Dario would actually win a race every now and then and quit taking out his teammate". I was standing right next to the Team Green pits at the 2000 Chicago race when Dario and Paul took each other out, let's just say it wasn't a pretty sight in Team Green's pit box. I always got the impression that Dario cares a lot more about $$$$ than racing and him going to the IRL proves it. As far as I'm concerned, Dario screwed himself right into the IRL. Not being a proven consistent winner and asking for that much money from a Champ Car team in a struggling series is absurd.

Not that I'm some kind of expert or anything, but if any of you would like any insight into most of the drivers from the 99' or 2000' seasons I can probably help you out. I got to know a lot of these guys on a level beyond the show they put on for cameras and fans.


So, who were the nice ones?

[Sean O'Gorman]

Was Papis really as humble as he appears in public? :laugh:

[rabbit]

Was Papis really as humble as he appears in public? :laugh:
:laugh:

[Insomniac]

I couldn't disagree more. I had the displeasure of meeting and talking with Dario quite a few times when I was working for what used to be CLP (CART Licensed Products). He was pretty much a rude, conceited jerk every time I talked to him. His agent was quite a piece of work as well. I remember how his agent used to gripe at us about why we didn't sell more Dario product. The answer that I wanted to give (but couldn't, wouldn't be professional) was, "you know, we'd probably be able to sell more Dario product if Dario would actually win a race every now and then and quit taking out his teammate". I was standing right next to the Team Green pits at the 2000 Chicago race when Dario and Paul took each other out, let's just say it wasn't a pretty sight in Team Green's pit box. I always got the impression that Dario cares a lot more about $$$$ than racing and him going to the IRL proves it. As far as I'm concerned, Dario screwed himself right into the IRL. Not being a proven consistent winner and asking for that much money from a Champ Car team in a struggling series is absurd.

Not that I'm some kind of expert or anything, but if any of you would like any insight into most of the drivers from the 99' or 2000' seasons I can probably help you out. I got to know a lot of these guys on a level beyond the show they put on for cameras and fans.

I think we're on the same side here. I think the only difference is, I don't know him personally. So I only know what I see on TV. And as I said, he seems like a nice enough guy and I haven't seen any of the effects of drinking the Kool-Aid. I said he chose the $$$. It was his prerogative. At one point it looked like he was heading back to ChampCar (even Ashley said he was on Letterman). It's just with regards to what he says (or more appropriately, doesn't say) in public about ChampCar, he seems classy. That's all.

[pchall]

So, which Danica gets to Cup first? Wheldon or Patrick?

[theunions]

His agent was quite a piece of work as well. I remember how his agent used to gripe at us about why we didn't sell more Dario product.

Jakobi?

[cartman]

So, who were the nice ones?

Da Matta was probably the nicest, he's a great guy. Tony Kanaan was also a really nice guy. We were at Miami for spring training and Tony's car was blocking us in but we needed to leave to make dinner with a client. We couldn't find Tony anywhere (because he was on the track testing) but we were able to find his agent. We asked him if he could maybe move Tony's car for us, he said he'd be right back and ran off. About 10 minutes later Tony comes running up (still in his fire suit) apologizing profusely for blocking us in and moves his car. I just remember thinking "hey no problem, you're Tony Kanaan, you can pretty much park wherever you want". He was a very nice humble guy. Kenny Brack was a very nice guy, I enjoyed talking with him. Patrick Carpentier was as well a very nice guy. Cristiano, Patrick, Kenny and I talked music for about half an hour one day, that was great.
I always enjoyed talking with Montoya and his dad. Montoya could definitely be a little hot-headed sometimes but most of the time he was great. Scott Pruett was an extremely nice, laid back guy. Jimmy Vasser was a really nice guy but he was pretty reserved and quiet most of the time. He never struck me as conceited or jerky at all. Gugelmin and De Ferran were pretty similar, both very stoic kinds of guys but extremely cordial and nice to everybody. Helio was a blast, that guy has more energy than anybody I've ever met. He was a joy to work with and talk to.

Really they were all very nice guys except for three in particular that really rubbed me the wrong way. Those three were Dario (obviously), Michael Andretti (total jerk) and Max Papis. Papis wasn't near as bad as Andretti or Dario but he was definitely a little on the snobby conceited side. I'm not really sure where Michael got his jerkiness from, I had the wonderful experience of talking with his dad one day for about an hour and Mario is one of the nicest guys I've met.

[cartman]

Was Papis really as humble as he appears in public? :laugh:

Not quite. He struck me as being a little snobby and a tad conceited. Not near on level of Dario or M. Andretti. But hey, at least Papis isn't a traitor like the other 2 ;)

[cartman]

Jakobi?

I can't remember his name off the top of my head, but if you gave me the full name it might ring a bell. First name Julian possibly? Or it could have been Adrian something or other.

[cartman]

I think we're on the same side here. I think the only difference is, I don't know him personally. So I only know what I see on TV. And as I said, he seems like a nice enough guy and I haven't seen any of the effects of drinking the Kool-Aid. I said he chose the $$$. It was his prerogative. At one point it looked like he was heading back to ChampCar (even Ashley said he was on Letterman). It's just with regards to what he says (or more appropriately, doesn't say) in public about ChampCar, he seems classy. That's all.

I think we are on the same side. I don't really know him that personally, just had to work with him for a couple of years. You are right though, he definitely doesn't tow the Kool-Aid party line in interviews and I guess I can respect that. He's a road racer at heart and I'm sure that he'd much rather be in Champ Car than driving in circles in the earl. I heard him say on several occassions back in the day how he didn't really like racing on the ovals, kind of ironic that he ended up in the earl. Look at Papis though, also a road racer at heart but instead of selling out to earl he went over to sports car racing. Definitely seems to be all about the $$$ for old Dario. Too bad his wife will always have more money than he does.

[Easy]

Julian Jakobi is the dude in question. He also reps Wheldon and used to rep Newtown.

Amazing how rich dudes are always oushing for more cash. I guess thats how they got there though.

[Steve99]

Very interesting thread. I always like Dario before he took the money to go twirling. I've never talked to him, but everyone I talk to that has met him ends up with this view.

What was Adrian Fernandez like? He seemed like he could be a bit arrogant.

[cartman]

Very interesting thread. I always like Dario before he took the money to go twirling. I've never talked to him, but everyone I talk to that has met him ends up with this view.

What was Adrian Fernandez like? He seemed like he could be a bit arrogant.

That's the same impression I got. Pretty arrogant and definitely too wrapped up in the $$$$$. He was another one of those under-performing drivers that would get on to us about why we weren't selling more of his product. I guess it would be pretty hard to explain to a guy with a big ego but I really wished that he and Dario would've understood that there was only so much we could do to make them more popular. It was really up to them to make themselves more popular by winning more races. It's hard to get the extra exposure you need to sell more schwag when you're an also-ran most of the time.

[Sean O'Gorman]

Not quite. He struck me as being a little snobby and a tad conceited. Not near on level of Dario or M. Andretti. But hey, at least Papis isn't a traitor like the other 2 ;)

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=facetious

;)`

[trauma1]

sean see you got out of the doghouse at holan also

[cartman]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=facetious

;)`

Sorry Sean, I must've jumped on the response before I saw the smily at the end of your post.