Wheldon shopping himself in Champ Car?

[pchall]

link (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050723/SPORTS01/507230428/1052)

Wheldon tests market
Indy 500 winner is coy about talk he could end up in NASCAR, F-1 or back with IRL team.

By Curt Cavin
curt.cavin@indystar.com


WEST ALLIS, Wis. -- Dan Wheldon is looking to parlay his Indianapolis 500 victory into a fat new contract. Precisely where remains to be seen...

Jim McGee, general manager of PKV Racing in Champ Car, said Wheldon wants a two-year contract, something most IRL and Champ Car teams aren't willing to give at this time.

"I don't think the money's there for 2007 because people don't know what they're going to be doing," McGee said. "And I don't know how good of a road racer he is."

So, two and a half seasons in the IRL and a 500 winner is losing his road racing cred in the eyes of Jim McGee. Interesting, though, that Wheldon goes sniffing after Vasser's seat at PKV.

[Winston Wolfe]

From the looks of his shoe wardrobe, it appears that Wheldon has quite alot of experience "shopping himself", and probably even has someone carrying shopping bags for him, when his arms get tired.... :p

The losers at TF are in full "good riddance" mode, and also disappointed that their irl500 champ wont have a chance to defend his crown.... yeah, as if that matters ! Unless its Danica, who cars about the earl and its defending champ .... the big question will be "Can Danica beat her 4th place finish and or lead more laps than last year?"

Wheldon is a road racer, right ?

Born in England, right ?

Wouldnt he be a "fine addition" to CCWS ? He would lend a sense of fashion up and down pit row, and should he find his way to victory circle.... well, he could show the fellas how to "really celebrate" :D

[DjDrOmusic]

I say bring him to Champ Car, if he is any good he'll make a good addition, plus the reigning IRL 500 Champion leaving that mess of a series to move up to the bigs will speak volumes on it's own for what that sham of a series really is.

[spinner26]

Amazing, go to the #1 Honda team in a bs series, win the findy 497.5, and go looking to the series with no future. Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm, maybe danny boy has inside info we here at crapola don't know about, NOT! He learned the hard way as I suspect many a yen chaser will. :laugh:

He's trying to get Honda to make a decision and give him a contract so not to lose him. :cry:

I hope there are more Jim McGee's around not willing to take any and all comers. One and two year contracts are not that common. Multi year contracts are all renegotiated at the end of each season, in other words a three year deal is three one year deals.

[coolhand]

Word is that Kanaan is worried about his future too. MA must have told his drivers something we dont know.

It goes to show that they are there for the pay checks and when they dry up they will all head to the series they prefer (ccws)

[FailureByDesign]

They shouldn't discount Dan's road racing ability he's had a lot of success in road racing

It's not like Dan was one of those guys that moved to America to race as a last resort,because he wasn't good enough to run with the big guys over there.He was a top runner in the Formula Ford euro series when he moved over here to race.

He's got a Championship,and two runners up finishes in the Junior formula's he's ran here.

Hopefully someone is smart enough to ignore the fact he's been racing ovals for a couple years,and look at his overall record of racing if they consider hiring him.

It's a shame a Champ Car team didn't pick him up in 2002.

[datachicane]

Anybody who can put in a decent showing in a Champcar test is a valid candidate for a Champcar ride, IMO.

Ten years ago there was a whole series founded on the idea of giving rides to the 'right' kind of driver while keeping the 'wrong' kind out, regardless of actual on-track performance. Screw that.

[JoeBob]

Word is that Kanaan is worried about his future too. MA must have told his drivers something we dont know.

It goes to show that they are there for the pay checks and when they dry up they will all head to the series they prefer (ccws)

Lets not go all crazy here. ChampCar understands the importance of having top drivers, and has been greasing some wheels to put good drivers in cars. Is da Matta racing for PKV because he loves ChampCar, or because they'll pay him to race?

Wheldon is sniffing for a paycheck, and to start a bidding war. Nothing more, nothing less.

[SteveH]

Anybody who can put in a decent showing in a Champcar test is a valid candidate for a Champcar ride, IMO.

Ten years ago there was a whole series founded on the idea of giving rides to the 'right' kind of driver while keeping the 'wrong' kind out, regardless of actual on-track performance. Screw that.

:D

Hey, data, long time. How ya doing?

[JohnHKart]

I was watching Milwaukee last night on tape when they said Wheldon was looking for an F1 test or ride and I literally burst out loud laughing. None of those IRL losers would have any hope of getting into F1. As soon as they stepped into an IRL car, they signed their career death warrant as far as F1 goes.

John

[rabbit]

"Wheldon" and "shopping" in the same sentence?! What are the odds? ;) :gomer:

[RTKar]

For what it's worth, he's a CART ladder product.

[Jervis Tetch 1]

For what it's worth, he's a CART ladder product.How soon some people forget.

[Easy]

For what it's worth, he's a CART ladder product.

As is most of the irl field.

Herta
Kanaan
Wheldon
Castro
Hornish
Dixon
Barron
Carpentier
Bell
Lazier
Sharp
Rice
Patrick
Yasukawa