Holy Crap! CART Looking Like The Bad Guy in RA Deal-New Info

[HolyCrap]

OK.
Monday I had the RA spokeswoman telling the track's side of the story on my radio show in Milwaukee.

Many of you heard it...liked it...wanted a CART person to come n\on with their version.

First of all--I tried. No comment from CART outside of the original statement you all saw on cart.com. They won't talk.

Second--New info from a reliable source I can not name...someone like a long-time, big-name driver close to all this....who says CART knew four months ago that the RA event would be dumped this season.

I know sometimes it's no one's fault, but it seems we love to try to point the finger of blame. In this case, if you must do that, all I'm saying is that as unpopular as it may be in this case, CART might have the finger pointed at them here.

[FortyOneFord]

Even if CART "knew" the event was to be dumped 4 months ago, the fact remains RA did not pay their bills! Is CWS supposed to do this for free? Also, who give a flying f*^& what some "driver" says in relation to CART business? They know little more than any of us, if that.

All the other promoters/tracks managed to pay the escrow money 4 months ago, why not RA? And pointing fingers is appropriate; this race will not happen for some reason, even though every fan, driver, etc. of the series wants it to go on. Someone is to blame.

I guess we'll find out the "truth" once the legal process is exhausted, but the fact is RA did not pay the money they agreed to; despite an already reduced fee.

[nrc]

Without having heard what you're talking about, I don't buy it. What you're hearing is the same old BS D&G rumors resurrected and retreaded.

CART had a contract to race at Road America this season and without RA breaking it they could have had no reasonable expectation of not being there this year. If they didn't want to be there this year then why wouldn't they simply enforce their original contract instead of offering compromises and renegotiations not once, but twice.

I wouldn't be surprised if the proximity of Chicago and Milwuakee has given CART the wherewithal to refuse to give in to Road America's apparent push for a better deal than everyone else. But I hope and still believe that Pook has more sense than to think that CART can just toss Road America without consequences.

[Ziggy]

A buddy of mine and CART employee called RA this morning to cancell his camping sites. They asked him to hold off a week, as they were trying to work something out.

No kidding

Ziggy

[HolyCrap]

Yeah, David Hobbs said on my show today that they would have about a week to try to patch something up quick and make it happen yet this season.

Don't hold your breath, bu could there be hope?

I think it depends on how much money TG and Toyota either will throw at RA or already have????

[Gurneyflap]

I see nothing BUT bad guys. RA unwittingly offered CART an out. RA wants a lower sanction fee, but CART wants OUT, AND a new direction. Pook already planted the seed with his "tough choices" quote of a few weeks ago...well, here it is! RA did/does want CART, but not at the going rate. CART used to, but doesn't want RA, anymore, at an asked for new rate, because of location/attendence worries and the ripple-effect a renegotiation might cause. I'd say RA gambled and lost, CART couldn't believe they had been given such an easy out, and took it. RA and the fans of the CART race there are more upset about this than CART. Notice I said the fans of CART at RA, because there are plenty of CART fans that just don't understand how some of us can be so upset. Afterall, we're getting a 1.2 mi. track in England! And I'll bet Houston is on the way back!! I'd say Miami might be up to 1.5 mi. now, and maybe 80mph!!! I just said NO to a city racing league.

[Jag_Warrior]

Good guy, bad guy. Sorry, but I just don't get it. I've never been to Road America, but I really wanted to go at some point. But if a landlord wants a "good" tenant out (for whatever reason), and the tenant is then dumb enough to skip paying the rent... you file an unlawful detainer and begin assembling a crew to move some furniture to the curb. Just how does that make the landlord the bad guy? Let's say they offer to make a partial payment on the rent (and you had previously offered them a chance to renegotiate)... but they still choose not to make payment in full by a given date. And then they cry about how mean you are?! :shakehead Sure, it happens all the time. Without stupid people, tenants' advocates and other hapless do-gooders wouldn't have jobs. But I would think the people in charge of Road America would be a bit sharper than the average deadbeat. Maybe I'm wrong.

Sounds like there are some really sharp pencils running Road America. And if it's an IRL road race that they're praying for... guess I'll not be going to any races at Road America in the near or distant future... ALMS or otherwise. Shame too... I've heard it's a fantastic track.

[nrc]

Originally posted by Gurneyflap I see nothing BUT bad guys. RA unwittingly offered CART an out. RA wants a lower sanction fee, but CART wants OUT, AND a new direction. Pook already planted the seed with his "tough choices" quote of a few weeks ago...well, here it is! RA did/does want CART, but not at the going rate. CART used to, but doesn't want RA, anymore, at an asked for new rate, because of location/attendence worries and the ripple-effect a renegotiation might cause.

There's no question that both Road America and CART will suffer from this decision and I don't doubt that CART's direction has given them options that Road America wasn't considering when they tried to take advantage of the situation. I have already voiced my opinion to CART that I'm not interested in an all street course series and I hope that the fans will continue to carry that message to CART as often as possible.

In spite of all that, looking at the circumstances leading up to the cancellation, and the information that has come out so far since leaves the bulk of the blame on Road America's doorstep.

If CART was deliberately trying to take advantage of the situation, why would they have offered Road America a settlement that included a further reduced sanction fee? As I've pointed out before, the average sanction fee paid by co-promotion events last season was barely over a million, and according to one source CART's final offer was actually under a million. There's no way any reasonable promoter can expect CART to go any lower when they're paying over a half million in prize money.

It all smells like Road America was happy to make money off CART for 20 years but isn't willing to risk a dime while the series gets back on track.

[Gurneyflap]

Then run 'em with the ALMS. There was plenty of room in the paddock THAT weekend! Package deal, share the risk...all the way around.