New Article on Honda & IRL

[trish]

Link (http://www.autoracingdaily.com/article.php?cid=4363)


“Certainly, manufacturing and preparing sufficient primary and backup engines for all 33 starters at the Indianapolis 500 will be a major effort,” Clarke added, “and it is vitally important, given our new circumstances, that we treat and care for all IndyCar competitors equally. We are confident of meeting this need and look forward to working with the IRL to grow the IndyCar Series in the seasons to come.”

I just don't get it.

[chop456]

Meeting what need? Non-existent cars don't need engines. Bob better wait for Tony to fire up that checkbook before he adds more shifts at HPD.

[cart7]

I guess we'll find out how near and dear to the heart Honda holds those Indy traditions.

[mueber]

Link (http://www.autoracingdaily.com/article.php?cid=4363)



I just don't get it.

Honda's goal is to piss me off to the point that I never buy another Honda product. They succeeded.

[Accipiter]

and it is vitally important, given our new circumstances, that we treat and care for all IndyCar competitors equally.


Does that denote the end of Honda money to teams?

[Don Quixote]

Does that denote the end of Honda money to teams?

Not necessarily, remember that whenever Clarke's lips are moving, he is most likely lying. If Honda's engines are randomly distributed amongst the customers, we would have heard it by now. :shakehead

[Skater_36]

Not necessarily, remember that whenever Clarke's lips are moving, he is most likely lying. If Honda's engines are randomly distributed amongst the customers, we would have heard it by now. :shakehead

Good point. The money to AGR and any other teams that were "convinced" to race in the IRL will probaby continue through 2006. 2007 and beyond will most likely be a new ball game. Why pay money for a factory team when the whole field is using your product?

[KLang]

I really don't understand Honda's angle on this. In the past Honda was supposedly involved in racing to compete and train their engineering staff. They won't be competing with anyone now and it seems unlikely the engineering staff will learn anything putting together crapwagon motors. I also doubt they really care one way or another about the ongoing success (or not) of the 500. What is in it for them? :confused:

[Don Quixote]

I really don't understand Honda's angle on this. In the past Honda was supposedly involved in racing to compete and train their engineering staff. They won't be competing with anyone now and it seems unlikely the engineering staff will learn anything putting together crapwagon motors. I also doubt they really care one way or another about the ongoing success (or not) of the 500. What is in it for them? :confused:
It's an ever changing target, or Honda's version of the "vision". They will say whatever suits them at the particular moment, without any regard to credibility or truth. They will change their story once again when they bail on the IRL. It seems that their whole experiment in open wheel racing has left nothing behind but bad feelings and open wounds, many of which were brought on themselves. Now they will be racing to more empty grandstands and low TV ratings, and all they will get for it in the end is more pissed off fans that won't touch their product.

[dando]

:saywhat:

Breaking news:


Kool Aid replaces milk as the drink of choice for Indy 500 winners.

:gomer:

FTG must have naked pictures of Clarke... :shakehead

-Kevin

[Wheel-Nut]

. . . . What is in it for them? :confused:

tg: How much is it going to cost me Mr. Clarke?

rc: Just don't run out of checks anytime soon . . .

OR

rc: Can we get the HONDA name over the tunnel entrance off of 16th?

WELCOME to the HONDA MOTOR SPEEDWAY in INDIANAPOLIS

[Easy]

The article got vaporized

[cameraman]

My computer can still find the article.

[jonovision_man]

tg: How much is it going to cost me Mr. Clarke?

rc: Just don't run out of checks anytime soon . . .


Exactly. Honda isn't a charity, while they'll spend some money to get their name associated with the 500, they're certainly not about to supply 33 cars for free.

Big win for Honda, actually. They get paid for engines by either the teams or TG, and if they don't like it they have nobody else to go to. If they can recover most of their costs, they effectively get close to free exposure.

jono

[RusH]

But the story lives

http://www.autoracingdaily.com/article.php?cid=4363

[Don Quixote]

“Since 2000, we have offered some of the most competitive racing in the world under an exclusive tire arrangement with Firestone, and taking our engine program to the same exclusive format we believe will take IndyCar Series racing to an entirely new level of competition beginning in 2006,” said Brian Barnhart, president and chief operating officer of the IRL. “We appreciate the enthusiasm shown and work done by Honda to ensure having the ability to supply the entire IndyCar Series field. Robert Clarke and everyone at HPD have been true partners during this process.”
Where's that vomiting emoticon when you need it?

[RacinM3]

and taking our engine program to the same exclusive format we believe will take IndyCar Series racing to an entirely new level of competition beginning in 2006,

Oh, I get it now. Chevy and Toyota didn't leave voluntarily, they were ASKED to leave by the IRL as part of their all-encompassing plan to "take IndyCar Series racing to an entirely new level" by having only one engine. :gomer:

Haha - notice he DIDN'T say they were taking it UP to a new level. :rofl:

[NismoZ]

Honda Wins The Indy 500! Again. I think they gamble that Americans still (think they) know what that means! :rolleyes: Actually, what other choice did they have? Roll out the 2.65 turbo and beg to run at The Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix? (or beg CC to build a Honda-spec engine? :laugh: ) They are not prepared to enter the highest profile American racing series, so they just chose to stand pat in what they believe is the 2nd. Yes, it really IS about Indy for them. They have a racing league, a network TV contract and the Greatest Testicle in Racing! It really ISN'T about competition afterall! They settled.

[L1P1]

Ok, so they'll supply primary and backup engines for the 33 starters? Have the 33 starters been identified already? What about the 34th qualifier? Does that car have to make a qualifying attempt without an engine?

[trish]

Here's more from Mr. Clark courtesy of John Oreovicz at ESPN.com

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?series=irl&id=2192355


"Both series are holding their ground -- they are not moving closer or further apart," said Clarke, who unsuccessfully tried to convince Champ Car to adopt the IndyCar engine specs for the future. "We do not have the product available to support [the 2.6-liter turbo] formula in 2007, but that doesn't mean the door is closed forever."

[NismoZ]

Oh, GOODY! You mean Honda might come around in '07 to help CC get the "new" car off to a good start? I can hardly wait.

[dando]

NFW!!!! FHonda! :flame: Simply put, ya just don't let the fox into the hen house.

-Kevin

[Rocketdoc]

Link (http://www.autoracingdaily.com/article.php?cid=4363)



I just don't get it.


It's called lying.

[Rocketdoc]

"...and the Greatest Testicle in Racing!"


Yes, I've set a new world record; a booger, clean across the room and stuck on the wall....

[Jervis Tetch 1]

It's called lying. :laugh:

[pchall]

Link (http://www.autoracingdaily.com/article.php?cid=4363)



I just don't get it.

Ed Carpenter on pole, for sure. And we're not talking his gig at the Classy Chassis with fishnet stockings.