Memo Gidley petition:

[FortyOneFord]

Some folks from cw.com forums started up a petiton to try and help get Memo Gidley a CWS ride. It's addressed to Pook, and local indy resident Spicoli will be delivering it to the CART offices later in the week.

Memo Petition (http://www.petitiononline.com/jakeindy/petition.html)

I'm a fan and would like to see him get a seat. Sign up if you feel the same. Thx!

[Ziggy]

No thanks. Memo got a pretty good shot at it.

Ziggy

[RacinM3]

Yep, I'm with Ziggy. He had a run in the doughboy's car and didn't make much of a splash. I'm happier to see Moreno in a car.

[nrc]

Gidley has never had a ride where he's been able to come in prior to the season, test and get settled with the team. He did score three podiums during his run with Ganassi, which seems comparable to anything Moreno did in the "super sub" role.

But Gidley vs. Moreno isn't an issue. Herdez chose a proven veteran because they want a known quantity who can come in and provide guidance for setups. So Moreno makes sense.

On the other hand, I would much rather see Gidley (or Barron, Fogerty, Valiente, etc, etc) in a seat than any of the new guys who are only interested in CART until the economy turns around and their sponsors can afford to buy them a Minardi ride.

[Ziggy]

And so would I, nrc

But Im not going door to door for the guy. I would like a new John Deere tractor to mow the lawn with. I do a really good job of mowing the lawn. Wonder if I can get a petition up and send it to John Deere? Wonder if they could get me some money off the purchase price?

Ziggy

[nrc]

Well, that's kind of the point, isn't it? The John Deere Fairy ain't gonna bring you jack if you just go around begging for yourself. You have to convince the fans - the people pay to see you mow your lawn - that you have really earned that new John Deere. Then let them do the begging for you.

Of course in the screwed up world of the Internet you could probably just put up a "Buy Ziggy a New John Deere" web site with a Pay Pal address and some poor fool would send you a few bucks.

My feeling is that it would be a shame if CART spends that entire 30 million they've set aside to prop up rides and can't get at least a hand full of new drivers that the fans want to see in seats.

[mnkywrch]

Originally posted by RacinM3
Yep, I'm with Ziggy. He had a run in the doughboy's car and didn't make much of a splash. I'm happier to see Moreno in a car.

I'd agree with nrc - if they can't get some fresh young talent in the seats, it's a shame. I know survival is Job #1 right now...

If it's not Gidley, put in Barron or Hunter-Reay (who does seem like he'll be in a seat) or Fogarty or Orsi and some other Atlantics studs.

I'd rather see them over guys like Zonta and Bourdais who are using CART as career rehab.

[rabbit]

Originally posted by nrc
Of course in the screwed up world of the Internet you could probably just put up a "Buy Ziggy a New John Deere" web site with a Pay Pal address and some poor fool would send you a few bucks.

Eureka! That's it! www.get-memo-a-ride.com! The paint job could be a collage of the names of all the people that donate. :)

[RaceGrrl]

Rabbit, I know you're joking, but that's really kinda pathetic. Who'd want to drive the Team Charity ChampCar?

[TrueBrit]

I don't mean to be a kill-joy but he's had several shots at the bigtime no?? Other than crashing spectacularly at RA and a decent finish in Cleveland what does he have that places him above the myriad of others vying for a ride??

[Classic Apex]

Originally posted by TrueBrit
I don't mean to be a kill-joy but he's had several shots at the bigtime no?? Other than crashing spectacularly at RA and a decent finish in Cleveland what does he have that places him above the myriad of others vying for a ride??

Not much, if you ask me. But what the hell, I signed it anyway. (In actuality, I probably would have signed anything at that point last night :D )

[lone_groover]

I'm not digging the low-class Greg Ray-twenty-dollar-bill vibe.

Memo should park his truck and look for a job. :cry:

[rabbit]

Originally posted by RaceGrrl
Rabbit, I know you're joking, but that's really kinda pathetic. Who'd want to drive the Team Charity ChampCar?

Okay, so it was pathetic. I was just funnin'.

But seriously folks...


Originally posted by truebrit
I don't mean to be a kill-joy but he's had several shots at the bigtime no?? Other than crashing spectacularly at RA and a decent finish in Cleveland what does he have that places him above the myriad of others vying for a ride??

Yes, he's had several shots and he's done well with all of them. He was competitive with Coyne and Walker, two not-so-top teams. Remember his one-off with Players at Long Beach? He had no testing and hadn't been in a champcar for nine months, but was one of the fastest guys in the race and led at one point. He gave Toyota some of its best finishes (before the bastards sold out) while with DellaPenna. He outpaced 2003 championship favorite Bruno Junqueira at Ganassi. He has an instant fan following. His work ethic is unquestioned. And, I think most importantly, crews love him. Every crew he has ever driven for wants to work with him again. Chemisty is extremely difficult to establish and having Memo in your car would make it that much easier. If I were a team owner putting my money on the line, I would hire Memo in a heartbeat.

[TrueBrit]

Look, Villeneuve (Gilles that is) was in a similar boat if i recall during his Atlantic days. Obviously times change etc etc, but you only get so many bites at the golden apple right?? Villeneuve got his and maybe Memo has had his.. I love his enthusiasm for the sport but maybe his time has been and gone?? Who can tell?? How big would the field be for a CART race full of people that "deserved a shot"..? 40, 50 cars?? Hey.....wait a minute...that's not such a bad idea.....

[Peter Venkman]

After a little introspection, and reading Ziggy, who has this habit of clearing away mental fog, I agree that he's had his chance.

I know a young driver very well, who needs a financial start, and he needs my support before someone who has already shown his mettle.

[Ed_Severson]

I declined the opportunity to sign as well, but for a different reason, which I'm surprised has yet to be mentioned.

Maybe I'm the only one here that feels this way, but I have a real problem rectifying the idea of a sanctioning body funding a specific driver, unless it's absolutely necessary. Clearly, at this point it isn't critical.

Given that, I thik the sanctioning body has an obligation to keep clear of driver selection, providing that the teams don't submit drivers who are unfit to compete.

[nrc]

While I don't think CART should be in the business of selecting specific drivers, it will be a shame if they spend 30 million to fill the grid this season and they don't have at least a handful of talented Americans.