2016 Verizon IndyCar SeriesOpen Wheel

[RACECAR]

Here's an article that grinds my nerves:

Merger Talks Awaiting Developments

As Indy Racing League officials prepared to travel to Japan for a critical meeting with Honda officials, Champ Car’s leaders released a statement indicating discussions to end the open-wheel split had stalled.
After SPEED’s Robin Miller first broke the story Thursday night that negotiations among Champ Car and IRL leaders were reaching a decisive phase, Champ Car co-owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe were apparently angered that news of the negotiations had gotten out, and blamed the media reports for damaging the possibility of unification.

Major Bull****👎 They know good and damn well this is what open wheel fans have wanted for a long time and they don't want no one to know? Just pathetic

 

[TS]

Major Bull****👎 They know good and damn well this is what open wheel fans have wanted for a long time and they don't want no one to know? Just pathetic

It's something Kalkhoven did just to make Miller look like a liar. They haven't been the best of friends through the years.

 

[MustangSVT]

Some questions for you...

1. Should the merger happen, how many races a year do you think there will be? Maybe 20 rounds?
2. Should a second Indy race be added to the schedule using the F1 course or the new MotoGP course?
3. Should they keep the existing formula in place for the cars in the series or maybe try their hand at making Formula 1 styled racecars?

That's pretty much what I have on my mind at the moment. I would like to see what you have to say.

Last years ChampCars were nearly as fast as F1 cars really. They make use of full slick tyres by the way. I'd say they were probably just a few seconds off the pace of F1 cars, but they were the fastest thing out there next to a F1 car. I'm pretty sure last years IRL cars on a circuit are slower than ChampCar.

 

[TS]

Last years ChampCars were nearly as fast as F1 cars really. They make use of full slick tyres by the way. I'd say they were probably just a few seconds off the pace of F1 cars, but they were the fastest thing out there next to a F1 car. I'm pretty sure last years IRL cars on a circuit are slower than ChampCar.

IndyCars make about 150 less HP than a ChampCar.

 

[Earth]

SpeedTV: ChampCar heading for bankruptcy?

Looks like it doesn't matter what Honda says about Motegi

I'm happy to see Tony George will run a unified openwheel series because he believes all America racing should stick to it's roots and have some form of oval racing, though I believe openwheel cars shouldn't be on tracks designed for big, heavy NASCARs like Texas. The banking is the issue, as it tends to equalize the speed of the openwheel cars making the racing too close and dangerus. They need to stay on flatter oval tracks

As for the schedule, the unified openwheel series should have most of it's races inside the USA, with a few races outside it's target audience, like how Formula 1 does it

 

[TS]

I'm happy to see Tony George will run a unified openwheel series because he believes all America racing should stick to it's roots and have some form of oval racing, though I believe openwheel cars shouldn't be on tracks designed for big, heavy NASCARs like Texas. The banking is the issue, as it tends to equalize the speed of the openwheel cars making the racing too close and dangerus. They need to stay on flatter oval tracks

The irony in that is that quite a few large intermediate tracks like California and Michigan were actually designed for indycars, but as the cars got faster, the crashes got bigger and there wasn't much the IRL/ChampCar could do other than not go to tracks like those anymore.

 

[TS]

My Name Is IRL

My new favorite website.

And to update on the story Earth posted earlier, Forsythe and Kalkhoven are considering an emergency liqudation of all CCWS assets to make way for the IRL's takeover of the series.

This is an intresting Q&A session with Danica Patrick regarding her appearance in this years SI swimsuit issue.

DAN: Have you worn a swimsuit underneath your suit while racing?
DANICA: [Pause.] Not quite.
DAN: What have you worn underneath the suit?
DANICA: [Laughs.]
DAN: Have you gone naked under the suit?
DANICA: Well, uh, kind of.
DAN: So, no underwear in the race suit?
DANICA: Yeah, well, you know ... they get in the way.
DAN: You go commando?
DANICA: I don't know. Maybe we shouldn't talk about that.

And for you horn dogs out there, here are the pictures.

 

[KAMKA-Z]

Very cute indeed.

So.....
Being CCWS's engine sponsor, what does Ford have for comments given the crazy happenings? As I recall, didn't Forsythe buy up the Cosworth Engine program to supply the series or something like that?

I didn't follow CCWS closely last year. (I was a solid fan of CART for many years after the split and even went to the first US 500 that CART ran against INDY) What sort of differences were there in the chassis being used by CCWS and the IRL?

I'm really looking forward to one series but TG really needs to get away from the spec-chassis / spec-engine formula. Indy had such a rich history of innovation, let's bring some back.

Some questions for you...

1. Should the merger happen, how many races a year do you think there will be? Maybe 20 rounds?
2. Should a second Indy race be added to the schedule using the F1 course or the new MotoGP course?
3. Should they keep the existing formula in place for the cars in the series or maybe try their hand at making Formula 1 styled racecars?

That's pretty much what I have on my mind at the moment. I would like to see what you have to say.

1 - Definitely no more than 20, Probably less. This ain't NASCAR and even NASCAR has seen a progressive slip in TV ratings.

2 - No way on the second race at INDY. How about a 24 Hour ALMS Race?

3 - The cars appearance are a reflection of function and rules limitations. (although I'd like to see the latter relaxed) I don't think Indycars could closely resemble F1 based on that. The IRL is really trying to keep costs down too, although I'm not sure how successful they've actually been.

 

[KAMKA-Z]

The irony in that is that quite a few large intermediate tracks like California and Michigan were actually designed for indycars, but as the cars got faster, the crashes got bigger and there wasn't much the IRL/ChampCar could do other than not go to tracks like those anymore.

Michigan was scary fast to spectate at. The cars zoomed by so fast in front of you that you could barely read their numbers. What really blew me away was seeing the amount of ground they were covering on that back straight.

 

[TS]

Being CCWS's engine sponsor, what does Ford have for comments given the crazy happenings? As I recall, didn't Forsythe buy up the Cosworth Engine program to supply the series or something like that?

Kalkhoven & Forsythe did end up buying Cosworth racing which supplied their engines from then on as well as Pi electronics when they bought the series in the first round of bankruptcy court in 2004.

I didn't follow CCWS closely last year. (I was a solid fan of CART for many years after the split and even went to the first US 500 that CART ran against INDY) What sort of differences were there in the chassis being used by CCWS and the IRL?

Champ-car used a brand new Panoz DP01 chassis that saved the teams money (only about $1 million USD per car compared to about $2 million USD in past years), and the IRL used their tried and true Dallara chassis which has been in use since 2005 I believe.

I'm really looking forward to one series but TG really needs to get away from the spec-chassis / spec-engine formula. Indy had such a rich history of innovation, let's bring some back.

Agreed.

Michigan was scary fast to spectate at. The cars zoomed by so fast in front of you that you could barely read their numbers. What really blew me away was seeing the amount of ground they were covering on that back straight.

Not to mention some of the crashes there through the years.

 

[CAMikaze]

Michigan was scary fast to spectate at. The cars zoomed by so fast in front of you that you could barely read their numbers. What really blew me away was seeing the amount of ground they were covering on that back straight.

I believe I can attest to that in this way. A few years ago, I was able to go to a open house for Penske Racing when they were HQ'd in Reading and had a chance to try my hand at a CART racing game they had on a few simulators that they had set up. I went a few laps on the Michigan track and was able to go as fast as 255 MPH on the back straight before having to tap the brakes to go into Turn 3. Scary-fast is probably an understatement. I think scary-hyper-fast is more appropiate.

 

[Appie]

So i read that IRL and ChampCar fused. Anyone?

 

[TheCracker]

So i read that IRL and ChampCar fused. Anyone?

Apparantly so. I can't figure out whether they are A) pretty much cancelling Champ Car with most of the existing teams moving to IRL or B) merging the two series, racing at most of the Champ Car and IRL dates - but using the IRL Dallara Chassis?

Which ever it is, it's good news for single seater racing in the US. 👍

 

[KAMKA-Z]

Sounds like the deal is getting closer

Dare to Dream

Apparantly so. I can't figure out whether they are A) pretty much cancelling Champ Car with most of the existing teams moving to IRL or B) merging the two series, racing at most of the Champ Car and IRL dates - but using the IRL Dallara Chassis?

Which ever it is, it's good news for single seater racing in the US. 👍

Maybe not what we really want yet, but better.

 

[TS]

The deal (in principle) is done, there is to be a press conference tomorrow (according to My Name is IRL) or Thursday (according to John Oreovicz of ESPN) regarding the CCWS and IRL merger.

Most Champ Car teams were told to quit working on their Panoz chassis Monday and expect delivery of their new cars in a few days. Paul Tracy is coming to Indianapolis later this week for a seat fitting. And one of Champ Car’s co-owners admitted to a fellow owner there would only be one series in 2008.

SPEEDtv.com has learned that the Indy Racing League and Champ Car have officially, and mercifully, agreed to become one entity. A press conference could come as early as Wednesday if Kevin Kalkhoven is back from England in time.

Following nearly two weeks of negotiations between Tony George, Gerry Forsythe and Kalkhoven, an agreement is in place to bring several Champ Car teams and a handful of races into the IRL domain. It’s believed attorneys from both sides worked all weekend to finalize some kind of arrangement for the two men who claimed CART’s assets in bankruptcy court in 2004.

George, who started the IRL in 1996 when CART was in its heyday, would not confirm any deal when contacted late Monday night. “While it is true that I continue to believe we at the threshold of something long-overdue, we have not yet stepped across it,” he said.

Officials from the Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series struck a preliminary agreement Tuesday to fold elements of the Champ Car World Series into the IRL IndyCar Series, according to a report that first appeared on SPEEDtv.com.

However, spokesmen from both series told ESPN.com Tuesday evening that no contracts have been signed and ruled out official confirmation before Thursday at the earliest.

"There is no agreement in place at this time, though I expect we'll be able to announce a resolution to our discussions with the IRL one way or the other very soon," said David Higdon, Champ Car executive vice president of strategic development & communications. "In the meantime, we're continuing our work as Champ Car."

"A lot of people [at the IRL] have been through this several times before over the last 13-14 years, and it would be premature to call this a done deal until the key people from both sides are all in the same room for a press conference," added IRL vice president of public relations John Griffin.

An official announcement is unlikely to take place before Thursday when Champ Car co-principal Kevin Kalkhoven is scheduled to return from a family function in London.

More evidence that open-wheel unification is finally at hand after the deeply damaging 12-year split between the IRL and Champ Car came in the form of a press release from Andretti Green Racing. The three-time IndyCar Series champion team announced Tuesday that they have hired Paul 'Ziggy' Harcus, who has served as Champ Car's director of racing operations for the last three years, as team manager.

The consolidation of American open-wheel racing under the IRL umbrella comes on the heels of almost two weeks of painstaking negotiations between the racing entities. Last week, after the sides were believed to be close to announcing a merger, Champ Car issued a statement claiming the talks had stalled.

At that time, sources at Champ Car and the IRL familiar with the negotiations revealed that the chief hang-up centered around the IndyCar Series race scheduled for April 19 at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. The preference of the merged series is to honor Champ Car's contract to run the 34th annual Long Beach Grand Prix that weekend.

It is still not clear whether officials from Motegi, which is owned by exclusive IRL engine supplier Honda, have agreed to postpone or cancel this year's race to speed up the unification process.

As many as six of the nine teams expected to compete in Champ Car in 2008 could field cars in the IndyCar Series, including Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, PKV Racing, Forsythe/Pettit Racing, Conquest Racing, Walker Racing and Dale Coyne Racing. The addition of up to ten regular entries from Champ Car teams would increase the size of the IndyCar field to more than 25 cars for the first time since the late 1990s.

I found this to be funny. (courtesy or Restrictor-Plate This)

 

[Spencer]

The annoucement is coming in the morning according to the only source I trust Robin Miller. At either 11 am or 12 am Eastern

 

[TS]

The annoucement is coming in the morning according to the only source I trust Robin Miller. At either 11 am or 12 am Eastern

I only trust Miller on a selective basis, I remember him being on WindTunnel last year and said that Penske was talking with Al Unser Jr. to replace Ryan Newman in the #12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Dodge. Penske later said that he hasn't spoken to Unser in ages and had no plans to do such a thing.

Right now, the only 3 IRL/CCWS news sources are My Name Is IRL, pressdog.com and John Oreovicz's stories on ESPN.

Plus, both parties have again postponed the press conference while they're still ironing out the details on the merger, they plan to formally discuss the issue with the media Tuesday at the IRL pre-season test at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

 

[Blake]

It’s done.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/65277

 

[TS]

It’s done.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/65277

Yay!

It only took 12 years.

 

[Layla's Keeper]

Agreed. It's about time this happened and about time that we can all get back to calling Indy cars INDY CARS.

I just wish this had happened in time for A.J. Allmendinger, Alex Gurney, Jon Fogarty, Townsend Bell, Scott Speed, and so many other young graduates of the open wheel feeder system in this country to have had their chance to shine on America's greatest motorsports stage: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Ah well, let's all join in folks.....

Back home again in Indiana
And it seems that I can see
The gleaming candlelight still shining bright
Through the sycamores for me.
The new-mown hay sends all its fragrance
From the fields I used to roam,
When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash
Then I long for my Indiana home

 

[Earth]

"You don't know what Indy means"

 

[TS]

Agreed. It's about time this happened and about time that we can all get back to calling Indy cars INDY CARS.

I just wish this had happened in time for A.J. Allmendinger, Alex Gurney, Jon Fogarty, Townsend Bell, Scott Speed, and so many other young graduates of the open wheel feeder system in this country to have had their chance to shine on America's greatest motorsports stage: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

I have a feeling that Allmendinger won't last through this season in NASCAR, he's only made a handful of races in 1 season, and hasn't finished higher 15th, even with all the strides Toyota has made in NASCAR. Allmendinger's calling is open-wheel, I really didn't think he was gonna make it when he left CCWS in the middle of '06.

 

[kjb]

Doesn't anybody know what race events from Champ Car will become part of the the IRL?

 

[CAMikaze]

I just wish this had happened in time for A.J. Allmendinger, Alex Gurney, Jon Fogarty, Townsend Bell, Scott Speed, and so many other young graduates of the open wheel feeder system in this country to have had their chance to shine on America's greatest motorsports stage: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In a sense, Scott Speed did race at the Brickyard. Twice in the F1 USGP in 2006 and 2007. If only Scudiera Torro Rosso didn't drop him during the season that year.

 

[TS]

Doesn't anybody know what race events from Champ Car will become part of the the IRL?

Edmonton, Toronto, Surfers Paradise, Mexico City and Long Beach are believed to be new rounds for the IRL schedule this year.

 

[Roo]

Although Surfers will be non-points, because it was already agreed that Chicagoland will be the final (points-scoring) round.

 

[ICallShotgun]

And it looks like LongBeach will be split with Motegi.

I will, for one, say that I was so excited when I heard the news a tear came to my eye. Open-wheel racing is something that needs a shot-in-the-arm in the US. Now if we could get ALMS some exposure instead of NASCAR...

Speaking of NASCAR, AJ's not had a good car. Last year Toyota's sucked. plain and simple. they were not ready for the big-time. Add to that the COT/Old-model car thing, that made it doubly tough. This year is already different, with Toyotas being competitive, and the bigger teams using them. Toyota has a history of sharing it's information with ALL teams, to make them all better. I think Red Bull Racing will have a more successful year.

 

[kjb]

Edmonton, Toronto, Surfers Paradise, Mexico City and Long Beach are believed to be new rounds for the IRL schedule this year.

Thanks. It is good to see they will keep Long Beach. I like that race.

 

[TS]

Although Surfers will be non-points, because it was already agreed that Chicagoland will be the final (points-scoring) round.

Yep, the IRL has been promoting Chicagoland as the championship race.

And it looks like LongBeach will be split with Motegi.

If TG and his staff can't get Motegi resceduled to the week before (after St. Petersburg) or maybe even after Mid-Ohio, it appears that either Long Beach won't happen, or they'll have to run 2 races in the same weekend, which would probably split the field.

I will, for one, say that I was so excited when I heard the news a tear came to my eye. Open-wheel racing is something that needs a shot-in-the-arm in the US. Now if we could get ALMS some exposure instead of NASCAR...

ALMS (specifically the GT1 and GT2 class) is the 21st century version of the old NASCAR of the 1960s & 70s, where they used street cars that are modified for track use. Now the cars are more technologically advanced than those days, but when you think about it, it is nearly the same.

Speaking of NASCAR, AJ's not had a good car. Last year Toyota's sucked. plain and simple. they were not ready for the big-time. Add to that the COT/Old-model car thing, that made it doubly tough. This year is already different, with Toyotas being competitive, and the bigger teams using them. Toyota has a history of sharing it's information with ALL teams, to make them all better. I think Red Bull Racing will have a more successful year.

Toyota and all their teams can thank Joe Gibbs Racing for their new found success this season. Granted, there have only been 2 races run so far, but right now they've had cars finish in the top-5 in both Cup races and have had 2 consecutive wins in Nationwide (both with Tony Stewart).

 

[VNAF Ace]

Watch live streaming video on IndyCar.com of the open-wheel racing unification news conference at 12:25 PM EST on Wednesday, February 27th which precedes an IndyCar Series Open Test at Homestead-Miami Speedway. ESPN News and SPEED will also televise the event.