mikiec
22nd February 2008, 09:15
Just for anybody who might not have seen this, from Curt Calvin at the Indy Star...
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080222/SPORTS0107/802220475/1247/SPORTS
[quote="Curt Calvin"]Open-wheel racing still had two series after meetings between owners of the Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series ended Thursday night.
Another round of meetings is scheduled for today, according to IRL spokesman Fred Nation.
IRL founder Tony George and Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven discussed unification of the sport during dinner at the Eagle's Nest, a restaurant atop the Downtown Hyatt Regency hotel, but they did not complete a deal.
Nation said there is no cause for concern even though a news conference planned for this morning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was put on hold.
"Absolutely not," he said. "They made a heck of a lot of progress, but they're not over the hump yet."
The IRL is seeking full rights to Indy-style racing, including its history and trademarks. All future races will be held under the IndyCar Series banner, and Champ Car's owners are not permitted to operate a rival series based in the U.S.
The season begins March 29 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway. It is not clear which Champ Car teams will participate, but that wasn't the pressing issue after 12 years of contentious relationships between people on both sides.
Nation said a resolution of the April 18-20 weekend was a key topic of discussion Thursday night after Kalkhoven arrived from a family trip to London.
Champ Car is to race in Long Beach, Calif., on April 20, one day after the IRL is to race in Motegi, Japan. Several options were considered, but it's likely the principals decided to continue with both events using each series' respective cars and awarding IRL points equally.
Jim Michaelian, the Long Beach Grand Prix president, acknowledged that wasn't an ideal situation, but he, like the rest of the open-wheel community, needed to hear the plan laid out by George and Kalkhoven.
"We've all got to wait to find out on that one," he said.
The IRL also is looking to add Champ Car races in Edmonton, Alberta, and Surfers Paradise, Australia, to its 2008 schedule.
The Edmonton race, set for July 20, requires an adjustment because that conflicts with the IRL's race in Lexington, Ohio, an event key to Honda, the league's lone engine supplier.
The IRL will offer Edmonton officials the July 27 and Aug. 3 dates. The former is the same day as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.
The Australia race is set for Oct. 26, which is an open date for the IRL. The IRL is under contract to crown its season champion at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 7, which means a deal with Chicagoland's owner (International Speedway Corp.) must be struck or the Australian promoter must accept the race being an exhibition.
The unified series will be officiated by the IRL. Champ Car, or CART as it was known at its inception in 1979, will no longer exist.
IRL officials are hoping that between six and 10 participants migrate from Champ Car, led by Paul Tracy and his team owned by Gerald Forsythe, one of the four Champ Car series owners. Champ Car's other marquee driver is Graham Rahal, the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, who owns an IRL team.
The younger Rahal, 19, drives for the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing team that has won the past four Champ Car titles with Sebastien Bourdais (now in Formula One). Rahal is expected to be joined in the IRL by new teammate Justin Wilson.
Danica Patrick, the most recognizable driver in the IRL, said unification is long overdue as many fans and sponsors have been soured by the split.
"I'm probably speaking for many people when we say it's about time," she said. "You know, it's been a tough process for everybody]
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080222/SPORTS0107/802220475/1247/SPORTS
[quote="Curt Calvin"]Open-wheel racing still had two series after meetings between owners of the Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series ended Thursday night.
Another round of meetings is scheduled for today, according to IRL spokesman Fred Nation.
IRL founder Tony George and Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven discussed unification of the sport during dinner at the Eagle's Nest, a restaurant atop the Downtown Hyatt Regency hotel, but they did not complete a deal.
Nation said there is no cause for concern even though a news conference planned for this morning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was put on hold.
"Absolutely not," he said. "They made a heck of a lot of progress, but they're not over the hump yet."
The IRL is seeking full rights to Indy-style racing, including its history and trademarks. All future races will be held under the IndyCar Series banner, and Champ Car's owners are not permitted to operate a rival series based in the U.S.
The season begins March 29 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway. It is not clear which Champ Car teams will participate, but that wasn't the pressing issue after 12 years of contentious relationships between people on both sides.
Nation said a resolution of the April 18-20 weekend was a key topic of discussion Thursday night after Kalkhoven arrived from a family trip to London.
Champ Car is to race in Long Beach, Calif., on April 20, one day after the IRL is to race in Motegi, Japan. Several options were considered, but it's likely the principals decided to continue with both events using each series' respective cars and awarding IRL points equally.
Jim Michaelian, the Long Beach Grand Prix president, acknowledged that wasn't an ideal situation, but he, like the rest of the open-wheel community, needed to hear the plan laid out by George and Kalkhoven.
"We've all got to wait to find out on that one," he said.
The IRL also is looking to add Champ Car races in Edmonton, Alberta, and Surfers Paradise, Australia, to its 2008 schedule.
The Edmonton race, set for July 20, requires an adjustment because that conflicts with the IRL's race in Lexington, Ohio, an event key to Honda, the league's lone engine supplier.
The IRL will offer Edmonton officials the July 27 and Aug. 3 dates. The former is the same day as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.
The Australia race is set for Oct. 26, which is an open date for the IRL. The IRL is under contract to crown its season champion at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 7, which means a deal with Chicagoland's owner (International Speedway Corp.) must be struck or the Australian promoter must accept the race being an exhibition.
The unified series will be officiated by the IRL. Champ Car, or CART as it was known at its inception in 1979, will no longer exist.
IRL officials are hoping that between six and 10 participants migrate from Champ Car, led by Paul Tracy and his team owned by Gerald Forsythe, one of the four Champ Car series owners. Champ Car's other marquee driver is Graham Rahal, the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, who owns an IRL team.
The younger Rahal, 19, drives for the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing team that has won the past four Champ Car titles with Sebastien Bourdais (now in Formula One). Rahal is expected to be joined in the IRL by new teammate Justin Wilson.
Danica Patrick, the most recognizable driver in the IRL, said unification is long overdue as many fans and sponsors have been soured by the split.
"I'm probably speaking for many people when we say it's about time," she said. "You know, it's been a tough process for everybody]