TG could be new Bernie Ecclestone - MILLER

[mikiec]

So now Tony George, who started the IRL in 1996 because he wanted to be king, sits alone on the throne.

He’s got the same opportunity Bernie Ecclestone had in the late ‘70s when he started FOCA (Formula One Constructors Association). Ecclestone gave up being a car owner to run F1 and, obviously, elevated it to new heights......

....I’m not suggesting he’s a shrewd schemer like Bernard....

...But Indy-car racing needs a figurehead and we’re not talking about Gene Simmons.

George has racing in his DNA, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as his playground and an international persona. Is he the perfect public speaker? No. The most savvy businessman? Probably not. Able to close a big deal in a board room? Who knows?

Full story....

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/miller-will-tony-george-be-americas-bernie//P1/

IMO, I think RM doesn't give TG enough credit for being shrewd... I don't know the intricate details, but he has pulled-off a few shrewd moves in the past..

He trademarked the name 'IndyCar' and then licensed it to CART, so that it then became the official de-facto name for AOWR. He then pulled the name from under CART to use it for his series, thereby giving it instant credibility.... admittedly, this took a court case and a subsequent abstention period by both sides, but it forced CART to use the Champ Car moniker to differentiate itself from the Indy Racing League, and the IRL eventually became the official IndyCar series. Whether this was pre-planned, only TG could answer, but if so, it was a very shrewd Bernie-esque spoiling tactic.

Also, he brought in NASCAR, for the Brickyard 400, thereby bringing in enough money to fund the entire IRL season from one race.

[Rudy Tamasz]

I'm still not convinced TG has the ability to restore the glory of AOWR. The best he can do is a Reaganesque thing, that is set the direction, find capable people and defer it to them.

[MAX_THRUST]

Perhaps CART should have dropped ChampCAr title and gone with Formula USA.

Still would have gone wrong though.

As for TG being the big leader, like so many countries, the president/prime minister is just a puppet, with the clever ones behind the scenes making it all work..........

[nanders]

There's 14 guys on this forum that could do a better job then Tony George running AOWR. And none of them are named Waldo.

[bblocker68]

I like Cotman and Barnhart pulling the strings. I think if TG lets them run things, we'll have a chance.

Keeping team principle's out of League business decisions is the key to having success in IndyCar. The one dictator model seems to work as evidence from F1 and NASCAR.

[Lemmy-Boy]

Tony G has a long way to go before he reaches the same sucess as Bernie E.

Coupled with the fact that Bernie E. and Max Mosely (FIA) have a very strong relationship that resulted in the global expansion of F1, Tony G will need to develop the same type of relationship with FIA in order for the IRL aspires to expand overseas (at least on a large scale).

Given the atrocity AOWR has become, global expansion or popularity will not happen anytime soon.

[nanders]

Tony G has a long way to go before he reaches the same sucess as Bernie E.

Coupled with the fact that Bernie E. and Max Mosely (FIA) have a very strong relationship that resulted in the global expansion of F1, Tony G will need to develop the same type of relationship with FIA in order for the IRL aspires to expand overseas (at least on a large scale).

Given the atrocity AOWR has become, global expansion or popularity will not happen anytime soon.

I think if the FIA was regulated by US law they would call what Bernie and Max do as collusion.

They should pick tracks from the traditional ones that the series already had/have. Then add EuroSpeedway and call that they're international expansion ... forever. IndyCar doesn't need to be running on those featureless Micky Mouse F1/MotoGP type tracks ... and that includes that infield course at Indy.

The more you can remove the FIA from the process the better.

[!!WALDO!!]

There's 14 guys on this forum that could do a better job then Tony George running AOWR. And none of them are named Waldo.


How many have promoted races, worked with sanctions, worked with owners, worked with drivers, worked with tracks, worked with insurance companies, worked as an official, as a crew member, as a scorer and always working with the history of the sport.

So what are the qualifications of the other 13. If you are going to left handedly insult someone then maybe you should know that person, which you do not.

[nanders]

How many have promoted races, worked with sanctions, worked with owners, worked with drivers, worked with tracks, worked with insurance companies, worked as an official, as a crew member, as a scorer and always working with the history of the sport.

So what are the qualifications of the other 13. If you are going to left handedly insult someone then maybe you should know that person, which you do not.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Waldo is qualified to run AOWR. Waldo, why don't you go ahead and give us your complete resume?

[bblocker68]

You'd have to have a sense of humor to run AOWR as it is presently. Waldo, you would fail miserably.

It was a joke and you didn't get it.

The resume would be impressive. I'm sure you'd fill us in on the baseball games you played on the field where Indy was to be built :)

[Chaparral66]

I like Cotman and Barnhart pulling the strings. I think if TG lets them run things, we'll have a chance.

Keeping team principle's out of League business decisions is the key to having success in IndyCar. The one dictator model seems to work as evidence from F1 and NASCAR.

I agree. Barnhart and Cotman need to work together well to sort this whole thing out, and TG has to let them. I think Miller scored another bullseye on this.

[rpralon]

If TG could be a new Bernie , I could be the new president... NO WAY !!!

Bernie is a man who made his own empire ,TG is an heir with controversial ideias ...

[!!WALDO!!]

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Waldo is qualified to run AOWR. Waldo, why don't you go ahead and give us your complete resume?


I will give it to Tony George as he already knows me. Why do you come after me for no reason?

Here is a little info for you. The IRL is a member of FIA as was the CCWS, and NASCAR, Grand-Am, ALMS (IMSA), NHRA, SCCA, IHRA, through the American representitive, ACCUS.

The 500 is a FIA Race, what does that mean?

Now it is my fault you do not know.

[!!WALDO!!]

You'd have to have a sense of humor to run AOWR as it is presently. Waldo, you would fail miserably.

Actually this is not a laughing matter. It is a matter of life and death of this series. All that is happening, the cancer that ate up CART is now eating up the IRL and this prior to getting another cancer ridden organ.


It was a joke and you didn't get it.

I guy that dislikes me that comes after me every chance he gets, drags me into a thread I didn't even read.


The resume would be impressive. I'm sure you'd fill us in on the baseball games you played on the field where Indy was to be built :)

Actually there was a creek that would flood if a couple drops fell from the sky. A nice thatch of Sycamores over by what is turn 3.
Yes, I was there, no baseball though.

[bblocker68]

Actually this is not a laughing matter. It is a matter of life and death of this series. All that is happening, the cancer that ate up CART is now eating up the IRL and this prior to getting another cancer ridden organ.



I guy that dislikes me that comes after me every chance he gets, drags me into a thread I didn't even read.



Actually there was a creek that would flood if a couple drops fell from the sky. A nice thatch of Sycamores over by what is turn 3.
Yes, I was there, no baseball though.

Man, now I have to take that back. You DO have a sense of humor :)

[!!WALDO!!]

Man, now I have to take that back. You DO have a sense of humor :)

Wasn't trying to be funny. It is difficult to type and post when you can't see what you are typing and you are fighting getting redirected. It appears someone is getting more serious about shutting down knowledge.