Silly Season Starts Early This Year

[ChicagocrewIRL]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080902/SPORTS0107/80902040


Looks like no wins for Vitor = no ride for next year. Chicagoland will be Vitor's last race for Panther this year. Wheldon drives the Number 4 car st Surfer's

This is sad and as much as I like Vitor, I can understand that from a results standpoint, Vitor really hasn't delivered this year. So many close calls for a win and who could ever forget that pass at Indy... good luck to Vitor. Hope Panther can get funds for a second car or Vitor lands with another quality team. I hate silly season sometimes.

[Jag_Warrior]

And Dario's coming back! Pretty big news, IMO.

[The instant classic]

that sucks for Vitor,, why cant panther keep Vitor and have dan? Vitor is one of my fave so this sucks bad, well i hope Vitor finds a better team, and shows panther it was wrong to let him go,, im happy that dan will help out a small team, but losing Vitor was not what i wanted to see happen :/

[SoCalPVguy]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080902/SPORTS0107/80902040


Looks like no wins for Vitor = no ride for next year. Chicagoland will be Vitor's last race for Panther this year. Wheldon drives the Number 4 car st Surfer's

This is sad and as much as I like Vitor, I can understand that from a results standpoint, Vitor really hasn't delivered this year. So many close calls for a win and who could ever forget that pass at Indy... good luck to Vitor. Hope Panther can get funds for a second car or Vitor lands with another quality team. I hate silly season sometimes.

Vitor's record:
3 Years, 92-races 0-wins (0%) 14 podiums, 0-I500 wins, 0-championships

Wheldon's record:
Years: 7, 94-races 15-wins (16%), 37-podiums, 1-I500 win, 1-championship

Who would YOU want in your car ???

[garyshell]

Vitor's record:
3 Years, 92-races 0-wins (0%) 14 podiums, 0-I500 wins, 0-championships

Wheldon's record:
Years: 7, 94-races 15-wins (16%), 37-podiums, 1-I500 win, 1-championship

Who would YOU want in your car ???


Paul Tracy. <big ol' grin>

Gary

[Placid]

We wish the best for Vitor unless they can get him a 2nd car. He may rekindle his career with Grand-am or ALMS. Or even LMS.

[IWUTitan90]

Just spitballing, but Vitor returning to RLR wouldn't shock me. Bobby and Vitor got along great, and his release was dictated by finances. Of course I should include the standard disclaimer: "pending sponsorship for a second car".

Not sure why, but the season spent teaming with Matsuura seemed to suck all the momentum of '06 out of Panther and Vitor. Meira, IMO, could be this eras Lloyd Ruby.

[DavePI2]

I certainly hope Vitor gets another ride and this time with a better team. Can you only imagine what he could have done with the #7? The pass at Indy is still the best I have ever seen, it is a pleasue to say I was in grandstand a in it happened almost right in front of me. I have never seen anyone make so many fans as quickly as vitor did that day.

david

[MDS]

We wish the best for Vitor unless they can get him a 2nd car.

Doubtful, Panther is supposedly talking with Dillon Battistti and Anthony Davidson. Both of them likely bring some kind of sponsorship/money with them.

[DanicaFan]

Maybe we will see Vitor on one of the former champcar teams next year.

[Dave Brock]

Vitor was the most deserving driver in the IRL w/o a win....he's been overdue for more than 2 season, luck still rules over talent.
I hope he finds someone as good as Mike is to hire him, like everyone else, 1 win seems to propel a driver to another shortly.
Lord knows we'd all rather see him running that EJ or RoadBlockRoth or Dunothing





Paul Tracy. <big ol' grin>

Gary
IF paul had even HALF the money owed to him by Gerry the liar,
Paul could have bought a car , financed the peripherals & manpower
and BE RACING in the IRL in the EXACT SAME WAY that Robbie Gordon does w/o problems.

Or do you think PT has less on the ball than the California mouth? :rolleyes:

As much as I hate to say it, PT & his legal consul got PT in the position he finds himself in,
a stack of GF's Canadian I-OWE-U's,
no track time or press
and except for a race in the luckysperm series...no pay check in over a year. :mad:

What a waste of time and talent for lack of foresight & an over abundance of Forsythe.

:mad: Here's where I take the Muslim approach...! :MAD:

Car owners who shaft drivers
should have their hands cut off.



.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

But it was the pit crew that cost Vitor two victories this year (Indy, Nashville, if I remember right).

[bravefish]

Meira is good enough to be snapped up by another team - he'll be back.

[elis]

Vitor was the most deserving driver in the IRL w/o a win....he's been overdue for more than 2 season, luck still rules over talent.

Lord knows we'd all rather see him running that EJ..
.

The Lord actually knows otherwise I suspect... & so do I, as I am of the opinion I would like to continue watching the progress EJ is making.

How in heck you can put Viso in the same 'catagory' as Roth & Duno shows more of a personal issue against EJ than any sense of rationale.

So no, we wouldn't ALL necessarily rather see Miera running than EJ.

[MAX_THRUST]

Ok So Dario is in, Wheldon is off to Panther, how will this affect the rest of the teams and drivers, who's in and who's out next year, fact or fiction, would like to know what you guys think?

[philipbain]

I have to say that it could be a great move for both Panther and Wheldon, both team and driver have got a point to prove. I don't think that Wheldon ever felt truely at home at Ganassi as he did at Andretti-Green, but he still managed to win many races in such circumstances. As for Panther, they have had a tough time in the past few seasons with the influx of bigger teams into IRL but have always managed to stay there or ther abouts. I think the combo has the potential to upset some of the big boys, particulary on the ovals which play to the strengths of both Panther and Wheldon. It'll be interesting to see how they compare in the points to the combo of Ganassi & Franchitti next season.

As for Vitor, I know that he is well liked but there is a reason why he has finished 2nd 8 times and not won - he's good but not that good, if you are a true top drawer talent then you make wins happen, even in a car thats good but not the best.

[dataman1]

[quote="Dave Brock"]Lord knows we'd all rather see him running that EJ or RoadBlockRoth or Dunothing /QUOTE]


The 3 listed are miles apart in talent. EJ will be a star quicker than any other new current driver IMO (provided money to run a car is available). He reminds me of Tony Kanaan in his early years.

[V12]

Vitor to the #7?

HA I wish!

Seriously though, he's one hell of a driver and very underrated, but for a few bad breaks I'm sure he'd be a multiple race winner right now, and really hope he lands in a half decent ride. Ironically in an era when people complain about Brazilian ride buyers and the like, I fear that finances may force him out the series and to Brazilian Stock Cars or something like that...

[BoilerIMS]

Please keep the driver/team changes to a single thread from now going forward!

[bblocker68]

The Lord actually knows otherwise I suspect... & so do I, as I am of the opinion I would like to continue watching the progress EJ is making.

How in heck you can put Viso in the same 'catagory' as Roth & Duno shows more of a personal issue against EJ than any sense of rationale.

So no, we wouldn't ALL necessarily rather see Miera running than EJ.

I'd take EJ over Vitor any day.

[disko]

On todays edition of Up to speed, HVM said it was planning on 2 cars next year. I think EJ and Vitor would make a good team.

[DBell]

On todays edition of Up to speed, HVM said it was planning on 2 cars next year. I think EJ and Vitor would make a good team.
There is speculation that Robert Doornbos will be in that 2nd car next year. Bobby D has reportedly stated that he has an 09 deal in the IRL.

[weeflyonthewall]

There is speculation that Robert Doornbos will be in that 2nd car next year. Bobby D has reportedly stated that he has an 09 deal in the IRL.
with a former CC team which makes it a very short list.

[MDS]

There is speculation that Robert Doornbos will be in that 2nd car next year. Bobby D has reportedly stated that he has an 09 deal in the IRL.

He's let it slip. He said he has a ride with a "Very Good" IRL team so that narrows to what he considers very good. I would have to think HVM would fit that bill as he won two races with them.

Also, Robert might be bringing some money with him. He has personal deals with a number of companies which might be interested in the IRL. He recently signed with the European mega-talent agency GR8 Industries which has created Christian Albers, and represents Force India, BMW Oracle, and (I'm not kidding) the secreative Bilderberg Group that allegedly controls the world (according to wacked out conspiricay nuts.)

If he says he has a ride, he has a strong ride. I have to believe its PKVRT (their driver's don't have contracts as of a couple of weeks ago); AGR (Hedki's money might be gone with Super Aguri); HVM or Forysthe. If he goes to a team, trust me, he brings money, hopefully in the form of ING or Red Bull, with him. Robert Doornbos doesn't play, and GR8 Racing doesn't back losers.

[jl7]

I think that HVM is just finalizing the sponsorship details, but its pretty likely that they are adding a second car. I highly doubt they would try and pick up Vitor though, especially after the classless attack he and panther racing launched on EJ and team on the panther website. My guess would be Doornbos after the recent comment and his previous relationship with the team. And he also brings sponsors with him. If HVM doesn't add Doorbos, I think they would pick up one of their past drivers... theres a couple of them looking for rides these days.

I also have to agree with the couple people earlier... I find EJ far more exciting to watch than Vitor, the guys got talent, he'll definitely be one to watch again next year.

[MAX_THRUST]

You never know with the merged series some teams bosses may decide talent is more useful than ride buyers, ofcourse things may remain the same next year......