But, seriously, what does it matter? Since IRL is already going back to road courses, this is nothing more than signing something on paper.
IRL needs some of the CART fanbase to come over. I still think most dedicated open wheel fans support CART, and that fractures the fanbase. Plus, the ability to inherit some of the existing CART contracts with road circuits. IRL would kill for places like Long Beach, Road America, Portland and the ability to go back to places like Mid-Ohio or Laguna Seca. Places that get consistently good attendance and have charisma. Watkins Glen and Sears Point are ISC owned tracks. Watkins Glen was great but they'll be using the chicane and Sears Point is pretty blah - nothing compared to watching a car go through Kettle Bottoms or the Corkscrew. They've lost the war with NASCAR but right now open wheel racing is on a level below Busch or Craftsman series NASCAR. an Indy series could still be best of the rest. Also, a united series is way more attractive to TV, sponsors and the drivers. A united Indycar Series and NASCAR isn't nearly what it is and Tony Stewart's driving Indy cars.
It's time for them to put egos aside (Tony George) and have the two finally come back together. The hard part will be finding the right balance of tracks to use, either way I hope they still come to MIS.
Keep all the superspeedways and short ovals. Get rid of most of the 1.5 mile NASCAR wannabe ovals. Dump Sears Point, replace with Laguna Seca. Add Mid-Ohio. Get rid of all the street circuits other than Long Beach and Houston. There, done.
The annual "Champcar/IRL merger" talk. Both of these series are in huge holes of there own making. They have to merge or both will cease to exist. Maybe they are now starting to realize that.
Interesting point, this. I think Sears Point is a great NASCAR track, but Laguna Seca is better for the lighter open-wheels. I think if you were to run British Touring Cars, Sears Point would be better. I'd love to see those tall, heavy, little cars rock and roll through those esses, and that hairpin is great for cars that are willing to trade some paint.
Probably. All the Nascar drivers talk about how hard the esses are, while I've been told by open wheel drivers that they're pretty easy for them. And the hairpin is just unsafe for open wheel cars, because there's no run off. Fact is, Road America and Laguna Seca > Watkins Glen and Sears Point.
Interesting news, if it finally happens. Might actually draw me back in to American open wheel racing. Hopefully it becomes something that can compete with NASCAR in popularity.
Actually I thought the IRL had the rights to "Indycar," but due to some deal CART was allowed to keep using it. And I believe those rights are up because the IRL is using it once again.
Forget about the legality stuff. TG is worse than Satan. He destroyed American open wheel racing because he's an ego manaic and has to be in control. Champcar is the truest form of american open wheel racing. the Vanderbuilt Cup ! Turbo charged 2.65 liter engines....... TG has lied every time he opened his mouth. He wanted to save american open wheel racing? he was tired of no american drivers? There weren't enough ovals? He wanted USAC to thrive? SO WHERE THE F\/CK is all of this ?? Half the field are former CHampcar drivers/owners..... He's adding left/right twisty bits that are 'unamerican'. He sacked USAC as the sanctioning body. He's bloody ruining everything he touches. Wake up people! The only way to save American open wheel racing is for TG to say eff it, I eff'ed up. Champcar specs, add new suppliers, champcar tracks, thrown in a few ovals with IMS, kiss and make up.... pretend 1996 - 2006 never happened....... and go bloody racing!
IRL never held the rights to Indycar. No one does, which is why the IRL can use it. NYR is right too. No more USAC, almost entirely foreign field, street races and road circuits (terrible road circuits, but road circuits). IRL is just 1993 CART with Down's Syndrome.
Miller is an Indy 500 fan first and foremost. That said, he is on the side of most of the fans that where betrayed by Anton The Inheritor. Tony`s series tries to appeal to the Nascar oval fan but fails miserably...after all, he is running CARTII isn`t he?
Tony George confirmed Friday that he is actively pursuing unification between the two American open-wheel racing series, the first public indication from George that the split might come to a peaceful conclusion. Saying "open-wheel racing needs to be unified," George confirmed a report in Wednesday's Los Angeles Times that he is in preliminary stages of negotiations with Champ Car principal Kevin Kalkhoven to merge the two sanctioning bodies into one.
http://sports.yahoo.com/irl/news;_y...0aA--?slug=afp-autousaindy&prov=afp&type=lgns This does sound encouraging.