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Originally Posted by JohnSSC
drivers are actually paid by the teams to drive for them in many cases, the teams that participate in the Series (with the exception of Vision) are actual teams not owned/controlled by him and have driver lineups that are firm months in advance of the season starting as opposed to the DCR method. That by the way is where you show up at the LBGP knowing first practice is at noon and announce your driver lineup at 11:30 a.m. that day.
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Surely this kind of comparision is risky given the relationship between many IRL teams and Honda/Toyota? Many of the top IRL teams (AGR the best example) are subsidised by Honda/Toyota and their driver salaries are paid by Honda/Toyota.
While the teams within the IRL are not owned by the IRL (a definite positive) it cannot be implied that they are infinitely more stable, commercially, or legitimate when they remain so heavily reliant upon manufacturer income.
Panther Racing were quite vocal earlier in the season about their own disgust with the manner in which leading IRL teams were able to sell title sponsorship for $2-3m whereas Panther were looking for revenue in the region of $10m to offset their lack of funding from their engine partner.
It is a moot point whether a racing series that owns many of its competing teams is better/more effective/more commercially viable than one where many of the leading teams are dependent upon income from engine manufacturers - and manufacturers with no long-term financial stake in the championship to guarantee their involvement beyond the end of the current marketing plan.