Goodbye AJ

Peter Ford · 25 Oct 2006, 05:13 (Ref:1748432)

Just found out AJ will be leaving cart to go nascar racing fulltime in 07,this is a BIG loss to the series,AJ is want they need a american in the series,as least i got to see him race last week on the gold coast.GOOD BYE AJ,thanks for the memories.

SALEEN S7R · 25 Oct 2006, 08:32 (Ref:1748577)

Indeed, losing Allmendinger is a big loss to the series. It is a bit of a shame that he is leaving so soon and making the switch to NA$CAR but if thats where he and his sponsors want to be I guess that is where he has to go.

Snrub · 26 Oct 2006, 22:43 (Ref:1750536)

It's a shame, it the series seems to have a hard time keeping the good things going...

Chatters · 26 Oct 2006, 23:08 (Ref:1750550)

Aw...

Bye bye AJ.

Rockmunky · 26 Oct 2006, 23:37 (Ref:1750570)

That's not the best news i've heard today. Will be sad to no longer see him racing champ cars.

lookleft · 27 Oct 2006, 00:36 (Ref:1750594)

It's his choice. Tells you alot about the man.

Mekola · 29 Oct 2006, 17:57 (Ref:1752875)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lookleft

It's his choice. Tells you alot about the man.

As it was Tony Stewart's choice some years ago...
A big loss for the series.

coyote9999 · 27 Oct 2006, 02:17 (Ref:1750643)

Just a few months ago he was fired and another team took a chance with him. He ended his bad streak because of Forsythe and this is the way he was repaid... Good luck and good ridance. Everytime we will have a good American Driver he will end up in Nascar unless we have too many of them in our roster. Am I the only one which understands we need more to create interest and secure viewership and sponsorship?

Kieran20 · 27 Oct 2006, 08:57 (Ref:1750835)

i think AJ has kind of lost the plot on this one. i mean champ car is a great series, and he was in a good position for the last race and for next year with forsythe. the thing that gets me is that he said he was "scared" of ovals! so why is he going to NASCAR? its all for money. more bad news is that AJ wont be in the car for the last race
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/55432

BTW, hi, my first post on this forum

jv#12 · 27 Oct 2006, 11:43 (Ref:1750961)

what happens to his points, do they stay with the team ? Is Buddy Rice in just for Mexico?

coyote9999 · 27 Oct 2006, 11:47 (Ref:1750966)

The points stay with the team.

dubby99 · 27 Oct 2006, 12:39 (Ref:1751010)

Yeah i am pretty ****ed of he is leaving, but i am really annoyed at the fact that heres a driver thay came up through the ladder ranks of Champcar and erned his way to a big team and know after 2 years he is gone.

luke · 27 Oct 2006, 13:56 (Ref:1751098)

A bloody shame he couldn't even do the last race of the season.

I feel like making a tribute of him on youtube. showing his last ever race where he crashed out.

Jokes aside. I have said this before but its real sad. Still a bit strange after all Forsythe have given him this year.

Good luck Rice.

Kieran20 · 27 Oct 2006, 18:24 (Ref:1751377)

well AJ never did anything special, i wont miss him, he was a good driver but i cant recall on any great moments. bring in some more talent

D.R.T. · 28 Oct 2006, 00:53 (Ref:1751606)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kieran20

well AJ never did anything special, i wont miss him, he was a good driver but i cant recall on any great moments. bring in some more talent

AJ did plenty special. He brought alive the 2006 championship. The extent of what we have just lost will not be known for a while but let me assure you, it will be huge.

This guy apart from his nationality was fast, wore his emotions on his sleeve, loud and proud. Some people loved him and other hated him. It was the perfect sporting situation and we lost it.

Something positive from this whole situation is that AJ was a rookie in 2004 and look what he has done in 3 seasons. I look foward to the next US kid coming into the championship

2112 · 28 Oct 2006, 01:20 (Ref:1751620)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kieran20

well AJ never did anything special, i wont miss him, he was a good driver but i cant recall on any great moments. bring in some more talent

....and if they really have talent..go to Nascar.

We have to face that the top rung of the ladder in America is stock cars...so the best talent will gravitate there for some time to come.

That`s why I can`t get all bothered about it anymore...I like formula cars and technology.... more than the nationality of a driver. Just because the best American drivers are driving overweight tanks in a circle for 4 hours does not mean we all must embrace it. Some races are fun...but it`s not my top pick in motorsports no matter how much the locals are sold on it.

Expect all top talent on this side of the pond to be lost to Daytona for a long time....maybe forever..you know how those American`s always do their own thing.

luke · 27 Oct 2006, 19:38 (Ref:1751429)

Yeah.

But. With his season in 2005. I think we won alot of fans. When he showed his frustration and anger when he kept making mistakes when he was in postion to win. He certainly became one of my favourite drivers and I have said this many times but it really sucks he's gone. Not even a last race.

But as Moutainstar said, there is some great new American talent making its way next year in Champ Car so... I don't think he'll be missed that much...

mountainstar · 28 Oct 2006, 01:13 (Ref:1751615)

Quote:

Originally Posted by luke

Yeah.

But. With his season in 2005. I think we won alot of fans. When he showed his frustration and anger when he kept making mistakes when he was in postion to win. He certainly became one of my favourite drivers and I have said this many times but it really sucks he's gone. Not even a last race.

But as Moutainstar said, there is some great new American talent making its way next year in Champ Car so... I don't think he'll be missed that much...

Exactly, he had 2 so so seasons at rusport and had a winning streak this year, but wasn't really around long enough to make a long lasting impact. I know some were upset, but I don't really care. The guy made his choice, he's gone, that's that. I think it is a poor choice at the moment and I may be wrong, but all the best.

Forsythe was right to replace him. It might be different if he had been around for years so a proper send off was in order, but having been at Forsythe for only a half a season, there was no point. We didn't want to hold AJ back from his new career and Forsythe really needed to audition someone for next year.

D.R.T. · 28 Oct 2006, 02:09 (Ref:1751641)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Exactly, he had 2 so so seasons at rusport and had a winning streak this year, but wasn't really around long enough to make a long lasting impact.

Its more what he would have achieved in and for champ car. Look what he did with half a season at FCR, thinking about the potential for this series does make sad.

This kid is that little bit special.

mountainstar · 28 Oct 2006, 03:01 (Ref:1751656)

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Its more what he would have achieved in and for champ car. Look what he did with half a season at FCR, thinking about the potential for this series does make sad.

This kid is that little bit special.

Sure but he is already gone and what's done is done so whatever potential he may or may not have had we will never know.

No point in crying over split milk.

What's more important is to look to the future and there seems to be a lot of talent coming though the ranks. Also of immediate interest is to see how well Buddy stands on it for mexico city.

**GTRMagic** · 28 Oct 2006, 03:20 (Ref:1751659)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Forsythe was right to replace him. It might be different if he had been around for years so a proper send off was in order, but having been at Forsythe for only a half a season, there was no point. We didn't want to hold AJ back from his new career and Forsythe really needed to audition someone for next year.

Is Buddy Rice the right bloke to be testing in race conditions though??

Its sad that AJ is not in ChampCar any longer... for he did offer credible opposition to Mr Bourdais... certainly did better than his teammate at Forsythe...

mountainstar · 28 Oct 2006, 04:37 (Ref:1751675)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Is Buddy Rice the right bloke to be testing in race conditions though??

Can't see how giving him a shot hurts. He did win the atlantic championship years ago but never drove a champcar race, so why not give him a break?

D.R.T. · 28 Oct 2006, 08:29 (Ref:1751766)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

certainly did better than his teammate at Forsythe...

Probably the biggest concern for FCR was the lack of speed from Tracy this year, well apart from Surfers. Not only did ChampCar lose its star FCR lost its lead driver.

Kieran20 · 28 Oct 2006, 08:37 (Ref:1751771)

tracy had a bad start but i think he learn alot from AJ, and having AJ alongside helped improve the cars set up. AJ has made the wrong move being scared of ovals and that

, and forsythe have made the right one.

luke · 28 Oct 2006, 12:11 (Ref:1751885)

Yeah. Well let’s see. I see no harm in Buddy Rice driving in AJ's old seat for just the one race. He was an Atlantic champ in quite a competitive field. You could say he was over looked maybe but he finally gets his chance. I'm sure if anyone sees anything worth while in him they'll be negotiating with him for next season if he isn't already.

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