20+ car ChampCar GRID Shaping Up ?!?! - Page 12

zerO · 6 Jul 2004, 17:31 (Ref:1028283)

Quote:

Originally posted by f1manoz
Dude, I think it would be safe to say that Oriol is safe for the rest of his career at Dale Coyne!

Oriol only has a couple bucks from Catalonia - no Visteon and no Telefonica - his funds are drying up ?!... that's why we can't assume he's safe for the duration - especially at Coyne... and if Dale would want to help a driver then Michael Keohane would have that ride to begin with - DC said so himself...

zerO

zerO · 6 Jul 2004, 17:39 (Ref:1028293)

Quote:

Originally posted by paul-collins
???:confused??

Where would you get this idea? His Atlantic operation is strictly driver training. His head is in the sportscar game.

Agreed, but Dyson's primary sponsor Thetford/Norcold are the ones who pushed for open-wheel racing and Champ Car is their goal... not neccessarily next year but who knows...

Anyhow, the "2005 Silly Season" is already starting and one of these days I'll really kick it off (in another thread) -> latest gossip is that Alain Prost is contemplating starting a Champ Car team for next year, plus a few more... the saga shall continue... stay tuned...

zerO

cds_uk · 6 Jul 2004, 21:24 (Ref:1028554)

I would love to see Prost start up a team, with a little luck he would give Jonathan Cochet a drive, he did test for Prost in F1 and was in line for a full time drive until the team folded, JC is super talented in my opinion and really deserves a break.

Dov · 7 Jul 2004, 01:48 (Ref:1028722)

I can picture Liz right now dreaming about Alain Prost joining ChampCars as a team owner.

Mags · 7 Jul 2004, 01:55 (Ref:1028723)

Quote:

Originally posted by Dov
I can picture Liz right now dreaming about Alain Prost joining ChampCars as a team owner.

RapidTron · 7 Jul 2004, 20:04 (Ref:1029566)

prost would easily be the worst owner since his former teammate stefan johanson

JohnSSC · 7 Jul 2004, 22:51 (Ref:1029712)

Don't get carried away there RapidTron! I am thinking that it would be a pretty close match.

Come to think of it though, Prost F1 went belly-up in a much more expensive Series so one can venture that Prost at once both more successful (by raising more $$ in the first place) and a bigger failure (losing more $$).

Be curious to see what they both could do in CC - might give DCR a run for the pay driver's money!. DCR still exists though...

f1manoz · 8 Jul 2004, 17:01 (Ref:1030451)

Hmm, interesting rumour that Prost one. But until I hear from the man himself, I'll put that one under 'Well, it's nice but...'

BootsOntheSide · 8 Jul 2004, 17:38 (Ref:1030486)

Prost did fine in F1 for a while, and Johansson did things no other current owner did - won a race in his first season on a skeleton budget, with American drivers. I've heard the Prost rumour going round, and it would be nice, but let's wait and see. What has Cochet been up to since?

Amar7605 · 8 Jul 2004, 19:11 (Ref:1030583)

To be honest, I could care less of Prost comes to the series. I have nothing against him, but until he actually announces anything, then I don't care.

zerO · 8 Jul 2004, 20:02 (Ref:1030620)

Quote:

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
Prost did fine in F1 for a while, and Johansson did things no other current owner did - won a race in his first season on a skeleton budget, with American drivers. I've heard the Prost rumour going round, and it would be nice, but let's wait and see. What has Cochet been up to since?

Jonathan Cochet hasn't been doing anything lately - ran out of money... have been wondering myself as to who Alain Prost's drivers could be - most likely his son Nicolas who currently is in Formula Renault and some seasoned driver to partner him... and that's where the real dilemma kicks-in: will Prost try to get J.Villeneuve, or maybe swipe Jean Alesi from DTM, or maybe even swipe Bourdais from Newman when he'll get DaMatta back... this all is in a "fantasy" stage now, but possibilities are there... let's wait a few months before we'll hear more (hopefully)...

zerO

cds_uk · 8 Jul 2004, 20:04 (Ref:1030621)

Cochet did a few races in the Dallara Nissan world series, did very well with zero testing, he has kept busy this year developing the Courage LMP2, lost the LeMans drive when Courage lost their engine deal in the week before the race. Don`t know how many of you guys in the US know of Cochet but he was easily the equal of Bourdais all the way up through the junior formulae, he would be a real bonus to the series, up to Alain though isn`t it.

zerO · 8 Jul 2004, 20:10 (Ref:1030623)

Well, let's hope Cochet comes up with some bucks - him and little Nic would be a great combo ?!

zerO

zerO · 9 Jul 2004, 21:38 (Ref:1031741)

Update:

Latest from the Grapevine is that Nelson Philippe's dried-up funds, sub-par performance, (and long hair) are the cause of his premature demise and he's now replaced with MEMO GIDLEY at Rocketsport's car #17 = http://www.cart-racing.com/news/inde...e=news&ID=3792 - there is no word on whether it is only for this one race (Toronto) but most likely it is a permanent fixture.

Here's how the line-up scenario looks like now:

1. FORSYTHE - #1 - Paul Tracy
2. FORSYTHE - #3 - Rodofo Lavin
3. FORSYTHE - #7 - Patrick Carpentier
4. NEWMAN/HAAS - #2 - Sebastien Bourdais
5. NEWMAN/HAAS - #6 - Bruno Junqueira
6. HERDEZ - #4 - Ryan Hunter-Reay
7. HERDEZ - #55 - Mario Dominguez
8. COYNE - #11 - Oriol Servia and/or Michael Keohane
9. COYNE - #19 - Gaston Mazzacane and/or Ralph Firman
10. BACHELART - #14 - Alex Sperafico and/or Michael Valiante or Ricardo Sperafico
11. BACHELART - #34 - Justin Wilson
12. KALKHOVEN - #12 - Jimmy Vasser
13. KALKHOVEN - #21 - Roberto Gonzalez
14. GENTILOZZI - #8 - Alex Tagliani
15. GENTILOZZI - #17 - Memo Gidley and/or Nelson Philippe
16. RUSSO - #9 - Michel Jourdain
17. RUSSO - #10 - AJ Allmendinger
18. WALKER - #5 - Mario Habereld

Possible entries this year:

19. WALKER - #15 - Rafael Martinez or Michael Valiante or Jonathan Macri ?
20. KALKHOVEN - #22 - Christian Murchison, Josh Hunt, Seung Yin Lee and/or Rafael Martinez ?
21. HEMELGARN - #91 or #18 - Michael Valiante or ???

Possible entries in 2005:

22. FITTIPALDI - #20 - Ricardo Sperafico or Jaime Melo or Gaston Mazzacane ?
23. LEBERLE - #24 - Ralph Firman or Tomas Enge ?
24. DYSON - #16 - Chris Dyson or Townsend Bell ?
25. CONDOR - #31 - Townsend Bell or Jon Fogarty ?
26. CONDOR - #32 - Marc Hynes or Ryan Dalziel ?

btw, for the updated picturesque version go to www.champcarfan.com and click on the "Line-up" thingy ?!

zerO

Mags · 9 Jul 2004, 21:53 (Ref:1031745)

Isn't a rumour dear, it's a FACT. Liz is in Toronto and i's happening.

Kicking-back · 9 Jul 2004, 21:57 (Ref:1031746)

Where's he been today?

Cowboy · 9 Jul 2004, 22:13 (Ref:1031756)

Hey Zero, I may have missed the post but what ever happened to Christian Fittipaldi? I notice he is not a possibility anymore, yet Emmo fielding a team is still listed.

zerO · 9 Jul 2004, 22:25 (Ref:1031763)

Quote:

Originally posted by Mags
Isn't a rumour dear, it's a FACT. Liz is in Toronto and i's happening.

Try reading my post again, heh ?!

It is a fact that Gidley has replaced Frenchie at Toronto, but it is not known whether it is permanent or not - that simple.

zerO

zerO · 9 Jul 2004, 22:31 (Ref:1031767)

Quote:

Originally posted by Cowboy
Hey Zero, I may have missed the post but what ever happened to Christian Fittipaldi? I notice he is not a possibility anymore, yet Emmo fielding a team is still listed.

Emmo isn't going to have a car/team this year, and next year the winning driver will be the one with the most moolah... so, chances are that some Brazilian youngster will beat out C.Fittipaldi - and currently Emmo is backing up Ricardo Sperafico... besides, it's a little too early for next year's Silly Season...

zerO

Mags · 9 Jul 2004, 22:33 (Ref:1031769)

Quote:

Originally posted by zerO
Try reading my post again, heh ?!

It is a fact that Gidley has replaced Frenchie at Toronto, but it is not known whether it is permanent or not - that simple.

zerO

Sorry, dude. THAT we do not know! Why dodn't you phone Memo?

zerO · 9 Jul 2004, 22:41 (Ref:1031773)

Actually there's some "contractual" problems between Philippe and PG - that usually tanslates to a "bounced check"... it may get resolved and it may not - ergo: Gidley's status not certain...

zerO

zerO · 9 Jul 2004, 22:43 (Ref:1031778)

btw, it looks like we have another candidate for a Prost seat next year... hihihaha...

zerO

Dov · 9 Jul 2004, 22:48 (Ref:1031784)

I just got home from quals 1 at the Molson Indy and I didn't see Memo at all.......only 17 cars tried to qualify!

Kicking-back · 9 Jul 2004, 22:56 (Ref:1031789)

Gidley will be running tomorrow.

zerO · 9 Jul 2004, 22:56 (Ref:1031790)

^ Now, ain't that cute... maybe Memo didn't have his butt fitted on time - he'll be there tomorrow - Rocketsport would look very foolish otherwise...

zerO

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