Merger Imminent?

[indycool]

Agree, e-a, particularly when they fly 24 hours for the opportunity to try.

[Craig]

Why would they bother going at all if there are no points on offer?

[Down F0rce]

'cause driving a single seater racing car in anger around tight city streets in a beautiful part of the world is really, really cool.

[Hazard]

Originally Posted by Craig

Why would they bother going at all if there are no points on offer?

I'll presume there will be more a penalty by not going formulated somehow

[Craig]

Originally Posted by Down F0rce

'cause driving a single seater racing car in anger around tight city streets in a beautiful part of the world is really, really cool.

And somewhat, erm, expensive...?

[indycool]

That can be made worthwhile by the purse.

[Knowlesy]

Yeah, why not just have it as a glamorous, dash for the cash celebration of a unified series?

If some Australians are going to get upset about this, so what? For one year, it will not hurt will it?

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by indycool

Don't count on just one year of those.....some are pretty popular races.

i'm sure they are because they are in areas where you don't normally see that kind of racing, but they went to those tracks because they were stretching to fill the season.

they should go to places that is all about OW racing, not stockcars.

[fieldodreams79]

is there a chance that we shall see some of the "traiters" return to their roots??? i'm sure some have been searching for a 500 ride, but will they jump the stockcar ship and get back in the racing series where they made their name?

[Craig]

Originally Posted by indycool

That can be made worthwhile by the purse.

Which'll be put up by... who?

[BootsOntheSide]

There should be more interest in open-wheel racing than in the recent past, with a bigger share of the funding and talent. Whether JPM, Dario, Sam or JV would return is less certain - the merged series would be a new challenge for Sam especially, but NASCAR is still going to be the biggest draw for the forseeable future.

[Craig]

I read an article in a newspaper in Daytona last week where Dario said it was either go to Nascar or retire and he wasn't ready to retire. He was concerned that the IRL was too dangerous for a man of his years. I guess it's a shame we don't have Dario and the French fella but what can you do? They're yesterdays men... let's look to the future. There's plenty of others in the combined Indycar series to keep us amused.

[Down F0rce]

I reckon a few NASCAR boys could come over for the 500, but they have to move it back to its old time slot. It clashes with the Coke 600 right now I belive.

[indycool]

Craig, the purse is part of the sanction fee for the trip. Since the promoter, traditionally, pays a sanction fee plus travel expenses for a cargo plane to carry the equipment and "X" people per car, plus officials, the fee for going down there has always been very high and would probably cover a nice purse payout as well as some teams having less expenses than they would, say if they traveled to Homestead. For the promoters, there are going to be more sponsors to be involved.

This is why the USGP date was moved to a week away from the Canadian GP, so the promoters could SHARE the expenses of the F1 teams coming to North America. Same thinkin' with CC's effort pair something in Asia with Surfers.

[JohnSSC]

Well, think about it Craig: like her or not, being able to draw a crowd to see Danica Patrick along with the rest of the Andretti-Green drivers might just pull some one-off sponsorship that could increase the purse...

I wouldn't mind see Almendinger come back for a one-off myself, but the NASCAR schedule will preclude that for most of them, I think.

[stradlin21]

I do believe that the Almendinger is 0 for 2 this season in NASCAR, not sure how much of a future he has there

[Tony Clifton]

Originally Posted by stradlin21

I do believe that the Almendinger is 0 for 2 this season in NASCAR, not sure how much of a future he has there

I know a Alendinger family member. AJ is staying in NASCAR, he has a 3 year contract, he is in year 2 of that contract.
NASCAR is where the cash and future for a driver such as AJ is, by the time open wheel racing recovers AJ will be too old to be competitive.

[2112]

Originally Posted by Craig

I read an article in a newspaper in Daytona last week where Dario said it was either go to Nascar or retire and he wasn't ready to retire. He was concerned that the IRL was too dangerous for a man of his years. I guess it's a shame we don't have Dario and the French fella but what can you do? They're yesterdays men... let's look to the future. There's plenty of others in the combined Indycar series to keep us amused.

I see Dario teaming up with his brother in sports cars sooner rather than later...... given how being a backmarker in Nascar is pretty easy to do.

[stradlin21]

Originally Posted by Tony Clifton

I know a Alendinger family member. AJ is staying in NASCAR, he has a 3 year contract, he is in year 2 of that contract.
NASCAR is where the cash and future for a driver such as AJ is, by the time open wheel racing recovers AJ will be too old to be competitive.

i didn't mean immediatley, but look at the longer term

i know he's in a three year deal, i do follow NASCAR btw,

he isn't going to stay if he can't qualify for races is he

looking at the bigger picture, he's now going to struggle to make the top 35 before the 5 race cut which means the chance of him not being in the top 35 for next seasons first 5 races is high meaning he has to race his way in at Daytona 09, if he fails he could be on for another season of missing regular races and when his 3 year deal is done he'll by a name that NASCAR teams won't want!

I think the only word for AJ's NASCAR career so far is 'disastrous'

[Down F0rce]

Also worth noting that Red Bull have Scott Speed waiting in the wings, and he seems to be not doing too shabby a job in ARCA. If AJ dosen't up his game and start qualifying he'll get shown the door.

[Leighton Irwin]

Fontana grid was decided on owner points not actual qualifying.

[stradlin21]

Originally Posted by Leighton Irwin

Fontana grid was decided on owner points not actual qualifying.

indeed it was! but it doesn't change the fact that AJ isn't in the race and will now find it hard to break into the top 35 for the rest of the season

you could say he was unlucky, you could say he's paying for poor previous performances

either way, his NASCAR 'dream' has turned into a nightmare

[nickyf1]

they are already merged into one forum...

Select 'American Open Wheel Forum' then scroll down.

[Oldtony]

Let me clarify why the Gold Coast round is under threat if it is a non championship event.
1: Around A$11milion in direct cash contribution is put in by the Qld Government.
2: The local Council puts in a large, but not defineable contribution by way of associated works and services.
3: The residents of that part of the city put up with disruption of access, services and lifestyle for 6 weeks prior to the event, the week of the event, and 3 weeks following it as the circuit is built and removed.
4: This is accepted (reluctantly by some) as a means of attracting overseas and interstate visitors to the event itself, but more importantly as a means of getting pictures of the Gold Coast and it's lifestyle on TV sets round the world, particularly in N.America and Asia.
5: If it was just getting people into the track the Black Wiggle's Taxis probably bring in a larger percentage of the crowd than the open wheelers.

The problem is that the people now making decisions on the investment of time and energy into "Gold Coast Indy " at this time wonder if the TV ratings they will get are worth the effort if it is a non-championship race.
Why would the IRL side of the fence bother to turn up? No data, no experience, no reason!
If it is a non-championship event will the usual networks give the same coverage? Nothing to hang the promos on! This is exactly why Chicago is pressing for thier "Final" status in the IRL contract to be honoured.
Just who do the Gold Coast have a contract with?

In the end we are talking about event promotion, and the Gold Coast does that at least as well as anybody else, but we do have to have something that has status to promote.

[Matt]

Oldtony, you obviously never heard of the "Dash for Cash" then. Usually puts on THE most exciting race of the season! The reason being, there is NOTHING on the line, except for a huggge paycheck for the winner! the second place driver usually gets less than a quarter of what the winner gets. So, they let it ALL on the line, and try the craziest things you will ever see.