Haas to run 2 in IRL: Newman

[indycool]

Through their contacts with Lilly came contact with Pacificare. At one point, there was some B-to-B relationship there that entered the Haas sponsorship picture. I don't know exactly what it was but there was some "melding of the minds" at one point.

[Tim Northcutt]

I thought that Lilly holds a percentage of PacifiCare...or it is somehow under the Lilly umbrella of companies....and I thought that this business transaction came together about 12-18 months ago...

But I could be wrong....

I'll check on that one with my Development Dept.....we are closely involved with Eli Lilly & Co. and with Lilly Endowment as our largest corporate contributors...

Various separate, but related, Lilly entities have sponsored our nationally-syndicated radio broadcasts (since 1996), a 10-city European Tour (in 1997), served as title sponsors of various concert series ("Lilly" Classical Series, "Guidant Foundation" Special Events, etc.) and helped us to purchase and own our concert hall...the Hilbert Circle Theatre, in 1990, among other things...

I'll post you on what...if any...relationship may exist between Lilly & PacifiCare.

I can tell you that Lilly advertising $$$ were definitely spoken for long before the whole "CART bankruptcy/OWRS purchase to continue racing" scenario was finally settled...

and their decision date (although I do not know specifics) is probably very, very soon....

[Tim Northcutt]

NOTE:

Lilly has numerous business relationships with PacifiCare, but it is not under their umbrella...

I was thinking of their acquisition of PCS Health (a pharmaceutical distributor) a few years ago...

[GP Racer]

Another rumor on Windtunnel going around, is that actor Tom Cruise may go in partnership with Paul Newman, to keep the OWRS team going. Apparently he's a CC fan and a good friend of Newman's, and always attends Long Beach.

I don't think he's been seen at other races though, so I'm not sure how serious this really is...

[Kicking-back]

Heard that rumour before - and I can't see it being any more true now than it was then.

[Russfeld]

PacifiCare was delivered to N/H via CART/BearStearns


the rumour is it was something Bryan Herta had started working on for himself...

[Tim Northcutt]

If Haas goes to the IRL, I would have to believe that Lilly would want to be involved in some way....that is just from my general knowledge of the company....

We'll see how it shakes out....

[MLM]

I knew I came to the right place...thanks, guys for the info!
You know, that makes sense, Tim (about Lilly wanting to be involved). N-H does have past ties with them and with the Indy 500 and that.....
We shall see.

[mountainstar]

Originally posted by GP Racer
Another rumor on Windtunnel going around, is that actor Tom Cruise may go in partnership with Paul Newman, to keep the OWRS team going. Apparently he's a CC fan and a good friend of Newman's, and always attends Long Beach.

I don't think he's been seen at other races though, so I'm not sure how serious this really is...

Cruise was quoted earlier this year as saying that he would be interested, but that his movie career was taking up so much time that he didn't think it would be likely in the near future.

[GP Racer]

Did anyone watch the Champ Car race at Road America last weekend?

I didn't see it, but I heard Junky got punted off, and was heard shouting, "thats not fair, thats not fair"! Give me a break with this guy!

Please Carl, if your coming over, there are plenty of good drivers right here that are looking for work...

[MLM]

Well, GP, you know I'm going to disagree with you on that one.

Bruno's emotional, he is passionate, he does get rattled easily, and YES, HE DOES WHINE (and sometimes it even gets on MY nerves) but he is a heck of a driver.
And believe me, as far I know, he has never said a disparaging word about the IRL and he seemed happy to be at Indy.

I've heard PT, Tony Stewart, AJ Foyt, etc..yell and scream a HECK of a lot more (and in FAR worse language! ) than Bruno.

Look, let's not argue about the pros/cons of Bruno coming to the IRL.
IF it happens, let's be glad it would be ANOTHER quality team and ANOTHER quality driver coming into the league.
And besides, we don't know at this point if it may or may not happen.
But, if it does, the IRL will have a VERY happy fan!

[GP Racer]

Hey MLM, I thought that post would bring you out, and yes, I knew you would disagree!

He definetely has a reputation for whining, and he must know it to, and yet he doesn't seem to do anything to curb it. He is a good driver, I'll give you that, but he needs to work on that problem.

[MLM]

Hmmmmm, maybe a spanking?
BTW, you're a bad boy, GP, for egging me on 40 lashes with a wet noodle for you!

Hey, I just found this on champweb.net about N-H...there were 2 things which I thought "huh?" I want to know what you guys (Especially GP, indycool, Tim)think

"Cristiano da Matta's manager was at Road America this weekend. Speculation has led most to believe da Matta will be teaming with Sebastien Bourdais next year. The question that remains is where will Junqueira be? And what will the team be called. We all know about Honda's money and Carl Haas, but Haas apparently got a pretty bad taste after Indy from the IRL and remember, PacifiCare and McDonalds are sponsors that Paul Newman brought. Maybe we will see Junqueira stay at Newman/Haas as a 3rd car?"

1) What "bad taste" did CH have in his mouth after Indy? Somehow, I have a hard time believing he'd be upset with a 4th starting spot and a 5th place finish. AND, if he had such a "bad taste", would he even contemplate a move to the IRL? (OK, for $15 million, I could get some Scope and rinse that "bad taste" out, hehe)

2)Pacific Care is a sponsor Newman brought? That's not the impression I got, especially right here today. Tim seems to know more 1st hand about Lilly than Don Sklenka, IMO.

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by MLM
Hmmmmm, maybe a spanking?
BTW, you're a bad boy, GP, for egging me on 40 lashes with a wet noodle for you!

Hey, I just found this on champweb.net about N-H...there were 2 things which I thought "huh?" I want to know what you guys (Especially GP, indycool, Tim)think

"Cristiano da Matta's manager was at Road America this weekend. Speculation has led most to believe da Matta will be teaming with Sebastien Bourdais next year. The question that remains is where will Junqueira be? And what will the team be called. We all know about Honda's money and Carl Haas, but Haas apparently got a pretty bad taste after Indy from the IRL and remember, PacifiCare and McDonalds are sponsors that Paul Newman brought. Maybe we will see Junqueira stay at Newman/Haas as a 3rd car?"

1) What "bad taste" did CH have in his mouth after Indy? Somehow, I have a hard time believing he'd be upset with a 4th starting spot and a 5th place finish. AND, if he had such a "bad taste", would he even contemplate a move to the IRL? (OK, for $15 million, I could get some Scope and rinse that "bad taste" out, hehe)

2)Pacific Care is a sponsor Newman brought? That's not the impression I got, especially right here today. Tim seems to know more 1st hand about Lilly than Don Sklenka, IMO.

OK MLM, I'm ready for my punishment!

I've heard the same rumor about drivers on Windtunnel, DaMatta, and Boudais stay in CC, and Junky, with Carpentier come to the IRL.

I have no idea what he means when he says that Carl got a bad taste in his mouth after Indy. He seem's very ready and happy to come to the IRL, and not just for the money either. Carl coming to the IRL, probably has more to do with the foggy future of CC and Gentilozzi's "leadership" of that series.

Maybe he's not into "lifestyle events". Skateboarding, BMX biking, and concerts by Oasis, probably aren't Carl's bag!

[GP Racer]

oops, double post...

[MLM]

Originally posted by GP Racer
oops, double post...

ANOTHER 40 lashes with a wet noodle!

I got a chuckle out of your last line, GP. Goodness, you mean there ARE people out there who go to races just to see the drivers and the race!? And there may be people out there who want to participate in a race and not in some event or party!?

Seriously, if Carl had a "bad taste" in his mouth, would he contemplate a move in the 1st place?
Maybe the "bad taste" isn't with TG or IMS or with the IRL...maybe champweb.net got that mixed up....IMO.

:confused:

[Félix]

First: stop complaining about drivers like Junky taking the place for your American drivers... they're better so they're hired, and that will only increase with road courses coming your way; guys like Lazier or whoever was mentionned as "better than Junqueira" will be far behind.

About Newmann-Haas, I don't know how it's gonna play out, but since he's the official Lola guy in North America, he will always have to be involved in CART. I don't know what he'd buy for IRL, but he'd bring technical partnerships that gave him the edge in CART; mostly some Canadian dampers...

And just to raise a bit of discussion, the only thing that ever seems to happen in every IRL race is more that one pitlane crash... Would a CCWS team member want to work in such a dangerous environment? Measures have to be adopted before someone's seriously run over and/or burnt.

[Hazza]

Re Setup advantage in CART:
There was this Canadian dude who changed teams which also happened to change chassis. The driver for that team who had been driving thoose chasis before said that they weren't allowed to take any setups sheets from the old team, so they had to start anew. They went pretty well last year.

Would a CCWS team member want to work in such a dangerous environment? Measures have to be adopted before someone's seriously run over and/or burnt.

Yes mesaures need to be done and hopefully they will.

The rest of this post was inaccurate bashing, and has been removed.

- macdaddy

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by Félix
First: stop complaining about drivers like Junky taking the place for your American drivers... they're better so they're hired, and that will only increase with road courses coming your way; guys like Lazier or whoever was mentionned as "better than Junqueira" will be far behind.

First: I'll complain as long and as loud as I like Felix!

The lack of American drivers in CC is exactly why nobody, but nobody, in the USA even cares or watches that series anymore. It's pretty simple really, an American based series needs American drivers.

Second: If CC crews don't want to work the pits in IndyCar, than don't! It'll be really hard, but somehow, we'll manage to continue the series without them...


Editted because the tone-of-voice was not compliant with the atmosphere of 10T's.

[rustyfan]

The pits is a dangerous enviroment in almost ANY form of motorsport - even Champ Car.

Remember the vent-man literally being run over at Milwaukee in 1997 or Paul Tracy sliding into his crew in the early 90's breaking the leg of one of them?

Or how about that massive pit-fire at Mexico City just a few years ago (2002 I believe it was)?

The recent pit-mishaps in IndyCar are obviously not something to be happy with, but one has to understand that working in the pits in motorsports is extremely hard - if not impossible - to make completely safe.

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by rustyfan
The recent pit-mishaps in IndyCar are obviously not something to be happy with, but one has to understand that working in the pits in motorsports is extremely hard - if not impossible - to make completely safe.

After re-reading that post by Felix, I think our esteemed colleagues, and highly valued competitors, and just plain all around good guys on the other side, just wanted to start a well meaning, good all-around debate, as to the merits of American drivers and pit safety in the IRL, since on-track safety has been exemplary, and a non-issue this year, and an American driver is in the hunt for the championship. I'm quite sure our friend from the other, highly respected series, meant us no ill will with his comments.

Now that my friends, is compliant!

[MLM]

LOL, GP!
We better be compliant and get back to the topic of N-H or there may be more wrist-slapping around here

BTW, Felix, I for one am VERY glad Bruno's racing here in the US If we go with the latest "rumor du jour", looks like it may not be in the IRL.
(IF they do stay in CC, I certainly hope the come back to race at Indy )

And yes, I agree rustyfan about the pits....pit mishaps happen EVERYWHERE. CART didn't corner the market in pit safety (however, I will conccur the plethora of mishaps at Michigan were a little over the top )

[Snrub]

Originally posted by GP Racer
The lack of American drivers in CC is exactly why nobody, but nobody, in the USA even cares or watches that series anymore. It's pretty simple really, an American based series needs American drivers.[/i]

While I won't disagree with you that having Americans is important, the watching thing has more to do with the network support and perhaps the reversal of fortunes between the two series. If we look at the ABC/ESPN transitional period we can see that the American presence in the IRL would appear to not have had that great an impact. And who was a bigger US draw, Andretti or Hornish and a bunch of nobodies?

Back to the IRL today, who are the competitive US drivers in the IRL? Pretty much Hornish, Rice and Herta. In terms of new drivers coming into the series, who do you think will be the ones who succeed and stay, US or forign drivers? The trend is clear.

[GP Racer]

If the trend is clear snrub, which I'm not sure it is, than the IRL will face the same dilemna, that CART did, fan apathy. Actually, the problem could be worse here, because the IRL only races here in the States(except for Motegi).

There are quite a few good, young Americans looking towards IndyCar lately. In IPS, you have Geibler, Chesson, Simmons, and Just Al. They'll be ready to go by next year. And while Alex Barron, AJ Foyt IV, Ed Carpenter, and veterans Sharp and Lazier aren't setting the IRL on fire, neither are international drivers like Giaffone, Taylor, Takagi(is he still here?LOL!)and yes, I'll add Dixon to!

I like the international drivers that are in the IRL. They are great drivers, and they have fantastic personalities, that add alot to this series, but there needs to be a balance. What would be the point of CASCAR, for example, if it had no Canadian drivers?

Thats all I'm saying...

[luke]

Well it looks good Newman-Haas will stay in champcars next year.Team owners Paul Newman and Carl Haas are working towards patching up their relationship, which became strained when Haas received an offer from Honda to switch to the IRL.
Newman:"All I can say is it looks promising but nothing is set in concrete,"he said.
If the 21-year Newman-Haas relationship continues, it could be good news for Toyota Formula 1 reject Cristiano da Matta. The Brazilian has been tipped for a third seat with an expanded Champ Car line-up at the team, which is dominating this year's series with Sebastien Bourdais.

Snipets taken from Autosport August 26th.