'05 Silly Season

[trout]

Originally Posted by indycool

I wasn't talking "negative" press. I was talking about press at all. Again, those of us hardcores who participate on the boards follow every breath of Bjorn Wirdheim or Jos Verstappen and their ups and downs with getting a ride or not. Major daily papers and TV networks and radio sports talk shows don't care and those are the places that reach the general sports fan. But if the Press-Telegram wanted to run an entry list for Long Beach two weeks out and give the race that kind of advance publicity, it couldn't do it. That's my point. Someone posted at another board that., with the addition of another class, Trans-Am will have 25 cars at Long Beach. I haven't seen that list on these tight-knit little boards and racing sites myself, let alone it being available to the Press-Telegram for its readers in Long Beach to see.

That article was not "ridiculously biased." It was accurate. Sure, there are ALWAYS more drivers than cars for ANY series but they're not "in" Champ Cars until someone puts them in seats. The most accurate assessment of that is the grid is being delayed as OWRS and its teams try to wring more cash out of the pay drivers and their backers and the drivers and backers are trying to hang on to more of it, and that's why it's going down to the wire.

THe article was not biased, but it cetrainly was not accurate. All of your tirading aside, the article was ignorant of the troubles of Open Wheel Racing in North America. Both the CCWS and the IRL had last minute confirmations of teams and rides. I think what everyone is trying to say, and you are relunctant to listen to for some reason, is that we expect the mainstream press to do their homework. Whether you follow the series or not is irrelevent. If you want to write a story - do your homework. The Press-Telegram article to me cannot be judged simply by bad or good press - it was poor journalism period. If you want to regard poor journalism as "accurate" that's your call. I will choose to regard it for what it is and simply wait for the racing to start!

[indycool]

What was inaccurate about it?

[trout]

The context.

[indycool]

What context? If you say the story was incomplete, you didn't read the line where CCWS did not return calls for comment. Guess the writer TRIED to do his "homework."

[trout]

You need to call CCWS to understand the context of Open Wheel Racing in North America? Guess you and he TRY too hard. Look Indy, it seems to me that you are just trying to be difficult. That's fine you can stick to your black and white interpretations - I'm just gonna watch me some racing

[mabs_nsx]

This is how the 2005 Line-up is most likely going to be.
Confirmed=
unconfirmed=

#1 Sebastien Bourdais (FRA)
Newman/Haas Racing [McDonald's]

#3 Paul Tracy (CDN)
Forsythe Racing [Indeck]

#4 Jos Verstappen (HOL)
HVM Racing [Pemex]

#5 Marcus Marshall (AUS)
Walker Racing [Cummins]

#6 Bruno Junqueira (BRA)
Newman/Haas Racing [PacifiCare]

#7 Rodolfo Lavin (MEX)
Forsythe Racing [Corona]

#8 Timo Glock (GER)
Rocketsports Racing [DHL]

#9 Justin Wilson (GBR)
RüSPORT [Centrix]

#10 A.J. Allmendinger (USA)
RüSPORT [WesternUnion]

#11 Oriol Servia (ESP)
Dale Coyne Racing [Repsol]

#12 Jimmy Vasser (USA)
PKV Racing [Gulfstream]

#15 Alexandre Tagliani (CDN)
Walker Racing [Saputo]

#19 Björn Wirdheim (SWE)
Dale Coyne Racing [AMR]

#21 Cristiano da Matta (BRA)
PKV Racing [Vista]

#23 Michael Valiante (CDN)
Jensen MotorSport [Konica-Minolta]

#27 Andrew Ranger (CDN)
Conquest Racing [Mi-Jack]

#31 Ryan Hunter-Reay (USA)
Rocketsports Racing [Microchip]

#34 Nelson Philippe (FRA)
Conquest Racing [W?X]

#55 Mario Dominguez (MEX)
HVM Racing [Pemex]

Possible additional entries?
#20 Mario Haberfeld (BRA)
Fittipaldi Racing [Petrobras]

[indycool]

Well, guess we just hafta disagree then, trout. You said it was poor journalism, then you said it was because of context. He wasn't trying to explain all the ills and foibles of open-wheel racing. He was trying to tell his readers about the cars and drivers that were going to race in their town, he came up with 12, he tried to contact CCWS for its comment on it and didn't reach anyone and he wrote what he knew.

[enemy-ace]

'Messages left with Champ Car were not immediately returned"

This quote from the article leaves me to wonder. It implies that they were eventually returned. ?????

[D.R.T.]

In regards to the Long Beach Event Organisation. While having the field not fully announced it not an ideal situation. There still is a fair amount of drivers/teams that can promoted etc.

[BootsOntheSide]

Incidentally, what was the writer suposed to put? "Only 12 drivers are comfirmed yet, but the owners of this beleagured series which almost went bankrupt a year ago will open their chequebooks to ensure an 18-car field, even if it means moving their own drivers around and essentially treating the championship's talent and potential stars like pieces of meat? Oh, and there are only 3 US drivers, with lots of other guys you won't;'ve ehard of"???

That the publicity at this stage isn't great is hardly surprising. Mentioning that some of teh smallest and most cash-strapped F1 teams confirm their drivers late is slightly missing the point. Imagine if at the last minute McLaren told Raikkonen "sorry, we can't afford to run you, you'll be with Red Bull and we're running Yoong, because he's rich"?

[D.R.T.]

I would have thought something like " only 12 drivers are confirmed at this stage, however teams have been testing multiple drivers over the last week and contracts with Event Organisers will assure an 18 car field." would be a somewhat closer to mark article gist.

[indycool]

That's close to the mark, D.R.T., but your term "will assure" is very speculative, particularly when CCWS couldn't be reached to authenticate it.

[trout]

Originally Posted by indycool

Well, guess we just hafta disagree then, trout. You said it was poor journalism, then you said it was because of context. He wasn't trying to explain all the ills and foibles of open-wheel racing. He was trying to tell his readers about the cars and drivers that were going to race in their town, he came up with 12, he tried to contact CCWS for its comment on it and didn't reach anyone and he wrote what he knew.

Fair enough Indycool. He still could have done more research. As DRT stipulated, there could have been more context. To date their are 18 to 19 cars committed to the series, and 12 drivers are committed to teams. The writer put a very negative spin on the race and most of that was predicated on the lack of context. Robin Miller , for instance, is fairly critical of CCWS, but he always tries to present the reader with the complete story. The Long Beach article was writen by someone who was pulled from the lawn bowling beat to add content

Me thinks we have fallen into a semantic trap...

[trout]

BTW, last word, a lack of context is poor journalism.

[BootsOntheSide]

Guys who were "pulled fom the lawn bowling beat" will make up a fair proportion fo the potential Long Beach attendace, and they will nto have been hearing positive reports. The media isn't there to simply promote events as positively as possible - they need a story to cover, and OWRS have played into their hands on this. it's mot really acceptable for them to0 be soahrd to get hold of at this stage of the year. Assuming that everyone will ahve all the facts in the right context is a big ask of the general media.

[indycool]

'Spect we have, trout. Perez has covered Long Beach for the P-T for several years, so he's hardly just plucked off the lawn bowling beat. Just your comment of "18 to 19 cars committed" indicates the number is in flux until the dollars are doled out by whoever to whoever. Until it waddles like a duck and quacks like a duck, it ain't a duck. The driverless cars waddle but they haven't quacked yet, although most of us feel they will.

[mabs_nsx]

Anyone know what engines may be used in 2006?

This is how I would like to see it:
Honda
Toyota
Mercedes
Chevy
Ford

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by mabs_nsx

Anyone know what engines may be used in 2006?

Cosworth.

That is all.

It works, so why mess with it?

[trout]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Guys who were "pulled fom the lawn bowling beat" will make up a fair proportion fo the potential Long Beach attendace, and they will nto have been hearing positive reports. The media isn't there to simply promote events as positively as possible - they need a story to cover, and OWRS have played into their hands on this. it's mot really acceptable for them to0 be soahrd to get hold of at this stage of the year. Assuming that everyone will ahve all the facts in the right context is a big ask of the general media.

I agree Boots, I don't want to see a Rose Colored story that says CCWS is the best thing since sliced bread (it ain't). As I noted, Robin Miller is quite good at kicking CCWS in the crotch (hell I think he has a magnet for Gentillozzi's), but he puts things into context. Oreo from ESPN is more subtle, but non-the less he calls it like he sees and always provides the background. Articles from other series stops also have a tendency to put something in context while presenting the reader with a story. If other non-traditional race reporters can present a complete story - why not Long Beach? What makes this more confusing is that the writer, as IndyCool has educated me, is not new to the races. Hence, what is the agenda behind the article - if not just poor reporting? I recollect that the same writer wrote an incredibly negative article at the same time last year? (Others feel free to correct me here).

I don't need CCWS with a cherry on top, but I do expect my press articles to provide some context. Otherwise, I'll just drop the written press althogether and stare at Headline News 7 x 24 and get spoonfed 10 second clips of news events. I'll gaurantee you if that happens, I'll become a NASCAR devotee as my life will continuously go in dizzying cirlces

[icemachine]

'Messages left with Champ Car were not immediately returned"

This quote from the article leaves me to wonder. It implies that they were eventually returned. ?????

What this means is that the articles author called CCWS at 3:30 in the afternoon and left the office after handing in his copy at 5p.m. and recieved a call the next morning after the article had been run.

Thats just my speculation, but having known a few journalism students in college it sounds about right.

[Mosport67]

I think Indy is correct. The outside world (non-racing press) sees ChampCar in this way. After the chaos of last season's media day and the aftermath the amigos should have been better set up for this year.

I understand all the problems of doing so but when you are trying to change the public's perception you have to change the perception of the sports writers (not only the racing press).

I know we will see 18 cars but the OWRS guys are not marketing to me. I'm already there.

[indycool]

Agreed, Mosport. We all know there's going to be 18, but no one knows who those 18 are going to be, and until we -- and the Press-Telegram and every other newspaper out west with an interest in publishing an entry list -- do....well, it's like the apple falling out of the tree and hitting the ground. Does it make a noise if no one is there to hear it "plop?"

[paul-collins]

Originally Posted by macdaddy

More from the same SpeedTV article:

That'll be a trick given that Dalziel is signed for the full season to Pacific Coast in the ALMS.

Or is Jensen only doing 6 races?

[StickShift]

Jensen is doing the full season.

I know Dalziel has a full season contract, but I wouldn't be surprised if Pacific Coast released him for a Champ Car ride. I think all the parties involved know that a Champ Car ride would be a significant step in his career.

[paul-collins]

Champcar higher than ALMS?

...um, ok.