Carpentier Out At Forsythe?

[macdaddy]

We should be happy that we've got a car.
We should be happy that we've got Corona.
We should be happy that we've got Forsythe.
We should be happy that we've got a series to whine about!

[macdaddy]

...Not that I'm happy about Carpentier's situation.
But enough Lavin-bashing already!

[sgjb]

It's a sad day when one of the principles in OWRS has to resort to a paid driver.

He should be letting the underfunded teams have Lavin. What does this say to the fans of the series that he cannot find a sponsor. He had the last 5 years to think about it, he knew Players would be gone. If Forsythe can't find a sponsor, what does that leave in the series for drivers that get paid to drive, 5?

[Mags]

Originally posted by sgjb
It's a sad day when one of the principles in OWRS has to resort to a paid driver.

He should be letting the underfunded teams have Lavin. What does this say to the fans of the series that he cannot find a sponsor. He had the last 5 years to think about it, he knew Players would be gone. If Forsythe can't find a sponsor, what does that leave in the series for drivers that get paid to drive, 5?

Perhaps he IS letting Lavin come to this team and letting Patrick go to a more "underfunded" team... he IS one of the golden 3 after all....

Lavin has Corona, and maybe this is a good PR move????

[sgjb]

Mags,

I would agree if that is the case and I hope you are right.

[Flatspot]

With Forsythe's involvement in the track ownership and race promotion in Mexico, I have to wonder if the Corona connection plays far deeper than just who is in the car. I think this deal is about who is on the car and probably looking at presenting sponsorship at certain events etc.

Given the scope of the Mexican events, Patick's $1MM salary could be but a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme.

[Mags]

Originally posted by Flatspot
With Forsythe's involvement in the track ownership and race promotion in Mexico, I have to wonder if the Corona connection plays far deeper than just who is in the car. I think this deal is about who is on the car and probably looking at presenting sponsorship at certain events etc.

Given the scope of the Mexican events, Patick's $1MM salary could be but a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme.

AND his track in California - that he wants to take CART to and replace Fontana with.

It's ALL about money, as it should be, actually. BUT, it should be value for the dollar, and THAT is the magic comination that seems to be alluding everyone

FREE PATRICK!!

[Dov]

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Toront...07/373407.html

Sun, March 7, 2004

PK rumours are news to Carpentier

By AP and CP

Employees of the Forsythe CART racing team were told that driver Patrick Carpentier would be transferred to another team to make room for Mexican Rodolfo Lavin, Le Journal de Montreal reported yesterday. Team management told several employees on Friday that Carpentier was no longer on the team, but did not inform Carpentier of the announcement, the report said.

Carpentier, of Joliette, Que., said from his home in Las Vegas that he received calls from team members in recent days saying he would either be dropped by the team or transferred to PK Racing after six years with Forsythe.

But he added the plan likely had been scrapped because his contract is "cast in concrete." Forsythe sent him plane tickets, clothes in team colours and a list of functions to attend at a promotional event in Long Beach, Calif., that begins tomorrow, he said.

Forsythe is still looking for a main sponsor since Player's was forced to pull out at the end of last season because of federal anti-tobacco legislation. The report said Forsythe wants to hire Lavin, who brought a sponsorship from Corona beer with him to Walker Racing in 2003.

Craig Pollock, co-owner of PK Racing, was unaware of a transfer, the report said.

"From what I know, the PK Racing drivers in 2004 will be Roberto Gonzalez and Jimmy Vasser," Pollock said.

[Mike.ca]

Flatspot makes an excellent observation about "the big picture".
Here is some more info about Patrick's contract.

[Mags]

Originally posted by Mike.ca
Flatspot makes an excellent observation about "the big picture".
Here is some more info about Patrick's contract.

That's what I thought - he's making $2 mill a year with endorsments. Nice work if you can get it!

FREE PATRICK!!

[Mags]

9am Sunday - and I still haven't heard back from Friend. So I have to assume the worst - and all of this is true, because even HE can't get ahold of Patrick. I remember in 2000 when they were trying to get rid of him, and it was terrible. Yet he bounced back and scored his first win - and has kept on winning.

FREE PATRICK!!

[Mosport67]

Forsythe drops Carpentier


Forsythe is still looking for a main sponsor since Player's was forced to pull out at the end of last season.

Sportsnet.ca -- Forsythe CART racing team has dropped Canadian Patrick Carpentier as a driver, his agent told Sportsnet Saturday.

Alain Labrosse, Carpentier's agent, said that Forsythe has notified his client of the decision and that the team's second car will be driven by Mexican Rodolfo Lavin.

The move comes as a business decision for Forsythe. The team, still looking for a main sponsor since Player's was forced to pull out at the end of last season due to federal anti-tobacco legislation, hopes Lavin will bring his own title sponsor on board.

Under his deal with Forsythe, Carpentier is promised a competitive car. However, a third car depends heavily on sponsorship funds -- money which the team currently does not have.

Since Carpentier is still under contract with Forsythe, the Joliette, Que., native is not in a position to discuss a transfer to another team. Carpentier is currently in Long Beach doing promotional work for Forsythe.

Player's-Forsythe driver Paul Tracy of Toronto won the CART championship last year. Carpentier finished third and fifth the last two seasons.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/autoracing/a...06_202222_4672

[Continental Op]

Just remember Dominguez development under 2nd season. Unfortunately I don´t think Paul Tracy will be as helpful as teammate as Roberto Moreno. Pure speculation though.

[gi_gav]

I edited this image recently to cheer up a Canadian friend of mine, hopefully it can do the same for someone who's as disappointed as I am at this situation.

I wonder what Paul Tracy makes of all this?

[Fogelhund]

The Championship winning team & Team of one of the principles cannot secure sponsorship?

Not really a positive sign.

[Mags]

Want irony? In Portland last year, I sat and spoke with Tag about what happened to Pat in qualifying on Sat. He was furious - Tracy had cut him off - and I told him I'd just seen Pat in a thunder - he told me about what Forsythe had done to him last year and how they had dropped him - and his exact words were "You watch - they will do the same thing to Patrick that they did to ME". I never dreamed.

[Liz]

Well, if you want job security, racing is not the place to find it. Remember poor Frenzen who was fired by fax!

Sad as it mean seem, there's nobody but Fidel Castro who is guaranteed a job for life. I lost my last job with 15 minutes' notice and believe it or not I not only survived but flourished. A lot will depend on how Patrick responds to this turn of fortune.

[sgjb]

Mags and Liz,

You two have met Forsythe and company, I believe. What would possess him to make such a poor PR move right before the unveiling.

Why wouldn't he have done something earlier or even after, I am sure alot of the attention might shift to this and take away from the other good things happening.

If Patrick isn't moved to another team it would be sad as he effectively will be out of a drive for the year. IRL and other series have pretty much made up their driver lineups by now.

Probably would make a good PR move for the IRL to pick him up if he has no other drive!

[Mags]

Sorry... Had to go.

[Bizzo5000]

Champweb has it that Lavin is in, Patrick is out and on too Rocketsports. BUT, they state, each of the three owners agreed to add another car, so here comes the annual Villeneuve coming back rumor. It seems Villeneuve will be in Calli the days of the Season Preview and Montreal next week, presumably for the Molson Indy announcement. I'm not playing these games again this year, but well see how it plays out.
http://www.champweb.net/newsx266.htm

[suzmac]

Sorry, but because the quote had to go...

[Dov]

Again, all relating to eachother...
Cleaning up the paper trail...

[Liz]

It could be that the deal with Corona didn't come through til now -- especially if it's more like "take our driver and we'll give you the moon". And it also could be that they think he'll do better at another team.

I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

[macdaddy]

ChampWeb is reporting that Carpentier is indeed staying at Forsythe as the third car.

[Mags]

Originally posted by macdaddy
ChampWeb is reporting that Carpentier is indeed staying at Forsythe as the third car.

HURRAH!!!