Mario says, "Series should marry."

[¡As-de-mim!]

Mario Andretti a CART backer



By JIM CRESSMAN -- London Free Press

DELAWARE -- Michael Andretti may be a team owner and driver in the Indy Racing League, but that doesn't mean his father supports the all-oval IndyCar Series.

"I'm a CART supporter. I'm not an IRL supporter. I support my son," Mario Andretti said last night during an appearance at Delaware Speedway.

"An all-oval, open-wheel series like IRL, I do not support. I believe in diversity."

The CART Champ Car World Series, where Andretti starred, has oval and road course events, while IndyCar is run all on ovals.

Andretti, 63, who this week was successful in bringing CART and Road America back together for this season, said having two open-wheel series in North America is not healthy.

"We need to marry the two," he said of CART and IRL. "If somebody would listen, I would do it in a minute. I really do believe it can be accomplished.

"But it will take several minds. I cannot devise a plan and run it down people's throats. Everybody has to throw something at the wall and devise a plan beneficial to everybody."

Andretti said racing must "listen to the fans." That's why he initiated talks between CART and Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wis., to restore that long-standing event.

It has been renamed the Mario Andretti Grand Prix at Road America.

"This can make a win-win situation." Andretti said. "The reaction I've been getting from the racing community is great and we should learn from that.

"Events that have tradition, it takes almost a lifetime to build and they should not be taken lightly."

It took Andretti a little less than a lifetime to become a racing legend.

He began in 1959 and last night told the drivers at their pre-race meeting: "As much as things change, sometimes they stay the same.

"I've been watching some of you guys race out there (during practice) and this is pretty much where I started in Nazareth, Pa., in sportsman stock cars."

Later, in addressing the crowd before dropping the green flag, Andretti said: "This looks all so familiar, even though it happened so long ago.

"I raced at a lot of short tracks in Canada -- 1962 was my first time in Canada -- and it's always like coming home.

"True race fans live in Canada."

[Omega99]

Really now, I don't know what to think. I hate the IRL, but Mario says merge...

Honestly, I tend to kind of sort of agree with the man here. I mean, open-wheel racing is in trouble in the US (outside of the Indy 500) and the competition between the two series is hurting both. I just don't know that it's doabable. You'd end up with more drivers of, well, "mixed talent", and those crapwagon deathtraps would get anhialated by the Lolas, probably even the Reynards. There would be a huge financial cost to upgrading their cars. Another concern would be the schedule. They can't just merge the two schedules (too many ovals/conflicts) and what would get cut?

I'm confused . Is this good? Bad? Indifferent? I can see an upside, but the dowside is just terrifying...

[The Snout]

Either one series (IRL) must fold or the arse has to drop out off both series for them to do a deal.

The irony here is that we the fans have more power in all this than we exercise.

[Omega99]

That's very true

[The Snout]

The fans are nucking futs. It's our series, we should have taken control of it a long time ago.

Trouble is people would rather wait for the bosses to pull the thing together. They've had 7 years, no dice. The fans, by not attending any race or buying any products etc etc could send some pretty clear signals as to what we're prepared to cop. After a couple of races IRL and CART bosses would be at the fans feet. But fans aren't united in the cause, no matter how much people here b*itch about the whole thing. Me included.

[Jay]

To be honest, a merged series would be a lot stronger, but not under the terms the IRL would have.

Merging would be great. Keep Cart exactly as it is, add Indy and dump the rest of that garbage series known as the IRL...which I think stands for Injured Racing League.

[Lee Janotta]

Yeah, very true Snout.

I've always supported re-merging the series... Just not under Tony George's terms. Keep the schedule varied, keep the ratio of overseas to North American drivers about even, and find ways to cut costs and creatively market the series to provide a better value for everyone involved.

And I think the very best hope we have is for the elder statesmen to lead the way. Mario, A.J. Foyt, and Dan Gurney would be my picks to lead open-wheel racing in North America, with the _mandate_ of the fans. Businessmen like Tony George, Bernie, Pook, Forsythe, Penske, Rahal, and all the others will inevitably have alterior motives, and will never recieve a true mandate from the fans. But I think a tribunal of legendary drivers like those three could draw the massive fan support and energy that's so desperately needed.

I don't see vapid cheerleading getting us anywhere, Jay. Both series have their strong and weak points. A lot of Champcar fans would kill for Pheonix, and the tight racing the IRL has.

And as for keeping CART exactly as it is... How anyone can _ever_ claim the status quo is perfect, in _any_ situation, is beyond me.

[Omega99]

I think we can all agree that Tony George's terms would probably not be desirable. Mario's got a ton of influence at all levels of racing, and he says he likes diversity, so we'd better see diversity if they merge. In the event of a merger I would hope (and pray) that the quality of racing would be that of CART.

[The Snout]

Well, if I said here that I'm not going to go to Surfers this year in protest to the open wheel split between the IRL and CART, and I asked every fan of CART and the IRL to do the same until both parties sat down and work the whole f*uckin lot out how many would ? Yep, probably not many cause they think no one else would. So I say are we as openwheel fans really serious about unifying openwheel in North America. What's missing attending you local CART event for one year compared to unifying the whole show.

Yep I'm being radical for sure, but Jesus H Christ, the fans have more power than TG and Pook combined yet when it comes time to sh*it or bust, to stand up, all of us wouldn't bother. I don't consider myself a leader but if someone, some movement came along and mobilised the openwheel fans in putting pressure in getting CART and IMS back together I'd be behind it.

<Insert Braveheart Clip here>

And as a footnote, places like Texas, Chicagoland etc and racing there in the IRL does nothing for me. But if having them onboard led to a unified series, count them in I say. Let's compromise.

[Fogelhund]

First, everyone agrees that one series would be better then what we have now, of course nobody agrees upon what format, which is why we have two.

There are many valid reasons to dislike the IRL, but I can't understand one of the reasons.

The dislike of Ovals and their risk factor.

Why is it that when CART ran ovals, nobody complained about the risk factor? And is it me, or were less people injured in CART ovals then in IRL?

I'm a road racing fan to the core, but to bring the two series together, you'd probably need at least 1/3 of the tracks to be ovals again.

[Flatspot]

SOSDD if you catch my drift.

[#27]

Dont you mean 'catch my draft'?

[Dov]

I agree with you Snout and Im willing to miss as many Molson Indy Toronto's as it takes. But that isn't good enough...even if we get everybody in the CART and maybe the IRL forums to agree to boycott their local races...that's only a VERY small percent. So the BIG question is, how does each of us get most (won't get all) of our local racing fans to stay away from the RACE? Let's also remember that many fans all ready bought their tickets anywhere from six months to a year in advance. Finally, I say to the fans who boycott their local race...don't just stay away from the race, but let's all get together and have a huge rally outside the front gates. Let's show Chris Pook (CART) and Tony George (IRL) that we are fed up with the state that North American open wheel racing is in right now and we are not going to stand for it anymore. I still have no idea how the HELL this is going to work. Anybody have any good ideas???

[The Snout]

Originally posted by Dov
I agree with you Snout and Im willing to miss as many Molson Indy Toronto's as it takes. But that isn't good enough...even if we get everybody in the CART and maybe the IRL forums to agree to boycott their local races...that's only a VERY small percent. So the BIG question is, how does each of us get most (won't get all) of our local racing fans to stay away from the RACE? Let's also remember that many fans all ready bought their tickets anywhere from six months to a year in advance. Finally, I say to the fans who boycott their local race...don't just stay away from the race, but let's all get together and have a huge rally outside the front gates. Let's show Chris Pook (CART) and Tony George (IRL) that we are fed up with the state that North American open wheel racing is in right now and we are not going to stand for it anymore. I still have no idea how the HELL this is going to work. Anybody have any good ideas???

For sure it's tough for people who have already bought tickets for events this year and in all fairness they should go to their events. Maybe the time for any action like this would begin next year. And your point about reaching all the fans and telling them is a point well made, and I guess we use the net, use forums to spread the word, wear tshirts at events this year. Just some ideas.

But I'm serious, and if it's picketing outside the IMS and CART HQ then I'm prepared to fly from Australia to take my place in the line, that's how serious I am and what it means to me. (Plus sampling a few brewski's with the lads while I'm over )

We're all (and I'm pretty sure you can count the majority of the IRL fans too) sick and tired of openwheels being a shadow of what it was. And if we unified both series given a year or 2 I believe it would make some serious inroads into the NASCAR stranglehold. And you guys out there who don't want an opportunity for Bernie to come on in, well here's your big chance to unify the show before Bernie takes any real control.

Now as for action. Perhaps we first picket CART and IMS for a day or two a month or two before the end of the seasons. Not only is the protest a demostration saying we want them to talk but also formally sending them a message that starting Race 1 of 2004, no fans are going to turn up for their events until they sit down and come up with a signed agreed plan to reunite their series. (And we make damm sure we tell SpeedChannel about the protest to get coverage, ESPN too) The idea being that after a race or two in 2004 when they pull less than 5000 race day fans per event and ratings are in the sh1tter they will realise it's what the fans want and the fans are serious.

Anyway there's some of my thoughts. I know it's radical and seems totally stupid, but after watching and waiting on these forums for ages for the 'golden' news I 'm tired of waiting on the politicians of George, Penske, Pook, Bernie, Ganassi. God damm it, it's our racing, we put the money up in buying tickets, buying **** from Target, Texaco, Miller, lets tell them, for once, how it's going to be.

Ok, I need a drink.

[macdaddy]

Dov saying that he's "willing to miss as many Molson Indy Toronto's as it takes" is a step in the wrong direction. Don't forget that the fans aren't the only ones who keep this sport alive... there are sponsors. Start boycotting OW racing and watch what happens to NASCAR. On a personal level, I've boycotted the IRL races at Michigan, but I'm not about to start boycotting CART. With the television package as poor as it is, what we need to do is fill the grandstands weekend after weekend. Do that and the the sponsors will come, the TV will improve, and with the TV comes a new generation of fans.

But, as far as a "merger" is concerned, it ain't gonna happen. Let me quote Mario from the article ¡As-de-mim! posted. "If somebody would listen..."

ChampCar needs to be equally as wary of Bill France as they are of Tony George.

[BootsOntheSide]

My ideal merged series would be about 15 road courses, 7 ovals, mostly in the US and Canada, but with visits to Australia, Brazil, and ideally 2 or 3 in Europe. I'd dump a lot of the street courses in favour of challenges like Laguna Seca and Road America. Spa and Brands would be ideal too.

I'd like to see such a series ran by a committee of racing enthusiasts, including no mroe than a handful of current team owners. Generally, it shouldn't be people with a financial interest such as track ownership.

Hardware should be relatively low spec, maybe supplied by no more than 3 or 4 suppliers, and independanntly regulated by technical experts to ensure that Traction Control and the like can't sneak in.

Drivers? ANyone who's good enough. It'd be nice to see at least 6-8 American guys out there though, perhaps the series should pitch in to help fund guys like Allmendinger, Giebler, Gidley and Barron, whcih should limit the number of Lemarie / Camathias / Lavin / Mayer type chancers.

[slicktoast]

Oh yeah, the bride of Frankenstein

[gaines]

The idea being that after a race or two in 2004 when they pull less than 5000 race day fans per event and ratings are in the sh1tter

Would the IRL notice? You've described a regular IRL weekend already.

Actually I don't think you have to do anything on either side. It's pretty clear from ratings and attendance drops that racing fans have had enough of the open wheel wars. Meanwhile NASCAR has run away with the sponsors, money and fanbase. Oh for 1995 again but I wouldn't hold my breath. Too many egos and not enough common sense in open wheel racing's management.

I still say you run both series exactly as they are but under one banner. You have the "Open Wheel World Series" or whatever the **** you want to call it, and have the Indy division and Champ Car division. They you use the Indy 500 as your all-star race and then have a winner take all championship race between the top ten drivers in each division at season's end. Run the thing in a different city each year. Just make sure it's not an ISC venue so NASCAR doesn't benefit from your series. They've got enough of a monopoly on racing.

[BlueStang]

Originally posted by Omega99
In the event of a merger I would hope (and pray) that the quality of racing would be that of CART.

I would hope (and pray) that the street courses would be mostly eliminated. Most of the racing, in both series, on ovals is good, and most of the road course racing is good, but those darn street parades are as boring as watching paint dry.

Blue

[Dov]

It would be great if Mario Andretti was on a panel at one of these CART Town Meetings. That would give CART fans the chance to share their thoughts on OW racing in North America with Mario and for him to share his thoughts with us.

[The Snout]

Oh for 1995 again but I wouldn't hold my breath. Too many egos and not enough common sense in open wheel racing's management.

Yep. And business and money being more important. This is why I chucked up the ideas. If it's left to just 5 or 6 guys to dictate to the thousands how it's going to be in this case, and with their track records, lets just say I believe the fans should have a say.

Everyone talks about if CART and the IRL merged what sort of series/tracks would we want, but there isn't squat from the fans in the way of action. Do we boycott all events, CART and IRL, maybe not, it's just an idea. Maybe we call on all fans to go to IMS and stand outside in protest calling on TG to talk to Pook. All I'm saying is we talk and talk about pre 1996 and how we would like a unified openwheel series, but I haven't seen one fan (sorry Dov excepted) that would even raise a finger to unify anything. For 7 years we've just taken it, waited for the powers that be to get together and work it all out and it hasn't happened.
If the fans wanted and I mean really wanted to put some pressure into the situation and to bring it all to a head by boycott races/products/tv etc etc they could, but as I've said, the fans aren't serious enough to do the hard yards that could be done. Oh and BTW, I've never protested anything in my life which shows how much it means.

Don't forget that the fans aren't the only ones who keep this sport alive... there are sponsors.

Mac I know what your saying, I'd just like to add though that it's the people and fans who buy the products of the sponsors. If you trace Tv, sponsors, ticket sales, merchandise, all avenues of revenue to the source it comes from the fans. The sponsors do keep the sport alive for sure, however they wouldn't if the fans weren't there.

[Jordi]

I'd gladly be back to 1995. Player's had no worries about laws yet, and Jacques in a Player's car was becoming the best driver at the time...

The merger is the only solution really. Or the quicker, rather. Maybe both series will grow enough to be alive and well, but that'll take time. A well-done reunification, that is. One that would make the most people happy.

[JohnSSC]

A year ago CART/IRL fans were at each other's throats. Today I read sensible talk about merging the series' together.

You all are right about that because the only "winner" so far has been NASCAR. Don't boycott your races though - you want to have two series able to merge and neither of them is in tremendous financial shape right now.

There needs to be common ground identified in order for the merger to happen. Some are already talking here of rules/venues etc. I'd like to see the parties agree to talk first!

[Jordi]

If one can do it... surely it's Mario.

Not putting any responsability on him, but he's the most prestigious American driver national and internationally...
When Mario talks, people listen. Let's hope they listen too.

[JohnSSC]

Problem is there are too many people in both Series that hear only their own voice...