Mikey's Full of Hot Air!!!

[Dov]

From SpeedTV.... http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/champcar/9442/

Michael Andretti Calls for Open-Wheel Unity
Written by: Jeff Olson
Indianapolis, Ind. – 1/20/2004

As open-wheel racing teams await news of the future of CART, Michael Andretti knows what he wants to see. One series, and one series only.

And that one series is the one in which he's currently involved, not the one in which he won 42 races during 19 years.

"My hope is that CART goes away and we become one series," said Andretti, co-owner of Andretti Green Racing, which will begin its second season in the Indy Racing League next month. "That's what I hope. If open-wheel racing is going to start going where we want it to go, that's what's going to have to happen. If CART continues on, it's just going to drag all of open-wheel racing down. It would be a shame for that to happen."

IRL and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George has until Friday to submit a bid on CART's assets. The sanctioning body has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to protect itself from creditors. Three CART team owners -- Paul Gentilozzi, Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe -- have formed Open Wheel Racing Series and also are bidding for CART's assets. Federal bankruptcy judge Frank J. Otte has promised a decision by Jan. 28.

"The damage has been done," Andretti said Tuesday during an interview at AGR headquarters. "Everything is where it’s at. Let's not worry about what happened. Let's worry about fixing it. That's what we have to do. I'm sick of talking about it. I'm sick of talking about whose fault this was and whose fault that was. Who cares? Let's just fix it. It doesn't matter. Let's fix it."

George could bid on all of CART's assets, a portion of the assets, or render no bid. An IRL spokesman said last week that the league is examining CART's paperwork with particular attention on possible financial penalties from race promoters if contracted events are not held.

Andretti said he's privy to some inside information regarding George's plans, but declined to elaborate.

"I know some things, and hopefully it's all going to be positive," Andretti said. "I don't know everything that's going on, no. I'm hoping that because it's been quiet, that's a good sign. I'm hoping that things are going on that we don't know about. Obviously it's going to come to a head quickly. I think Tony would like to see it. He knows it. He knows that one series is where it needs to be at. I'm sure he's going to do everything he can to try to make it happen. Having said that, he's not going to give up everything, either, and he shouldn't. He spent a lot of money to get where he's at. He's basically won the war. At this point, he doesn't need to be giving anything away."

The CART bankruptcy proceeding is the topic of conversation in race shops throughout Indianapolis, with the future of hundreds of mechanics and other racing personnel in the balance. Andretti and two of his drivers, Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti, were given an angry sendoff in 2002 by CART fans when they announced plans to leave the Champ Car World Series for the IRL's all-oval format.

Now, with CART in shambles and IRL officials talking about road racing, former CART stars are calling for peace -- and hoping to get back to road courses.

"We should fix things first," Kanaan said. "The biggest problem we have right now is that the two series are divided. We can go road racing any time. I'm ready. We came from that. I can't wait to do it again, but I would rather see something get done first (to unify open-wheel racing)."

IRL officials, who last season told owners to prepare for the possibility of road races in 2004, now say adding road or street courses to the 2004 schedule would be unlikely. However, they remain optimistic that some of CART's more popular road racing venues might be added to the 2005 IRL schedule.

That possibility enthuses the other former CART drivers in Andretti's stable, Franchitti and Bryan Herta.

"I can't wait," said Herta, who won CART races at Laguna Seca in 1998 and 1999. "I'd love to do as many road courses as they can add to the schedule. You can't just add a road course -- or an oval, for that matter -- just to have it, but there are some great street and road course events that would add to the series."

The notion that the two series could continue to co-exist has fallen out of favor with several stars of CART's recent past. The defection from CART of high-profile teams like Marlboro Team Penske and Target/Chip Ganassi Racing in recent years has added to the strength of the IRL and its chance to become the sole sanctioning body of open-wheel racing in North America.

The message Tuesday from most successful driver in CART history was loud and clear. End it.

"I think our product is the best in the world right now, but because we're divided, we're not getting it out there," Andretti said. "If we were to get the news that this is now all coming together, I believe we would get rid of that stigma and could just start working on the positives and building on the positives."

[f1manoz]

I think Whiney has a drip of Kool-Aid attached to his arm.

It's amazing how they sing the praises of the IRL once they've all joined eh?

Strong stuff that kool-aid...

[indycool]

He's just espousing one series, like his dad has, in this circumstance with CART being bankrupt. There seems to be two schools of thought: 1) OWRS and two series forever, and; 2) Unification. There seems to be a lot of people changing their minds, too, since the landscape changed. I suppose it'll be debated a lot on the boards for the next couple weeks until something is decided.

[GP Racer]

Mikey speaks the truth, and he's certainly not the only one. The chorus for one series is getting louder by the day, as more and more of the players from both series chimes in.

How anyone at this point, after all thats been said, can still believe that having these two series co-exist, is still possible, must have there head firmly buried in the sand, or there letting there hatred of TG and all those who left for the IRL, blind them to the realities. Anyone that matters in these two series, is calling for one series! Two series forever is not an option any longer, one or both, will go out of business due to lack of interest by anyone other than those on forums like this.

Now is the time to get this thing done, or forever hold your peace.

[climb]

of course, now means starting from 2005 season.

[indycool]

GP, I'd like to express my thinking a bit further.

Mario Andretti, widely respected and lauded as a great racing ambassador and thinker on these boards, has continuously expressed the idea of one open-wheel series being paramount. Others in racing and on these boards have championed that view.

CART is now bankrupt and unification -- in whatever form --is possible. It may not be possible to "merge" in the way each and every individual desires, but it's possible.

So I don't understand the reversal of those who regarded unification as a good thing previously to bash a possible IRL bid in this process now. An IRL bid COULD achieve unification. The OWRS bid can't. Simple as that.

[GP Racer]

I couldn't agree more indy.

I find it hard to believe that they would rather see the series struggle along, with not enough cars, sponsors, and venues, and most importantly, a TV contract that won't draw more fans than an FCC Emergency Broadcast Signal. In todays dog-eat-dog, competitive world, this simply won't cut it. You need big-time drivers, teams and sponsors with a TV contract and marketing to rival NASCAR, or you can forget it. IMHO, OWRS will never get this series back to its glory days, and maybe that was never there agenda, which brings me to another point:

On paddock talks web site, there's a story going around, that Gentilozzi had tried to enter into some kind of deal with TG, about running a bare-bone Champ Car series in 2004, and then selling it to TG in 2005, and he then gets a piece of the IRL. It was a piece by Don Slenka and is being confirmed by Forrest Bond.

That would confirm the suspicions I've long held, about PG not being an honest broker in all of this. He's a money man, plain and simple, with no love, or history with this series. He doesn't truly have the Champ Car fans best interest at heart here. Its about him, and what he can get out of this. If this turns out to be true, I want to see the reactions of all those who trusted this man and put there faith in him so blindly, and without question.

I believe he has known, and has been working towards one series all along, and will profit handsomely, all the while telling fans that all he ever wanted was to bring this series back to the big time.

I'm sure PG will put a positive spin on this, by making himself look like a genius, and the savior of open-wheel racing, when all he really wanted was the money...

[indycool]

PG's genius for the fine art of public speaking just came forward again at Autoweek, saying if you believe the IRL has altruistic motives, "you're smoking crack." I think he's trying to out-Pook Pook's comments about p-ing on brains. Wonderful guy to lead the sport.

http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?p..._code=02462463

I think for the fans, and the sport of open wheel racing. there just needs to be one series for god sake, just divide the venues up equaly and get on with the racing already. I want to see fast openwheel 750hp cars on the best circuts and ovals that best sute the fans and the sponsers demands. so everyone can be happy and to top it off have the Indy 500 as the crown jewel, heck bring back the tripe crown just do something UNIFIED soon ps Nascar has already won who's going to be the first loser?

[SurfaceUnits]

Unification, tunafication, yada yada yada. Open wheel in the US is dead and will be a marginal sport, at best, for years to come, possibly outdrawing MLS. The net result of a so-called unification will be a drop in overall attendance for many, many years. Too many people have POed too many people - fans and sponsors alike. No one will still show up at the venues; Television will still produce awesome .8s and .9s; but everyone involved will think that they matter somehow. It's John Effing Kerry laughable.

[indycool]

I don't share your pessimism, SurfaceUnits. I think it would be much easier to market one series than the confusion we've had for eight years.

[SurfaceUnits]

Who has been confused? I don't know of anyone who has been confused. I hear a lot of people using that as an excuse. People aren't confused, they simply don't care.

[GP Racer]

So what happened to Gentilozzi's friendship and trust of TG? All of a sudden he hates the guy he called a friend.

I'll tell you what I think, PG's "sweetheart" deal(the one mentioned in my last post)with TG fell through. His sudden anger with TG over the possible IRL bid, is just to intense for it to be anything else. He was blind-sided. Gentilozzi saw himself walking away with a boat-load of cash when he sold whats left of the Champ Car series to TG in 2005, and getting a piece of the IRL to boot. Now he could be stuck with a series thats going to cost a small fortune to run.

I especially like this line of PG's in the Autosport article, "what has Tony said that has proven accurate?" I think the same can be said about Gentilozzi...

[Dov]

Originally posted by indycool
I don't share your pessimism, SurfaceUnits. I think it would be much easier to market one series than the confusion we've had for eight years.

"One Series" as long as TG is running it and there's only 3-4 road/street courses....right, Indycool & GP!?

"One Series" means TG and OWRS running it together and a schedule that is at least 50/50 on road&street/oval courses! Everybody would be better off if Tony went back to just running the track!

GP, you told me a while back to keep an open mind, but from reading your past few threads, it looks like you need to take your own advice...

[SurfaceUnits]

It's the same ole story of the past 10 years. And those clowns who destroyed OWR think I'm going to line their bank accounts now?

[blueflagger]

Originally posted by SurfaceUnits
Who has been confused? I don't know of anyone who has been confused. I hear a lot of people using that as an excuse. People aren't confused, they simply don't care.

Sadly, SurfaceUnits, I think you are correct. Most people don't care. There are plenty of other race series and even other sports who have quickly sucked attention away from CART / IRL. There are us diehards, with our diehard opinions, but others have moved on to ProRally, F1, sailing, or bike racing.

Personally, I don't like IRL. I think their cars suck wind and so do most of their drivers. Sadly, CART has also been slipping in this direction since the division. I'll root for a single series but only if they give us some good cars to watch and a lot of road courses to watch them on. Otherwise, it's just NASCAR junior with visible wheels.

And, before you flame me, keep in mind that this is just my biased opinion.

[Testure]

I'm not from North America, but I've spent plenty of time there and, frankly, I have to agree with SurfaceUnits! There's no confusion - the IRL has the big-name teams, sponsors, drivers and tracks. Hasn't helped it much, though, has it? Open-wheel isn't popular in the US at the moment; maybe it will be in the future, maybe not. Either way, I don't see a reduction to one series making much difference.

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by Dov
"One Series" as long as TG is running it and there's only 3-4 road/street courses....right, Indycool & GP!?

"One Series" means TG and OWRS running it together and a schedule that is at least 50/50 on road&street/oval courses! Everybody would be better off if Tony went back to just running the track!

GP, you told me a while back to keep an open mind, but from reading your past few threads, it looks like you need to take your own advice...

I'm open-minded enough to accept whatever comes out of this, but I will tell you, I won't enjoy seeing OWRS scraping up a half-a^s season or two, that won't be good for anyone.

I've made no secret that I'd like to see one series, whatever it takes, and however it needs to get done, and it doesn't have to be TG running it. It may sound that way, but thats only because I believe he is in the best position to make it happen. After its done, he can go back to running his track, like you said.

I've become disenchanted with Gentilozzi, because I think he's in this strictly for the money, and no other reason, which would be OK, except he's presenting himself to the fans as having only the best interests of the series at heart. Thats pretty disengenuous. Also, it seems that none of his big ideas for the series have materialized, which would make me wonder why anyone could think he's capable of running this series, long term, or if that was ever his true intention in the first place. His business plan is also very Pook-like, so what kind of prognosis does that give for a solid future?

I think that one series would eventually morph into a 50/50 split(or thereabouts)of road courses and ovals, but it may not happen right away. This whole one series concept, however it comes, would take some time to see it become successful.

[Fogelhund]

As much as it may anger some, there is much truth being stated here.

On a balance sheet; (simplistic view)

CART
Plus side - better cars(subjective I know), road racing, attendance at tracks
Minus side - No draw on TV, large cost, little revenue

IRL
Plus side - Marquee teams, Marquee sponsors
Minus side - No draw on TV, or at the track

Given current trends, both series are approaching irrelevance. Seriously, What do you call a series that has no viewership?

Whose fault this is, no longer matters. How Open Wheel Racing (not to be confused with OWRS) under any format continues in NA is what's the important factor.

Think about it. The CART/OWRS gig, while a format I massively favour, makes no economic sense. There isn't enough money to fund its current cost structure. There are no plans forwarded by OWRS to restructure, at least that they've stated. OWRS without a massive restructering would die.

Then there is IRL - shrinking cars counts, and few fans. Perhaps a slow death march on its own.

If you want Open Wheel to survive, it really should be merged. Those running the consolidated format, really will need to keep in mind, who has the support at all right now. A 50/50 format, appeasing those marquee teams, sponsors and manufacturers, is the only way this survives.

[indycool]

Well, SurfaceUnits, for starters, the CART series was marketed as the Indycars for 16 years. The split came and they aren't the cars that run at Indy any more. That's a starter for confusion.

In any kind of unification, there will not be one single person associated with the sport or fan that will like whatever shakes out 100 percent. That's not possible with all the variables of where it could go.

GP, I agree with what you feel about Gentilozzi. His comment about "smoking crack" is about as noble and leaderlike as Pook's "p-ing on brains."

It comes down to the IRL being in potential position now to unify the series. OWRS is not and will not be.

[SurfaceUnits]

The new indycars aren't the indycars that everyone who used to follow indycars followed. And they never will be. That's an end to confusion.

[indycool]

To the general, not hardcore, race fan? C'mon.

[Snrub]

Michael thinks IRL has the best racing in the world? That's a good one.

Ideally one series would be best, but there doesn't seem to be a good way of doing this. TG clearly does not look at racing from a racer's perspective.

As for PG being in it just for the money, I have to disagree. I don't think many people become personally weathly as a result of being involved in racing. He's emphasized the business stuff because he's trying to make a statement about how he wants it to be run. Currently and in recent history CART and the IRL are not really businesses, they're money holes. Even if PG is in it just for the money he'd have to be looking atleast 10 years down the line before he'd make a return on all the money it'll take to get CART make a good profit.

[SurfaceUnits]

In case you haven't been to a race recently, say the past 6 years, hardcore fans are all that is left. General fans are wearing Joe Bob Earnhardt tees and watching cars their grandmothers drive to Thursday night bingo.

[Ac.]

Well said Fogelhund, as usual you can be counted on to bring a balanced view. Unfortunately, I don't think there are too many principals left in either series that are "balanced" themselves, with the possible exception of Forsythe.

Despite being the real money and driving force behind OWRS, GF has been invisible as the negotiations for CART have played out. I would propose that PG is just the mouthpiece for OWRS, and that he is following a carefully scripted story designed by Forsythe. The steps are as follows.

1. Purchase CART's assets and continue as OWRS. The goal of this step is to preserve the prominence of road/street racing in open wheel. If CART/OWRS dies, then so will road and street.

2. Continue racing in 2004, even though it will cost a fair bit out of pocket.

3. As a private company GF will begin reunification talks that preserve some of the fundamental values that make CART what it is, while also supporting some of the IRL's key goals.

GF knows that TG and the IRL are hurting. See this article for a good synopsis of their woes.

http://www.valvoline.com/pages/racin...r.asp?nid=1453

While CART may be near dead, the countdown is on for the IRL. Once the existing TV deal ends the IRL will not be able to renew for a reasonable amount of money, major sponsors and manufacturers will leave and the IRL will shrivel up just like CART has. They have only a few years to turn things around, and there would be no better way than through a reunification that benefits BOTH SIDES, not the bitter scenario that GP Racer and indycool are hoping to see.

Today we are seeing the classic good cop/bad cop scenario with PG currently being bad on TG. The bad cop wouldn't have been necessary if the IRL had chosen to keep their nose out of the bankruptcy bidding, but that is what PG is there for, to say whatever is required at this time. This protects Forsythe from the scrutiny of the media and allows him to be prepared to work behind the scenes.

As for notion that PG has planned all along to take over CART, only to sell/trade it to the IRL in return for a piece....well ultimately I see that as acurate, but not in the way that cynics like GP Racer and indycool think. Instead it will be through the planned reunification of open wheel.

If OWRS can just hang on for a season or two a fair reunion can happen.