When You Sell Your Soul

[TedN]

Another Good Read From Gentilozzi

Ted

[Flatspot]

"I don't take the Fifth very often, but that's a sensitive issue," Gentilozzi said. "Somewhere there is a guy who is really (capable) of doing this. You don't make bold leadership decisions by birthright, but by good business."

If that is the way he takes the Fifth what would happen if he spoke his mind?

[enemy-ace]

"When you sell your soul to the devil, he eventually wants it."

Ain't that the truth!

[Kicking-back]

Hints there could be more talks after the season is over, so there is something to hope for.

[f1manoz]

Yep, agree with most of what PG has to say there.

[Tim Northcutt]

I'll bet you do....

Gotta admit....he has a certain "perspective" of the world, doesn't he????

[Snrub]

The most interesting part is where he says "There is a better future sooner than I figured."

I really want to know what he means. When he's made those kind of statements they usually turn out to be overstated, but I still want to know.

TedN: Keep posting these things.

[macdaddy]

Snrub, that quote jumped right out at me, too.
And Ted, thanks again.

[codename_47]

Originally posted by Snrub
The most interesting part is where he says "There is a better future sooner than I figured."

I really want to know what he means. When he's made those kind of statements they usually turn out to be overstated, but I still want to know.

TedN: Keep posting these things.

Yep, that was the most important part for me too.

What's coming that (he thinks) is so good it has the IRL worried into talking about unification...:confused:

(At least, that's his perspective of it)

That's what's started me pondering!

[Snrub]

You're right codename, that's what he's implying. If it's truely as big as PG says it is then one would think engine manufacturer, title sponsor, network TV package.

Like I said, PG's burnt us a before with these kinds of comments so my skeptsism stands.

I had REALLY hoped that Honda was behind the pace for 2004 in the IRL. Then there was atleast some chance they might come back to CART. Unfortunately they're embarasing Toyota working with Penske and Ganassi so they must be happy.

[Kicking-back]

Manufacturer money can provide a good short-term boost but it drives up the costs of any series.

For stability, a spec engine is better.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by Snrub
The most interesting part is where he says "There is a better future sooner than I figured."

I really want to know what he means. When he's made those kind of statements they usually turn out to be overstated, but I still want to know.

TedN: Keep posting these things.

Please do, Ted N....you've come across some very interesting items that have made for great discussion.....


Concerning this statement by Mr. Gentilozzi:


If or when the specifics of this "better future sooner than he expected" are made public and verified, then I will comment....

Otherwise, it is just more spin from someone whom I do not trust....

and there are people who raced in Trans Am last year who bought what he said to them who would probably echo my sentiments....

[GBoehm]

[Mags]

Originally posted by enemy-ace
"When you sell your soul to the devil, he eventually wants it."

Ain't that the truth!

I LIKE Paul. He seems to be a straight-shooter.

[mountainstar]

Originally posted by Tim Northcutt
and there are people who raced in Trans Am last year who bought what he said to them who would probably echo my sentiments....

I'm just curious in a non judgemental way, what promises did he make that were not kept and why?

[Kicking-back]

Well, you have to ask yourself why that series only has an 11-car field...

[Tim Northcutt]

These are items that I recall from the Sportscar & GT Forum that were posted by people who ran in Trans-Am last year, and from a business that had set up and "was" running Trans-Am's website:

1. Teams that did compete last year, as of early March, had not been paid prize money they were owed and promised by the series.

2. For the Puerto Rico race teams were promised to be reimbursed for some travel and transport expenses...again, according to those who had raced last year, they had not received that money...

3. The company that set up and ran the Trans Am website was not paid for its contracted services (again, as of March)...when they ceased operations on the site, Trans-Am used the site anyway in violation of copyright law.....the CEO of the company took the time to post a lengthy text about the problkem, and at that time, they were looking at their legal options....

These things may have been settled since March....

But a person is only as good as his word....these three examples would seem to indicate that Mr. Gentilozzi's other series is not necessarily good for its word....since teams and vendors were apparently not paid money promised to them for months after they were told they would be paid...

These issues may have been resolved....I don't know...

But in my opinion (and it is just my opinion), I would have trouble trusting what Mr. Gentilozzi has to say...based on how his other series has treated its key stakeholders...

Take that for what you will....I know that you're getting this third- hand, so details may have been left out...

I apologize for not having a photographic memory...

If this situation HAS changed, or is inaccurate, if anyone representing Mr. Gentilozzi, or Mr. Gentilozzi himself, would like to post his or Trans-Am's version of the story, I encourage them to do so....

If what I have stated is not the case, I will gladly rettract it, and will publicly apologize on this Forum in this thread....or I will start another thread to do so...

But I am merely passing along what people who were involed in trans-Am, or were in a business relationship with Trans-Am, had posted in the Sportscar & GT Forum...

[Liz]

IRL vice president Fred Nation, whose circuit competes at Pikes Peak International Raceway on Aug. 21-22, said last week's meeting ended with two familiar obstacles - international races and leadership - preventing an agreement.

Somehow I think that if the issue of "leadership", i.e. no Tony George involvement, were solved, the issue of "international races" would turn out not to be a problem at all.

A good read, and I don't see anything in it that even hints that Mom and Dad are going to remarry.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by Liz
Somehow I think that if the issue of "leadership", i.e. no Tony George involvement, were solved, the issue of "international races" would turn out not to be a problem at all.

A good read, and I don't see anything in it that even hints that Mom and Dad are going to remarry.

I would agree with the statement that Mom and Dad aren't going to remarry...

But you paraphrased Mr. Nation's quote, Liz....al least when compared to his quote in the Indianapolis Star....

Mr. Nation clairified the IRL position on "leadership" by stating that having team owners as the "leadership" is not a desired leadership structure from their point of view due to conflicts of interest and possible divergent interests among those team owners, and noted that it didn't work when CART was run that way...

Sure....Tony George being the "leader" is a problem for the OWRS people....

But the IRL doesn't want a unification to be run by the team owners, the way CART was....

So it is really a two-way street....

[Kicking-back]

Yep.

Like many divorces, fault on both sides.

[racinthestreets]

PG did say a good leader is out there. I agree that good leader is not TG, simply because of what he has inheritied. I am as curious as all as to what is to be announced. Interesting.

[Mackmot]

I read the title and thought someone had got Halliburton sponsorship

[Kicking-back]

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by racinthestreets
PG did say a good leader is out there. I agree that good leader is not TG, simply because of what he has inheritied. I am as curious as all as to what is to be announced. Interesting.

A guy who has Penske ties, had connections in open-wheeled racing, and had held a leadership position in the racing division of a major automaker for years is Michael Kranefuss....

Personally, I would like to see someone clone Scott Atherton of the ALMS....

I'm sure that there are leaders out there....but finiding someone who could do the job well, understands the particular needs of open-wheel racing, can handle the different factions and personalities within these two racing communities, can be a bridge to heal the wounds on all sides of this issue, and is a visionary who can see where things need to go and how to get there would be a rare individual, indeed...

Because the "leader" that these various parties have in mind will have to possess all of those qualities...

and quite frankly, when it has come to "choosing leaders" in the past, the former CART (of which all three of the OWRS principals were a part of) did a terrible job when it came to "choosing someone to lead the Series"....Craig, heitzler, Pook...need I say more???

But I am sure that there ARE "leaders" out there...

Finding one that both groups could accept, and would posses those qualities listed above could be a very tall task...

I don't see Mom and Day patching things up...not for a long time...

[Dov]

I think that Dan Gurney would be a good choice to run a united OW series.... http://www.allamericanracers.com/bio.html