ChampCar v IRL for St. Pete

Dov · 23 Jun 2004, 19:35 (Ref:1013765)

From Autoweek.... http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?p..._code=04319109

(08:30 June 23, 2004)
Champ Car, IRL in battle to snag St. Petersburg date

By AUTOWEEK

The battle for venues between Champ Car and the IRL might be waged next in Florida. The IRL has named St. Petersburg as one of its target road-racing markets, and Champ Car is wasting no time trying to beat George’s boys to the punch. Tim Ramsberger, Champ Car’s vice president of race promotions, was headed to St. Petersburg immediately after the race in Portland, and some insiders claim there could be a new deal to race there within a few weeks.

Champ Car (as CART) held the first open-wheel race in St. Pete in 2003, and the event was generally viewed as a success. The series hoped to return this year and move the date from February to May, but that was before Tom Begley intervened.

Begley has owned rights to a street race in St. Petersburg since 1991 and was general manager of the inaugural CART race there. But in December 2003 Begley sued CART and Dover Motorsports, co-promoter of the event, claiming he is owed $750,000 for the 2003 race. Champ Car’s new owners bailed this year when Begley refused to settle the suit or turn over the rights to the race.

Whichever series makes friends with Begley might have the inside line on St. Petersburg. Either way, Champ Car or the IRL will likely have to go through Begley, or figure out a way to go around him.

macdaddy · 23 Jun 2004, 19:38 (Ref:1013767)

IMO, St. Petes was the best street course I've ever seen.

Kicking-back · 23 Jun 2004, 19:40 (Ref:1013770)

All this fighting between the series is missing the big picture - making single seater racing in America top-notch again.

They need to get together!

Dov · 23 Jun 2004, 19:42 (Ref:1013772)

I agree 100%, K-b!

Mags · 23 Jun 2004, 19:53 (Ref:1013787)

I fear it's too late. I honestly do.

Dov · 23 Jun 2004, 20:12 (Ref:1013809)

It all depends on Penske's & TG's motives and if the 3 Amigos can find out what they are.

macdaddy · 23 Jun 2004, 20:13 (Ref:1013810)

Penske and TG have differing motives. Of that much I'm pretty sure.

Mags · 23 Jun 2004, 20:18 (Ref:1013816)

Penske is just freaking because Toyota is pulling out in 2005. And you can bet Honda won't be far behind.

Dov · 23 Jun 2004, 20:26 (Ref:1013822)

Didn't Toyota and Honda just sign a new deal to extend their contract with the IRL? I know there's a rumour going around too that the extension hinges on ChampCar and the IRL unifying.

mountainstar · 23 Jun 2004, 20:48 (Ref:1013852)

Sadly just another sign of how desperate the IRL has become, that it has to emulate CART. From what I hear the new toyota and honda contracts are for engines, which teams in most cases will have to pay for and the financial sweeteners will come to an end.

BootsOntheSide · 23 Jun 2004, 21:39 (Ref:1013919)

In itself, the value of this race isn't that high. The 2003 CART race was amde to look better by the whole 'new era' feeling - in reality they have plenty of comaprable street races. The IRl would be better to look towards older, wider tracks with more variety in corners and gradient - concentrate on making its road racing the best in the world (F1's leaving something of an open goal right now)

jjspierx · 23 Jun 2004, 23:11 (Ref:1014002)

Quote:

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
In itself, the value of this race isn't that high. The 2003 CART race was amde to look better by the whole 'new era' feeling - in reality they have plenty of comaprable street races. The IRl would be better to look towards older, wider tracks with more variety in corners and gradient - concentrate on making its road racing the best in the world (F1's leaving something of an open goal right now)

St. Petes IS a VERY wide circuit in standards of road courses. And I agree with Macdaddy, it is one of the, if not THE best designed road course around. Lets face it, Long Beach has prestige, but the track sucks and is not conducive to racing at all. St. Petes provided for good racing.

Kicking-back · 23 Jun 2004, 23:20 (Ref:1014009)

St Petersburg was good and should definitely be a part of any new merged IndyCar series.

Brian W Keske · 23 Jun 2004, 23:48 (Ref:1014031)

Quote:

Originally posted by Mags
Penske is just freaking because Toyota is pulling out in 2005. And you can bet Honda won't be far behind.

Toyota has never said they were leaving. I'm not sure where these rumors come from. It's fairly typical for manufactuerers to only have could year deals, and Toyota seems to have no desire to leave. This has all come about because of their intrest in NASCAR, ....perhaps this article will shed some light.

Toyota article Link

Mags · 24 Jun 2004, 01:10 (Ref:1014066)

Quote:

Originally posted by Brian W Keske
Toyota has never said they were leaving. I'm not sure where these rumors come from. It's fairly typical for manufactuerers to only have could year deals, and Toyota seems to have no desire to leave. This has all come about because of their intrest in NASCAR, ....perhaps this article will shed some light.

Toyota article Link

My point comes from Toyota telling Ganassi to go to Grand Am. I think they are poised to leave open wheel and go that direction, Nascar - Sports car (cough) JMO.

Kicking-back · 24 Jun 2004, 01:14 (Ref:1014069)

Doubt it.

Brian W Keske · 24 Jun 2004, 01:44 (Ref:1014087)

Quote:

Originally posted by Mags
My point comes from Toyota telling Ganassi to go to Grand Am. I think they are poised to leave open wheel and go that direction, Nascar - Sports car (cough) JMO.

There is only one reason Toyota is in Grand Am I believe, NASCAR told them to.

Simply a 'development' step. Young Mr. France gets what he wants, and loves Grand Am. If that is where the France family wants you to be, and you want to run a NASCAR series...well....you do it.

IMO this has nothing to do with their open wheel program. I believe the article can be read between the lines.

Mike_Wooshy · 24 Jun 2004, 09:15 (Ref:1014312)

Quote:

Originally posted by Mags
I fear it's too late. I honestly do.

]

i agree.

Tim Northcutt · 24 Jun 2004, 14:00 (Ref:1014626)

Quote:

Originally posted by Mags
Penske is just freaking because Toyota is pulling out in 2005. And you can bet Honda won't be far behind.

Toyota and Honda just extended their contracts through the 2006 season with the other series....that has been news for at least 3 weeks...

So for two more years beyond the conclusion of this sseason, Honda and Toyota will be in the IRL....

So it won't be until 2007 before they will be able to pull out of anything with the IRL...

Tim Northcutt · 24 Jun 2004, 14:03 (Ref:1014628)

Quote:

Originally posted by Dov
Didn't Toyota and Honda just sign a new deal to extend their contract with the IRL? I know there's a rumour going around too that the extension hinges on ChampCar and the IRL unifying.

Honestly, the only place I've seen that "rumor" is on various Champ Car boards...

In other motorsports media, the word is that both Toyota and Honda are quite happy right where they are right now...and the contract is sectended for two additional seasons...

Chevy won't make their extension decision until the end of August...

Tim Northcutt · 24 Jun 2004, 14:05 (Ref:1014631)

Quote:

Originally posted by jjspierx
St. Petes IS a VERY wide circuit in standards of road courses. And I agree with Macdaddy, it is one of the, if not THE best designed road course around. Lets face it, Long Beach has prestige, but the track sucks and is not conducive to racing at all. St. Petes provided for good racing.

IMO, St. Pete & Surfer's are the two BEST street courses on the planet Earth...

Yes...even better than Monaco...which is a gorgeous setting, but way to narrow and tight, with virtually zero opportunities to pass anyone...

Tim Northcutt · 24 Jun 2004, 14:09 (Ref:1014633)

Quote:

Originally posted by Brian W Keske
There is only one reason Toyota is in Grand Am I believe, NASCAR told them to.

Simply a 'development' step. Young Mr. France gets what he wants, and loves Grand Am. If that is where the France family wants you to be, and you want to run a NASCAR series...well....you do it.

IMO this has nothing to do with their open wheel program. I believe the article can be read between the lines.

Please remember that Toyota is already running in the NASCAR Truck Series, and thee is no secret that they plan to go into NEXTEL Cup by 2006 with a Stock Car program that would be "badged" as a Camry...

Toyota sees all of their North American efforts as reaching specific market segments via visibility in various forms of racing...

This "bailing on the Other Series" is bogus....

macdaddy · 24 Jun 2004, 14:39 (Ref:1014652)

Flame-bait will not be tolerated at 10T's, N I Tram.

zerO · 24 Jun 2004, 20:48 (Ref:1015150)

Quote:

Originally posted by Dov
Didn't Toyota and Honda just sign a new deal to extend their contract with the IRL? I know there's a rumour going around too that the extension hinges on ChampCar and the IRL unifying.

Yeah they did, but it doesn't mean squat - the Sushis are famous for reneging on their contracts, they have done it everywhere they went (from LeMans to Baja to F1 to WRC to CART)... and the latest from Japan (four different sources from within Toyota & Honda) is that Yoda is plannig to leave IRL after this season and Han the next ?!... (insert "idea" emoticon)... and btw, they both know as well as us that there won't be any dåmn "unification" anytime soon ?!?!

zerO

Kicking-back · 24 Jun 2004, 21:00 (Ref:1015159)

No need for racism ZERO.

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