Tracy ****ed with Pook and co...

[Jay]

With respect to what happened last night at the Driver's party...it was a very interesting post qualifying press conference....

Taken from the transcript on Cart.com:

Q. Paul, do you feel like you're a marked man every time you leave the pits?

PAUL TRACY: Well, I feel a range of emotions in the last 24 hours that I'm not very happy with. I feel that I've supported CART when CART had nobody to support them. Team Player’s supported CART when nobody was supporting them. The things that have happened and the inconsistencies in the rules that have been going on for years and years are very frustrating to me and very troubling. My emotions are probably not much different from that of Tony George or Honda or Toyota, Marlboro Team Penske or Michael Andretti. So those are the type of feelings that I've had over the last 24 hours with how CART is handling what's going on on and outside the racetrack. It's very frustrating to me. Like I said, I supported CART when nobody wanted to support them, so I feel betrayed in some way.

Q. Paul, it's one thing to have a war of words with people who say you're blocking. It's another thing to get into an alleged physical confrontation with the CEO of CART itself. Can you tell us what happened with Chris Pook last night and the alleged incident of being pushed by the CEO?

PAUL TRACY: There was no pushing. We were having a talk. I said the same thing that I just said to you to him. You know, a lot of things get blown up out of proportion by you guys. You know, him and I had a talk.

Q. Was it a friendly conversation?

PAUL TRACY: I wouldn't say it was friendly, but it wasn't unfriendly either.

Q. Can you tell us about that conversation?

PAUL TRACY: Exactly what I just told you just now is what I reiterated to Chris Pook.

Q. Bruno, I just wanted to find out your reaction today from being the provisional polesitter and finishing second to Paul today, considering what happened yesterday.

BRUNO JUNQUEIRA: I think what happened yesterday was a very strange thing because I didn't want to get the pole that way. As I said, since Brands Hatch, I think in my own opinion, a single qualifying session, like we did in Brands Hatch, is the best way that you're never going to have traffic, you're never going to have excuses, you know.

For sure yesterday, after qualifying, I was frustrated because I thought that I could do well or better. But I felt really surprised for what happened. Today I really try to be on the pole even harder, as Tracy tried, because he tried to prove that he had the pole, and I tried to prove. I mean, I knew today the track would be much faster, today would be the day that decides. I really pushed hard, but I just went a little bit short. Well done for him. But anyway, the most important is tomorrow, it's the race. Let's see who can get a good race.

Q. Paul, regarding your comments about Tony George and Honda and Toyota, Penske, the common denominator there is they've all left CART. Has your experience over the last 24 hours made you reevaluate your connection to CART, your loyalty to it?

PAUL TRACY: Well, I think definitely it's made me question what exactly is going on. I have a contract that I will honor. From there, who knows what will happen. I've signed a contract with Gerry Forsythe. I always honor my commitments. From that standpoint, you know, that's all I can say.

Q. Paul and Bruno, obviously the incident hasn't left you. You're still a little bit upset, Paul, with what happened. Is this going to cause any type of fireworks tomorrow on the track?

BRUNO JUNQUEIRA: Not for me. I mean, I think what's happen yesterday was something that I wasn't even expecting. I think Paul maybe is not happy - maybe with me, I don't know why. But anyway, sure I wasn't happy with him going slow yesterday. But I going to try to race the same way I always race and try to win. I know that's difficult because he's being fast other weeks, as well. But I going to try to race as usual, fair as possible.

PAUL TRACY: Well, my frustration level doesn't just stem from yesterday. You know, over the last few races, it's been very difficult for me. You know, at Portland I received a stop-and-hold penalty for I felt no reason. We went on to Cleveland. I received a $15,000 fine for wearing shorts to a press conference. Then from there, we went to Toronto. I was leading the race by 33, 34 seconds, and there was a full-course yellow for no apparent reason for a car that was in the runoff area running, getting turned around. Then we go into today and yesterday, and what happened yesterday. So it's a cumulative thing. You know, like I said before, I've supported CART when nobody was there to support them. You know, I just don't feel I'm getting the same in return.

ERIC MAUK: That will bring an end to today's press conference. We warm up tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. We take the green flag for the Molson Indy Vancouver at 1 p.m. in the afternoon. Thank you.

ok...so...

[Jay]

PS Apologies about the title being cut by the autocensor - that was my bad. The word was just a different way of saying "urinated" that is commonly used to refer to someone who is very angry.

[paulzinho]

He sounds furious!!!!

Hopefully it'll just blow over soon, we don't wanna lose paul and all!

[Dov]

I'm the biggest PT supporter hear, but his comments about the EARL were way over the line! Yes, Paul and Team Player's has without any doubt supported CART, but that doesn't mean that he deserves special treatment and the Drivers Championship handed to him on a silver platter. GROW UP PAUL!

[Dov]

I don't mind it when PT criticizes CART in a constructive manner, but for him to say he "now understands why Franchitti, Mike Andretti, Toyota and Honda left CART" is ridiculous. I think Paul has to learn some respect and the heads of CART have to start running things more smoothly or we may see more unhappy drivers in the near future.
GO PT GO!

[Radioshoes]

For Neil Micklewrights take on the penalty:

Quicktime link

Realvideo link

Windows Media Link


He basically said that CART could show them no evidence that PT blocked anyone and decided to give them the penalty anyway. They had not been shown any evidence to support the penaly. The reason the penalty was given to PT was because they couldn't find any reason not to give PT the penalty.

I wonder how this will all play out in the end.

I think what PT said was said in the heat of the moment. He was asked a question about the penalty while his emotions were still high. It's unfortunate that he didn't use good judgement and just say nothing. Otoh, imho, Kneifel used PT as the sacred calf. If it is proven that PT was at fault then good call but it they can't prove it then I think Kneifel deserves the moniker of "circus clown."

Cheers

[Jay]

What he said at the press conference certainly wasn't in the heat of the moment, it was 20 or so hours after the fact, and at the time he had his pole back.

[Dov]

Thanks for the link/info, Radioshoes.

[Dov]

Originally posted by Jay
What he said at the press conference certainly wasn't in the heat of the moment, it was 20 or so hours after the fact, and at the time he had his pole back.

This problem with the drivers, CK, and Pook has been slowly growing over the past 3 or 4 races. (1) Paul needs to watch what he says. (2) Pook should stick to what he's good at. (3) Chris Knefeil should do his job....which he hasn't up till this point. (4) CART should go to the F1 style of qualifying, but give each driver 4 laps....Out lap - 2 flyers - In lap.

[Liz]

Well, the AP has it now, so look for an editorial or something from us tomorrow.

Tracy acknowledged there was an angry exchange between him and CART CEO Chris Pook at a party here Friday night, but Tracy said he only told Pook ``just what I'm saying here.''

CART spokesman Adam Saal said reports that the confrontation became physical were ``completely wrong.'' Saal said Tracy at first refused to shake hands with Pook but, after speaking for several minutes, they did shake hands as they parted.

``Paul wasn't very happy, but there was no physical contact except the handshake,'' Saal said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/cart/news?sl...v=ap&type=lgns

Nice to know eyewitnesses occasionally actually DO see what happened ...

[Jay]

My apologies for questioning that, Pook was in Europe as on Thursday(they were trying to contact him about the financial thing), so I assumed he would be on Friday...but it's a small world, and Pook jumps around it like nothing else.

[Liz]

Lots of us do -- not just CEOs but people who cover their antics.

[Radioshoes]

Originally posted by Jay
What he said at the press conference certainly wasn't in the heat of the moment, it was 20 or so hours after the fact, and at the time he had his pole back.

Imho, it was. He was asked how he felt about the penalty which probably brought back to the forefront all the emotions and frustrations that had been building up. It's easy to get angry all over again if something has hit a nerve deeply. And there he is with the media in front of him to give him a wide audience. Heat of the moment.

Do I think he spoke off the cuff? No way. Do I think he took advantage of a situation to point out some things that had been boiling in his own personal cauldron for some time? Absolutly. Heat of the moment.

Cheers,

[Radioshoes]

Originally posted by Dov
Thanks for the link/info, Radioshoes.

You're welcome. I should mention that I swiped them off the Teamplayers site which is probably self-evident but I should give them the credit and didn't.

Cheers

[gttouring]

this is awful goofy stuff
what exactly is the frustration what exactly has happened,
What is PT not being supported in?
it sounds as if they had asked paul to toss this race, to make it more of a nail biter, and paul said no, so they found a way to penalize him adn he exploded with pooky over it, and of course this leads to today, and his pole position, and him saying all about people complaining and the confrontations and he has "thrown down th mark and now its everyones turn to do something about it" or some hting like that.

[¡As-de-mim!]

"Dr. Jerry Punch, what is your appraisal of this situation?" "Well Sam, I believe that the principals involved in this squabble are all afflicted with S.A.R.S.- Severe Acute Racing Syndrome. It strikes otherwise sane men about this time every year. But this year seems to be even more severe than usual. We have reports of cases being diagnosed in several North American cities involving persons from Europe, South America, Mexico, Canada, and the United States. While none of the cases appear to be life threatening, there is still more than two months remaining in the disease's active period."

[f1manoz]

Is this just another case of a minor incident being blown completley out of proportion by the idiots in the media?