Deep thoughts. With Craig Pollock.

[TheRob]

Pollock being pulled in many directions.

A bunch of jibberish about F1.......

There has also been trouble at PK Racing.

Driver Patrick Lemarie of France, a close friend of Villeneuve's and a former BAR test driver, was sacked last month after managing no better than 10th place in two races early in the season.

American Bryan Herta stepped in for two events and Max Papis of Brazil took over for last week's race in Cleveland, finishing 12th.

"I had little to do with the change," said Pollock. "There's no question there's a problem, whether it's the car, the engineers or the driver.

"It's clear in my eyes that it's not 100 per cent a driver problem. It's something in the car or the setting up of the car and we have to find it."

If Pollock hasn't enough to do, he's also involved in a potential bid led by Kalkhoven and long-time racing team owner Gerry Forsythe to buy the the CART series, a publicly traded company, and take it private.

That would likely be the end of CART's attempt to become a worldwide series with races in Europe and Asia as well as it's North American base.

"I'd prefer to see it as mainly a North American series, with Canada, the U.S., Mexico and the race in Australia," said Pollock. "That's where the market is.

"I don't see Europe as a market."

[BootsOntheSide]

Can anyone spot the slight research mistakes in this article?

I'd love to see CART establish itself as a serious rival to F1 in Europe, especially with the looming loss of some European F1 races. However, the races so far haven't been greatly successful, and CART needs to cling to its North American heritage. So I think that final satatement might be the right approach.

Racing in Europe, there would be too much threat of just being F1 Junior and constantly losing drivers to F1. There is still potential to win back the US audience, and build on Canada, Mexico and Australia (wouldn't a race at bathurst be amazing?)

Good to see that Craig ahs finally realsied that the car was at fault this season. the team really seems to be struggling, and needs time ot gel its personnel.

[crazytrain]

Pollock to the Rescue?
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Toront...10/131499.html

More from the former ski instructor:

"There are three groups that I understand are interested in putting cash into CART," he said. "There's the (Bernie) Ecclestone group, the (Gerry) Forsythe group and the (Kevin) Kalkhoven group."

All three have been rumoured at one point or another to be buying the series
---------------------------

Pollock, who also doubles as manager for Canadian F-1 driver Jacques Villeneuve, says one of the problems is time.

"CART has an opportunity to start with a blank sheet of paper with its efforts to get a cash infusion," he said. "But it must be done quickly, because of the pressures of competition (from the Indy Racing League)."

Given the chance to design a new CART, Pollock said the first thing he would do is change the name.

"Maybe the American Grand Prix Series or the Formula America Series," he said.

Pollock would incorporate some of the more successful F-1 formats, such as a standing start and one-lap qualifying.

"Racing is emotion and nothing says emotion like the standing start in F-1," he said.

Pollock also would reduce the CART calendar from its 19 dates to a more manageable 14.

----------------------------------------------------

Standing dtarts on street circuits? EESHHHHHHH! The more I hear his ideas the more I cringe!

[TheRob]

I like the idea of a standing start. Sure rolling starts are good too, but you never get more then three or four rows "lined up" at the start. This way it's fair for everyone and you don't get the debacle like CART had in Portland for the last two years.

[BootsOntheSide]

The public would hate Craig's ideas. He clearly dsoesn't udnerstand what makes CART great, and jsut wants it to be an F1 clone. Rolling starts are classic, and always provide lots of action, as well as reducing the numebr of collisions and technical failures. plus, tehy're the US tradition, and US fans want to get a form of racign they udnerstad. Not 'The American grand Prix Series' or some PC ****.

[Omega99]

Pollock makes me cringe, but that's nothing compared to what Eccelstone does... His zainy ideas for F1 are not going to stop if he he bought CART, where he would likely test them out first... Take it private, and hand control to Paul Newman, Mario Andretti, and maybe Bobby Rahal and Gerry Forsythe. They would be able to do what's best for the series... maybe. At least we know where Mario stands on the series, and that's more than I can say for any of the other names being thrown around.

[shiny side up!]

I wouldn't mind standing starts in CART on circuit corses. Ovals would probably be a bit of a mess... and I kind of agree with him about Europe not being a market... F1 reigns there, and no 2 or 3 race incursion each year by CART could possible change that, no matter how good the racing is. The only viable way to make use of the European market is to be F1 Lite, and that won't fly over here in the States...

[Omega99]

Standing starts would be alright on street and road courses, but really, maybe the situation at Portland these past couple of years should have them revise the rules for rolling starts to force the pack to be closer together off the start. True, a rolling start is more traditional in the States with CART, NASCAR, IRL, etc., but show me one drag racing event that begins with a rolling start!

[corkholio]

The Idiot Ski Instructor and deep thoughts are two mutally exclusive things.

[evo]

Standing starts are cool. Atlantics used to do standing starts on the road courses and rolling starts on the ovals... This could work. However rolling starts are a CART tradition, and I think it'd be a shame to go away from that.

An F1 clone would be terrible... If we want to watch F1, we can do that.

[Lee Janotta]

Of Pollack's ideas and Pook's... I'd take the ski instructors.

Why oh why can't we get some decent leadership?!

[Liz]

Lee, why don't you apply for the job? Of course I wouldn't watch your series. I dislike normally aspirated IRL cars and I don't want Champ Cars to imitate NA$$CAR just because frightened Americans can't stand to see anything done for the first time.

Toronto is projecting a $60 million impact on the Province of Ontario and $33 million on Toronto. Obviously this means that at least 160,000 of us think they are doing something right.

As for Pollock, I'd like to see him have some personal success before he starts telling everyone else how to run their businesses.

[gttouring]

here here! Liz now you are a bird with brains!

[Lee Janotta]

Ahem... I'm the one coming up with ideas, and I apparently _don't_ have brains?

Liz, we've tried the approach you advocate for the last decade, and it's had the opposite of the desired effect. _That_ is why I advocate a change in direction.

CART need not _imitate_ NASCAR, but it's being willfully ignorant to _refuse_ to learn the lessons of a hugely successful series.

As I've said, those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.

And I know you're not the type to hold ignorance as a virtue, much as we tend to disagree on just about everything.

Aside from the night race in Cleveland, nothing being suggested by any involved parties is something being done for the first time. I advocate street racing at night, and that's something that'd be done for the first time.

When you're expecting people to part with their money to come and see your show, you have to be realistic about what they'll pay to see. And F1 lite isn't going to put butts in the seat in the largest consumer market in the world (whether you define it as the US, or the NAFTA block as a whole).

[gttouring]

Lee you are spot on- the NAFTA block we'll say- is super sized (lol)
ad you would think that they could learn from NASCAR in promoting CART to NAFTA.
CART could do what is being done, show the races and constantly talk about the tech and make it like Dinnertable conversation like Nascar is becomeing, and bring up drivers and do the grew up like this segment.
the trouble is in promoting CART, the drivers on a large part don't want to stay there, and with the IRL it is hard to get personalities when half the field changes everyyear.
We can name the regulars- PT,PC, J Vasser, Adrian Fernandez,
Michel Jourdain, R Moreno...not a big list really
Tag, so on and so forth
now ask a 5 year old who is in nascar- oh evry car make number and sponsor with the driver will be rattled off (at least 43, and some busch guys and truck guys for good measure)
CART has no good rules for presentation of the Cars for starters (at least IRL has numbers on the rear wings big enough) NASCAR blazes huge numbers on your brain (car 24-Jeff Gordon-Dupont Chevy...Dale Jr. -8-Bud Chevy)
Even F1 JPM Williams BMW the number is not really important because hte driver has a brand to associate with and 2 cars from each team make it easy to recall...
Now CART could put drivers name on the side pod or wing, or something and start out making the series' rivalries andcharacters the number one factor for champ cars, or numbers on the side pod folowed by sponsor names, or somehiting
they should start with Identity of the product and the players- yes? the product would be easier and better to sell.

[BobbyB]

Originally posted by Liz
just because frightened Americans can't stand to see anything done for the first time.

Liz, you're at it again. I think you owe me and all the other Americans reading this forum an apology. Mods, what gives here? Its not the first time for her.

[Liz]

Lee knows I was just giving him a hard time (read his post). And I am an American, myself.

I don't believe there is a vast monolithic block of "Americans" who all think exactly the same way -- obviously a lot of Americans love sports car racing (the fastest growing form of racing, incidentally) and there are lots of Americans at the Champ Car race this weekend, some of whom come here every year from quite a distance away.

It may be true that in the circles (and I use the term deliberately) you travel in, every tot knows all the NA$CAR drivers by name and statistics. I don't know any of these people or their kids -- in fact, in my neighbourhood the only NA$CAR driver any kid can name is Dale Earnhardt and most of them would be surprised to find out he's dead.

[gttouring]

NASCAR's ties to the 'block americans' is gonna get larger through NEXTEL.
in most neighbourhoods all the kids won't name any race driver, i did know one who knew michel valiente, heh heh
but that exposure is starting so young now and NASCAR is roping them in early.
but as you say this is in some circles (100,000 or more a wekend in different parts of the country sized one) it is still alot of people.
I have been to many CART events, and a few F1 when i could get to a circuit, and there are tots there who don't know who is in the car, the little ones like the Red or blue cars is about it. In sports cars at least they and new fans identify with manufacturers. (Why is sports car racing so transient for drivers anyway?)
So where ever you are you will find fans and well leraned ones, but NASCAR's approach of info hammering and image blitzing is a definate winner over the vague and weaker attempts of IRL,CART, and F1 (i don't think Sportscar racing GT/GTS/ Prototypes can really work this way, this is a real love of racing and 'cool shapes and sounds' type of crowd i feel)

[gttouring]

by the way Liz i must say I find your comments SOME of the more insightful and well thought out ones in these forums.
I certainly hope people can appreciate your POV as it is so refreshing you don't rattle off a bunch of emotionally charged words, and meaningless raving to simply say 'Nyah Nyah your dumber' as does so happen in these forums...

[BobbyB]

Originally posted by Liz
Lee knows I was just giving him a hard time (read his post). And I am an American, myself.

I find that hard to believe... you certainly don't present yourself as one in your postings. I'm just asking you to lighten up a bit with your slams and insults at things American. Can you face this?

I certainly don't throw those kind of things at my good neighbor to the North.

[corkholio]

http://www.racingpress.com/publish/a...6.shtml?page=4

BobbyB, I think you are going to enjoy this rather accurate article by a true journalist.

[BobbyB]

Originally posted by corkholio
http://www.racingpress.com/publish/a...6.shtml?page=4

BobbyB, I think you are going to enjoy this rather accurate article by a true journalist.

Well, I read the article and it was entertaining as you said. Am I to believe that the so-called journalist who is being discussed in this article is someone who poses as a "press-officer" occasionally on this forum?

[gttouring]

Ha ha ha ha-no kidding?!
that's tearin them a new one

[macdaddy]

I'm getting increasingly annoyed by personal attacks on this forum. I usually read the post before looking at who posted it, and lately many have been very predictable.

That's not why I come here.

[BobbyB]

macdaddy,
I'm annoyed with the personal attacks too. Thats why I'm standing up and saying something against them. Lets get back to OW racing.