New series with Champ Cars?

[bjohnsonsmith]

I came across this on Talkback, the forum for http://www.indycar.com. There is a rumour of a new open-wheel series. There is also a link to a website.
http://www.greenprixusa.com/home.html. We will just have to wait and see.

[cos]

He's got 17 Reynards and a number of DP01s for an "arrive and drive" series.... sounds like FPA meets EuroBOSS with the "green" label to make it sound interesting.

[Dutton]

I hope they're planning on a road course dominated schedule. Some street and oval is fine and good, but being focused on road circuits would be ideal from my POV.

I like very much that it is seemingly going to focus on the green angle. I have been wanting to see this for a while (out of curiosity to see how it goes, really). Hopefully the focusing on the green will prevent any horrible rivalry MAD relationship getting established with the IRL.

Whilst I am sure the green aspect is going to be PR-talk in a good part, I am hoping it is going to go beyond mere labels and words. To actually have a series that has the green as a key factor in things would be most interesting to see.

[mountainstar]

Supposedly the guy behind this bought the Atlantic series.

At the moment I'm cautious and will wait and see what eventuates.

[Dutton]

Yup, it seems so. Hopefully Atlantics won't get messed with overly much - it seems to be working alright in my view.

With regards this new proposal, I think we are all cautious. It could work out well, or it could be a complete and utter distaster.

Hopefully it won't try to be dominated by street races.......

[bjohnsonsmith]

If it is true I wonder how many ex-Champ car teams in the IRL might consider joining? If they stay with the IRL they face the prospect of buying a brand new Dallara chassis/engine combination, which would be more expensive than buying a used Reynard or DP01, as well as having to "learn" how this new package works. It's been muted GreenPrix USA will use Cosworth turbos. So returning to a package they are already familliar with might be very tempting.

[cptkablamo]

I have heard all the above too but I have also heard that this series won't be the Champ Car series of the past - it won't be in competition with ICS...it will be a arrive and drive kind of thing...no need for a workshop and all that kind of hoopla...

[Dutton]

Hopefully Speed would see fit to squish coverage in somewhere.

Mind you, that could cut into precious time for airing complete and utter garbage.

[duke_toaster]

I'm going to put this in the never going to happen category.

[kipper]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

If it is true I wonder how many ex-Champ car teams in the IRL might consider joining?

I'd imagine that very few would be tempted to make the switch, especially given that Green Prix USA is very much in its formative stage. As such I'd imagine that the as the IRL is a known quantity, staying put may be the preferred option for teams' sponsors. That said, if/when Green Prix USA has been operating for a couple of seasons there may be some teams migrating across.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by kipper

I'd imagine that very few would be tempted to make the switch, especially given that Green Prix USA is very much in its formative stage. As such I'd imagine that the as the IRL is a known quantity, staying put may be the preferred option for teams' sponsors. That said, if/when Green Prix USA has been operating for a couple of seasons there may be some teams migrating across.

If I understood it correctly the whole thing was going to be under one roof with no outside teams involved.

[Amar7605]

It's a pretty ambitious plan, that's for sure. Especially tying it with green technology.

[Malfunction Junction]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

If I understood it correctly the whole thing was going to be under one roof with no outside teams involved.

Doesn't Gerry Forsythe technically own all the Panoz cars? Weren't they just leased to the teams?

Forsythe would be somebody with the wish, the resources, the contacts and primarily the staff (of access to them) to put something like this together.

Any mention of him in the winds?

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Malfunction Junction

Doesn't Gerry Forsythe technically own all the Panoz cars? Weren't they just leased to the teams?

Forsythe would be somebody with the wish, the resources, the contacts and primarily the staff (of access to them) to put something like this together.

Any mention of him in the winds?

I know for a fact, Walker, Rocketsports, Newman, etc. owned theirs outright. There may have been lease deals done(it was available), but I am not personally aware of that.

This green prix thing as far as I can tell has nothing to do with Forsythe. It doesn't appear GP really has any connection to the old Champcar.

Right now until more information becomes available, it's hard to say what the aims and intentions are for the series(obviously aware of the green angle, but you have to have more than that). I'd just put it in the wishful thinking category for now until then.

Clearly if the old Champcars returned, I'd be pleased. Beyond just getting it organized and running which is a mountain of work and money to do that. Certainly down the road(5-10 years) as the irl falters or dies out and remains stuck in the same, same, same in terms of technology and engines, chassis, etc, there could be room for another series that was more up to date on engine and chassis technology, especially newer technology. I'd note the success in the ALMS of them opening it up to a variety of cars and technologies from fuel to engines and I'm sure a open wheel series using the same type of thinking might be of interest in the future. Now in the next year or two, no, but 5-10 years down the road, maybe.

[Malfunction Junction]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

I know for a fact, Walker, Rocketsports, Newman, etc. owned theirs outright. There may have been lease deals done(it was available), but I am not personally aware of that.

This green prix thing as far as I can tell has nothing to do with Forsythe. It doesn't appear GP really has any connection to the old Champcar.

Right now until more information becomes available, it's hard to say what the aims and intentions are for the series(obviously aware of the green angle, but you have to have more than that). I'd just put it in the wishful thinking category for now until then.

Clearly if the old Champcars returned, I'd be pleased. Beyond just getting it organized and running which is a mountain of work and money to do that. Certainly down the road(5-10 years) as the irl falters or dies out and remains stuck in the same, same, same in terms of technology and engines, chassis, etc, there could be room for another series that was more up to date on engine and chassis technology, especially newer technology. I'd note the success in the ALMS of them opening it up to a variety of cars and technologies from fuel to engines and I'm sure a open wheel series using the same type of thinking might be of interest in the future. Now in the next year or two, no, but 5-10 years down the road, maybe.

....and another theory goes BOING into oblivion....

[Thundersports]

The two Rocketsports cars have been bought by Henk de Boer for use in Euroboss.

[indycool]

The Cosworth engines -- something like 93 of 'em -- are up for auction. Atlantics have announced an '09 schedule starting in Savannah.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by indycool

The Cosworth engines -- something like 93 of 'em -- are up for auction. Atlantics have announced an '09 schedule starting in Savannah.

Apparently Ben Johnston has acquired those engines.

[indycool]

Hadn't heard that yet...just saw they were up for auction for $250,000 for the lot, minimum overbid $275,000 and past that in $5,000 increments.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by indycool

Hadn't heard that yet...just saw they were up for auction for $250,000 for the lot, minimum overbid $275,000 and past that in $5,000 increments.

http://www.swiftpage1.com/GallivanAu...0/BIO/text.pdf

Looks like he has an agreement to purchase them, only that there is a hearing to see if anyone else turns up with a better offer.

[Amar7605]

This is getting very serious very quickly! Stay tuned for developments...

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Amar7605

This is getting very serious very quickly! Stay tuned for developments...

Johnston has been shelling the money out. Apparently he has bought up most of the Panoz cars, 18 Reynards and now the Cosworths. Not to mention the Atlantic series. Hopefully it will work out as it will be nice to have a good open wheel road racing series with proper cars. Even if it's 7-8 rounds paired with the ALMS that is fine by me.

[Amar7605]

But is there a market beyond die-hard Champ Car fans that will accept it? Time will tell, I guess.

Perhaps Johnston can run his series cheaper and possibly more efficiently than Champ Car could.

[indycool]

IMO, the Atlantic series COULD well be the headliner of this array. The idea of a "proper" open wheel series with these things in some kind of arrive-and-drive scheme or vintage deal has a long, long way to go, IMO.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Amar7605

But is there a market beyond die-hard Champ Car fans that will accept it? Time will tell, I guess.

Perhaps Johnston can run his series cheaper and possibly more efficiently than Champ Car could.

As I understood it the whole thing was going to be under one roof. No teams. For now.

I think the irl bombed when they chose to stay with the same old same old. If after Green Prix gets established and they go after alternate or new technologies and have some range of development available, it might be interesting. They seem pretty close to the ALMS as well which is great.

Ultimately, I really don't have any immediate big hopes for now. As long as real open wheel cars get back on the track, that is fine by me. I don't even care if there are a few races or small fields. Also I don't have any interest in competing with the irl. They choose their path. Good luck.