Predictions for the Off-Season

[macdaddy]

If anybody's gonna make out to look like a genius, it's best to ask the question early-on!

What's gonna happen during this off-season?

- And who's gonna end up top-five in points?



My predictions...

18 cars is not going to be a problem. There may be 19 or more. A team's (sponsor's) budget should look a little rosier given that ChampCar effectively builds their own engines.

Paul Gentilozzi's share in OWRS will be bought out. I liken it to my recent trip to Vegas. PG sat down at a poker table and was doing alright, until all-of-a-sudden he realized that it was a no-limit table and he was playing against two guys with much taller chipstacks.

KK and GF are becoming more powerful than Penske ever was in the international scope of motorsport. That's not to detract from Roger, but what it means (to me) is that ChampCar will survive and prosper. How many times have I asked for somebody to "pass me them shades" because the future's so bright?

The "Silicon Valley" race will be in San Jose, Laguna will fall off the radar screen. And Seoul will happen. As for South America? My crystal ball is too cloudy.

The name of the "sport" evades me, but Tuner Cars and that thing that they do around corners... You know what I'm talking about... It was included on the ticket at one of GP's this year... Anyway, it will be a regular support series for all CC events. Many, if not all, entrants will be "locals". Cosworth is going to deepen their involvement in the marketplace, and what better way to advertise that? For free?

N/H will run three cars, and will finish 1-2-4 in the championship.
- Bourdais
- da Matta
- Allmendinger
- Junqueira
- Tracy

[camcartfan]

Drifting

[camcartfan]

I agree with the car count.

Gentilozzi's ego is too big to sell his share.

The Silicon Valley race won't happen and they'll use Laguna Seca instead. Korea will be thrown together quickly and won't be top notch. Mexico City will be the marquee event from now on.

Championship:
1. Bourdais
2. Junqueira (Three-peat)
3. Justin Wilson
4. Tracy

[BootsOntheSide]

That'd be a four-peat, for want of a better word.

I think (hope) da Matta will be invovled in a third Newman-Haas, and he'll definitely be a championship candidate if he is.

[f1manoz]

Take your pick between 18-20. Won't be less than 18, can't really see more than 20 at the present time but with the engine situation now favourable, could be a bonus to teams wanting to enter.

Newman/Haas three-car operation - Bourdais, Junky and da Matta.

Laguna Seca will disappear (unfortunately), but Road America will be saved.

Seoul will have a race next year, as will South America, most likely in Argentina.

Top 5:
Bourdais (if he stays...)
da Matta
Tracy
'Dinger
Junqueira

[Snrub]

IMO this series is too tought to call on most of the aspects discussed. The only thing I'm willing to gamble on is CDM being at NH.

We'd all like to see the other teams catch up to NH, but is this realistic? CDM was the guy on board when NH created the ultimate catalog of setups, the base from which we see in effect today. NH has raved up and down about Bourdais' technical abilities. I hate discussing driver's technical merits, but it cannot be ignored with these two drivers. The other benifit of NH will be that on some weekends, on any team, one side gets the setup wrong. They essentially contribute lttle or nothing to the setup and use their teammate's. With THREE terrific drivers NH may never have an off weekend.

Sponsorship itself will be huge for the title. If Forsythe can get some money generated I think we'll see PT with a similar number of wins to Bourdais and CDM (individually), perhaps exceeding them. If NH has full funding and Forsythe doesn't, I can see them increasing the setup gap. PT's all on his own in this respect. If Forsythe wants to see results from all the money he's spent (series and team) he MUST bring back Cicale.

RuSport with AJ did a remarkable job in 2004, but I think they were really setup limited. Often when RuSport cars were towards the front it was obvious that they were evil handling cars. Normally cars are setup are setup in a twitchy manner for qualifying and then they're made easier to drive for the race so the driver can keep it on the track, pass, starts/restarts, etc. I don't have any other evidence to back this up, but I think that RuSport may have given their drivers qualify-like setups for the race to try to push their drivers forward. This may explain why AJ was a little incident prone and Jourdain was off his pace.

Herdez has bailed from Wiggan's team. The level of sponsorship Dominguez can pull in is also key to the championship. Dominguez put in performances that deserved wins, so money will also be his determining factor for 2005.

Prediction with no confidence:
1. Bourdais/CDM. Can't call it.
3. Junky
4. AJ
5. PT. I think they'll continue to languish and Lavin will not contribute anything of use to the setups, so it's almost a 1 car team.
6. Dominguez

[Amar7605]

I think that there will be 18 cars. Carpienter is lost, but Da Matta will come back.

If the San Jose race materializes (and I can't really see that happening), then Laguna will be lost.

There will be races in Korea AND Argentina. Perhaps in these races there will be deals made to have a local driver race in them.

Here's my top 5:
Bourdais
Junqueria
Tracy
Almendinger (and I am going out on a limb on this one)
Da Matta (He'll struggle a bit)

[brightline]

Not so much predictions but wishes:

-CDM back with N/H with havoline sponsorship or possibly lily.

-Tracy in a Corona car, He could be Corona Extra, Lavin could be Corona Light.

-NETWORK TV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had no problem with races being on Spike TV but the MTV production was not up to producing auto racing.

-Keep HDNET. It looks so damn good.

-Servia with AMR sponsorship and a secure drive.

-Officials finally get their act together with regard to pit windows. Lets have them or lets not. I personally liked the single pit window, it kept everyone at 100% and allowed for strategy.

[Tenoch]

Now you fellas listen up, for xho NH with CDM and SB and whiner boy will take 123 but Rusport with my right hand men Michel and AJ will take 4 and five in what order i dont know.

You Diggg

Writing midterm papers on the vietnam war is starting to affect my vocab.

[f1manoz]

Certainly like to see the pitstop rules sorted out. Changing them every weekend just confused everyone.

[Amar7605]

How about the caution lap situations? Las Vegas was a debacle basically.

And what about the false starts? I don't really know how you can correct this one, but this is something that needs to be addressed.
Maybe give the drivers some stiff penalties, such as docking some championship points or shuffling them to the back of the grid after 2 false starts.

[codename_47]

First prediction: this off season will be a lot less fraught, and a lot more positive than the last!!

....and aren't we all thankful for it!

I hope the coming season won't be a complete Newman-Haas drive thru to the championship between their three cars, and I think that Forsythe won't take this season lying down and hopefully come back stronger next year!

AJ Allemendinger now has a seasons worth of experience behind him and should be a lot more compettitive next year, though probably not in the championship hunt.

All in all though, should be a belter I think...can't wait already!

[Ac.]

I'm suprised that one of the IRL posters haven't dropped in to predict that the PKV and Forsythe cars will mysteriously climb to the top of the grid now that KK and GF own Cosworth.

Seriously, I predict that PVK with the addition of Jim McGee will find their form by midseason. Jimmy and Ryan Dalziel will grab some podiums, especially if a race is run in the wet. Servia will be back with Coyne and run in the top ten consistently.

[extramundane]

Originally posted by Ac.
I'm suprised that one of the IRL posters haven't dropped in to predict that the PKV and Forsythe cars will mysteriously climb to the top of the grid now that KK and GF own Cosworth.

Actually, didn't we hear, when the OWRS purchase occurred, that Forsythe, PKV & Rocketsports would dominate the season?

[D.R.T.]

My results predictions

1) Bourdai
2) Allmendinger
3) Da Matta
4) Tracy
5) Wilson
6) Junquira

[luke]

Hopefully the off season shall not an eternity as last year.

And I hope that da Matta gets a ride. What a 3 way battle to the title, and with PT getting in the way of things.

[codename_47]

Originally posted by luke
Hopefully the off season shall not an eternity as last year.

And I hope that da Matta gets a ride. What a 3 way battle to the title, and with PT getting in the way of things.

Well, we saw last year that running 3 cars hurt Forsythe's compettitiveness if anything, so if Newman-Haas do the same thing, hopefully it'll lower them down to the same level and we can have a 4-way championship battle! (Whoever replaces Carpentier will have a year to acclimatise to Champcar if it's true they're going with a young rookie as rumoured, and Mr Paydriver of course won't be in the mix!)

[BSchneiderFan]

Bourdais and Montoya didn't need much time to acclimatise!

[evo]

I would imagine if Newman-Haas goes to 3 cars, Forsythe will go bac to two with Tracy and Lavin. I think the only reason Patrick had the ride this year is because they needed him to give the field 18 cars. (Of course he proved he belonged there with 3rd in points, but who cares how he does on the race track, obviously not potential sponsors)