Reading into Pook's words

[KC]

In a recent sidebar article in RACER magazine, Chris Pook is quoted as saying "If you want to race a Ford, Chevy, or Nissan then go to the IRL, if you want to race a Toyota or Honda or other import come to CART". Now I have not been in the loop as much lately as usual, but has Ford left CART for the IRL only? Why would Pook place Ford with Chevy and Nissan in the IRL if they planned on staying within CART? I know Honda has become more receptive to the new CART formula since Pook took over and he already has strong ties with Toyota through the LBGPA.

With the new regs using a common engine block, CART is allowing the manufacturers to do their own development work on the head and valvetrain design and that is probably going to trickle down into the IRL. I seriously doubt Toyota will enjoy having a power deficiency to any other make and if that means selling engines below cost, its nothing they are not already doing in F1 or just about any other racing venture they are currently in. This in in turn force Chevy and Nissan to up their game as well. Ford and Honda will be doing the same and it will probably only be a matter of time until one of the IRL teams is interested in an alternate powerplant. Penske has just announced they will be powered by Toyota next year and I expect them to push the envelop to keep up with Panther Racing's power and reliability. Their technical partnership with Kelley Racing will also drive this.

So, bakc to my original question, has Ford decided that the grass is greener in Indy than in CART?

[Liz]

I think he was using Ford as a metaphor for "an American made car you can actually buy." Nothing really arcane that I can tell about it.

[f1manoz]

So does this mean Honda will stay in CART past the expected pull-out date?

I hope so. At least they are competitive in the USA!!!

[StuiE]

honda r pullin g out after 2002 and then rejoining in 2004

[BootsOntheSide]

"I think he was using Ford as a metaphor for "an American made car you can actually buy.""

Since when were Nissan as American as apple pie?

[Dr. Austin]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by KC

"In a recent sidebar article in RACER magazine, Chris Pook is quoted as saying "If you want to race a Ford, Chevy, or Nissan then go to the IRL, if you want to race a Toyota or Honda or other import come to CART"."

In 1996, CART put enormous pressure on all it's suppliers to make 1995 spec equipment unavailable to IRL teams. The CART teams all banded together and agreed not to sell their 1995 spec chassis to any IRL teams. It was an attempt to snuff out the league by shutting down the equipment supply lines.

Ford would have none of that. They supplied Cosworth motors to almost the entire field for all of the IRL's inagural season. And Ford has been getting the short end of the stick from CART ever since. You only have to look how they were treated in the pop off valve cheating and collusion scandal to see that. That was the one that had Honda saying CART didn't have enough integrity to run a professional series and they were right.



"So, back to my original question, has Ford decided that the grass is greener in Indy than in CART?"

Or is it a backhanded slap?

[Dr. Austin]

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
"I think he was using Ford as a metaphor for "an American made car you can actually buy.""

Since when were Nissan as American as apple pie?

Most Nissans for the American market are built in Smynra, Tennessee. They are damm nice cars. Since so many of the parts are manufactured in the USA (rather than imported for assembly), they are not considered by the US government to be imports. Nissan is a domestic American car.

Did I mention they are damm nice cars?

[KC]

Honda is the same, as well as many Mercedes Benz models. Toyota does most of the design work in California. I think they recognize that a huge portion of their total volume of sales is in the US and they move to avoid import duties as well as to tap into the market faster.

Since I posted this, I have found out that only Toyota and Judd have actually stated they will provide engines for 2003. Honda and Ford have yet to make a public decision. Toyota's was a no-brainer, they are committed to racing at Indy and CART will allow them to explore the engine design a little more than current IRL rules. Judd already has the wherewithal to build the engines and it makes since for him to further tap into the North American market more than just in the ALMS. With the current woes facing Ford and Honda in F1, a hard decision must be made. Can either afford to stop racing in one formula or the other? CART/IRL represents an easier series to win in for either one, while F1 is infinitely harder to win it is much more lucrative if they perform well or become champion.