[DOF_power]

Is Open-Wheel Peace Finally at Hand?




The long, costly war between Champ Car and the Indy Racing League is close to being over and, for the first time since 1995, there could be one open wheel series for 2008. But there’s still one major hurdle to overcome to make this long-awaited union a reality.

SPEED has learned that Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe, the co-owners of Champ Car, have reached an agreement with IRL founder Tony George to race together this season. As reported by SPEEDtv.com recently, George offered the Champ Car ownership free Dallara chassis and Honda engines to any CC team that signs up for the full season in addition to receiving $1.2 million per car as part of the IRL’s new TEAM program. Additionally, the Champ Car races at Long Beach, Edmonton and Surfer’s Paradise, Australia would be added to the ’08 IndyCar Series schedule.
However, it’s not quite that easy.
The IRL race at Motegi, Japan is scheduled to run April 18-20 which is the same weekend as the Long Beach Grand Prix. Jim Michaelian, the longtime LBGP president and general manager, says the most successful street race in North America is locked into its date and cannot be moved due to prior contract commitment with the Long Beach Convention Center (which anchors the track).

Motegi, owned by Honda of Japan, also faces some challenges in re-scheduling so Honda’s Robert Clarke, Champ Car’s Dick Eidswick, Kalkhoven and George are desperately trying to find a solution. “It’s as close as it’s ever been to being together, but we don’t know if we can get across the goal line,” said George on Thursday evening. “But no one is giving up yet.”
Added Kalkhoven: “Both sides want this to happen very much and we’re working on it.”
Supposedly, the Motegi people were agreeable to moving back one week, which is currently the date for the IRL race at Kansas City. The ISC-owned facility reportedly declined the request because it’s already a sellout for the NASCAR/IRL package.
Clarke, the former leader of Honda Performance Development who tried to put the two sides together in 2006 along with Mario Andretti, might have to travel with George to Japan this weekend to try and find a solution while Eidswick works on Champ Car’s options.
Drivers, mechanics and owners in Champ Car learned of this amalgamation after returning from a test last week at Sebring, Fla. As expected, most were happy to hear about unification even though it means their current Panoz chassis would be rendered show cars.
“It’s not a bad deal but you’ll still need some money,” said Derrick Walker, whose Indy-based team started in 1990. “You have to have two car configurations (oval and road course), the crash damage is higher with ovals and it’s a big fat schedule. It’s going to be a rough old ride for our Champ Car teams because we don’t have the familiarity with the Dallaras but the bottom line is that it’s a great gesture to put this thing together.”
Jimmy Vasser, who is part owner of PKV Racing, echoed Walker’s sentiments.
“There’s been a lot of silence lately so, if this is true, this is what needs to happen,” said the 1996 CART champion. “It’s a very good day for motor racing.”

Paul Newman was ecstatic upon hearing of the proposal. “I feel like I died and wrent to heaven,” said the co-owner of Champ Car’s winningest team along with Carl Haas and Mike Lanigan. “This is the best news I’ve heard in a long time.” Some smaller Champ Car owners like Eric Bachelart were shocked to hear of such a plan at this late date.
“Are you kidding me?” said Bachelart, whose Indy-based Conquest Racing just signed rookie Franck Perera. “I just spent a million dollars on a new car and spare parts and this news hurts because I know the value of money. I’m all for one series but I wish it would be 2009.”
It’s believed there are over 50 Dallara chassis, new and used, available to be dispersed among the CCWS teams.
Since winning CART’s assets in bankruptcy court in 2004, Kalkhoven and Forsythe have spent millions on television, promoting races, propping up teams and payroll. They also own Cosworth and Pi, plus the rejuvenated Atlantic series. It’s not certain what would happen with the Atlantic series as the IRL has its own feeder system with the Indy Pro Series. But there were 24 cars at Wednesday’s Atlantic test in Sebring and it would make a strong support race for any series.
George has also spent millions on his league and this union would assure Indy-car racing of stronger fields, deeper competition and hopefully a much larger entry list at the Indianapolis 500.
It also means young stars Graham Rahal and Marco Andretti can now race on the same track along with Justin Wilson and Dan Wheldon while veterans Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan and Paul Tracy would be reunited.
“I think we’d all be happy if we’re back together and the fans would be happy to see all the best drivers in one race,” said Tracy, the 2003 CART champion who hasn’t competed at Indy since his controversial second place finish in 2002.
“We’ll be at a disadvantage to the IRL teams the first year but such is life. Getting everybody back under one roof is what needs to happen.”

[Racer Duck]

I hope it works. Free chassis, engines and $$$ to all Champ Car teams to sign up for the whole season - can't beat an offer like that. The whiners are obviously more interested in their own situation than making the sport better.

And I can see ISC, aka NASCAR, being the fly in the ointment. It sounds like everyone else is at least trying to find a way to make it happen.

This may end up being a bigger story than the Dakar Rally cancellation.

[DOF_power]

Let's hope it works.

[Bob Tanner]

I'd like to see this come to pass. However, maybe 2008 is a bit to ambitious. I think 2009 would help a number of people. However is 2009 financially feasible for CCWS?