[Racer Duck]

Indy Racing League founder and CEO Tony George, left, seals the open-wheel unification with Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkoven.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Unified series looks to prospects of strong future
By Dave Lewandowski
IndyCar.com

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – "We are unified." The words motorsports fans worldwide have been longing to hear for more than a decade elicited cheers, toasts and even tears with the announcement Feb. 22.

Indy Racing League CEO Tony George shared in the relief and reveled in the significance the past five days. On Feb. 27, George joined Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkoven at a news conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway to celebrate the accord and provide additional information about the fast-approaching 13th IndyCar Series season and beyond.

"I have received hundreds of congratulatory e-mails from fans, drivers, sponsors and others who love our sport," George said. "All agree that the future is bright for IndyCar racing and the time to unify our sport is now. Our whole racing community is excited and energized about unification and everybody is working hard toward the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway March 29."

Welcome to a new and exciting era in open-wheel racing.

Dissipating like the morning fog will be the cluttered consumer and sponsor landscape. Mended will be fractured fan allegiances that propagated acrimony. Set adrift will be the media's ad nausea commentaries and finger-pointing related to "the split." Unfurling like the American flag atop the Bombardier Pagoda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be opportunities for hardened racers and a generation of competitors who didn't know that the American Automobile Association was once a sanctioning body.

"There is a great opportunity to build a strong series of North American races that will create its own excitement," George said. "That is what we want to do."

The Indy Racing League, sanctioning body for the IndyCar Series and development Indy Pro Series, is poised to absorb teams/drivers that had been competing in the Champ Car World Series. An initial orientation session for prospective teams was conducted Feb. 25 by Indy Racing League presidents Brian Barnhart (competition and operations) and Terry Angstadt (commercial division). All nine Champ Car World Series teams attended.

Hours earlier, Conquest Racing announced plans to compete in the opener with a two-car team. Additional teams are in the process of acquiring equipment and preparing cars for the opener under the lights, while IndyCar Series officials expect others to join by the opening of practice for the 92nd Indianapolis 500. Additionally, partial-season packages have been announced for IndyCar Series veterans Tomas Scheckter (Luczo Dragon Racing), Sarah Fisher (start-up team Sarah Fisher Racing) and Milka Duno (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing).

"I'm thrilled we now have a unified open-wheel racing series that will feature great drivers, a diversity of world-class venues and numerous top-notch teams," said Kalkoven, also owner of the newly-named KV Racing. "I applaud Tony George for his commitment to the sport and join him in now focusing solely on the future of open-wheel racing in North America. I'm eager for our team to race this season and certainly will do all I can to help advance our sport in the short and long term."

Events from the 2007 CCWS schedule will fatten the 16-race IndyCar Series calendar. Discussions are proceeding to incorporate races in Edmonton, Alberta, and Surfers Paradise, Australia. Additionally, the Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix will be contested concurrently (April 18-20) with the sixth Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi. Champ Car World Series teams that are participating in the IndyCar Series will compete on the streets of Long Beach, using their 2007 equipment, for IndyCar Series points and prize money. Beginning in 2009, the long-time event will become part of the IndyCar Series schedule. George said all current IndyCar Series events and '08 scheduled CCWS events will be reviewed for the '09

Assisting transitional teams is the TEAM (Team Enhancement and Allocation Matrix) program, which provides a $1.2 million foundation per car for full-schedule operations. Augmenting the program for teams that display a financial ability to compete all season will be a one-year Honda basic engine lease agreement and two Dallara chassis from a pool of new and used cars to the extent of the pool available for up to two seasons.

"I want to especially thank Al Speyer of Bridgestone/Firestone and Robert Clarke and Erik Berkman of Honda Performance Development for their overwhelming support of this initiative to unify our sport," said George, who on March 11, 1994, announced plans for an open-wheel racing series -- with the Indianapolis 500 as its cornerstone -- as an alternative to Championship Auto Racing Teams.

CART, which had sanctioned Indy-car racing since 1979 -- when the organization broke away from the United States Auto Club (USAC) -- went bankrupt in 2003. It re-emerged as the Champ Car World Series in 2004.

The Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix will be the final race under its banner.

Other items of note:
● Transitional CCWS teams will be paired with regular IndyCar Series teams for technical assistance.
● Meetings have been scheduled with representatives of the Edmonton and Surfers Paradise events regarding '08 races.
● Discussions have been held with ESPN regarding broadcast of any additional '08 races.
● The IndyCar Series will purchase various non-tangible assets, such as intellectual property and historic records. Also, it will purchase the CCWS medical transporter.
● Individual meetings will CCWS teams expressing interest in competing in the IndyCar Series have been scheduled.
● Cosworth, the CCWS engine supplier, will continue supporting other racing ventures.
● The Champ Car Atlantics development program will continue on its own.

The Indy Pro Series will continue as the stepladder series to the IndyCar Series.

"Everyone can now focus on taking the IndyCar Series to new heights for the good of our sport and everyone involved in it," said Andretti Green Racing co-owner Michael Andretti, a multiple Championship Auto Racing Teams season champion.

The immediate focus was on a two-day open test on the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway oval, and on testing next week on the Sebring International Raceway road course in preparation for the season-opening GAINSCO Auto Insurance Indy 300. Additional preseason testing days have been scheduled for transitional teams – March 18-20 at Sebring and March 24-25 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"SpeedJam 2008 will represent not only the IndyCar Series season opener, but also the very first race in the IndyCar Series/Champ Car reunification — a historic day at Homestead-Miami," track president Curtis Gray said.

And the beginning of a new chapter in the long history of Indy-car racing in North America.

[Phils20]

I hope this does the trick, ad gets folks to watch again. I try to never miss a race, of either league. Now I don't have to choose!

[simple simon]

an here i thought this was a thread about the Metallica song ....... talk about disappointing

[LSC9901]

OH ... I was thinking Three Dog Night.

[Phils20]

I'd rather hear Metallica than Three Dog night, but the merger is even better news!

Unless wer're giving free Metallica tickets to the mods!

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Phils20

I'd rather hear Metallica than Three Dog night, but the merger is even better news!

Unless wer're giving free Metallica tickets to the mods!

I guess my age is showing. You can have my ticket Phil !!!

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Phils20

I'd rather hear Metallica than Three Dog night, but the merger is even better news!

Unless wer're giving free Metallica tickets to the mods!

I'll only except Metallica tickets if their playin their old stuff.

[simple simon]

Originally Posted by Quality88

I'll only except Metallica tickets if their playin their old stuff.

Garage Days ?

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by Quality88

I'll only except Metallica tickets if their playin their old stuff.

I think they still play the old stuff live. I haven't seen em since 94 though, so I'm no expert on it!

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by simple simon

Garage Days ?

That and black label

[LSC9901]

It'll be interesting to see if open wheel racing becomes more popular in the US now.

[Phils20]

I think it will. Folks were divided between two diluted race series, and now the Stars will be back together.

And Danica will never win. I can't wait to see her pull her whiny crap on Paul Tracy. He'll have no problem telling her where to get off. And he won't be as nice as Dan Wheldon!!!!

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Phils20

I think it will. Folks were divided between two diluted race series, and now the Stars will be back together.

And Danica will never win. I can't wait to see her pull her whiny crap on Paul Tracy. He'll have no problem telling her where to get off. And he won't be as nice as Dan Wheldon!!!!

She'll be put on her a$$ quickly is what you mean, correct?

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by Quality88

She'll be put on her a$$ quickly is what you mean, correct?

I don't want her physically assaulted, but I'm sure that a vet like Tracy won't be swayed by the fact the that IRL wants to market her. He'll tell it like it is, and not hold back.

[Racer Duck]

Speaking of the ladies, did ya see where Sarah Fisher is starting a team and Milka Duno is also going to a new team? The ladies are moving up in the IRL world...