Finally Official: Carpentier to remain with Player's

[Jay]

From Robin Miller:

In the world of motorsports, you won't find a better person than Patrick Carpentier. Humble, polite and armed with a wicked sense of humor, the personable Canadian has also blossomed into the driver everyone expected when he dominated the 1996 Toyota Atlantic championship.

So, in this time of indecision and recessed economics, it's only fitting he's been rewarded appropriately--with a new deal at Player's/Forsythe Racing.

It will be made official in the near future, but Carpentier is staying with his Canadian team in 2003.

"I'll admit it didn't look too promising in June or July, but it started turning around a few weeks ago and everything worked out," he said from his Las Vegas home.

"I didn't want to leave this team or CART so I couldn't be happier."

The 31-year-old native of Quebec knows that owner Gerry Forsythe played a major role in making sure he stayed.

"Player's has a maximum budget they can spend on racing in Canada and they always wanted Paul (Tracy) for the past two or three years. Alex (Tagliani) had already signed so they couldn't afford to offer me anything.

"But Gerry told me to be patient and that things would be worked out and he kept his promise. You know he's always told me the truth and he was a big part of my decision to stay.

"I really respect him a lot."

The respect for Carpentier's talents swelled this season as he captured races at Cleveland and Mid-Ohio and currently ranks fourth in the CART FedEx Championship Series.

"Winning at Cleveland was even bigger than my first win at Michigan in 2001," he continued. "I always loved road courses, but I hadn't won on one since my Atlantic days and I was expected to be up front.

"That race really helped my confidence and my team's confidence in me. And then we repeated our performance at Mid-Ohio, which is a very demanding track. I did what I was expected to do."

Before Forsythe intervened, Patrick was being seriously pursued by two teams in the rival Indy Racing League.

"Yeah, I had two good teams that were really interested and I was looking at it seriously," he admitted. "You know I didn't run my first oval until 1995, but I really like them. I guess maybe it had something to do with my speed skating.

"But I still feel like the IRL cars are pretty risky and our CART cars are still safer. I enjoy ovals but not 16 of them. I like CART's mix of ovals, road courses and street circuits.

"I don't think there's a tougher test in motorsports and I'm glad I'll still be in it."

Following his Mid-Ohio guarantee, when he promised to run around the track naked if he won the race, Carpentier donned a checkered flag and kept his word. It's helped raise his profile.

"I went to get a message here the other day and the woman said, 'Oh my God, you're the guy we saw on TV wearing a checkered flag,' " laughed Carpentier. "I guess it was a good career move, but next time I'll make sure not to say anything about being naked."

[Liz]

"It WILL BE made official." That's what he's been saying since Montreal.

[Jay]

If Carpentier says it's true and discusses it, I'd consider that pretty official.

[Liz]

He said that at Rockingham (I heard him on the TV). I hope it's true.

[f1manoz]

Patrick won't leave CART. The IRL don't run in Canada.

[Liz]

You see, we do have SOME redeeming qualities up here!

[Tailwind]

Canada has many redeeming qualities. In just the context of racing; the fans are passionate about their racing (Champ Cars, F1) and they have produced some exceptional open wheel pilots such as Villeneuve (Jr and Sr), Carpentier, Tracy, Tagliani, and Greg Moore. (My appologies to those I have missed.) Players and Molson have been strong supporters of the series.

[macdaddy]

I'd say that winning a few races this year was a good career move!

Off-topic, yet not really, is that I read earlier today that Villeneuve considers himself "on the market" as of 2004. Seems he's decided to drive for BAR next year, and after that he's allowing himself to be thrown to the sharks.

From the article:
When asked whether Villeneuve would definitely be driving for BAR next year, Richards said: "I'm as sure as I can be that that's the case, yes."


Well, so much for that. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Sounds like he turned down a $50 million dollar contract so as to avoid but a single season in CART. In a way, and I know it's a terrible thing to say, but I hope it all backfires on him and he's driving sports cars in a year.
http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.asp?id=20657&s=5

[Liz]

"As sure as I can be" sounds like "not sure at all" to me. DR doesn't want him and thinks he's a drain on the team, so even if he does drive next year he's not going to be the fair haired boy of yore.

Since Jacques believes that the numbers on his paycheque indicate his true worth, what does that say about his value in 2004? (Of course, maybe Gerry can get him for a lot less than $50 mil in 2004, yes?)

[BootsOntheSide]

Guys like Gerry are just what CART needs, putting together a real Canadian superteam, any one of whom could challenge for the 2003 crown.

[kmchow]

Now that Players have been forced to pull out of sponsorship, I wonder if it's the end of Canadian driver development as we know it. I know Michael Valiante has shown promise, but most likely, he will soon hit roadblocks with regards to financing further career growth?? Too bad no Canadian company has stepped up to replace Players or to replace them at some meaningful level?

[Liz]

Not yet anyway. But remember that Players used to sponsor the Air Canada Grand Prix of Montreal. And a lot of people said that nobody would be found to take their place.

The real difficulty in Canada is that most of the large companies are owned by multinationals, not by Canadians.

[paul-collins]

Labatts used to sponsor a lot of racing. Now they're Belgian.

Why not Molson? Or have they blown their budget on the Maple Leafs?

[Liz]

They sponsor 3 races as title sponsors, that's quite a lot.

[paul-collins]

D'oh! Totally forgot the name of the races.

[Jay]

Bombardier's a possibility...although it would be easier in that case for the Canadian govt to sponsor Cart directly...(never mind, it's a Canandian political thing). Anyway, it would be good to see anyone step up and replace Players.

[macdaddy]

Only the breweries have pockets anywhere near as deep as the tobacco companies. I think that Molson may well run a team next year, (obviously not Forsythe's), so when the tobacco money dries up Forsythe will need new sponsorship. But he's already said that things look good for a European sponsor for 2004 and beyond. I'm sure he's got something lined up, or else his drivers would have balked at multi-year contracts.

[Jay]

Actually, he's already said that he's in deep discussions with a replacement(s) for Player's. I also believe that a replacement for Players is a key part of the contract with Paul Tracy... so he's almost certainly prepared.

[macdaddy]

...Which is surprising, actually. Given the fact that Forsythe is so much of an idiot, as Rush1 was kind enough to point out.

[gaines]

I am pleased to see Patrick getting to keep his ride. He's becoming one of my favorites(Being Ohio's favorite adopted son and all) and he'll be teammates with PT next year and that Player's paint sheme is pretty sweet. He ran around naked at Mid - Ohio but it was after I left. Thank the Lord. I don't like him quite that much. Now if Danica Patrick wins at Mid-Ohio in the Barber series next year....

[macdaddy]

Now that's how to market a product!
I'm about to book tickets to Mid-Ohio!
Gaines, you're a genius!

[paul-collins]

It's made a paper:

MONTREAL (CP) -- Patrick Carpentier has agreed to a $3.5-million US, two-year contract to stay with the Player's-Forsythe team in the CART-FedEx series, according to a published report Tuesday...

Player's must give up sponsorship of the team after the 2003 season under federal anti-tobacco legislation, so the first year of the contract is with Player's while the second is with team boss Gerald Forsythe, the report said.

-Toronto Sun

[Liz]

HURRAH!

[Tailwind]

Back to the sponsers...Bombardier did sponser one of the teams in the IRL a while back. I'm not sure if they do anymore. (I think it was Kelly Racing.) Bambardier is based in Canada and run by French-Canadians out of Montreal. They have their hand in a lot of things including snowmobles, jetSkis, aircraft, subways, as well as financing. They're very big. They are the fourth largest aircraft company in the world. That's saying something when you are in the company of Boeing, Airbus, and Lockheed-Martin. When I was working for them, there was a joke about them owning a few small third world countries.

With the international nature of CART it seems like a good fit. I don't know how that would compare to the depth of the pockets of Molson and Players, but then again, I'm sure they have some pretty deep pockets.

[Liz]

They were at Montreal with a display and got quite a bit of attention as I understand -- also had a number of drivers out doing demo runs on Sea Doos. I thought that was a hopeful sign.