Preseason Thoughts

[cartpix]

Deepthrottle's Preseason Thoughts are on the site.

http://www.deepthrottle.com/Thoughts...thoughts.shtml

Don't forget to read the red text, in the right column. Also check out my Laguna Seca shots, captioned.

http://www.deepthrottle.com/Photo/sp...umbnails.shtml

Jeff

[norman-normal]

After reading that, I wonder, why should anyone bother with CC?

[cartpix]

Originally Posted by norman-normal

After reading that, I wonder, why should anyone bother with CC?

How does KK expect the teams to secure sponsorship, with a preseason like this. Makes you wonder why so many unpainted cars at Laguna Seca.

Jeff

[norman-normal]

Perhaps he expects them go out and make contacts and..........watch out I'm going to use a four letter word: SELL.


Spoon fed is hard to beak away from.

[Snrub]

My preseason thought: We're a week and a half away from the first race. Does the series seem ready to race?

The series owners seem to think that the team owners are going to blink first. At this stage the teams have nothing to blink with. Give them some now money so they can paint their cars and announce the remaining seven drivers before Vegas.

[norman-normal]

Like maybe KK is Daddy Warbucks? Snrub I suspect your too young to take parental view of this.

I agree that it is a stand off but I don't know what the $$ situation of the teams are; I imagine some really need help and some will take anything they can get. KK is trying to separate the needy from the greedy. (Just my speculation)

[norman-normal]

Originally Posted by cartpix

How does KK expect the teams to secure sponsorship, with a preseason like this. Makes you wonder why so many unpainted cars at Laguna Seca.

Jeff

It really does, they get free paint!

[BootsOntheSide]

The whole thing's been a terrible letdown so far, and KK will have to fund some teams if they're going to get 16 cars, which is still poor when they talked of 22. Most of the rookies are pretty good, but we're so short of established drivers - Junquiera and Servia are definite losses. The schedule is patchy, the publicity is patchy, and public appeal hasn't improved. Somehow, despite having nothing new and having seemingly been on a cycle of decline, the other series has a much more promising 2007 lined up.

[DaPix]

Word circulating today is that this will all blow over. There will be 18 cars on the grid with major sponsors that have not yet been announced. We should expect several announcements this week.

IF that is all true, it is a shame that the process had to go through such a prolonged period of uncertainty to get to this point. It may turn out just great, but a lot of PR opportunities have been lost along the way. We can do better, and I hope and expect we will.

But for starters we need to see the actual announcements. Then we can begin to cheer for start of the season. First practice at Las Vegas is just 10 days away.

[Alex K]

And 10 signed drivers, PCM and Conquest in limbo, DCR hasn't confirmed anything, we don't even know how many drivers they will sign. Series regulars Junqueira and Servia, former vice-champs are in limbo. Minardi hasn't announced Doornbos yet, you've lost Heylen, previous seasons might me wondered of how long will Gommendy and his money stay in the series?To many question marks.

[Tim Northcutt]

Minardi has scheduled a teleconference for tomorrow to announce their drivers.

Let's see if Baumgartner is one of them, and has been elevated from "Test/Reserve" status...

Sorry, but this is no way to launch a season, an the "Big Announcements" at laguna were thin and lacking substance....

Let's also see how many sidepods are empty....

[norman-normal]

This isn't the Optimist club is it?
I have never seem such a bunch of pessimist cry baby's in my long life. I think your out to set some kind of record. Reality is never as bad as an over active imagination look at the facts, all the facts, not just those favored by some professional pessimist.

[climb]

...apparently our mate mountainstar still has to read this thread

[JohnSSC]

There has not been a lot to fuel optimism. Personally, I do not consider myself to be a "crybaby" and if wondering who is going to be making up almost half of the projected grid this close to race event #1 makes me one, then I can only wonder about the criteria being used here.

This year it not be just DCR pulling the sheet off their car/cars while they are on the grid revealing this year's highest bidders for a seat - it seems the series in such great shape that the trend is growing....

[climb]

DCR? What does that mean?

[Tim Northcutt]

Dale Coyne Racing

[climb]

Thanx

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Alex K

And 10 signed drivers, PCM and Conquest in limbo, DCR hasn't confirmed anything, we don't even know how many drivers they will sign. Series regulars Junqueira and Servia, former vice-champs are in limbo. Minardi hasn't announced Doornbos yet, you've lost Heylen

Obvioulsy a few things have happened since your post but I am intruiged by the PCM and Conquest being in limbo. Matt Halliday looks to be lining up with Conquest and PCM, whats limbo about them ?

[cartpix]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Obvioulsy a few things have happened since your post but I am intruiged by the PCM and Conquest being in limbo. Matt Halliday looks to be lining up with Conquest and PCM, whats limbo about them ?

There is no limbo, for PCM, that I know of. Team, equipment, 4 cars, & 2 drivers. Conquest, on the other hand, has a real dark cloud, of doubt, around them. They were ready to close their doors, until an 11th hour sponsor had Bacholart calling his laid off employees, back in from the parking lot. At Laguna Seca, this mystery sponsor was conspicuously absent. Word was, they'd be lucky to even start the season. If they don't run 2 cars, either RuSprockets or another team will have to run 3 cars, to make 18.

I'm very curious to see how this one plays out.

Jeff

[indycool]

With the announcements of Rahal to NHL, Doornbos and Clarke at Minardi and Dominguez (for three races only so far) to Forsythe, that makes 14. One week to go and several articles from Europe (grandprix.net, champcar.nl, etc.) don't cast a very optimistic picture for Heylen and Zwolsman and Ranger announced a CASCAR deal for '07. Legge is supposedly under contract to KK and probably will get handed off to Coyne. Junqueira seems to be enjoying A1GP and probably wouldn't go to Coyne without somebody paying him. Halladay tested for Conquest but nobody seems to know if either the team or the driver has money. Phillippe attended the drivers meeting at the IRL race at Homestead (as did Dominguez) and wants to get paid and nobody wants to pay him.

So, the preseason continues..............

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by indycool

One week to go and several articles from Europe (grandprix.net, champcar.nl, etc.) don't cast a very optimistic picture for Heylen and Zwolsman and Ranger announced a CASCAR deal for '07.

Heylen and Zwolsman havent been in the picture for a while I thought.

Any more talk on Millers rumour of Rice to run first two races for PKV ?

[indycool]

HAven't heard any.....Rice is signed with Dreyer & Reinbold in the IRL, but don't know if that's restricted or not.

[Snrub]

I think I get why the preseason has unfolded the way it has, but ultimately I think it has hurt the series. It's frustrating is all.

I really hope the new cars and rules level the playing field. I think there's a reasonable chance that we will see Bourdais/PT/Wilson/Tag/Power fighting each other tooth and nail for wins.

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Well I think/hope we'll end up with Junqueira and Legge at Coyne, Zwolsman in a thid Team Australia car and Halliday at Conquest (well throw in Servia/Philippe in that second seat too!). To spice things up, have Vasser do a few races in a third PKV car. Don't come hunting me down when this turns out to be incorrect though!