18th Car

[D.R.T.]

Houston and Monterrey have shown that CC has decided that 17 cars is sufficient. Why throw $$$ into a vehicle just to get a number 18. I agree.

However instead of thinking of the last car as "the 18th car", PKV who is running a 3rd car at selected events, I believe should open the car up for RHR.

Give it to this talented American and use it as a positive tool for ChampCar. This way the car isnt there for sake of having the 18th car but is actively seeking to achieve something for the betterment of the championship.

Thoughts?

[Jordi]

It would be alright. After all, running Vasser at selected races was alright, the car did seem on pace...

[rustyfan]

There is an 18th car on the way:

18th CHAMP CAR ON TAP

Rocketsports Racing will begin campaigning a second Lola-Ford/Cosworth at the Portland round of the 2006 Champ Car World Series. In addition to the regular car for Nicky Pastorelli, Rocketsports will field a second car for Formula Atlantic veteran Tonis Kasemets at selected races, those races being Portland, Toronto, Cleveland, Edmonton, Road America and Mexico City. Kasemets raced in the Toyota Atlantic Championship in ‘04 and ‘05, winning three times and finishing runner-up to Charles Zwolsman in last year’s points race.

Source: SpeedTV.com

[Michael Edick]

why not open up the 18th car to the atlantic driver that won the race the weekend before? it's supposed to be a feeder series, but it sure seems like all these top teams hire outside the "food chain" ie: Seabass, Montoya, daMatta, Zanardi...and the list goes on...
it's a feeder series for the people making the money off these kids...

[Snrub]

^ CDM was the 1998 Indy Lights champion.

Granted, he was not immediately hired by a top team.

[astinus4]

Originally Posted by Michael Edick

why not open up the 18th car to the atlantic driver that won the race the weekend before?

Because it'd neuter their chances of actually winning the Atlantics Championship?...

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by astinus4

Because it'd neuter their chances of actually winning the Atlantics Championship?...

How so? Taking part in a Champ Car race wouldn't stop them from taking part in a Formula Atlantics race the same weekend.

With that said I don't see any benefits of having a car that changes driver several times during the year.

[Michael Edick]

because it sure seems like they can't get a regular shoe in there!

let's give the kids a shot at showing their stuff!

[astinus4]

Originally Posted by rustyfan

How so? Taking part in a Champ Car race wouldn't stop them from taking part in a Formula Atlantics race the same weekend.

With that said I don't see any benefits of having a car that changes driver several times during the year.

Maybe not in theory but it'd still be very demanding physically and mentally. Has anyone actually done the double in recent memory?

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by astinus4

Maybe not in theory but it'd still be very demanding physically and mentally. Has anyone actually done the double in recent memory?

Not sure if any Champ Car drivers have bothered to race in a feeder series while still being a full-time driver, as opposed to NASCAR where Cup drivers regularly take part in both the Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck Series.

As for demanding, any Champ Car driver who would be even the slightest affected by having driven a Formula Atlantic race, a short feeder-class race, a couple of hours(?) before driving in the 'main event' have no business being a Champ Car driver, IMHO.

[Michael Edick]

I thought I heard the other day on the Mexico broadcast that Ranger (?) works out 5 hours a day!

I'm lucky to get 5 hours a month!

[luke]

NASCAR is a bit different though imo in terms of feeder series....the busch series I wouldn't class 100% feeder, and you still get a portion of Cup drivers take part in a Busch race, mostly preperation for the Cup race the next day, set up, how the track is etc...then there's the regular Busch runners who don't aim totally to be in the Nextel cup. Where as in say GP2, Atlantics or the IRL Pro series, all the drivers in there 100% are only racing in that series to be fed up.

[luke]

Well it's official, Kasemets will do six races this year for Rocketsports, so there should be 18 cars now everytime now then 19 at San Jose and Road America when Vasser takes part. Then could be 20 for Mexico City with the traditional extra driver....

[BootsOntheSide]

Is that right? I make it 19 at Road America, 18 at the other 5 races Kasemets is doing, and 17 elsewhere, barring any additional as-yet-unannounced entries.

[luke]

That's what I said.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by luke

NASCAR is a bit different though imo in terms of feeder series....the busch series I wouldn't class 100% feeder, and you still get a portion of Cup drivers take part in a Busch race, mostly preperation for the Cup race the next day, set up, how the track is etc...then there's the regular Busch runners who don't aim totally to be in the Nextel cup. Where as in say GP2, Atlantics or the IRL Pro series, all the drivers in there 100% are only racing in that series to be fed up.

In terms of setup there is very little you can take from the Busch cars and apply to the Cup cars. I'd say the biggest reasons the Cup drivers race in the Busch - and Trucks - Series these days are because they enjoy the racing and, of course, the almighty dollar. Kevin Harvick, the top Cup driver in the Busch Series so far this year (in fact, the top five in the Busch Series points are all full-time Cup drivers), has for example pulled in $483,460. Not too shabby for doing 12 second-division starts.

I do agree that the Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series are a bit different and not your regular "feeder series" compared to those open-wheel championships you list though, but at the same time they are feeder championships nonetheless.