Honda/Ilmor in IRL

Speedworx · 23 May 2002, 19:45 (Ref:293936)

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. announced today plans to enter the Indy Racing League (IRL) for the 2003 season competition, and its racing subsidiary, Honda Performance Development, Inc. (HPD) in Santa Clarita, Calif., has contracted with Ilmor Engineering Inc. (a sister company to Ilmor Engineering, Ltd.) to provide engines.

HPD and Ilmor will work together as technical partners to design, develop and produce the engine. HPD will provide trackside support to teams using the newly developed, Honda Indy V-8 engine.

Honda becomes the fourth engine manufacturer in the Indy Racing League for the 2003 season. It will be the first time that four manufacturers have produced engines for teams in the IRL, which debuted in 1996 and is America’s premier open-wheel racing series.

“Everyone in the Indy Racing League welcomes Honda to the series next year,” said Tony George, Indy Racing League president and CEO. “Honda has a strong tradition of success in worldwide open-wheel racing, and we think the Indy Racing League is the ideal platform from which Honda can build upon its winning heritage.

“Honda’s decision to produce an IRL engine further validates the growth, stability and strength of the league, and the addition of another engine manufacturer positions the series for even more growth.”

Honda R&D and HPD jointly developed engines for the CART racing series from 1994 to the present, with Honda R&D handling the majority of those responsibilities. HPD announced it was leaving the CART series in October 2001.

“This is an exciting all-new chapter in Honda’s racing history and will give Honda the opportunity to compete in the challenging IRL racing series and the famous Indianapolis 500 race, while at the same time expand HPD’s abilities as a true racing engine development company,” said Robert Clarke, general manager of HPD. “Competing in the IRL series, with its rules to intentionally limit the use of high-cost technology and thus provide more parity in the racing field, will give Honda a new competitive experience and fans more exciting racing.

“This new direction builds on a foundation of nearly 10 years of CART racing and will serve to elevate HPD’s capability from engine assembly to engine design and development, and reflects a new commitment to American racing.

“Our technical relationship with Ilmor, an international racing engine company with a long-term record in designing and developing competitive racing engines, will allow us to develop the all-new 3.5 liter, normally aspirated V-8 engine in time for the 2003 IRL racing season.”

This change will mean that all U.S. auto racing engine R&D responsibilities will be turned over to HPD. This new shift in responsibilities will require HPD to further develop its in-house design, development and manufacturing expertise and capacity.

“We have always said that racing is an important training tool for our engineers, and these new responsibilities will certainly prove to be beneficial for them,” Clarke said.

Honda Performance Development, Inc. was founded in 1993 and has won more than 60 races since it started competition in 1994, including winning four CART manufacturer’s championships. The Honda Turbo V-8 has powered the past six consecutive CART driver’s champions.

Interesting!

botsquad · 23 May 2002, 21:08 (Ref:294060)

Tony George, was asked if he had driven the final nail in CART's coffin.

"I bring my hammer to work every day,'' he said, smiling.

...........................................................

comment: awesome tony, you are trully the biggest jerk in the history of u.s. motorsports.

you have the power: ims
and with that power......you've crapped on the sport...
way to go jerk-off.

Jordi · 23 May 2002, 21:35 (Ref:294082)

Honda has been hypocritical, they leave CART saying CART has been slow and announced the change of engine rules late, and now they can have a 3.5 l powerplant for 2003...

"...is America’s premier open-wheel racing series." !!! F***ing bulls***!!!

The Beer Baron · 23 May 2002, 23:06 (Ref:294175)

Honda now say that the engines provide a challenge for their engineers, THIS wasn't the case last year when they demanded that CART keep the high-tech stuff!

open Wheel racing is a load of ******!

mac · 23 May 2002, 23:27 (Ref:294190)

This doesn't necessarily mean Honda won't be coming back to CART. Is it not thought that Toyota will be supplying both series as the engines are pretty much the same?

SevenGrain · 23 May 2002, 23:29 (Ref:294193)

This whole thing is really interesting. And none of it makes sense.

1. Honda is partnering with Illmor which is largely owned by Damiler-Chrystler. That seems odd.

2. Illmor is also partially owned by Roger Penske, who is signed with Toyota for the next five years.

3. Honda left CART because they would not be able to produce a 3.5 litre engine by 2003, nor did they have any interest in this "low-tech" engine.

4. Honda's Tom Clarke states that Honda will not be participating in CART, but Illmor would be allowed to sell the engine to CART teams.

5. Roger Penske left CART because it was becoming "too international" and now the IRL has announced that they will race at Motegi next year.

One thing is certain. Now that Tony George has given Honda and Toyota the playground to compete with each other, he might as well kiss away the "low cost" formula he sought to develop. Honda and Toyota drove the costs in CART sky high, and in the IRL they will likely drive away those small teams and partners like Nissan and GM who helped build the IRL.

I can see Honda coaxing Team Green and Mo Nunn into the IRL and running out all of the little guys.

But the sad thing is, for all of CART's former partners joining the IRL, the League still has p*ss-poor attendance at many of it's venues.

Baron, do folks in South Carolina really say "******?"

SevenGrain · 23 May 2002, 23:31 (Ref:294195)

Quote:

Originally posted by mac
This doesn't necessarily mean Honda won't be coming back to CART.

Sorry mac, unfortunately it does, here is an excerpt from the press conference.

Q: Will the engines be available next year in CART? Will you sell engines to CART?

CLARKE: Honda will not, Honda is not participating in CART. Based upon our agreement with Ilmor, they do have the rights to use the same basic platform, assuming that's what CART ends up with, if they wish. You'll have to discuss with them what their intent is there.

.

slicktoast · 24 May 2002, 00:07 (Ref:294230)

Let's see Pook gets MG or maybe a spec engine, and the street/road fans. Tony gets the major manufacturers, an annual May blowout, ovals and a paltry fan base. They're both LOSERS!

RaceTime · 24 May 2002, 01:14 (Ref:294258)

And the surprises don't stop here...

Quote:

IRL, TWIN RING MOTEGI ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP
Excitement of Indy Racing coming to Japan in 2003-2005

INDIANAPOLIS, Thursday, May 23, 2002 �* The Indy Racing League and Twin Ring Motegi, north of Tokyo, have entered into a three-year agreement for the league to conduct its first races outside of the United States, it was announced today.

The first race will be in 2003 at a date to be announced later.

“Now that the Indy Racing League has a stable schedule in the United States, we are pleased to take racing based on the heritage of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race to Japan,” said Tony George, president and CEO of the Indy Racing League and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “It is especially fitting that our first international venue will be at Twin Ring Motegi, one of the finest ovals in the world.”

Full test available here: http://www.racetime.com.au/?racenews=69537

kmchow · 24 May 2002, 02:50 (Ref:294294)

OTOH, I think Tony George also has some explaining to do. He originally claimed he wanted an "All-Amerian" racing series? If so, what the hell is doing sending teams to Japan or anywhere for that matter??? Officially, it's b/c the sponsors want this.

This CART/IRL/Toyota fiasco has become a farce. Maybe I'll just turn the channel to watch some Nascar. At least they have some clear control/marketing ideas!!

SevenGrain · 24 May 2002, 02:52 (Ref:294296)

The "sponsors" that want this are, of course, Toyota and Honda.

The same reason CART went to Japan....

RaceTime · 24 May 2002, 03:42 (Ref:294323)

In Tony Georges favour, though, didn't he also want ovals only?

macdaddy · 24 May 2002, 06:40 (Ref:294397)

Joe Hiezler's legacy will live on forever. Tony George has pulled off the coup of the century. Honda and Toyota may prove to be the best thing to ever happen to the IRL, and the worst thing to ever happen to CART. All because of CART's change in engine formula to allow them to run the 500. And then TG bans cross-over of chassis and shoots that idea all to hell anyway.

Six years ago we would have laughed had someone suggested that Honda, Toyota, and Penske would all be IRL. Even at this time last year it would have seemed ridiculous.

Know what? It IS ridiculous.

Is TwinRing subsequently being dropped from the CART schedule?

RaceTime · 24 May 2002, 07:19 (Ref:294408)

There's no advice, at this stage, of Twin Ring on the CART schedule for 2003 - I guess todays announcement will force CART to make a statement one way or the other in the near future.

macdaddy · 24 May 2002, 07:37 (Ref:294418)

I've come to find out that the contract between CART and TwinRing is over. That last race was the last race.

Read Robin Miller's take on this whole thing...

http://espn.go.com/rpm/irl/2002/0523/1386247.html

The Beer Baron · 24 May 2002, 10:40 (Ref:294616)

Quote:

Originally posted by SevenGrain
This whole thing is really interesting. And none of it makes sense.

1. Honda is partnering with Illmor which is largely owned by Damiler-Chrystler. That seems odd.

2. Illmor is also partially owned by Roger Penske, who is signed with Toyota for the next five years.

3. Honda left CART because they would not be able to produce a 3.5 litre engine by 2003, nor did they have any interest in this "low-tech" engine.

4. Honda's Tom Clarke states that Honda will not be participating in CART, but Illmor would be allowed to sell the engine to CART teams.

5. Roger Penske left CART because it was becoming "too international" and now the IRL has announced that they will race at Motegi next year.

One thing is certain. Now that Tony George has given Honda and Toyota the playground to compete with each other, he might as well kiss away the "low cost" formula he sought to develop. Honda and Toyota drove the costs in CART sky high, and in the IRL they will likely drive away those small teams and partners like Nissan and GM who helped build the IRL.

I can see Honda coaxing Team Green and Mo Nunn into the IRL and running out all of the little guys.

But the sad thing is, for all of CART's former partners joining the IRL, the League still has p*ss-poor attendance at many of it's venues.

Baron, do folks in South Carolina really say "******?"

None of it makes sense!!

maybe Honda got a race at their track and that was eneough to swing them, the ideals the IRL was founded have been broken, which shows it was all business (ego) related from day 1.

The new IRL will look like CART

same teams/drivers

I'm not from SC

not from he USA

Jordi · 24 May 2002, 16:42 (Ref:295152)

Honda, instead of powering Tony George's little cars, should concentrate on making a good F1 engine, because the BAR's not that bad, neither is Villeneuve, and both engines expired in Austria.

Jordi · 24 May 2002, 16:47 (Ref:295155)

I don't know. TG just seems wanting to create his own version of CART, when one was already up and running by the time he hurt the sport forever.

slicktoast · 24 May 2002, 17:21 (Ref:295190)

Next: Tony holds an IRL race on the Indy F1 course and ticks off Bernie & Max. (So what they'll turn it into a positive spin a week later.) This opens the door for street/road courses for IRL.
How many street/road courses are chatting with Tony right now to hold IRL races now that CART is destined to f*rt itself into thin stinky air?
Was 'say it ain't so Joe' on Tony's payroll?
You've got to hand it to Tony, he DOES know how to get his way!

macdaddy · 24 May 2002, 17:32 (Ref:295201)

Yes, I get the distinct impression that TwinRing is but the first of the IRL's international events. Likewise, I foresee them departing from their "ovals-only" format. As early as next season. TG's drug-induced comment about being bigger than F1 and NASCAR in five years only fuels my suspicions.

And if the engine manufacturers are able to intice Green, Ganassi and/or Nunn to move their operations, CART's car count could conceivably drop to fourteen. And then TG will have the "premier" series, with the top teams and some of the top drivers.

This is all like a bad dream, isn't it? Let's be very thankful for Ford.

botsquad · 24 May 2002, 20:27 (Ref:295328)

Quote:

Originally posted by slicktoast
You've got to hand it to Tony, he DOES know how to get his way!

not.....
what does he know?.....nothing...
what does he need to know?....nothing...

he's got indy...........................
it's called.........the only game in town.

Glen Hartigan · 25 May 2002, 04:58 (Ref:295624)

Thats it..Im selling my honda!!!!!

Jordi · 25 May 2002, 10:19 (Ref:295747)

he's full of s***. How could he ever say IRL would be bigger than F1 and NASCAR? Formula 1 could fix all the races and still be 100 times more popular than IRL.

Stop smokin' Tony.

macdaddy · 25 May 2002, 16:41 (Ref:295997)

Well, he doesn't have to stop smokin'. Just has to stop talkin'.

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