No seat for Tracy?

[Fogelhund]

Back to the NHL bit... It is expected that Newman will retire this year. I don't think that is a big secret at this point, and removes some barrier to racing at Indy. I also don't think it is a big secret that Haas wants to race at Indy, he has been saying this for years. The question becomes, does he race in CCWS + Indy, or IRL + Indy. My uninformed guess is CCWS + Indy for this year, assuming, but all bets off after that...

[D.R.T.]

Where is the Newman retiring thing. I mean, how much he actually do with the team.

Also a barrier to racing at Indy, they raced with him and his name in 2005?

The Lanighan aspect shouldnt be overlooked either.

[stradlin21]

Originally Posted by luke

I never laughed when there were rumors he'd follow the Honda $.

Seriously though,

I genuinely believe and like I say, Curt Cavin also hinted at it that by 2009 Haas will have made his move

But back to PT,

None of anything is confirmed yet so all this is just predictions but I do think there is some interesting times ahead for everyone

My own opinion on whether PT will be in champ car in 2008, my honest answer is no, I don’t think he will be

But then I don’t think Scott Sharp and Patron will be in Indycar next year either

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by stradlin21

My own opinion on whether PT will be in champ car in 2008, my honest answer is no, I don’t think he will be

You dont think (a) Tracy and Forsythe will hit out a deal ?

(b) you dont think any other Champ Car team will pick Tracy up ?

[stradlin21]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

You dont think (a) Tracy and Forsythe will hit out a deal ?

(b) you dont think any other Champ Car team will pick Tracy up ?

I think his relationship with GF will have broken down so badly that he will leave and another team won’t want too/won’t be able to afford to have him

I’m just giving my opinion mate, that’s all

Like I said, at the moment, it’s all just predictions for everyone

[indycool]

mountainstar and D.R.T. I made no attempt to start a rumor. I answered mountainstar's question by the first two sentences of my reply, which is the best qualification I could make of my view at this time. It isn't any "dream" of mine or anything else.

On topic.....

http://flagworld.auto123.com/en/raci...py?artid=92766

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by indycool

mountainstar and D.R.T. I made no attempt to start a rumor. I answered mountainstar's question by the first two sentences of my reply, which is the best qualification I could make of my view at this time. It isn't any "dream" of mine or anything else.

On topic.....

http://flagworld.auto123.com/en/raci...py?artid=92766

Just a reprint of quotes from an earlier article.

[f1manoz]

Originally Posted by stradlin21

let me say this, and you can come back with what you like

i have a good friend that works for an IRL team and he assures me that Carl Haas HAS purchased several IRL chassis in view of starting a team

Haas of course will deny it but I know who I believe

Er, you do remember that he Haas has been at the last couple of 500s...???

How many is several anyway? Who is your 'friend'???

[stradlin21]

Er, was he?

Don't remember seeing him on the entry list this year or last...

[JohnSSC]

I think he was there as a "spectator" rather than a competitor!

[D.R.T.]

If PT remains on the outer with FPR, how do we rate the chances of PT with (potential $2 million of Monster money) at any other ChampCar team ?

[JohnSSC]

Somewhere between slim and none.

What other team is actually paying a driver to be there? NHL is the only one (presumably) and I am not sure that they would be willing to spend that much knowing the results may not be what they were when they had Bourdais in the seat. Plus you have Wilson and Servia out there who are both younger and particularly in Wilson's case have more of an "upside" to them.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

Somewhere between slim and none.

What other team is actually paying a driver to be there?

Minardi USA, Team Australia, PKV, PCM and as you say NHL.

If that Monster deal can still be negotiated it might open a few doors.

[indycool]

PKV paid Gommendy? Minardi paid Clarke? PCM paid Figge?

[D.R.T.]

Why wouldnt Figge have been paid?

Without being involved in Minardi's nor PKV's finance department I am not sure the money transactions between the two parties.

That aside, Power, Doornbos, Rahal, Bourdais, Jani, Dominguez were paid from those teams

[indycool]

Without being involved in the finance department of ANY of the teams, does Figge's money count as a salary for racing or just his weekly "allowance."

[D.R.T.]

Would you apply that to just Figge, or any of the other AOW teams that employ their family ?

[JohnSSC]

I sense a change in direction here! Let's stay on topic and discuss CC. If you need to discuss the pay/allowance status of drivers in other series, there are fora here that exist for that purpose.

Wouldn't want to get too far off-topic or anything...

[D.R.T.]

Interesting timing for a notion there John, but anyways I agree.

[JohnSSC]

A good question though, regarding Rahal. Is he being paid? I know that Bobby wanted him with a good team. Did he trade salary considerations to obtain one for Graham?

Not sure I would agree that Dominguez was paid by a team at any point last season either.

In any event (back to topic) GF seems to be demonstrating his "commitment" to Tracy by having him twist in the wind....

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

A good question though, regarding Rahal. Is he being paid? I know that Bobby wanted him with a good team. Did he trade salary considerations to obtain one for Graham?

Not sure I would agree that Dominguez was paid by a team at any point last season either.

I thought you wanted to get off that topic ?

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

In any event (back to topic) GF seems to be demonstrating his "commitment" to Tracy by having him twist in the wind....

Robin Miller suggests Tracy and Forsythe will be meeting after Christmas, so we all hope for a positive outcome for the both of them.

[MrTTraces]

I think the focus of the thread should be ... IS there a seat big enough for PT to wedge himself into?

[stradlin21]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

A good question though, regarding Rahal. Is he being paid? I know that Bobby wanted him with a good team. Did he trade salary considerations to obtain one for Graham?

Not sure I would agree that Dominguez was paid by a team at any point last season either.

In any event (back to topic) GF seems to be demonstrating his "commitment" to Tracy by having him twist in the wind....

i think in 2007 there were more drivers paying teams than teams paying drivers!!

On Forsythe, uncertain times ahead

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by stradlin21

i think in 2007 there were more drivers paying teams than teams paying drivers!!

Good to see your staying on topic

[stradlin21]

Just covering all the bases DRT

Stating the facts