RM's Open Wheel Notebook

[Dov]

From speedtv.com:

"The owners (in Champ Car) are brainwashed," said Fogarty, who won a close battle with Ryan Dalziel for this year's Atlantic crown. "They have this arrogant attitude that these expensive Champ Cars are so hard to drive. That's bull****. They're overpriced, that's all. "Are they challenging? Sure. But to think owners just go for Europeans burns me because we've proved we can kick their ass with a fair chance."

Champ Car's 2005 television deal may be announced before 2004 is over but if it's four on CBS, two on NBC and the rest on CNBC instead of SPEED, ugh.

[Snrub]

Thanks for posting that Dov.

Fogarty is completely justified in being POed. He went WAY beyond the call of duty.

Interesting peice: "Champ Car's 2005 television deal may be announced before 2004 is over but if it's four on CBS, two on NBC and the rest on CNBC instead of SPEED, ugh."

CNBC? Does anyone watch that? They only seem to have 3-5 shows. The rest of the time is "paid programming". Is CC going to be reduced to the status of informercial? :confused: I wonder if they're trying to save money so they are balancing the expensive network stuff by taking the cheapest road for the rest of the races?

[mountainstar]

There could be other issues with fogarty not getting more attention than he has. Who knows, except the team owners.

ALMS used to be on CNBC and they got pretty good ratings. CNBC I believe is in more households than speed, it meets a champcar demographic and typically has a lower channel number on cable systems than speed. On my cable system CNBC was channel 38 while speed was channel 122. Yes they have shown statistically that the lower channel # you have the more likely you are to pick up casual viewers.

[camcartfan]

Regarding Fogarty, the guy deserves a chance! Dalziel didn't win the championship twice, Jon did! Although as mountainstar said, there could be other issues with Fogarty. If he had an attitude or was hard to coach, I don't see why that would be an issue. Look at Tracy and Forsythe. BTW, I'm not say Fogarty has an attitude or is hard to coach. I'm just throwing those out in case others know something I don't. He's probably a super guy.

[paul-collins]

All I can say is OW racing's loss is my gain as an ALMS fan.

I was already a fan of Seth, Lonnie and Johannes at Flying Lizard. Time to break out the FLMS hat!

[Brian W Keske]

I'm right there with'ya paul.

Welcome aboard Jon.

[evo]

I think the issue they have with Jon is that he's too old. Total BS. Same thing happened to David Empringham a few years back... Won two Atlantic titles, get nothing out of it while a guy who never won the title (Tagliani or Dalziel) get a Champ Car ride. Stinks.

[Tenoch]

Or Oriol Servia who nerver won a race in Atlantic. jon is right he gives up the most lucradive ride in the IRL just to get punched in the gut. I think thats one more Open wheeler we've lost.

[mountainstar]

Originally posted by evo
I think the issue they have with Jon is that he's too old. Total BS. Same thing happened to David Empringham a few years back... Won two Atlantic titles, get nothing out of it while a guy who never won the title (Tagliani or Dalziel) get a Champ Car ride. Stinks.

If Jon is too old then I guess I'm screwed as I'm his same age. Now that I have the money to start racing, I may as well not bother. I don't know where people get this thing that once you turn 25, you're useless when it comes to racing cars. Oh well.

Also along with the Atlantic titles, didn't Empringham win an Indy Lights title in 1996 or so?

[macdaddy]

Who was Villeneuve's teammate in 1993? Empringham or Bourbonnais? I've forgotten. At any rate, it was always my feeling that the teammate should've gotten that CART ride in 94.

[mountainstar]

Originally posted by macdaddy
Who was Villeneuve's teammate in 1993? Empringham or Bourbonnais? I've forgotten. At any rate, it was always my feeling that the teammate should've gotten that CART ride in 94.

Bourbonnais. Empringham didn't join players until later. I think Bourbonnais did have more wins than Villeneuve in 1993, 5 to 3 or something.

[macdaddy]

Thanks, mountainstar.

What I DO remember is that JV didn't win the championship, Bourbonnais DID, and yet JV got "the call".

Surprised me at the time.

In hindsight, however, they obviously made the right decision.
1 ROY, 1 Indy, 1 PPG Cup, 1 WDC.

[evo]

Originally posted by macdaddy
Thanks, mountainstar.

What I DO remember is that JV didn't win the championship, Bourbonnais DID, and yet JV got "the call".

Actually Claude Bourbonais didn't win the title, David Empringham did. Then a couple years later in Indy Lights Empringham was teamed with Bourbonais, and cleaned the floor with him.... well, David won the title and Claude won only one race.

[Liz]

I wonder if Mr. Fogarty is wise in so bluntly burning all his bridges while he might still be standing on them. He'll be excellent in the ALMS though and if he can get over his bitterness, he'll enjoy himself in Sports Car Land.

And I'm sure if he had money to bring, he could find a ride in Champ Cars. We all know how that works...

[JohnSSC]

Not that I think Fogarty is as talented as AJ in his prime, but boy, that sure sounds like something old AJ would have said!

Career limiting statements in a sense but refreshing in their candor.

[Snrub]

Does Forgarty have any bridges to burn? Where is his test(s) to consider him for a seat? I thought he was also suppose to get a test with Forsythe as a result of winning Atlantics this year, along with Wirth from Formula BMW? Did that happen?

[MexMotor]

Originally posted by Snrub
Does Forgarty have any bridges to burn? Where is his test(s) to consider him for a seat? I thought he was also suppose to get a test with Forsythe as a result of winning Atlantics this year, along with Wirth from Formula BMW? Did that happen?

Didn't happen, he was already signed to run ALMS, thats why he didnt test with Forsythe.

[mountainstar]

Another team was going to test him too, but I can't remember which.

[camcartfan]

PKV wasn't it?