Team Rahal back to Champ Car? - Page 2

Fogelhund · 31 Aug 2007, 15:30 (Ref:2000914)

Rahal does not spend his own dime on racing. Any of his efforts are based upon being fully sponsored, and fully paid for. "IF" Rahal starts a Champcar team, it is because he has obtained a sponsor, who will pay for the full program. The sceptic in me suggests that might be very difficult to obtain. Perhaps Rahal wants to move over, but the question becomes who pays? I don't believe there is a business case to fulling funding such an effort by a sponsor, but who knows.

mountainstar · 31 Aug 2007, 16:23 (Ref:2000947)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

Rahal does not spend his own dime on racing. Any of his efforts are based upon being fully sponsored, and fully paid for. "IF" Rahal starts a Champcar team, it is because he has obtained a sponsor, who will pay for the full program.

I agree completely.

At the moment I tend to see him divesting himself of his racing interests rather than the other way around.

JohnSSC · 1 Sep 2007, 10:43 (Ref:2001253)

As I noted in my earlier post, I agree that mountainstar's notion that Bobby could be downsizing is far more likely a scenario.

I would think that if he wanted to follow Graham at NH, he would want to do so unencumbered by a race team so he could focus on Graham rather than running a race team and catching glimpses of Graham!

Mystery · 3 Sep 2007, 13:02 (Ref:2002577)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

As I noted in my earlier post, I agree that mountainstar's notion that Bobby could be downsizing is far more likely a scenario.

I would think that if he wanted to follow Graham at NH, he would want to do so unencumbered by a race team so he could focus on Graham rather than running a race team and catching glimpses of Graham!

I think he just needs to look over at the AGR pit to have a pretty close up view of how it would be running a team with your son running it it, and I can't imagine he'd be seeing a positive picture

JohnSSC · 3 Sep 2007, 13:09 (Ref:2002582)

Rahal is no fool, Mystery, and I agree with you that he knows that such a dynamic would never work. He worked hard to craft the deal that put Graham in NH in the first place so that Graham could race in the best possible environment.

I do not think that it has EVER been Bobby's intention to have Graham race for him.

indycool · 6 Sep 2007, 16:22 (Ref:2005364)

AJ IV has done far better with Vision than he did with Granddad.

ThePenguin · 6 Sep 2007, 19:53 (Ref:2005603)

Quote:

Originally Posted by indycool

AJ IV has done far better with Vision than he did with Granddad.

I think that Marco has done just fine on Andretti Green, and has probably done the best than he can do on any IRL team while on his father's and grandfather's team.

cartpix · 8 Sep 2007, 06:01 (Ref:2006572)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muzza

During the Champ Car race in San Jose ...

You were at San Jose & you didn't let us know? Shame, shame...

Jeff

Mystery · 10 Sep 2007, 08:40 (Ref:2008249)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePenguin

I think that Marco has done just fine on Andretti Green, and has probably done the best than he can do on any IRL team while on his father's and grandfather's team.

11th in the championship in his second full season, both of which are with a top team and with (if Sonoma's nonsense is anything to go by) preferential treatment. Yeah - "fine" is just about right. "Fine" to average maybe.

In perspective, he had the same number of top 10 finishes as Ed Carpenter. Too many crashes too. In his year in the series Mark Taylor had only one more crash and we know where he ended up.

JohnSSC · 10 Sep 2007, 09:46 (Ref:2008309)

I would agree with you here Mystery. I believe Marco has talent, but he should have spent last season in IPS/Atlantics...he does not seem as "seasoned" as Graham Rahal, for example...

Mystery · 10 Sep 2007, 12:04 (Ref:2008453)

Marco perhaps just needs to relax a bit. I've no doubt he can be quick - we've all seen that - but if that quickness comes from overdriving or overreacting then I guess I'm not suprised his cars tend to come home in kit form

stradlin21 · 12 Sep 2007, 12:33 (Ref:2010119)

i've got an excellent contact in the states who keeps me updated with loads of news (he works for an IRL team)

i've posted a huge message in the IRL section with all the news and rumours he had for me since my return from holiday

but I thought i'd leave this one for here

his words to me

"The chances of Rahal returning to the Champ Car World Series are 0%

Rahal has recently purchased more IRL equipment and is currently in negatiations with more sponsors to improve his IRL programme as well as weighing up his options with who drives the Ethanol sponsored car in 2008"

Sorry champ car fans, dream on!!!

D.R.T. · 12 Sep 2007, 14:57 (Ref:2010220)

Does conflict with what Muzza heard at San Jose, Stradlin. Very possible that things have changed since that time, but this wasnt a dream.

Mystery · 12 Sep 2007, 15:37 (Ref:2010255)

Hmmmm - San Jose would have had CC fans crawling all around and would be more likely to tell favourable CCWS stories. IRL teams are not unnaturally going to be likely to tell favourable IRL stories. I've no doubt all the views expressed are genuinely held but at the same time I don't feel I've learned anything new apart from some more opinions.

However, all this talk of cash being shared out more equally next year in the IRL makes me think that now would be an odd time to jump for any team.

mountainstar · 12 Sep 2007, 23:34 (Ref:2010656)

Quote:

Originally Posted by stradlin21

Sorry champ car fans, dream on!!!

I don't think any of us were dreaming about anything. Most of us can think of many other people we'd rather have in the champcar paddock than bobby rahal.

There has been talk of some of that ethanol money being spread around if champcar does ethanol next year, so don't paint yourself into a corner there stradlin.

indycool · 13 Sep 2007, 00:38 (Ref:2010699)

I'm sure CC would like some ethanol money......getting it might be another story.

JohnSSC · 13 Sep 2007, 02:56 (Ref:2010737)

Why would the ethanol folks put much into a series that may end up with more races in Europe than the US?

mountainstar · 13 Sep 2007, 03:27 (Ref:2010746)

Quote:

Originally Posted by indycool

I'm sure CC would like some ethanol money......getting it might be another story.

They actually already have it.

mountainstar · 13 Sep 2007, 03:29 (Ref:2010747)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

Why would the ethanol folks put much into a series that may end up with more races in Europe than the US?

Maybe cause it's sold in europe.

NorCal · 13 Sep 2007, 04:26 (Ref:2010755)

First of all from what I understand, Ryan is racing with RLR because HE came to the table with the Ethanol sponsor, hence a ride....so my guess if Ryan leaves Bobby leaves. I'm sticking to my June 07 prediction (on the paddock of IPS in Indy during USGP from a Formula BMW owner/ex-CART driver) "Seebass is going to F1 and Marco will be in the Micky D car for Newman. His family are friends and Marco is failing on ovals.....silly season is upon us.

JohnSSC · 13 Sep 2007, 09:48 (Ref:2010957)

Right, ethanol is sold in Europe, but there is more focus on things like bio-diesel there.

Here in the US, our good friends from the corn grower's lobby are promoting the use of corn for making ethanol. Corn is probably the most energy and labor intensive thing you could possibly want to grow to produce ethanol. If we planted every acre now being used to grow corn for food (and the acreage we pay farmers NOT to grow corn on) and planted it with corn for ethanol, the total impact on gasoline consumed here would be less than 5% per annum at current usage.

I think that was off topic.

Anyway, my feeling re: ethanol producers is that they are looking for domestic publicity (ie N America) as opposed to Europe, since they are in no position to export.

mountainstar · 13 Sep 2007, 18:01 (Ref:2011544)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

.

Here in the US, our good friends from the corn grower's lobby are promoting the use of corn for making ethanol. Corn is probably the most energy and labor intensive thing you could possibly want to grow to produce ethanol. If we planted every acre now being used to grow corn for food (and the acreage we pay farmers NOT to grow corn on) and planted it with corn for ethanol, the total impact on gasoline consumed here would be less than 5% per annum at current usage.

I agree completely. Using corn for ethanol is bloody stupid.

Dutton · 13 Sep 2007, 20:10 (Ref:2011807)

It isn't stupid if it serves your interests, and this is why it happens.

As an attempt at the best option, yes, most certainly, it is a poor option: however, that is not the purpose of the exercise.

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