Dan Clarke eyes the IRL with Panther

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by climb

"The only drivers who can survive in Champ Car are the ones who have sponsors," he told Autosport. "I love racing in America and I want to start earning a living here."

Whats the difference between buying a ride in IRL compared to buying a ride in ChampCar ?

[Peter Ford]

What make him think if he good enough that he will get a drive penske?.he has been a pretty dangerous driver in champcar,driving on ovals,he will be an even bigger danger to himself and other drivers as well.

[stradlin21]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

Started 11th and finished 8th at Milwaukee in 2006...

classic knowledge on both sides there!!

nice call John

[JohnSSC]

Point is that Matos is being paid now to run IPS. His results there will determine what kind of deal he can get with an IRL team.

Certainly better than driving for Gentilozzi, which was where he was rumored to be going to. PG seems to be working the same magic in CC as he did with Trans-Am...

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

His results there will determine what kind of deal he can get with an IRL team.

Absolutely, but what team could he move up with. Unless AGR stump up a 5th in 2008 or the other 2 big boys add vehicles is there another team that meet his standards?

[JohnSSC]

I think it is too early to tell which team will be "top tier" and which won't - in any series you can have a new or existing team come out of the woodwork with the right addition to the driving side or the engineering pool.

AGR's lineup may change at some point as well: what if Marco goes to GP2? Will Kanaan/Patrick/Mutoh stay forever? As Donald Rumsfeld once said: "There are known unknowns, that is, there are things we know that we don't know. Then there are unknown unknowns, that is, there are things that we don't know that we don't know..."

Matos hooking up with an IPS team is a first step. The next steps are up to him and the teams that will be looking for drivers in '09.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

I think it is too early to tell which team will be "top tier" and which won't - in any series you can have a new or existing team come out of the woodwork with the right addition to the driving side or the engineering pool.

Nothing has changed since the 04 season, while what you say isnt impossible it is extremely unlikely.

I dont think anyone will find it much of a stretch to call AGR, Ganassi and Penske the top tier.

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

AGR's lineup may change at some point as well: what if Marco goes to GP2?

He would want to do something in the IRL first, wouldnt he?

[JohnSSC]

I don't know what he wants to do in IRL or what he will do - that is why I said "what if."

[Knowlesy]

I got the impression Marco wants out to Europe as quickly as possible.

[Mystery]

My take on Clarke is that he is clearly very fast, but way too erratic and temperamental. He needs someone like Foyt to clip his ear and get him back in line and bring the speed when necessary - not sure Panther would be the right place really.

A certain Ryan Briscoe seemed to cause a few accidents first time round as I recall. (Wasn't it him or the Andretti kid who wiped out a fair portion of the field at Sears Point once)

[Knowlesy]

Yeah, Briscoe had some real form on ovals and yet he managed a decent drive at Indy last season (albeit hardly conclusive proof of change).

So give Clarkey boy a chance.

[climb]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Whats the difference between buying a ride in IRL compared to buying a ride in ChampCar ?

You should ask Matos, not me

Apparently it's easier on the Indy side, if one is keen to miss a 2 million dollar prize.