Merger Imminent?

[johntt]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Yeah, Panoz could build an IRL spec car or actually just start making them again as they made them a few years ago. As for engines, I'd like to see Cosworth make engines for the new series but I think the engines are actually spec.

I'd like to see the following:
Chassis suppliers: Dallara, Lola, Panoz, Riley.
Engines suppliers: Ford (Cosworth?), Chevrolet, Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Mercedes Benz (Ilmor?). 2.65l V8 turbos.
Tyres: Firestone.
Fuel: ethanol.

[gttouring]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Yeah, Panoz could build an IRL spec car or actually just start making them again as they made them a few years ago. As for engines, I'd like to see Cosworth make engines for the new series but I think the engines are actually spec.

panoz does the G-Force chassis...and the DP01 was/is oval certified it simply has not run them....
the DP01 is a more versatile chassis anyway (superleague formula V12 fit?!)

this is getting better every day

[Jonerz]

I'm just glad open-wheel is getting back together and can start building up. Hopefully one day in my life I will be able to see American open-wheel rivaling F1 once again.

Chris

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by mac

Me too. If these two get together and Surfers Paradise is not on the agenda, I will be verging on mortified.

I dont think you will have to worry about that. It all appears that Surfers will be on the schedule but the real question is whether it will be a point scoring or non point scoring race for 08.

[indycool]

I don't know what "oval certified" means in this context, but the DP-01 has never been tested on an oval and to my knowledge, there is no oval "kit" for it.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by mac

Me too. If these two get together and Surfers Paradise is not on the agenda, I will be verging on mortified.

I'd been quietly contemplating cashing in some holidays to see what the fuss on the Gold Coast is all about this year, will be good if the lot are there.

[climb]

Originally Posted by johntt

I'd like to see the following:
Chassis suppliers: Dallara, Lola, Panoz, Riley.
Engines suppliers: Ford (Cosworth?), Chevrolet, Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Mercedes Benz (Ilmor?). 2.65l V8 turbos.
Tyres: Firestone.
Fuel: ethanol.

To survive with so many suppliers you'd need 40 cars on the grid, and only very well funded teams: pure fantasy.

IRL have better survived these long sad days by bringing costs down, let's not forget it: as long the american auto industry keeps in trouble there's no alternative.

[madman16]

I'll be dirty if the Indy cars aren't back at the Gold Coast. Points paying or not as long as they are there.

The V8 Supercars are great but to have the Indycars just 45min down the road is great. I can see the V8's anytime but the Indy/CC only comes around once a year and even an ordinary CC race still beat any round of F1.

Please, please, please come back again

[climb]

I think there is no reason to drop a successful event; dunno whether there can be date clashes, but if they sorted it out with Long Beach, with SP it can only be easier IMO

[EGG]

I in all honesty didn't think this would happen this decade.

Hopefully surfers will come together. It's a shame more of the CCWS circuits aren't going to be on the new schedule, particularly laguna seca and road america.

[gttouring]

road america must showcase indy cars. this is a farce to ignore this track- coupled witha historic weekend or touring cars this would be fabulous..
ditto for Laguna Seca- a 2 week stay in Wine country or better separate them at each end of the season. these tracks are great Sonoma and Laguna...

[Sodemo]

So whats the new "unified" series called?

I presume they are racing on a mix of ovals and road courses?

[icemachine]

According to internet rumours it will be Indycar Racing League,

The Schedule would be current IRL schedule with Long Beach in place of Motegi (which would be moved later in the season), Edmonton in place of Nashville, and Surfer's Paradise, likely as a non points race.

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by gttouring

panoz does the G-Force chassis...and the DP01 was/is oval certified it simply has not run them....
the DP01 is a more versatile chassis anyway (superleague formula V12 fit?!)

this is getting better every day

The SF car is the DP09, although they might be rather similar. Then again, even if it was the DP01, wether you can stick a V12 in it is nothing to do with wether it can be raced on an oval or not.

[icemachine]

Curt Cavin has a lot on his Blog today, including the first time I've seen a reporter mention the possibility of lawsuits

http://blogs.indystar.com/racingexpert/

most interesting tidbit

I suspect we'll see Long Beach and Motegi held the same day, with Long Beach being a farewell race for Champ Car and not technically an IRL race. I'm told tickets are already on sale in both markets, and Long Beach is preparing its street circuit as we speak. I think this plan has trouble written all over it, especially in Long Beach.

[nickyf1]

Its not officially confirmed according to Autosport:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/65229

[stradlin21]

until it's confirmed on Indycar.com then it's not confirmed at all

[gttouring]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

The SF car is the DP09, although they might be rather similar. Then again, even if it was the DP01, wether you can stick a V12 in it is nothing to do with wether it can be raced on an oval or not.

it has to do with adaptability of the chassis...
Racecar engineering had an article on it... they didn't do much to fit the v12 into the chassis, just add an airbox- as the orginal car was to use both types of engines for a unified series approach with equipment..
those panoz guys are clever.
now can they make a front engined roadster?

[Down F0rce]

http://ukpress.google.com/article/AL...kxe4M9HbZGTabg

[Tim Northcutt]

That was picked up from a story on yahoo.com/sports and shince has been revised to read that the news conference has been "tentatively" scheduled for "as early as" 11 a.m." and other sources have stated that the IRl has not "officially" slated a date and time a potential announcement.

Seems as though there is still some work to do, gang...

We've had the rug pulled out from under us before on this issue...I'll believe it when they make the "Formal Announcement"...This thing is too complicated on the CCWS side to make it an easy deal....

[Tony Clifton]

Originally Posted by icemachine

According to internet rumours it will be Indycar Racing League,

The Schedule would be current IRL schedule with Long Beach in place of Motegi (which would be moved later in the season), Edmonton in place of Nashville, and Surfer's Paradise, likely as a non points race.

Why not call it as it use to be called:

Indycar World Series

[Amar7605]

Even if the merger is confirmed, my concern will be the quality of the whole thing. Will the new series be something worthwhile for people to watch? What will the races be like when going to them in person? And how will the competition be?

This is a very critical year for open-wheel racing. This new series better put on great races and bring it every race day.

[JohnSSC]

While I am waiting for the announcement, I will say this:

The critical thing is to get one series going. A lot has been written about venues and cars and engines for this season and their unsuitability.

Look, it took a long time to get where we are. It is going to take a while to get where we need to be. Lets crawl before we worry about what brand of running shoes we need to be wearing...hopefully we will have a long future to refine things and create a truly dynamic series (again).

In fact, the midwives are still attending the birth...

[climb]

Great post John

Actually getting together is of paramount importance; the chassis being/not being ugly, the engine being Honda/Cossie/whatever else, venues scheduled/unscheduled are just a bunch of matters to be faced calmly and gradually, since the planning the very next season.

[indycool]

Good post, John. Getting together is only the first step in growing the SPORT. It can't be regarded as a "microwave." It has taken 12 years to get back to here (if, in fact, they do).