Merger Imminent?

[indycool]

From what I read in Miller's piece, Edmonton and Surfers would also be included. As for Laguna, CC gave it up once for San Jose anyway.

[climb]

Originally Posted by icemachine

My only beef with this is it sounds like it would be Long Beach + IRL schedule. If thats the case I'll stop following if we don't see classic CART tracks like Laguna, RA, Cleveland and Toronto

I'm quite sure best CCraces will be retained

[ss_collins]

this is going to be fantastic if it happens

[Down F0rce]

I wonder what CC races will be dropped, and what ones will become IRL races? Does this mean the "new" IRL is coming to Spain, etc? Will we see a massive schedule this year of all the IRL races plus the CC races that don't clash?

This is all very exciting.

[BootsOntheSide]

This has to be the time to do it. A lot of races will lose out, but getting a single unified field with a single (largely American) direction is vital. I'm not sure it can even wait another year. Losing the Panoz cars would be a shame - maybe a ballasting system can be arranged to allow those to race against the Dallaras on the road/street courses, maybe alongside the same teams' regular Dallaras? I doubt Motegi will be a sticking point - Honda have far more to gain from the merger than they would have from moving or even cancelling this race. Alternatively, why not Suzuka?

[Rick]

Surfers Paradise just got interesting again!

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Down F0rce

I wonder what CC races will be dropped, and what ones will become IRL races? Does this mean the "new" IRL is coming to Spain, etc? Will we see a massive schedule this year of all the IRL races plus the CC races that don't clash?

This is all very exciting.

The Miller article claims that;

Additionally, the Champ Car races at Long Beach, Edmonton and Surfer’s Paradise, Australia would be added to the ’08 IndyCar Series schedule.

Maybe more back in 09', but I doubt they would be anything but core events... Road America, maybe Toronto back... can't think of much more....

[johntt]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

The Miller article claims that;



Maybe more back in 09', but I doubt they would be anything but core events... Road America, maybe Toronto back... can't think of much more....

Agree, its going to take a season or two to sort everything out.

[climb]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

... Losing the Panoz cars would be a shame - maybe a ballasting system can be arranged to allow those to race against the Dallaras on the road/street courses, maybe alongside the same teams' regular Dallaras? ...

This hypothesis is not viable, given the extremely short time between now and Homestead

[climb]

Originally Posted by johntt

Agree, its going to take a season or two to sort everything out.

I reckon in a couple of years the unified Indy series will have a helluva calendar

[2112]

I`m gald I went to Sebring. Those cars were cool.

Anyhow, if Paul Newman is happy, so am I.

[nycuk]

This is fantastic news, really hope it's going to happen.

[Down F0rce]

Latest article paints a less rosey picture.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...l.merger.0498/

[duke_toaster]

That's an annoying thing, if Honda don't want to move dates they could easily hold it at Suzuka ...

[icemachine]

Curt Cavin's report

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...0107/802080490

But George, who will be accompanied on the Japan trip by IRL presidents Terry Angstadt and Brian Barnhart, said today that he doesn't want to get too optimistic that a deal could be reached.
"Because it seems that every time we've been close, some new obstacle seems to get in the way," he said.
Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven stressed that no offer has been made from either series and, therefore, no deal has been agreed to, as has been reported on the Internet.
"I sent Tony a text (message) last night to find out what is going on," he said.

International Speedway Corp., which owns several tracks that host races on the IRL's schedule, recently refused a request to move the April 27 race at Kansas Speedway in order for the Japan race to take that date.

Depends what happens but Toronto clashes with the IRL date at the ISC owned Watkins Glen as well, and if Toronto goes for one year, you can be damn sure that it won't come back ever

[johntt]

Originally Posted by Down F0rce

Latest article paints a less rosey picture.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...l.merger.0498/

I think Honda will be swayed by the idea of having a grid of ~30 cars later in the year rather than having 18-odd earlier in the year.

[indycool]

Well, if KK doesn't know what's going on, he might check with his partners.

[gttouring]

this is such a big DUH
it is even in autoweek now- never thought i'd hope this works out this way but it seems the only way-the spare cars from CC may go to Superleague or A1 i guess...
i don't wnat to losse the turbos but one series is better period
lets hope they fit either motor into the either chasssis.
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...524211808/1065

[fieldodreams79]

there's going to be BIG conflicts in any BIG merger. they'll figure it out if they are serious.

i too would like to see turbo Cosworths as well...i'm not to "up to snuff" on these cars, but would it be completely stupid to have a series of Cosworth/Panoz vs Honda/Dallara? if they could work that out, it would be very interesting, but i'm not sure it is even feasible.

and they have got to keep Laguna, Road America...but, some sacrifices must be made. 2009 should be awesome!

Long live Panoz!

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by gttouring

this is such a big DUH
it is even in autoweek now- never thought i'd hope this works out this way but it seems the only way-the spare cars from CC may go to Superleague or A1 i guess...

SuperLeagueFormula have developed their own kit, it will probably sound the dog's reproductive organs with it's V12 4.2 unit which supposedly will get 750hp (more than a 2006 Sauber F1 unit!)... I'm not sure if that's exaggerated or not, but if it does it will be faster than GP2.

The car is built by Panoz, but it doesn't look like the DP01. It's called the DP09, if anyone cares. I think SLF has a good future ahead of it unless it is mismanaged, the cars sound good anyway.

As for A1, they've got a partnership with Ferrari and soon they should have basically a modified Ferrari F1 car.

Who else would want them ...

[Leighton Irwin]

I believe none of what I hear and half of what I see. (Who said that?)
It may be actually happening this time but I expect most of the combining will not happen untill next year.
If races are cancelled (and it seems they will be CCWS races) look for breach of contract law suits.
Probably, if it happens at all, there will be some interchange this year with one series next year. IRL may want to drop some of their less well attended races next year in favour of good CCWS venues.
IRL are considering new cars in a year or so and the Panoz with mods for ovals might be the way to go. That way the current CCWS cars will not be junk and Panoz will have time to build sufficient cars.
Any way here is hoping.

[EERO]

Any compromise has its downsides, this one has the ugly Dallaras instead of the Panozes. Loses Toronto, Road America and Cleveland (three great venues) and implies that FTG has won.

All of these "losses" are worth undoing the damage cause by the split in the first place.
If it happens, I'll sing Hallejujah.

It's about freakin' time.

[Craig]

I'll believe it when I see it but, if it happens, I don't care what races they have to drop or what cars they run, I'll just be delighted. Who cares if they run a pig ugly car for a couple of seasons or if we lose a race or two? The end result will be well worth it. It's always a shame to lose races, of course, but both series are on the verge of collapse on their own so we have to make sacrifices.

[Teretonga]

I am not convinced about a merger for 2008.
It's all too rushed and I wonder if in fact TG is actually desperate to get a larger car count.
CCWS loses out in race dates/races and as has been mentioned their are potential law suits fronm contracts.

KK says there are advantages both ways for CCWS so it is far from a done deal. No letter of intent, just talk and rumours, plus a couple of significant hurdles to be overcome...
Walker makes the point that damage coasts are significantly higher in IRL and my guess is that a number of financially strained CCWS teams could miss a few races later in the season. I also think that taking only 3 races from the CCWS schedule is a negative and they are probably the races that TG would value, the rest he doesn't care about or they are ones that would cost CCWS a significant amount of money to run. I'm surprised Toronto isn't one of the races included in the schedule or maybe it is just too packed.

[indycool]

I would think that contractual issues would certainly have been addressed already if it has progressed as far as it seems. There MAY not be that many contracts signed yet for '08 by CC, given the number of track rentals and co-and self-promotes. And if those races are not making money for CC or its promoters, the IRL isn't going to be interested in picking them up in a melding of the two. Also, if the melding, however it's done, is completed, CC can go Chapter 7 and people can sue all they want.