New Cars and returning Ex-Stars

[Omega99]

I'd welcome back Nun, Franchitti, and Dixon for sure, and especially Dixon. He looked strong last year, and is definitely a great street racer, and with what he's shown on ovals this year in teh IRL, he seems like the total package. Of course, the only way for him to prove that would be to come back to CART. Kanaan could come back, I guess. He was not really spectacular in CART, and is only a bit stronger in the IRL, so whatever. Although he hasn't been mentioned yet here, Brack, either way, I don't mind. He's a good driver. But Penske's not allowed. He started the problems by stealing two of the best drivers in teh first place.

[Tailwind]

I agree completely on the thought of Penske returning. Fortunately I haven't heard any mention of that.

[DNQ]

Dixon and Mo Nunn are MORE than welcome back in my opinion, and I'd like to see Dario back in the saddle. Penske would be a huge thing for CART to bring back, but I can't see that happening.

What about Brack? I can't really remember him bad-mouthing CART on his way out, so he could come back too.

[racer69]

Originally posted by Dov
What about Scott Dixon?

He still has another year on his Ganassi contract

[jock25]

Despite everyone having an opinion about why Dario et al left for the IRL and whether their reasons were (dis)honourable, i you are like me and want to see CART flourish and ultimately crush TG and the IRL, we should all welcome them back.

In North American single seaters the drivers are bigger than the teams (with few exceptions like Penske). Therefore if Franchitti, Dixon etc return that will have a seriously positive impact on CART's fortunes (e.g. returning fans, increased sponsor and media interest). But better still it would be a good way for CART and it's fans to stick two fingers up at the IRL and show them that we won't go without a fight. And will win in the end.

[JohnSSC]

Lee:

That is good. Whatever happened to "Attack the post, not the poster?"

"Clueless," is a term that can be applied rather broadly, encourages me to react personally rather than on the basis of the merits of your post. Your attack signals to me that you don't like what I said (your privilege) but since you don't have a compelling arguement in rebuttal, you will just attack me personally. Since we have never met, I find it difficult to understand how you could be so certain that you could get away with being so dismissive.

So sorry that the Gretzky analogy was "weak." However the point I was so feebly trying to make is that there was enmity between the WHA and the NHL at the time, many fans viewed players defecting to the WHA in a poor light calling them "traitors" (any of this sound familiar?) and when the WHA folded those same "traitors" were eventually forgiven when they returned to the NHL.

If you had read my posts a bit more rigorously you might find that I respect and admire people with some measure of integrity, but that at the end of the day, however passionately one feels about this - it is only a sport. Lets not assign more importance/signicance to the events nor presume that the people involved are engaged in some great drama of high moral significance.

[Snrub]

Keep in mind that the final straw for getting the SCCA was because of what happened to Dario. Dario felt he was unfairly treated. Pook admitted this year that he was. If it happends, Dario should be welcomed back by all.

Why was Dario 2nd fiddle to PT? He did substantially better than PT. (although I think right now PT is probably driving better than Dario ever has)

I'd love it if Mo Nunn came back. I would like to see AJ on a better team than Patrick...

[Jordi]

I'd welcome everyone back, Penske, Ganassi, Andretti. Like "come back to daddy... that Tony is evil!"

[Dov]

Originally posted by Snrub
Why was Dario 2nd fiddle to PT?

I always thought that PT was #2 at Team Green!?

[gttouring]

with the associations now with Marshalls being of SCCA status- why not put a bid for the SCCA, or the IMSA group to buy CART?
SCCA won't make it a sham and will move it to Road courses around the US, and IMSA certainly would not make a mess of things, after all this group is responsible for a lot of good stuff...like formula mazda, ALMS, Speed GT/TC, and some really great international associations other than the FOA (why isn't it F1A-cause it looks too much like FIA?) I think CART getting scooped up by IMSA can work out very well... IMSA ChampCar Series, hmmm

[Crash Test]

Agreed with Jordi- welcome everyone back, the road to fixing up open wheel racing will start when a series can start fielding a quality field of 30ish cars...

[macdaddy]

Champweb is reporting from RA that Gil deFerran's manager has been seen at the Walker and PK camps.

[Straightup]

Honda pays his salary. There are so few truly competitive teams in CART, that his options would be limited if he wanted to race for wins and/or a championship. Ask Jimmy Vasser or Max Papis if they like pounding around in uncompetitive equipment. CART is so fragile and their future so uncertain that returning would be a last option. Lasty, the IRL is going road racing.
Dario, a top talent by any standard, is not the savior nor would his return do anything but be a blip on the radar screen. The only way he goes back is if he has no other option. Just my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

[gttouring]

just when though everyone new the IRL couldn't stay off road courses, but Dave Despain did a good job arguing that TG hs strayed from his vision, and it can work. 'inexpensive cars, more american "talent" wheel to wheel action-an open wheel version of NASCAR, going road racing when you don't have a solid product yet won't make it easier or confuse the series' more than they are already to many people and press.

[Snrub]

Just to clarify I was questioning why it was suggest Dario was #2, not actually suggesting it myself.

I'd welcom back all but Ganassi. I feel he was a real POS last year. Driver wise, I'd welcome pretty much any of the IRL defectors back.