'05 Silly Season - Page 39

Snrub · 21 Mar 2005, 17:21 (Ref:1258131)

Interesting that in addition to Proctor and Gamble that Kodak will be sponsoring Ranger. Konica will be sponsoring Jensen. I think we're seeing a resurgance of big name consumer sponsors! In addition, the ones that have been mentioned seem to have Canadian ties.

dehaas32 · 21 Mar 2005, 20:16 (Ref:1258292)

http://www.verstappen.nl/picture/200...ng/JosHVM2.jpg

Jos verstappen seat fitting at HVM

dehaas32 · 21 Mar 2005, 20:18 (Ref:1258295)

http://www.verstappen.nl/picture/200...ng/JosHVM1.jpg

Ok one more pic of the seat fitting this morning...

icemachine · 21 Mar 2005, 20:28 (Ref:1258305)

Hmm with both Konica-Minolta and Kodak sponsoring now do we get to see a bidding war for "Official Camera of the CCWS"?

mac · 21 Mar 2005, 22:20 (Ref:1258403)

I think Jos would make an ideal "bad guy" in a James Bond movie.

BootsOntheSide · 21 Mar 2005, 22:38 (Ref:1258419)

I'm trying to think of the last time two direct rival products sponsored rival ChampCar entries, it could be an interesting development. The main point is that a few mroe consumer brands are sponsoring teams - it's important to have these on the cars,r ahter than companies Joe Bloggs won't know.

StickShift · 22 Mar 2005, 02:27 (Ref:1258553)

Conquest is probably the best team for a driver like Ranger who is trying to advance his career. There is little doubt that he is talented, but there is a big question mark over his experience.

Conquest has a rather modest budget, but they also have the potential to field a pretty competitive car. For Ranger, if one weekend he runs at the sharp end of the grid, he'll be performing beyond his potential. But if next weekend he has a poor race, the blame won't be pinned on him, but rather the uncompetitive machinery.

If Ranger has a good season. I could see him moving up to a top team in 2006. Heck, Forsythe nearly signed him 2005, even...

Hazza · 22 Mar 2005, 03:19 (Ref:1258570)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

I'm trying to think of the last time two direct rival products sponsored rival ChampCar entries, it could be an interesting development. The main point is that a few mroe consumer brands are sponsoring teams - it's important to have these on the cars,r ahter than companies Joe Bloggs won't know.

Players - Kool - and Malbrough?

Bud and Miller?

StickShift · 22 Mar 2005, 03:22 (Ref:1258571)

Target and Kmart

Snrub · 22 Mar 2005, 04:44 (Ref:1258585)

Some possible others, Nextel and Worldcom? Gigante and Herdez? (I know those aren't exactly the same) Penzoil and Havoline. Manufacturers: engine and tires (I know that's a trivial example). Visteon and Johnson Controls. ....There have to be more, but I can't think of them.

Electrocuted · 22 Mar 2005, 06:15 (Ref:1258614)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

The main point is that a few more consumer brands are sponsoring teams - it's important to have these on the cars, rather than companies Joe Bloggs won't know.

Bingo!! Much better to see consumer products on the cars.
Just look through all the old yearbooks,,, when "known" names were on the wings and side pods.... makes the cars look better, boosts the image of the series.... it's a good thing!!

drewdawg727 · 22 Mar 2005, 15:42 (Ref:1258948)

I am sad to see that Rodolfo Lavin has lost his sponsorship with Corona...after he seemed to be a little more competitive last year than in his rookie season.
Do you think that Coyne is still going to support Mazzacane?
Everything looks golden this year for Champ Car and i'm very excited, i'm just angry that some races are going to be on Speed Channel!! (a channel not available in my area)

macdaddy · 22 Mar 2005, 17:38 (Ref:1259020)

Has it been confirmed that Lavin has lost Corona?
If so, does Forsythe still have Corona?

StickShift · 22 Mar 2005, 17:53 (Ref:1259031)

All of a sudden, Timo Glock to Rocketsports looks like a very unsure thing.

Autosport-Atlas are reporting that Timo Glock and Sauber have been holding negotiations over a role as Sauber's friday driver. Even going so far to visit Sauber's Hinwil headquarters. Glock has been campaigning his personal sponsor, Deutsche-Post to help fund his potential seat.

From the sounds of it, Glock would much rather be a Friday tester than a Champ Car driver.

If Glock remains in F1, this is going to make the Tagliani debacle look even more ridiculous.

jjspierx · 22 Mar 2005, 20:50 (Ref:1259173)

Quote:

Originally Posted by StickShift

If Glock remains in F1, this is going to make the Tagliani debacle look even more ridiculous.

I don't see why...teams make all sorts of decisions based on deals that may or may not come to fruition. Whats the big deal? Tagliani didn't have money. He'd probably be gone even if it weren't for Timo Glock possibly coming.

BootsOntheSide · 22 Mar 2005, 21:04 (Ref:1259185)

Quote:

Originally Posted by drewdawg727

I am sad to see that Rodolfo Lavin has lost his sponsorship with Corona...after he seemed to be a little more competitive last year than in his rookie season.

Of course he was more competitive last year. He was in a far better team, with Lolas and an experienced team-mate. He knew the tracks. And yet he still onyl showed a measurable improvement a couple of times. There's far better waiting in the wings.

JJ, remember that Rocketsports will be runnign 2 cars, one way or anotehr. PG has invested too much in the series to allow hismelf to not retain a significant driving interest. If he can't find a driver with money, he'll open his own wallet to back someone - and who better than a popualr competitive driver he's ran for 2 years?

Kicking-back · 22 Mar 2005, 21:11 (Ref:1259194)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

JJ, remember that Rocketsports will be runnign 2 cars, one way or anotehr.

Not necessarily.

With Jensen motorsports coming in, they could have 18 cars with Rocketsports only running one.

Mosport67 · 22 Mar 2005, 22:23 (Ref:1259257)

I think Tag is gone because PG did not want to open his wallet. With Jensen coming he doesn't need a second Rocketsports car.

BootsOntheSide · 22 Mar 2005, 22:41 (Ref:1259266)

There would only be 18 cars without a second Rocketsports entry if Coyne and HVM can tie things up without significant OWRS help. Otherwise, any poential support he would be giving them would logically be diverted to his own team. It wouldn't send out a good message for 2 of the series owners to be scaling back the sizes of their teams.

BootsOntheSide · 22 Mar 2005, 23:42 (Ref:1259322)

Maybe Timo would go for the Sauber ride not so much because he's desperate to do Friday testing, but so as to put himself at the front of the queue to replace Jacques if he fails to get back on the pace?

Dov · 23 Mar 2005, 04:52 (Ref:1259450)

Update:

This isn't really an "update" - just some car number changes: RHR at Rocketsports will carry his favorite #31 he had two years ago with ASTJ, and at Conquest - Nelson Philippe is moving to car #34 while Andrew Ranger will have #27 on his rear wing... btw, Conquest still holds rights to #14 & #24 - who knows, we might see a third car from Bachelart one of these days, he does have that dream just as Coyne does... and I really wish that Wiggins would go back to original #16 - using numbers higher than "36" (roulette) in pen-wheeled racing doesn't make much sense to me...

Probable 2005 line-up ("confirmed" entries in bold):

1. NEWMAN/HAAS = #1 - Sebastien Bourdais
2. NEWMAN/HAAS = #6 - Bruno Junqueira
3. FORSYTHE = #3 - Paul Tracy
4. FORSYTHE = #7 - Björn Wirdheim or Jos Verstappen or ???
5. WALKER = #5 - Marcus Marshall
6. WALKER = #15 - Alex Tagliani
7. WIGGINS = #4 - Jos Verstappen or Björn Wirdheim or David Martinez-Leon or Antonio Pérez-Garibay
8. WIGGINS = #55 - Mario Dominguez
9. COYNE = #11 - Oriol Servia
10. COYNE = #19 - Ricardo Sperafico and/or Gaston Mazzacane or Alex Sperafico or Tarso Marques
11. BACHELART = #27 - Andrew Ranger
12. BACHELART = #34 - Nelson Philippe
13. KALKHOVEN = #12 - Jimmy Vasser
14. KALKHOVEN = #21 - Cristiano DaMatta
15. GENTILOZZI = #8 - Timo Glock
16. GENTILOZZI = #31 - Ryan Hunter-Reay
17. RUSSO = #9 - Justin Wilson
18. RUSSO = #10 - AJ Allmendinger
19. JENSEN = #23 - Michael Valiante or Jonathan Macri or ???

Possible additional entry:

20. FITTIPALDI = #20 - Mario Haberfeld or Jos Verstappen or Ricardo Sperafico

btw, for an updated picturesque version of the probable 2005 line-up and other possibilities -> go to the link in my sig ?!

zerO

StickShift · 23 Mar 2005, 05:33 (Ref:1259460)

Interesting that Ranger is going to have #27. I suppose it's to be expected...but I suppose it also brings some extra expectations.

ex, ex, ex...

--------

I saw that AutoRacing1 is reporting that Coyne is going to run Oriol Servia and Bjorn Wirdheim this season. That would be a very strong line-up. I was worried that those two seats would end up in the hands of a couple talentless ride-buying hacks.

mac · 23 Mar 2005, 05:44 (Ref:1259464)

Quote:

Originally Posted by StickShift

I was worried that those two seats would end up in the hands of a couple talentless ride-buying hacks.

Looks like we are going to have a lot less of those in the series this year.

There is maybe one guy (obviously depending on who gets the remaining seats) in the field whose ability could be questioned.

And as out-of-his depth as this guy appears, I think there is room for a little hope there.

Certainly an exciting situation for the series - I can't wait til racing starts!

StickShift · 23 Mar 2005, 06:04 (Ref:1259469)

The only two drivers whom I am worried about, are Nelson Phillipe and Marcus Marshall.

Nelson Phillipe is just out of his depth. Sure, he might have become a competent driver as the season went on. But he clearly does not have the talent to race against the field. Especially a field as talented as this years.

Marcus Marshall is an unknown. He hasn't really stuck to any series for any length of time. He doesn't have much experience with powerful openwheel cars. And finally, he has not raced on any of the Champ Car circuits. They might be a bit mickey-mouse, but they are still very daunting and unforgiving.

He might be a brilliant untapped talent. He might struggle to the make cut. Based on what I know of him, I'm leaning towards the latter.

mac · 23 Mar 2005, 06:25 (Ref:1259477)

Based on what I know of him, he will go well.

Who really knows!?

BTW, he has raced at Surfers Paradise.

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