Matos to IPS?

[D.R.T.]

I dont think anyone was questioning, TO's report of Matos to IPS. This was also reported widely elsewhere.

What atleast I was questioning was the suggestion that "he" needed to provide the additional $3.2 million which isnt the case.

What was also surprising was the amount of people around here that didnt understand what the Atlantic prize was.

[JohnSSC]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

I dont think anyone was questioning, TO's report of Matos to IPS. This was also reported widely elsewhere.

What atleast I was questioning was the suggestion that "he" needed to provide the additional $3.2 million which isnt the case.

What was also surprising was the amount of people around here that didnt understand what the Atlantic prize was.

I think everyone here had a pretty good grip on the Atlantic prize and how it would be used.

[D.R.T.]

Apparently not.

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

The devil is always in the details. I guess the "unique $2 million bonus" was more unique than we would have thought. Based on what Team Owner related, the actual cash was 20% ot the $2 mill, with the "balance" materializing after the holder of the "Unique Bonus" finds $3.2 million in additional funding.

The money was always to help put towards a CC ride as opposed to an open cash prize.

Also Matos' management also thought they had the money to take with them to another category.

[JohnSSC]

How often do we need to state the obvious? Did I say anywhere that this "prize" could be used in any other way?

The real issue is that the "caveat" was that additional funding would have to be sourced before the $2 million was given over.

Of course, there is that picture of Matos holding the $2 million "check..."

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

The real issue is that the "caveat" was that additional funding would have to be sourced before the $2 million was given over.

Why is that an issue. The prize has always been to put towards a ride, not a ride itself. Nothing has changed since last season.

[Mystery]

I think it's in the way the prize fund is advertised. It does say it was designed to help them compete in CCWS but it does not say it must be used that way, but it's nit-picking a bit to be fair. And I agree that nothing has changed.

But it's the reality that a ride in CCWS is costing something like $5million which makes the prize money practically dependent on getting other sponsorship. I realise I'm stating the obvious here but some people seem to be struggling with it.

The "prize" was nothing more than the opportunity to be given an extra $2m if you can raise the rest, and maybe there is or isn't a portion of the $2m given as cash. Still not much of a prize in my book. Can understand the series' rationale for doing it though.

[indycool]

D.R.T., I think they might as well have made it $5 million if a team was going to ask the driver for another $200,000, no pay and no travel expenses.

I think most understood what the $2 million was for. I think they're shocked the teams asked for more from the driver. They must be hurtin' far more than we know. And if it's true that the team they wanted to put him with was Rocketsports, with all the deals that have gone sour with Gentilozzi, why would anyone even THINK about it?

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by indycool

D.R.T., I think they might as well have made it $5 million if a team was going to ask the driver for another $200,000, no pay and no travel expenses.

I think most understood what the $2 million was for. I think they're shocked the teams asked for more from the driver. They must be hurtin' far more than we know. And if it's true that the team they wanted to put him with was Rocketsports, with all the deals that have gone sour with Gentilozzi, why would anyone even THINK about it?

I've heard a lot of other stories that have leaked about matos attitude and negotiating for more than teams wanted to provide. Whether true? I don't know. I do know of a particular talented driver recently in and around champcar that because of attitude problems, no one wanted to work with him. I think he's bopping around sportscars now. So I am leaving open the possibility that other factors came into play.

I too would be inclined not to deal with Gentilozzi. It is apparent now that other teams including Walker were negotiating for matos services. But when the AGR deal came along he jumped at it and personally I don't blame him. He has to do what he thinks right for his career.

Ultimately, this becomes a non issue. It was a prize there to assist him, he didn't make use of it, all well not much else that can be done.

[Mystery]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

I do know of a particular talented driver recently in and around champcar that because of attitude problems, no one wanted to work with him. I think he's bopping around sportscars now. So I am leaving open the possibility that other factors came into play.

Oooh - intriguing......Scott Speed?

[madman16]

Originally Posted by Mystery

Oooh - intriguing......Scott Speed?

True, true. His name has not even been mentioned anywhere. When both series are starving for competitive American drivers why hasn't he had any offers?????

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Mystery

Oooh - intriguing......Scott Speed?

Nope not even close.

[indycool]

I haven't heard that name in months........anyone know if Perera gets the deal toward the ride?

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/cham...veal_deal.html

[JohnSSC]

I thought Scott was heading to NASCAR via one of their feeder series with Red Bull backing? He was never in the cards for a CC ride, iirc.

Anyway, back to topic - I read somewhere there was talk of shifting the Major Award to to next guy in line. Meanwhile, back at the garages, Pagenaud stands with an empty wallet...

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

I thought Scott was heading to NASCAR via one of their feeder series with Red Bull backing? He was never in the cards for a CC ride, iirc.

Anyway, back to topic - I read somewhere there was talk of shifting the Major Award to to next guy in line. Meanwhile, back at the garages, Pagenaud stands with an empty wallet...

Yes speed is doing ARCA next year.

Walker is working on a deal for Pagenaud.

[D.R.T.]

http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/42652/

Phillips take on the Matos situation.

And while conspiracy theorists may be quick to paint Caponigro as the bad guy – he has worked closely with the Andretti family for decades after all – the fact is, he was just doing his job of getting as much money as possible for his client and, by extension, himself.

So while it makes sense for Matos (who has two IPS street circuit wins but no oval track experience to speak of) to get his speedway feet wet in IPS, by plucking him from the Champ Car feeder system AGR has, arguably, diminished both Atlantic and the IPS, first by revealing the shortcomings of the Atlantic championship prize and, second, by confirming the irrelevance of the IPS.

[indycool]

Confirming the irrelevance of the IPS? How? In what way? They put Mutoh in an Indy car in a situation where they can bring him along. They put Matos in a situation in which he can learn oval racing without the pressures of the ICS.

BTW, doesn't look like Jani will be around this year......

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64808

[climb]

Originally Posted by indycool

Confirming the irrelevance of the IPS? How? In what way? ...http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64808

You somewhat beat me to it indycool; i just have posted the same question in the thread on the IRL side

[climb]

Originally Posted by indycool

BTW, doesn't look like Jani will be around this year......

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64808

One spot less, one again; and the main problem is the tragic realism of Jani's reasoning....

[BootsOntheSide]

I don't understand the 'irrelevence' argument either - it's Matos' chance to learn oval racing with less pressure than an IRL rookie. As for Jani, it says something that he'd rather win a championship with no drivers' champion than chase a ChampCar drive. PKV could feasibly have 2 cars all the same.

[Jimmy Magnusson]

I also find Phillip's reasoning about the irrelivance of IPS very odd. Up until last season, yes, but not with Lloyd, Howard and Mutoh all moving up for 2007.

Originally Posted by indycool

BTW, doesn't look like Jani will be around this year......

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64808

Which is hardly surprising as Red Bull dropped him from their junior programme when they were slimming it down, which means that he's got no funding any more.

[JohnSSC]

Jimmy, yes, his thoughts on IPS are odd when you consider CC's glorious record of ignoring Atlantic champions...you wonder how he managed to give them (CC) a free pass on that one.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

Jimmy, yes, his thoughts on IPS are odd when you consider CC's glorious record of ignoring Atlantic champions...you wonder how he managed to give them (CC) a free pass on that one.

I dont think he was, giving them a free pass. Phillips, Miller and Kirby have been very critical of CART team owners ignoring Atlantic champions and drivers over the years.

But once again, good to see any criticism of one series, you justify it by trying to compare it to another.

[JohnSSC]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

I dont think he was, giving them a free pass. Phillips, Miller and Kirby have been very critical of CART team owners ignoring Atlantic champions and drivers over the years.

But once again, good to see any criticism of one series, you justify it by trying to compare it to another.

I wonder at times if anyone actually reads what I wrote...

Where am I saying that EITHER series (IPS/Atlantic) is utilized any better than the other by the parent CIRCL series?

Failure to promote from within has been a problem all along for CIRCL.

[D.R.T.]

I understood what you written. The part of the post which I responded to was the need get in a line about the journos failure to mention CC.