Andretti Gone!!!!

[fordtc87]

Accord to espn Andretti is buying out team motorola and going to the irl!!! http://espn.go.com/rpm/2002/0722/1408786.html

I find this a crock, thank goodness his father has his head on straight. I hope that he gets Tracy as a driver and kicks some butt next year!!!!!!! GO MARIO!!!

[Cart_cutie]

If this is true, I will cry.

[fordtc87]

I know, he has been my driver since he was in the blue and gold konco car at indy. It kinda sucks, I grew rooting for him and now it looks like he is walking away. I am glad that his dad is staying. He is truly one of the best all-around racers of all time. Take care and dry your eyes!

[Cart_cutie]

everyone always talks about what an ******* he is, that he is always in a bad mood, but he was always nice to me...at one point i remember being caught in the rain at toronto a few years ago, and we had Kool umbrellas...anyways, Michael told us to wait in his hospitality tent to dry off, and actually gave us Newman-Haas KMart umbrellas so we could stop carrying "the crappy team's" umbrellas...just was really really nice...always says hi... i will miss him so much, as I will not attend any IRL events...

[camcartfan]

CART needs Michael Andretti. Too bad he is being selfish and not sticking with a series that needs him so much.

[mac]

I don't care too much. His best years are behind him. The IRL remains a retirement home for CART's "elder statesmen".

[macdaddy]

I'd be alot more upset if Mario wasn't sticking around. I guess I'd also be more upset if this whole thing came as a surprise to me.

[GoFaster]

You may add Adrian Fernandez to the IRL roster too.CART is going to feel the pain of the loss of Honda & Toyota.I wonder how long it will take Ford to plan an exit.

[f1manoz]

I won't miss him.

[BootsOntheSide]

This is where the CART publicity machine has to shine, emphasise Mario's arrival, and if neccessary point out what has happened to the older drivers in IRL. People who either failed in CART or reached the end of their natural lifespans driving in a top line series (which the IRL is not) don't tend to go too well, and even if they do, they're frankly taking hollow victories

[Jay]

Well.... I won't miss the guy at all, but it would be terrible if he were to take Team Kool Green with him. I am 100% sure Barry Green wants to race in Cart next year and it would be horrible for him, and the entire team if they were forced to move to the IRL.

It's probably not a big deal for Michael though... He's getting older, and only has a few years left so it's natural he might want to go a series like the IRL where most of the drivers are finishing their careers or beginning them. Maybe he wanted to race on ovals too...Cart is the road courses series.

You have to realize that Cart is at a particularily low point, but it is not the first time this has happened. Ford has a contract to provide engines for the series over the next two years and in that time, I have no doubt it will grow. I wouldn't be surprised if 3 years from now, Cart has a 27 car field with manufacturers fighting to get back in. Cart is by far the highest level of open-wheel road course/oval series in the North America, and I don't think open-wheel road racing is about to die anytime soon.

[shiny side up!]

We can only hope youre right, Jay. I would love to see a resurgence of CART. (I miss my Detroit street race, too...). It is somewhat sad to see Michael go. He may not be as fast as he was in the past, but he's a darn smart driver, and can still pull one out of the bag...

[BootsOntheSide]

I think what Michael is linked to buying out is in fact just the Team Motorola chunk of the team, as opposed to the whole 3 car Kool Green operation. I sure hope that's the case.

[MolsonBoy]

I think the worst thing that has happen to CART is not that Andrettii is leaving but the rumors that have been circulating the last few months. It is like a company announcing that they are downszing but with no word of who will be gone. This only serves to hurt moral and productivity. I think it is better to know what is happening and try to make the whatever happens work the best it can. Same goes for CART. Everyone needs to know what is going on so decisions can be made to make the series even better. We can't change what we do not have control of. Michael leaving is his decision. Sure it may hurt some of his fans. And sure it may hurt CART in the short term. But CART will move forward and life will go on.

[Jordi]

CART will survive without Andretti...
Maybe we should get Mario back in the cockpit!

[Liz]

Half the audience thinks it's Mario in the car now.

I agree with MolsonBoy (and welcome to him, by the way): the worst part is the rumours and waiting for various shoes to drop.

Personally I don't like Mikey and I'm glad to see the back of him -- and I'm sure Paul Tracy is too. Mikey can take over the position that "Little Al" was supposed to have (Spokesman for "NASCAR without fenders") and have a whole new crowd of people (well, perhaps 'crowd' is a bit much) to treat like

And think how happy Paul Page will be!

[macdaddy]

Hopefully the article is correct in claiming that Fernandez will run both series next year, as opposed to jumping ship altogether. This does not really surprise me though, as Nakano is owned by Honda.

[Dave S]

From today's Indianapolis Star:

"Green selling team

Barry Green will announce today he is selling his CART team, known as Team Green, to his brother Kim and driver Michael Andretti, sources told The Star on Monday.

Barry Green has been disillusioned with motorsports since Honda, his engine manufacturer, announced its defection to the IRL in May.

Green also was upset his team had lost an appeal of this year's Indianapolis 500 outcome. Team Green felt its driver, Paul Tracy, had won the race when a caution light came on on lap 199. Helio Castroneves was declared the winner.

Andretti is expected to convert his portion of the team to an IRL program, although Andretti will continue to drive for Kim Green in CART. Andretti will drive for his own team in next year's 500.

Barry Green founded his team with Gerry Forsythe in 1994."

Sounds to me like Mikey stays in CART, runs someone (maybe Shecter?) in IRL, then adds a second car for himself for the INDY 500. But what will this mean for Tracy & Dario? Very interesting news.

[macdaddy]

I'd rather lose Andretti Jr. than lose Barry Green! This is sad news. Barry is a true gentleman in the sport, and has done much for CART over the years.

[Dave S]

I agree mac, not only will we lose Green, a major blow, but possibly Tracy as well if he doesn't go to Forsythe or another team picks him up. I'm only guessing here, but my guess is Mikey teams with Dario. Definitely not good news any way it comes down, that's for sure.

[macdaddy]

From http://sports.yahoo.com/rac/cart/new...-andretti.html

Michael Andretti is buying his own racing team and might switch next season to the rival IRL series.

Team Green owner Barry Green said Tuesday he was selling the team to his brother and Andretti.

Andretti will be the team's majority owner and chief executive, with Barry Green remaining as a consultant and minority partner. The new team will be known as Andretti Green Racing.

Andretti said he did not yet know in which series the team would race or how many cars it would field.

"I don't have anything solid," Andretti said. "It is going to come down to the sponsors. But I would like to do Indianapolis, that is a race I really want."

Green said he hoped Tracy and Franchitti would stay with the team, but that no decisions had been made.

[Dave S]

Official Announcement from andretti.com
INDIANAPOLIS (July 23, 2002) -- Barry Green announced today that he has reached an agreement to sell Team Green to Michael Andretti, Kim Green and Kevin Savoree.

The sale of Team Green is effective December 1, 2002, when the organization will become known as Andretti Green Racing.

Andretti will own a majority interest in Andretti Green Racing and will be its chief executive officer, while Kim Green will continue in his current role as president and Savoree will continue to serve as chief operating officer and vice president of finance. Barry Green will be involved with Andretti Green Racing on a consulting basis and will have a financial interest in the organization but will not have any responsibilities in its day-to-day operations.

Andretti Green Racing will be managed by a five member board of directors including Andretti, Kim Green, Savoree, Barry Green and J-F Thormann, managing director of Andretti International. The team will continue operating from the 44,000 square foot facility built in Indianapolis by Team Green in 1996.

“Michael and I have enjoyed a close and productive relationship dating back to our days at Kraco Racing,” said Barry Green. “When he joined Team Green last year Michael mentioned he was interested in owning a race team at some stage of his career, but it wasn’t until last winter that he approached me about buying the team. I knew Kim and Kevin were also interested in team ownership, so I saw this as the perfect opportunity, not so much to sell Team Green, but to pass it on to my brother, Kevin and Michael.”

“Owning a racing team hasn’t necessarily been a life-long ambition,” said Andretti, “but as I began moving up the driver seniority list, I thought about how I could continue to be involved in the sport after my driving days are over. I have an enormous amount of respect for Barry, as a friend and as a businessman, and when I came to Team Green I saw first hand just how strong an organization he has built. I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity than to join Kim and Kevin in taking over the team from Barry.”

Team Green currently fields a pair of KOOL-sponsored Honda-Lolas for drivers Dario Franchitti and Paul Tracy, along with a Motorola-sponsored Honda-Lola for Andretti, in the CART FedEx Championship Series. The team also entered Chevrolet-Dallaras sponsored by 7-Eleven and Motorola/Archipelago in the 2002 Indianapolis 500. No decisions have been made regarding Andretti Green’s racing plans for 2003.

We’re looking at all our options,” said Andretti. “Kim, Kevin, J-F and I will do what we believe is in the best interests of Andretti Green Racing and all of its employees. We hope to announce our plans within 60 days.”

Media contact:
Carol Wilkins
(317) 872-2700 ext. 241 or (317) 432-2709
e-mail: cwilkins@teamgreenracing.com

[theracegypsy]

Oh dear, another problem for Chris to weather, right after the German pull out too.
Personally I have never had the respect for Michael that I have for his father, and i have always found Barry to be a true gentleman owner & enthusiast.
I hope that CART will find a way through these times, I would miss working the variety of different courses whic, for me , is what gives the series it's vibrance and unique atmosphere.

[shiny side up!]

So it appears he has neither confirmed nor denied that he will be moving the team (or a car? 2 cars?) to the Inbred Racing League... I hope this doesnt leave the CART field short (Pook keeps saying there are more people interested than available spots in the lineup, but I'll believe it when I see it...)

[Jay]

"Inbred Racing League... " I think that's the best explanation of the acronym I've heard yet.