Vitor Meira in at Rahal

[rush1]

While Brack recuperats. Good for him.
http://www.indystar.com/articles/9/132617-4189-102.html

It will be interesting to see who has the better results. Rice or Meira.

[rustyfan]

Great news

[Down F0rce]

Good stuff. Vitor is a very talanted guy, one of the big losers from the Menard/Panther merger. Hopefully this will lead to a full time ride elsewhere, or even at Rahal.

[marcus]

definately , I think Vitor has been fairly impressive but was let down last year by the performance of the menard car.

A shame he is only a fill in until Kenny gets better but at least he is out there with a chance to impress someone to give him a full time ride.

[gomick]

does he bring sponsorship $$$ with him

[marcus]

not really sure gomick , probably but in this case things have evened out as he is a very good driver with a good future

[Testure]

I didn't follow the 2002 season, but he wasn't much use in 2003 - we'll put that down to the rubbish Chevy engine. Frankly, though, I was expecting a US driver from Bobby, there's enough available talent to take that seat. I know I'm not the only one irked at the decreasing number of US drivers - that makes 9 out of 21, I believe.

[Muzza]

Very good news - and surprising, as Meira was to make his first race in the Brazilian Stock Cars championship this weekend. VÃ*tor is a very good driver - I am glad he got this ride.

I understand VÃ*tor is not bringing sponsorship with him. And this - instead of the nationality of the drivers in IRL - is what most concerns me: the number of cars "co-financed" by series organizers keeps on increasing both in Champ Car and in the IRL. Without a hand by their respective sanctioning bodies (in the IRL, something that Adrian Fernández admitted, and that Mo Nunn had already referred to; in Champ Car it is known that Dale Coyne, Conquest and others are being helped), each of their grids would be smaller.

IRL and Champ Car are playing a dangerous game.

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by Testure
I didn't follow the 2002 season, but he wasn't much use in 2003 - we'll put that down to the rubbish Chevy engine. Frankly, though, I was expecting a US driver from Bobby, there's enough available talent to take that seat. I know I'm not the only one irked at the decreasing number of US drivers - that makes 9 out of 21, I believe.

Hmmm, are you really irked, or do you have an ulterior motive here?

Well, I'm abit concerned, only because we saw what the total lack of American drivers did to CART. CART owners seemed especially obliviant to the situation, by their constant lack of American driver promotion. I think PG said, "the gas pedal doesn't care what language the driver speaks". That maybe so, but the fans do. Americans gave up, just like any other country who put on a series, and had no drivers from there country competing in it would. Its just common sense really, if Ireland had a series and had no Irish drivers in it, I think it would quickly become a problem.

I like alot of the foreign drivers, as they definately add there own style to the series, but ultimately, I would like to see a 60/40, or at least a 50/50 mix of drivers. Its imperitave, IMHO, that it doesn't go below that. Both CART and the IRL need to give some thought and opportunity to young American drivers, and the veterans, who were there in the early and tough days, or else fans here, and the young karter's, will stop caring. They need to find out why so few USAC drivers are looking there way, and go on to become the top stars in NASCAR. For an American open wheel fan, it is especially troubling.

If this problem persists, Red Bull, will have to have an American driver search for the IRL...

[Testure]

Originally posted by GP Racer
Hmmm, are you really irked, or do you have an ulterior motive here?

Why, whatever do you mean? :innocent look: CART had a healthy number of US drivers when the IRL was being founded. You're right, though, partly I am poking fun at things. I hope I'm not being rude or nasty, though - I wouldn't post if I thought I was.

I'm going to make a confession: I watched "Days of Thunder" a few weeks ago. If you haven't seen it, it's a 1990 film about NASCAR. Tom Cruise plays this young driver who's been racing sprints - World of Outlaw champ, etc. - but wants into NASCAR and away from open-wheelers (the Indy 500 is mentioned). Anyway, there's this bit near the start where he's asked why he wants to race stock cars. To paraphrase, he says the problem with open-wheel racing and the Indy 500 is that you haven't a hope unless your name is "Andretti of Unser".

Open-wheel racing has become staggeringly expensive over the past 10, 15, 20 years and I know that my American friends hate that kind of exclusivity in other sports. So, anyway, that's my theory - the casual American racing fans don't like the exclusivity of top-level open-wheel racing.

(Or maybe everybody's just been brainwashed by Tom Cruise? )

[GP Racer]

Testure, you rude or nasty, never! Abit of a pain in the a**, well, sometimes!

I don't think American race fans feel that open wheel racing is something exclusive. Back in the days of USAC and CART, these guys were real hero's. Foyt, Johncock, Mears, Al and Bobby Unser, the Andretti's, and Sullivan, all working man hero's. Those guys are gone and there is nobody replacing them. Its sad really.

Who knows where it really all went wrong, but one thing I do know, don't look to deeply into a Tom Cruise movie, to find out what an American sports fan is thinking!

[MLM]

OMG, "Days of Thunder" is good for a laugh.
I mean, when you have(in the opening montage) a barn and superimposed on it is "Charlotte, North Carolina" (IN 1990!? Hello, maybe North Wilksboro....but Charlotte? Don't think so ). ......hmmmm, makes one wonder about the cliches of Hollywood

Don't mind GP, Testure...I thought HE was a pain in the a** in the beginning, too (I'm kidding, GP )
But now, we have a beautiful love affair going on here, LOL
BTW, GP, check your PMs (if you haven't already )

[Team Owner]

Originally posted by gomick
does he bring sponsorship $$$ with him

Vitor doesn't bring any sponsorship dollars with him. He can however get you a discount on a new EmBrair aircraft as his stepfather has connections there. Vitor is managed by QSM Management and in case you weren't ware of it stands for Qualkenbush, Sumner and Menard. Qualkenbush is the real agent in the deal, Sumner is head of Menard Engine Group ( why I don't know as he knows nothing about engines ) and John Menard is the third partner. John Menard had Vitor signed to a 5 year contract with yearly options and he picked up Vitors option early this year for $ 100,000. I would imagine that QSM and/or John Menard got some compensation for Vitors services from Rahal. Vitor is also the back-up driver for Panther Racing in case Tomas or Mark Taylor gets hurt. Latest rumor out of the Panther shop indictes that Menard asked Barnes to replace Taylor with Vitor after Indy as he didn't think that Taylor was going to make the grade. So far Barnes has refused ( mainly because Taylors father has given Barnes a check for $2 million dollars to keep him in the seat )

[Team Owner]

Just an update for you. I talked to Vitor yesterday at IMS and he told me he will get no time in the G-Force before the first practice session at Motegi. Vitor was upbeat about his chances though as he will be using Bracks engineer,pit-crew,spotter and mechanics. Vitor knows that if he should happen to win the Motegi race he will never want for a ride again as Honda will take care of him forever. Rahal has indicated that Kenny Brack will be back in a car for the Indy 500 and depending on Vitors performance may elect to run him in a fourth car for the 500.

[Down F0rce]

Interesting stuff there, Team Owner. Pity Vitor won't get any time to learn the car but that shouldn't hamper him too much. Would be great to see him at Indy as well.

[Testure]

Originally posted by Team Owner
... Taylors father has given Barnes a check for $2 million dollars to keep him in the seat

Man, and people wonder why it's difficult for drivers (American and otherwise) to get into open-wheel racing...

Couple of excellent posts Team Owner, interesting stuff!

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by Testure
Man, and people wonder why it's difficult for drivers (American and otherwise) to get into open-wheel racing...

Couple of excellent posts Team Owner, interesting stuff!

Mark Taylor is there on merit - as the Champion of IRL feeder series the IPS

[Testure]

Yes, I'm aware of that I just thought that it was indictive of the current state of open-wheel grids that such gigantic sums of money are required even for a champion from a feeder series.

[Team Owner]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Mark Taylor is there on merit - as the Champion of IRL feeder series the IPS

Mark Taylor is there because his daddy wrote a check. If his daddy hadn't have written the check Menard would have insisted that Vitor Meira be in the car because Vitor is stll under contract to John Menard and is a far superior driver to Taylor. Taylor ran good in the IPS when his car was up front but crashed when he wasn't. Notice how Taylor has done this year? $ 2 million greenbacks is the reason he's in the car.

[BootsOntheSide]

I thought Panther, not Menard, signed Taylor. Remember that he drove for their junior team in the IPS series (which Menard has involvement in), and that's how the two-car merged team came together.

[Kicking-back]

Boots - you are correct.

Someone's just got an axe to grind.

[N I Tram]

Bobby running four cars in the 500 would be amaazing

Meira's a fantastic driver, no doubt about it. His showings with the Chevvy were as good as anyone bar Sam - which makes it interesting to see how he can do against Rice.

I HAVE EDITED SOME PARTS OF THIS POST. THE REASON BEING THAT THERE IS NO NEED TO INSULT ANY OTHER RACING SERIES IN THIS FORUM , IF YOU SO WISH TO DO SO THEN PLEASE GO AND DO IT IN THAT FORUM AND BE DEALT WITH OVER THERE , BUT NOT IN THIS FORUM.

ALSO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ATTACKING THE POSTERS , THEY ARE ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINION AS LONG AS IT IS NOT LIABLE THEN THERE ISNT A PROBLEM , LONG TIME RULE HERE AT TENT TENTHS IS ATTACK THE POST NOT THE POSTER.

CARRY ON AND HAVE FUN

[Team Owner]

OK, here we go. John Menard approached John Barnes late last year about taking over the #2 car. Barnes agreed only if Menard agreed that JB would have the final say on who drives the car. John Menard is busy following his kid around in Nascars Busch series and doesn't want to have the day to day responcibilities of running an IndyCar team. When John Menard agreed to the deal Barnes had already decided that Taylor would be in the car because of daddys check. Johns Manville is putting on a good face about this deal because Menard is one of their oldest customers that sell only JM product. If it were Johns Manville decision Vitor would be in the car. In return for taking over the team Barnes got certain equiptment including 3 cars,pit equiptment and other assorted bits and pieces. Much of Team Menards equiptment is still in their old race shop over on the west side of the building which used to be Menards Nascar Truck Series shop. The building is for sale and the carbon fober guys who worked for Menard are the only tennants in the building as of right now. They are doing custom work for Panther and other teams.

AJ Foyt? don't make me laugh.

No axe to grind just trying to tell you what is fact and what is bs. Ask Barnes whether he took a check from Taylors daddy. The look on his face will will be enough to tell you it's true even if he denys it.

One other thing. Taylors sponsor in the IPS series last year was Fulmar, a large printing company in England owned by>>>>>>> you guessed it>>>>>> Mark Taylor's daddy.

[marcus]

Welcome aboard team Owner always glad to have someone on the inside visit our little forum

[BootsOntheSide]

If you have a problem with Taylor being funded by his dad, then you must have a serious problem with Foyt IV, Michael Andretti, Al Jr etc, who undoubtedly got their drives based on who their family was. A lot of great drivers have brought funding from outside of racing to the table to get their drives - heck, if Ayrton Senna's dad wasn't wealthy by Brazillian standards, he may never have reached the top.

Your interpretation of events appeared to be largely inaccurate, and it seems facetious to suggest that Mark didn't do enough to deserve a chance. Panther had been looking for a way to run a seocnd IRL car last year - fact is, if Mark hadn't brought the moeny for the ride, it probably wouldn't've existed - for Vitor or anyone else.