Panther to stay in the IRL

luke · 25 Jul 2005, 11:49 (Ref:1362859)

indystar

Quote:

Panther Racing has declined an offer to join the Champ Car World Series in 2006, opting to remain in the IRL for what will be a ninth season.

Quote:

Team co-owner John Barnes said Panther would "absolutely not" be changing its status at the end of the season. He refused to detail the financial offer made by the owners of Champ Car, citing a confidentiality agreement he signed.

Quote:

Barnes said he doesn't know which engine manufacturer his team will be partnered with in 2006. His staff will meet with top General Motors officials this week in an attempt to convince them to keep their Chevrolet brand with the league beyond this season.

Tim Northcutt · 25 Jul 2005, 12:10 (Ref:1362884)

I read this today as well....

I find it inteesting that it was Cahmp Car that apporached them with the $$$, and not Pennzoil as tha catalyst to prompt the look at OWRS....

I also found the following item in that article to be very interesting:

One part he did confirm was an agreement to run Champ Car teams in next year's Indy 500, much as Panther did in 2003 with Michael Andretti...

Tim Northcutt · 25 Jul 2005, 14:10 (Ref:1362977)

BTW....

I'm glad that Panther is staying in the IRL!!!!

A great team that races hard and, IMO, is one of the best-run teams in the Series...they are great at setting up their cars, and now that they have been working with Speedway Engines for the Chevy-worth power, they are competitive every race....

Xpunk75 · 25 Jul 2005, 16:26 (Ref:1363042)

Can you believe what this Magazine says though? Is it a good source? And could the Panther Team owners be lying in order to keep things quite till the end of the season.

If its true thats cool im just use to Formula 1, where people say one thing and then do another. lol

What is the reason for the Champ Cars to race at the 500? I read on thier section of this site that in 2007 their going to quit racing on ovals period in order to completely cut ties to the IRL. I think it be cool if the champ car series could some how make the 500 part of their official season and only score their cars in the order then finish amongst them selves for points. It would def make the 500 more exciting with more cars and more famous drivers.

Tim Northcutt · 25 Jul 2005, 16:51 (Ref:1363060)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xpunk75

Can you believe what this Magazine says though? Is it a good source? And could the Panther Team owners be lying in order to keep things quite till the end of the season.

If its true thats cool im just use to Formula 1, where people say one thing and then do another. lol

What is the reason for the Champ Cars to race at the 500? I read on thier section of this site that in 2007 their going to quit racing on ovals period in order to completely cut ties to the IRL. I think it be cool if the champ car series could some how make the 500 part of their official season and only score their cars in the order then finish amongst them selves for points. It would def make the 500 more exciting with more cars and more famous drivers.

First of all...John Barnes is known for being a straight shooter....so this isn't a "lie"...

and a couple of weeks earlier, Barnes acknowldged that he had conversations with both Champ Car and Cosworth to look at options for 2006....

and for your second point, it refers to any "team" or "driver" from OWRS that might want to run in the 500, like Michael Andretti did in 2003, or like Newman-Hass has done the past two years...

this does not refer to the OWRS itself becoming part of the 500...

It would be more cost-effective for a team or driver to step into Panther-prepared cars than to go the route that Carl Haas did by actually buying equipment that they will use only one month of the year...

Xpunk75 · 25 Jul 2005, 17:30 (Ref:1363097)

Ok I see what you mean, I didn't understand what exactly was ment byt that.

I guess its cool but after Brunos bad accident with AJ Foyt 99th, I don't know how many guys from champ car are going to still want to race the 500. I think it turned alot of them off. I know Paul Tracey says he is done with it and has been since his controversial finish, but I wouldn't be surprized if you see a couple of big names at the race from champ car next year like you did this year. I just think that if their leading the championship they might have second thoughts about it, ofcourse you can get severly injuried doing any type of racing but in my opinion I feel IRL open wheel racing is one of the most dangerous types of racing in the world and that it takes a special breed of drivers to do what they do at shuch high speeds and flimsy light cars. The Champ Car and IRL saga in the next two years should be interesting to follow and see what exactly happens with all the issues that are comming up for IRL.

BootsOntheSide · 25 Jul 2005, 17:32 (Ref:1363099)

Presumably Panther are confident of keeping Pennzoil backing and being able to put a strong package for 2006 together, as they've turned down a good opportunity otherwise, especially as OWRS were prepared to bribe them. It's great to see Panther succeeding agaisnt the theoretically bigger teams, and let's hoep tehy have a strong 2006.

Kicking-back · 25 Jul 2005, 18:02 (Ref:1363116)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xpunk75

I guess its cool but after Brunos bad accident with AJ Foyt 99th, I don't know how many guys from champ car are going to still want to race the 500. I think it turned alot of them off.

I think it will make absolutely no difference whatsoever.

Xpunk75 · 25 Jul 2005, 18:45 (Ref:1363145)

If a Cart Driver wants to race the 500 he will race the 500 if he can get a seat. Most drivers don't get turned off by freak accidents like Brunos. But what I got from Tracey and Bruno on wind tunnel was if they were doing well in Champ Car and got offered to race the 500 that they probably wouldn't do it. Maybe im wrong thats what i got from the interview when Tracey was co-hosting with Dave.

Although i think its nieve to think Kicking back that not even one of the Champ Car drivers were turned off from running the 500 after that accident.

Tim Northcutt · 25 Jul 2005, 18:51 (Ref:1363152)

Indy is the single biggest payday in motorsports....

33rd place got more than $180,000 this year....that is about $60,000-$70,000 more than the winners get paid for the events in the rest of the season in Champ Car or the IRL...

and if you do well, your pay day can be a very, very large sum....hundreds of thousands of $$$$....

The winner this year got $1.7 million....

Testure · 25 Jul 2005, 22:59 (Ref:1363347)

This little episode smelt funny to me from the start, like a game of politics - somebody trying to gain some extra leverage over somebody else. Whether it's Pennzoil, the team, OWRS, IRL, Cosworth or KK, I dunno. But, even assuming they're 100% honest, little snippet quotes from just one of those parties is only going to give a fraction of the story.

JohnSSC · 26 Jul 2005, 02:29 (Ref:1363412)

Was the offer being made in an attempt to get Pennzoil over as a sponsor? I can't imagine any other reason why (aside from the PR value of a reverse defection). If they have $$ to offer it would be just as easy to buy some additional tubs and open shop or support an expansion.

In any event I am glad Panther is staying and hope that their resurgence continues.

The Snout · 26 Jul 2005, 03:26 (Ref:1363424)

So much for facts and fact checking.

Panther didn't do anything in 2003 with Michael Andretti. By 2003 Michael had part ownership in Andretti-Green Racing and it was his final race at Indy and his first as a team owner in the IRL. Panther did however field Andretti in 2001 at Indy with Barry Green calling the shots. Wonder how much more inaccurate information is in there.

Kicking-back · 26 Jul 2005, 05:20 (Ref:1363442)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Snout

So much for facts and fact checking.

Panther didn't do anything in 2003 with Michael Andretti. By 2003 Michael had part ownership in Andretti-Green Racing and it was his final race at Indy and his first as a team owner in the IRL. Panther did however field Andretti in 2001 at Indy with Barry Green calling the shots. Wonder how much more inaccurate information is in there.

It's a typo, calm down!

climb · 26 Jul 2005, 09:24 (Ref:1363595)

I'm really happy for Panther stayng

rush1 · 27 Jul 2005, 01:22 (Ref:1364277)

"Team co-owner John Barnes said Panther would "absolutely not" be changing its status at the end of the season. He refused to detail the financial offer made by the owners of Champ Car, citing a confidentiality agreement he signed."

Suprising, I thought Penzoil would force Mr. Barnes hand with those big viewership numbers over at the champ car world series powered by Ford (uh hum)

The war continues.

Someone from the IRL needs to talk to DHL about joining the Indy Racing Series. Two can play at that game

mountainstar · 27 Jul 2005, 06:19 (Ref:1364341)

It's known Pennzoil is not happy with it's ROI and as of right now they are slated to leave Panther and the IRL all together.

drdisque · 28 Jul 2005, 01:50 (Ref:1365188)

The payday is definitely the reason that a ChampCar team would basically "rent" one of panther's cars and support system for the 500. Felipe Giaffone brought home $220000 this year and basically floated the entire costs of AJ's 3-car team on a car he was going to basically sell for scrap.

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