We Lost Another 3! AArrggg!

[GP Racer]

Got this off of the Speed web-site, and also saw it on Windtunnel.

Hendrick Motorsports, a NASCAR powerhouse, has just signed up 3 of the hottest open wheel prospects to come down the pike in sometime!

Blake Feese, of World Of Outlaws
Boston Reid, of USAC
Kyle Krisiloff, of Formula Ford, Toyota Atlantic, and worst of all, he is Tony Georges nephew!

I mean cmon here, you've got to be kidding! TG can't even get his own nephew to look towards the IRL? I simply am dumb founded! How can this happen? Doesn't anyone working in the IRL see a problem here!? Do any of these open wheel teams scout for talent? Does anyone there have a clue!!!? Watch these kids work there way right to the top!

Things like this, make me lose all hope for the future of open wheel racing in this country. NASCAR, NASCAR, and more NASCAR, I can't take it anymore! AArgggg!

Help me out here fellas, because I'm losing it big-time...

[rustyfan]

Jayski had a note on this several days ago. Can't find it at the moment but I know one of them had been doing some ARCA before Hendrick signed him up, so I think he - and perhaps the others as well - were looking towards NASCAR already.

If I remember correctly one of them will do a partial ASA schedule this year while the other two will do ARCA and Busch Series starts.

That's one advantage stock-cars have over open-wheelers - there are so many 'lesser' championships - NASCAR sanctioned and others - a driver can race in to hone his skills before looking towards NEXTEL Cup. This is severely lacking when it comes to IndyCar - the exchange between the feeder championships is lacking a fair bit right now (even though it's improved some this year, with Leo Maia coming over from the Barber Dodge championship to IPS).

[climb]

We cannot be surprised by such news.
nascar is currently #1 of auto racing in the States; I wold do the same myself.

[911gt1]

Originally posted by GP Racer

Hendrick Motorsports, a NASCAR powerhouse, has just signed up 3 of the hottest open wheel prospects to come down the pike in sometime!

Blake Feese, of World Of Outlaws
Boston Reid, of USAC
Kyle Krisiloff, of Formula Ford, Toyota Atlantic, and worst of all, he is Tony Georges nephew!

Wasn't Hendrick's name tied to some IRL rumors late last year?

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by 911gt1
Wasn't Hendrick's name tied to some IRL rumors late last year?

I'm pretty sure you are thinking of the Richard Childress rumour that was floating around last year

[rustyfan]

Figured this thread - rather than starting a new one - would be as good of a place as any to post the following (since it touches on the topic of USAC drivers).

From the IndyStar.com;

Drake set for chance

Jay Drake can't explain why he hasn't landed a ride in NASCAR or the Indy Racing League, as many of the other top U.S. Auto Club drivers have over the years.

But he doesn't complain publicly and now he's jumping at the chance to drive one of the Menards Infiniti Pro Series cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The series' race is May 22.

Drake, who tied the former short-track record with 19 victories in 2000, will drive a car prepared by former Team Menard manager Larry Curry, who helped Stewart win the IRL championship in 1997.

"It's very exciting for me, and it's super for a guy like me to get the chance to drive at the Speedway," he said. "It's just a one-race deal at this point, but my hopes are that we can run good and maybe something else can come from it."

If Drake has a good experience, it could lead to more USAC drivers trying the Pro Series. Most of them haven't considered the series a viable steppingstone based on the high number of buy-a-ride drivers.

"That got everybody (in USAC) frustrated," Drake said.

Former and current USAC drivers Aaron Fike, Ed Carpenter, Dave Steele and Dane Carter have competed in the Pro Series.

[GP Racer]

Finally, some good news on the USAC front!

Isn't it absolutely amazing that USAC drivers don't consider the IRL a "viable" steppingstone. I mean, what series could be better, and more of a natural progression, than the IRL for these guys?

TG needs to sit down with the team owners and explain exactly how important it is to get some of these USAC drivers in this series. IMHO, its imperative for any future growth! Its mind boggling to me that these team owners don't see that! It was surely one of the main downfalls of CART, and it could happen here also if this trend continues. We cannot continue to let these guys go on to NASCAR and become there top driver's, they need to become our top drivers!

Nuff said, at least there's some good news, thanks rustyfan...

[MLM]

Did you guys see the interview with Erin Crocker the other night on WT? She basically said that even though she would like to try Indy cars, NASCAR is the place to be right now. I found THAT a tad discouraging because she would seem to be a great addition to OW racing in this country....she's cute, articulate, WELL EDUCATED (an engineering degree from Rensalaer Poly Tech! ) and appeared to be very personable.
I enjoy the diversity of racing but I do agree with GP....we need to have more positive addition to the American ranks in order for OW racing to make it in this country.
(but, keep the well-deserving foreign drivers, too...IMO. "Vive la difference"....and have a nice balance. )
TGIF!!! Have a good weekend! (except, I'm sipping on my chardonnay )

[Tim Northcutt]

I'll be at 16th & Georgetown this Sunday...I always got to the 1st day of practice....

I agree with you, GP....

Lots of USAC talent....much of it right here in central Indiana....the young driver named East (Bob???) whose family builds the famous "Beast" chassis in USAC midgets, etc... is really good...and there are many, many others as well....

But I've gotta say that back about 25 years ago, USAC blew it when they outlawed rear-engined sprinters and midgets....

Look at how many young drivers would have had the experience of running a rear-engined or mid-engined car with a lot of power on the short ovals over the past 25 years....

When Indy went to rear engines, the natural progression woudl have been to do so at those lower levels that fed Indy teams with talent...

Open-Wheeled racing would still be their next step of choice....but they are used to the way a front-engined car races and drives....now that NASCAR is no longer considered "regional" like it was 30-40 years ago, that is a more natural route for an open-wheeler ot go...

and NASCAR teams and the manufacturers are aggressively seeking the talent from those ranks and have been for at least 15 years....

These three going to stock cars is yet anothr example of that migration...

They are trying to do that now with IPS...but it is very LATE to be recognizing this...like 20-25 years late...

Sure, Indy Lights and Toyota Atlantic have done this in the past, but their focus has been more road course type development, and their ranks are not exactly brimming with Americans, either...

Just my thoughts....

Boy...Sunday is almost here!!!!!