IRL Triples Infiniti Pro Series Payouts

[rustyfan]

SpeedTV.com reports:

Indy Racing League officials have announced that, in an effort to increase participation in the Infiniti Pro Series, the average race purse for its 12 races in 2006 will be tripled, offering participants $3 million in race prize money overall.

Full story here.

[D.R.T.]

Good move on behalf of the IRL.

I suppose it was there only move after ChampCar offered their prize pool.

Seems there will be quite a competitive championship in both ladder series in 06.

[Team Owner]

The prize money deal in TA is suspect but it seems it is pretty well spelled out in the Pro Series. Should draw some attention and maybe some higher car counts. League officials I have spoken with said that there have been quite a bit of interest in the news and I talked to Brian Stewart and he was quite giddy about it. He will be in Brazil for the kart race in November and plans to talk it up amongst the drivers and car owners who will be attending down there.

[Snrub]

Could you elaborate on why the $2M Champ Car ride subsidy prize for the Toyota Atlantics champ is suspect? Won't they look awfully bad if they didn't stand behind it?

[drdisque]

the thing is that $2M isn't enough to fund a team and if the driver or team can't come up with the rest of the money, the prize is presumably lost.

[macdaddy]

Perhaps by "prize money" Team Owner was referring to the purses at each individual event? The $2M Atlantic is offering is for the champion, I have no idea what the rest of the field takes home, nor of the race purses. Likewise Infinities. So why am posting, you ask? Dunno.

[Team Owner]

Originally Posted by Snrub

Could you elaborate on why the $2M Champ Car ride subsidy prize for the Toyota Atlantics champ is suspect? Won't they look awfully bad if they didn't stand behind it?

I would possibly agree with drdisque as to the amount not being enough but the real reason the deal is suspect from what I've heard is that only certain drivers racing for certain teams will be eligible for it. I would take it that those would be teams financed by Mr. Kalkoven. If that were the case then not just anyone could win the prize or as drdisque says your ride might be lost because you couldn't bring enough money to properly fund the entire year.
I'll try to do a little more research on the TA payoff and who's eligible. I have been privy to the written workings of the Pro Series prize money deal and it is sound.

[D.R.T.]

Sure you might see them suspect however the people who have placed 40 odd orders for vehicles for the Formula Atlantic series in 06 seem pretty happy and certain about the deal.

[Kicking-back]

40 provisional orders, rather than firm orders, to be fair.

I wouldn't doubt the word of Team Owner, with his connections.

[No 4]

Quote:
Indy Racing League officials have announced that, in an effort to increase participation in the Infiniti Pro Series, the average race purse for its 12 races in 2006 will be tripled, offering participants $3 million in race prize money overall.

A major factor in why Jamie is testing with Sam Schmidt this Friday!!!

[mountainstar]

The purse for TA races is still $100,000 per race.

[macdaddy]

For the winner, or for the field?

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by macdaddy

For the winner, or for the field?

For the whole field. I think the winner got something on the order of $25,000 or so.