Indycar News & Rumors.

[HJJ]

I start this new thread with this:

06/08/12 IZOD looking to get out of their IndyCar contract? UPDATE This rumor is upgraded to 'strong' today. The IndyCar Series has "begun searching for a potential replacement for its title sponsor, Izod, three years before the sponsorship is set to end," according to Tripp Mickle in next week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. IndyCar execs have "approached current series sponsors and brands about becoming the presenting sponsor of the series in a deal that would make them title sponsor at an undetermined date." The companies already approached include Verizon and Firestone, two existing partners, and "one company outside its collection of sponsors with the proposal." IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said that the series "still has a long-term deal with Izod that runs through at least 2015," and added that the sales effort is "designed to prepare the series for the future by helping IndyCar secure long-term sponsorships in the technology and tire categories and the funding it needs to expand the number of races it holds." IndyCar’s search "follows an executive change at Izod parent company Phillips-Van Heusen Corp." Longtime President & COO Allen Sirkin, who supported the IndyCar deal, is retiring, and sources said that his replacement as COO, current PVH CFO and Exec VP/Finance Michael Shaffer, "has been less enthusiastic about the more than $60 million deal Izod signed in 2009." Sources said that Izod pays about $6M to IndyCar annually in rights fees and spends an additional $5M annually on media and activation. The company has a minimum of three years left on its deal, but Bernard "would not say whether Izod would fulfill that obligation" SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/11 issue

[NaBUru38]

It's always an executive change (or a political change in the case of governments). Each time that responsibles rotate, lots of stuff get cut off with little thinking.

[HaydenFan]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

It's always an executive change (or a political change in the case of governments). Each time that responsibles rotate, lots of stuff get cut off with little thinking.

Speaking of political change, it seems as if Qingdao might be a one off event. Sounds like the new mayor isn't a big fan of the race, and could call an end to the deal after one running.

[mountainstar]

I don't even think Qingdao is going to happen. No one in Chicomland knows anything about it and nothing gets done there without the appropriate payments to the right people in the Chicom government. If it does somehow happen, I bet the track will be a debacle, the same way the DTM, Superleague, A1GP and others have been screwed over.

The word months ago was that Izod had pretty much been completely absent from anything to do with the indy racin league, so it's clear they are out the door. For what they spent, they should have been generating tens of millions in sales every year off the back of it and they didn't. Waste of money and time.

Then you have Texas which probably will not last to next year. Baltimore which if it happens, is going to pay a much reduced sanctioning fee in the low 6 figures to the irl, just to make sure it works financially so the irl doesn't have that egg on their face of that race cancelling as well.

Rodeo randy's last desperate attempt is to try to get even more street races for next year as few permanent tracks want the irl. Like I said, it's about time to change the name to STREETCAR with all these street races. It's funny to watch the indy 5 hunnert I luv tony george types apocalyptic with all of these street races. Couldn't happen to a better group of people.

Sanctioning fees are the cash flow and with much reduced fees or losing fees all together then it's more contraction of revenue.

The series has been circling the drain for a while. Smoke is already arising with the coup rumors on rodeo randy and I think at some point a complete and total panic will set in. The next thing to go will be a reduction in welfare payments to teams.

[Jonerz]

Even as of about ten o'clock this morning I would have been abhorrent at the thought of Texas returning. But in qualifying it seemed the cars actually took some degree of skill to drive. If the field gets strung out and the cars can slingshot the way they did at Indy, Texas might just be fit to return.

Justifying the kind of money IndyCar thinks it deserves for ticket prices let alone a title sponsor it will be hard to replace IZOD and please the replacement.

Chris

[Juntos]

What are they waiting for to cancel Qingdao race? With so many tracks in China why did IndyCar pick up an urban dream? But even the strongest bonds of creativity have their limits. And when broken...

[Purist]

There aren't that many permanent tracks in China for its size. Also, most of them would be crap for racing Indy Cars on. I would honestly take Belle Isle over racing at Beijing Goldenport, Chengdu Goldenport, Tianma, Guangdong, and probably even Ordos. I don't know that Zhuhai meets the FIA requirements for higher-spec, open-wheel cars. Finally, Shanghai charges everyone else an arm and a leg to use the place, because they have to try (somehow) to recoup the F1 sanction fee.

Qingdao was occupied by the Germans, and then the Japanese, for a number of decades, so it's a more international and open city. That would be my guess as to why it was chosen.

Just thinking out loud here. It could be kind of funny to see if the present car can manage some real hot laps around Macau.

[JohnMiller]

Originally Posted by Purist

Just thinking out loud here. It could be kind of funny to see if the present car can manage some real hot laps around Macau.

I doubt it would go round.

[Purist]

Realistically, the only point that might be an issue is the hairpin at Macau. Frankly, if you use your head, and turn through the corner earlier (get half your rotation done some way before you reach the end of the inside wall), the corner should be perfectly negotiable.

[NaBUru38]

Mountainstar, did you watch the Texas race? It didn't look like this was the last year.

[Paradise City]

I wasn't paying 100% attention to the build-up but I think Bernard said he would make the decision this week!

He better bag some deal with Texas but he ain't gonna be Nixon and go to China without a Chinese driver or one of Chinese descent. China was a bizarre destination apparently made because 'there are lots of people there' without taking account of the interests of the demographic or the track record of other big series there. The boss at Qingdao probably thought it was F1 or something until an angry superior pointed out the difference.

Quite honestly, when Izod first arose as title sponsor I thought how long until they leave the boys in the lurch?

[NaBUru38]

There's always Ho Pin Tung.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

There's always Ho Pin Tung.

Who? The Dutch racing driver?

[HaydenFan]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Who? The Dutch racing driver?

Didn't Williams test him to attract some Chinese backers a few years back?

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by HaydenFan

Didn't Williams test him to attract some Chinese backers a few years back?

He tested a number of times in F1.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Who? The Dutch racing driver?

Chinese press may say otherwise.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Chinese press may say otherwise.

Uh OK. He was born in the Netherlands and didn't even speak Mandarin or Cantonese. Kind of like back in A1GP where Graham Rahal suddenly became a Lebanese driver. Sure.

[HJJ]

http://www.ibj.com/the-score-2012-06...AMS/post/34906

[Paradise City]

Even Ho Pin Tung the Dutchman would do. No problem. The problem is the candidate would needed to have started the season, he need to be promoted to a Chinese audience and neither has happened. It's far too late now. What a weird episode this Chinese nonsense has been.

[HaydenFan]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Even Ho Pin Tung the Dutchman would do. No problem. The problem is the candidate would needed to have started the season, he need to be promoted to a Chinese audience and neither has happened. It's far too late now. What a weird episode this Chinese nonsense has been.

Much like how in '07, Champ Car used Jan Heylan to advertise the race at Zolder.

With the circuit just being introduced, and only a few months before the race, unless their plan is to do the hyper-quick Chinese construction method of building things, I think this race is doomed. Even if it gets going, I think it'll be more A1GP and even what DTM and Superleague went through.

Too bad, open wheel racing has been given ****-poor promoters in the past from Zhuhai, as I think that track at least has some stability. Well, being mostly because it is a permanent circuit.

Still should have stuck with Japan. Even if Motegi wasn't going to work, other circuits would have worked. Autopolis meets the credentials of what the FIA would allow for an IndyCar race. Same with Okayama. And with Honda, and Sato, I couldn't see why not?

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by HaydenFan

Much like how in '07, Champ Car used Jan Heylan to advertise the race at Zolder.

With the circuit just being introduced, and only a few months before the race, unless their plan is to do the hyper-quick Chinese construction method of building things, I think this race is doomed. Even if it gets going, I think it'll be more A1GP and even what DTM and Superleague went through.

Too bad, open wheel racing has been given ****-poor promoters in the past from Zhuhai, as I think that track at least has some stability. Well, being mostly because it is a permanent circuit.

Still should have stuck with Japan. Even if Motegi wasn't going to work, other circuits would have worked. Autopolis meets the credentials of what the FIA would allow for an IndyCar race. Same with Okayama. And with Honda, and Sato, I couldn't see why not?

Even better they should have stuck with the Gold Coast. That was a paid up deal that paid them a full rate sanctioning fee plus all the teams got a huge portion of their costs covered to the point it was cheaper than hauling everyone to any race in the USA. It was a sweet deal and tony george told the organizers and the QLD government to stick it up their butt.

Rodeo randy even tried to mea culpa and beg for the race back but too late. V8 Supercars got their hands on it and the track configuration is now changed.

These people in indianapolis are not very smart people, so it's to be expected.

[Purist]

I'm not sure that Autopolis would be keen to pay a serious sanction fee. They host SuperGT fairly regularly now, but that's the biggest thing they've been hosting lately, and maybe the biggest thing they've hosted since the final race of the 1991 FIA World Sportscar Championship.

I don't know that these cars have enough top-end speed to make Okayama (Aida) worthwhile; I'm not sure they'd be able to pass anywhere other than at the end of the back straight.

Honda owns Suzuka, but late in the season there doesn't work so well due to F1.

Zhuhai hasn't proven capable of sustaining an event thus far. FIA GT has visited a couple times, with runs of 2-3 years each time, I think. We'll never know if they could have held on to the ILMC, since that has become the FIA WEC, and moved to Shanghai.

I'd like to see Qingdao happen once, to see the circuit. As for the future, all I can hope is Milwaukee goes well with Andretti promoting it, and Road America can fill that August slot on the calendar, partnering with the ALMS.

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by Purist

Road America can fill that August slot on the calendar, partnering with the ALMS.

Doesn't sound like it.

Road America president George Bruggenthies said he hasn't talked to IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard about the Elkhart Lake track being a backup if the series doesn't compete in China in August.

Bernard told the Indianapolis Star on Sunday China isn't "100%," and he's got a backup plan for the race scheduled Aug. 19 on the streets of Qingdao. Bernard said a decision had to be made soon about the race.

"I haven't heard from Randy and I can tell you that my American LeMans Series and Corvette World Tribute weekend is solid," Bruggenthies said Sunday, referring to the Aug. 16-19. "I really can't change anything there."

When IndyCar and Road America did talk about a race for 2012, that was the weekend on which Bruggenthies had focused so that it could be a ALMS-IndyCar doubleheader weekend.

But Bernard said in the days leading up to the Indianapolis 500 he had backed off on Road America in deference to Michael Andretti and his promotion of the June 12 race at the Milwaukee Mile, an event seen as "fragile."

Bruggenthies was quick to point out he'd be open to discussion about bringing the series to the permanent road course at some juncture this season.

"Our schedule is full that weekend; I have contracts and couldn't change anything," Bruggenthies said. "I haven't been asked to seriously look at. I would certainly take a look to see what I might be able to do.

"I don't know that I couldn't do something. I doubt for that weekend unless it was an abbreviated appearance. I don't know if Road America is (Bernard's) backup plan. Maybe he'll call me Monday and ask me – and then I'd have to take a seriously look." JSOnline.com

[Purist]

I was more meaning for 2013 or something, not this year.

[thebear]

IndyCar finalises Iowa heat-race qualifying format.