Just got the call from my buddy. CHAMP CAR will have a staff meeting at 3 today. Look for the BK announcement between Wed-Fri of this week.
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Team Tonis Kasemets
The Dude Abides -
Re: CHAMP CAR it's over....
Can't say I'm surprised. As much as I enjoyed CART in the 90's, things really went downhill fast once the top teams started leaving around 2002. Maybe the few respectable teams will now join Indycar and solidify it somewhat. Some of the better known races could also be moved to the Indycar series as well.Comment
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Re: CHAMP CAR it's over....
Well this is what I was told from the meeting. Steve Johnson told the staff that there will be no BK and 2008 will be a great season... At that point KK announced that PKV will join Walker in the IRL for 2008 and gathered up his crew and all of the Pi research people and left.
CHAMP CAR 2008 12 cars so far with highlight shows? What is the point?Team Tonis Kasemets
The Dude AbidesComment
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Re: CHAMP CAR it's over....
I'm a bit of an open-wheel philistine (I watch F1 regularly, but that's it), but I did prefer Champ Car to IRL. Honestly, though, this merger (well, Champ Car filing for bankruptcy and everyone then joining IRL so the merged league isn't on the hook for the lost races) is the only way the sport will survive in the US, and Champ Car was in such ugly shape that this was really the least embarrassing/horrifying option for its end.
Hopefully, a few years down the line, the combined series will be good enough to make everyone happy with how things turned out.Comment
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Re: CHAMP CAR it's over....
I haven't been keeping tabs on Champcar in quite a while but are these teams all moving to the IRL? Newman Haas is a big one. One of the last 2 "powers" (along with Forsythe) of the old days.
I agree that there won't be a merger but Champcar is bound to eventually die out at which point the most notable races like Long Beach are likely to be snatched up by the IRL. Much like Chibi I think this is the only way that open wheel racing can survive in North America.Comment
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Re: CHAMP CAR it's over....
While I don't doubt what you were told Jcollins and think CART likely will file for bankruptcy (primarily to get out of existing contracts), in speaking with a friend who works within the organization, he said as far as he knows he still has a job. Will see how this pans out. I just hope the IPS and Atlantic championship are maintained to be honest, as that's who I work with on a daily basis and have a lot of friends working with teams.
Cheers,
Al.Comment
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Re: CHAMP CAR it's over....
Don't think you read up on the rest of this thread. My friend showed up for work today to. However the feeling going into the staff meeting was that it was for a bankruptcy announcment. Not that the owners split and 2008 would go on as planned and that PG and Forsythe have taken on a larger role in CC.Team Tonis Kasemets
The Dude AbidesComment
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Re: CHAMP CAR it's over....
That's kind of sad. I enjoyed the races when they were on TV. I liked when the raced at airports on the taxi ways. (That was Champcar, right?).Comment
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Re: CHAMP CAR it's over....
Wow! finally, just 3-5 years too late.Comment
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Re: CHAMP CAR it's over....
It became official at 4 p.m. (ET) today. Peace at last.
Take care,
PKXbox Live: pk4425Comment
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Re: CHAMP CAR it's over....
WooHoo!!!
Cheers,
Al.Comment
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Re: CHAMP CAR it's over....
The official press release:
For Immediate Release
CHAMP CAR, INDY RACING LEAGUE SIGN
AGREEMENT TO UNIFY OPEN WHEEL RACING
INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, Feb. 22, 2008 - Owners of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League completed an agreement in principle Friday that will unify the sport for 2008.
Gerald Forsythe, co-owner of Champ Car, signed an agreement in principle in Chicago, joining his partner Kevin Kalkhoven and Indy Racing League founder and CEO Tony George who had signed late Thursday in Indianapolis.
Details of a press conference about the agreement will be forthcoming.
***
Pinch me -- it really did happen!
Take care,
PKXbox Live: pk4425Comment
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