Post by munsonator08 on Feb 23, 2008 9:57:56 GMT -4
Open-Wheel Deal Unifies Indy Car Racing
By MIKE HARRIS
Indy Car racing has finally gotten together. The Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series signed a deal Friday to unify the two American open-wheel circuits, bringing them under the umbrella of the IRL.
"I'm glad that they were able to get it done," said A.J. Foyt, the first four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. "It'll eliminate the confusion for the race fans and the sponsors because there'll be just one type of car and one type of motor and everyone will be running together. May the best team win."
After 12 years of bitter rivalry that confused fans, promoted apathy and nearly buried the sport, Champ Car agreed to cease operations, giving the surviving IRL the opportunity to rebuild open-wheel's lost prestige.
The deal, which has been in the works for about two weeks, was announced Friday in Indianapolis, where both series have their headquarters.
A statement was released, saying, "Owners of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League completed an agreement in principle Friday that will unify the sport for 2008...
At least six Champ Car teams, with up to 10 cars, were believed ready to make the move in time to race in the IRL's season-opener March 29 at Homestead, Fla. That could give the IRL's IndyCar Series a field of up to 26 cars, a considerable improvement over the numbers of entries in both series in recent years...
The agreement also is expected to add up to three Champ Car events to the IRL's original 16-race schedule for 2008. That could include the races at Long Beach, Calif.; Surfers Paradise in Australia and Edmonton, Alberta.
The rest of the Champ Car schedule, which was to have begun April 20 in Long Beach, was canceled, omitting races in Houston; Monterey, Calif.; Cleveland; Mont Tremblant, Quebec; Toronto; Portland, Ore.; Road America; Mexico City; Zolder, Belgium; and Jerez, Spain.
IRL officials said earlier this week several of those tracks, as well as several new venues, could be given consideration for addition to the 2009 IndyCar schedule...
more at link: ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g...0Sk-gD8UVLVIG0
By MIKE HARRIS
Indy Car racing has finally gotten together. The Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series signed a deal Friday to unify the two American open-wheel circuits, bringing them under the umbrella of the IRL.
"I'm glad that they were able to get it done," said A.J. Foyt, the first four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. "It'll eliminate the confusion for the race fans and the sponsors because there'll be just one type of car and one type of motor and everyone will be running together. May the best team win."
After 12 years of bitter rivalry that confused fans, promoted apathy and nearly buried the sport, Champ Car agreed to cease operations, giving the surviving IRL the opportunity to rebuild open-wheel's lost prestige.
The deal, which has been in the works for about two weeks, was announced Friday in Indianapolis, where both series have their headquarters.
A statement was released, saying, "Owners of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League completed an agreement in principle Friday that will unify the sport for 2008...
At least six Champ Car teams, with up to 10 cars, were believed ready to make the move in time to race in the IRL's season-opener March 29 at Homestead, Fla. That could give the IRL's IndyCar Series a field of up to 26 cars, a considerable improvement over the numbers of entries in both series in recent years...
The agreement also is expected to add up to three Champ Car events to the IRL's original 16-race schedule for 2008. That could include the races at Long Beach, Calif.; Surfers Paradise in Australia and Edmonton, Alberta.
The rest of the Champ Car schedule, which was to have begun April 20 in Long Beach, was canceled, omitting races in Houston; Monterey, Calif.; Cleveland; Mont Tremblant, Quebec; Toronto; Portland, Ore.; Road America; Mexico City; Zolder, Belgium; and Jerez, Spain.
IRL officials said earlier this week several of those tracks, as well as several new venues, could be given consideration for addition to the 2009 IndyCar schedule...
more at link: ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g...0Sk-gD8UVLVIG0
