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MILLER: Examining Honda’s IRL Commitment
Written by: Robin Miller Indianapolis, IN – 10/20/2005
http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/20296/
The decision by Honda to stay with the Indy Racing League through 2009 was packaged as a vote of confidence for Tony George's series and the extension of a perfect partnership.
But wasn't it really more like two people on a deserted island who were basically stuck with each other?
Yes, Gilligan, that's what happened.
After destroying the competition in 2004 and 2005, Honda has run off GM and Toyota is set to bail at the end of 2006. Even the IRL finally admitted there are no other engine manufacturers on the horizon.
So for the IRL it was simple. Either cut its association with Honda following '06 and go back to its early mantra of independent engine builders (which probably keeps GM in play) or stick with Honda.
And because Honda supports Andretti/Green, Rahal/Letterman, Fernandez and Dreyer & Reinbold with either money or engines or both, the decision didn't require a lot of math, or thought, on the IRL's part.
It wasn't so easy for Honda.
Sure, thrashing arch-rival Toyota the past two years has been rewarding but Robert Clarke and Honda Performance Development didn't like the way the future looked back in May. That's when Clarke was lobbying Champ Car's Kevin Kalkhoven and George to unite with at least a common chassis/engine formula for 2007.
Clarke's efforts, along with those of Mario Andretti, were admirable but unsuccessful and by July he was admitting to some of us that Honda might have to service the entire IRL by 2007.
That was a direct contradiction to what he'd said before about Honda never being the sole supplier like Cosworth in Champ Car. But Honda also swore it would never enter a low tech series like the IRL.
This was a matter of business sense and survival. Honda has a new factory in southern California and 130 employees. In Clarke's words, a major investment that just can't be abandoned.
And don't think for a minute that he didn't shop Honda to Champ Car.
Although he claimed last weekend that the IRL was Honda's only choice, Clarke met with Champ Car's Tony Cotman and Kalkhoven last month in Las Vegas. They said Clarke wanted them to change to the normally-aspirated Cosworth for '07 so Honda could return to the series it dominated from 1996-2001.
Kalkhoven doesn't pretend to know engines so he called for Cotman, who understands Honda's clout and way of doing business since he worked with them in the CART and the IRL before becoming vice president of competition. He knows how much money they spend and how tough they are to control.
Cotman says he told Clarke that if Honda were to come back it would be under stricter terms (no team could directly be funded, Honda would have to furnish half the field but not get to pick and chose its teams and teams would only be allowed three years with Honda) but he and Kalkhoven really didn't want to upset their competitive balance.
As crazy as it might sound, Champ Car couldn't afford to have Honda back because right now it's got the only major motorsports series that a new team can come in, buy the same equipment as the defending champs and instantly be competitive.
And, even though Honda thrives on competition, it's only real option in open wheel was the IRL.
It's been a crazy few years. Cosworth bailed out Champ Car and now it's one of the best bargains ($750,000 a year to lease an ultra-reliable engine) in racing
Brian Barnhart, the IRL's chief operating officer, vowed that the IRL wouldn't make the same mistakes with Honda and Toyota that CART had. But, in retrospect, he made exactly the same mistakes and woke up one morning to find himself beholding to one engine manufacturer that's as powerful off the track as it is on it.
Providing there's anyone around to lease it, the Toyota will go for $2 million next year. Ditto for Honda, which could face supplying as many as 12-14 cars in 2006.
Tony George's recent trend has been to copy Champ Car. Get its old teams, manufacturers, tracks, go road racing and now turn to a spec engine. If Honda's current factory teams can make it without HPD's money, it could be good for the IRL
It's certainly been a blessing for Champ Car.
Written by: Robin Miller Indianapolis, IN – 10/20/2005
http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/20296/
The decision by Honda to stay with the Indy Racing League through 2009 was packaged as a vote of confidence for Tony George's series and the extension of a perfect partnership.
But wasn't it really more like two people on a deserted island who were basically stuck with each other?
Yes, Gilligan, that's what happened.
After destroying the competition in 2004 and 2005, Honda has run off GM and Toyota is set to bail at the end of 2006. Even the IRL finally admitted there are no other engine manufacturers on the horizon.
So for the IRL it was simple. Either cut its association with Honda following '06 and go back to its early mantra of independent engine builders (which probably keeps GM in play) or stick with Honda.
And because Honda supports Andretti/Green, Rahal/Letterman, Fernandez and Dreyer & Reinbold with either money or engines or both, the decision didn't require a lot of math, or thought, on the IRL's part.
It wasn't so easy for Honda.
Sure, thrashing arch-rival Toyota the past two years has been rewarding but Robert Clarke and Honda Performance Development didn't like the way the future looked back in May. That's when Clarke was lobbying Champ Car's Kevin Kalkhoven and George to unite with at least a common chassis/engine formula for 2007.
Clarke's efforts, along with those of Mario Andretti, were admirable but unsuccessful and by July he was admitting to some of us that Honda might have to service the entire IRL by 2007.
That was a direct contradiction to what he'd said before about Honda never being the sole supplier like Cosworth in Champ Car. But Honda also swore it would never enter a low tech series like the IRL.
This was a matter of business sense and survival. Honda has a new factory in southern California and 130 employees. In Clarke's words, a major investment that just can't be abandoned.
And don't think for a minute that he didn't shop Honda to Champ Car.
Although he claimed last weekend that the IRL was Honda's only choice, Clarke met with Champ Car's Tony Cotman and Kalkhoven last month in Las Vegas. They said Clarke wanted them to change to the normally-aspirated Cosworth for '07 so Honda could return to the series it dominated from 1996-2001.
Kalkhoven doesn't pretend to know engines so he called for Cotman, who understands Honda's clout and way of doing business since he worked with them in the CART and the IRL before becoming vice president of competition. He knows how much money they spend and how tough they are to control.
Cotman says he told Clarke that if Honda were to come back it would be under stricter terms (no team could directly be funded, Honda would have to furnish half the field but not get to pick and chose its teams and teams would only be allowed three years with Honda) but he and Kalkhoven really didn't want to upset their competitive balance.
As crazy as it might sound, Champ Car couldn't afford to have Honda back because right now it's got the only major motorsports series that a new team can come in, buy the same equipment as the defending champs and instantly be competitive.
And, even though Honda thrives on competition, it's only real option in open wheel was the IRL.
It's been a crazy few years. Cosworth bailed out Champ Car and now it's one of the best bargains ($750,000 a year to lease an ultra-reliable engine) in racing
Brian Barnhart, the IRL's chief operating officer, vowed that the IRL wouldn't make the same mistakes with Honda and Toyota that CART had. But, in retrospect, he made exactly the same mistakes and woke up one morning to find himself beholding to one engine manufacturer that's as powerful off the track as it is on it.
Providing there's anyone around to lease it, the Toyota will go for $2 million next year. Ditto for Honda, which could face supplying as many as 12-14 cars in 2006.
Tony George's recent trend has been to copy Champ Car. Get its old teams, manufacturers, tracks, go road racing and now turn to a spec engine. If Honda's current factory teams can make it without HPD's money, it could be good for the IRL
It's certainly been a blessing for Champ Car.
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