Mario's view of the split

[speedgeek]

NEWS: What are your views on open-wheel racing today? Do you think the split between the IRL and Champ Car is ever going to be fixed? Or should it be?

ANDRETTI: I definitely think it should be fixed. I personally tried to get the parties together, working for about three months this year. We were working sort of under the radar screen, and I thought we were getting things done. Then all of a sudden the thing just got derailed.

It's just such a shame because I don't think either side can totally prosper the way they deserve to because open-wheel is a discipline and it should be united. It's open-wheel and it's NASCAR, and on and on and on. Champ Car racing can't really go parallel ways and feel that there is enough sponsorship or enough fans, even.

The bottom line is that everybody agrees that that's the way it should go, except Tony George. He's the only one who doesn't want to create any kind of partnership. So there you have it, and it's a shame - it's a shame because I love this sport so much. Each side is hoping that the other's going to go away, and it's not going to happen.

Discuss.

http://www.hutchnews.com/sports/stor...iqa102605.html

[Cygni]

Ugh, that makes me bummed. I hate it when people like Mario who actually know whats going on level with us all and say "Its not looking good".

[Ken]

'Six Race Super Series'

[JoeBob]

'Six Race Super Series'

Impossible to market 3 series that are the same thing. Nobody knows who is racing where or when.

It is one series, or it isn't.

Tony George is the only one who doesn't get it.

[Indycarjunkie]

Good article. My only question about Mario's attempts to make peace is what is it that Tony George is balking at? Is he obstinately refusing to have anything to do with Champcar or is there a condition that he is insisting on and KK et. al. are rejecting? I know all you champcar fans like to blame TG for everything thats wrong in the universe of racing but I suspect there is ALOT more about this than we know.

[numrounofan]

"Champ Car racing can't really go parallel ways and feel that there is enough sponsorship or enough fans, even."

Mario Andretti

interesting statement from a long time BIG Champ Car supporter......hummmmmmmm

[speedgeek]

I know all you champcar fans like to blame TG for everything thats wrong in the universe of racing but I suspect there is ALOT more about this than we know.

MARIO is blaming TG. I would hazard to say that HE knows ALOT more about this than we know.

[Ken]

Impossible to market 3 series that are the same thing. Nobody knows who is racing where or when.

It is one series, or it isn't.

Tony George is the only one who doesn't get it.

hogwash.......what's left of the fanbase knows who/what/where....

I could care less about baseball or footbal....still pay attention come playoff time...have a pretty good idea who's playin...read a little to know the in's and outs.....then watch the world series and the super bowl....heck even enjoy them.....sometimes even root for for a specific team...


the same could be done here....

it's time for a healthy direction for our sport....and if there is going to continue to be two series as there appears to be....what better way than to occasionally put them on the track together for good ol competition....

then again we could spend another year arguing over whice series rightly has the lagacy to Jauques 95' championship and I500 win

[Indycarjunkie]

The bottom line is that everybody agrees that that's the way it should go, except Tony George. He's the only one who doesn't want to create any kind of partnership.

Thats from the article. Mario mentioned "partnership". Mario is definately blaming Tony for this (he is a champcar fan is he not? ) but my point is there are clearly nebulous conditions (to us fans) about this proposal that are causing problems to making the deal done that we don't know about.

For instance....under what conditions is this partnership to operate? Who is the partnership to be with? If they are demanding that there be a partnership with CC and IRL with TG completely out of the picture can you blame Tony for rejecting that? I certainly can't.

[Chris Paff]

old news.. If they wanted one series they wouldnt have wasted there money on the CART assets in 2004.. Its the Amigos fought that there isnt one series now, TG tried to fix the split and they decided to keep it going.. The Amigos want a piece of the pie and that is not going to happen.. they dont deserve anything except the right to enter cars in the Indycar series and maybe promote a race or two..

[Ken]

[QUOTE=Chris Paff] TG tried to fix the split QUOTE]

[Cygni]

TG tried (rather pathetically) to kill CART... he never tried to end the split.

[Indycarjunkie]

TG tried (rather pathetically) to kill CART... he never tried to end the split.

Why isn't that the same thing? If two are reduced to one (regardless of how) wouldn't there be no more 'split' by default? Besides, its not like CART and their mercenaries in the press didn't attempt to squish the IRL in the beginning. Remember the "real" 500 mile race that ran in Michigan on the same day as the 1996 Memorial Day Classic? I never will and they will forever be damned for it.

[midtown]

TG tried (rather pathetically) to kill CART... he never tried to end the split.

I don't know. Seems he did a pretty good job of killing CART.

[Jim Wilke]

No offense but I have exactly zero interest in what Mario thinks. He no longer drives, he doesn't own a team, he has no official connection to any sanctioning body. His opinion carries no more weight than Gordon Johncock's. He's just another retired driver.