I like all kinds of motor racing!

[UsacIrl]

I have my favorites but I still like all kinds of racing. Motorcycles, Karts. All motor sports are worth my time. I have favorites but I like all of them and it is a personal thing that doesn't matters to the point I want to make here.

About the Irl - Cart split, I really want to see the American open wheel cars reunified into one group to race together. I don't think its going to happen very soon and that is sad speaking only as a fan.

I doubt I would want to go to the 500 for the first race reunified because of the rancor displayed by the fans and others. After all even in the expensive seats I've seen fights breakout over something that happened on the track long before the "split". How silly and useless.

Got nothing to say about blame as the issues are more important than "blame". And I don't know enough to say this one or that one is wrong beyond opinion. If asked face to face or here in my home I'll state what I think of either group as organizing corporations.

Can't comment on which drivers are better ether all just opinions and everybody has one and has the right to one and they all stink as a drill instructor told me long ago.

ALL the drivers and riders are good and likely better than me by far. That isn't important to the fan as the fan that fill the stands are the people being shafted.

As a fan I hope the next time anyone tries to reunite the two factions of open wheel racing a little reunification comes of it all.

Thats all I am really saying.

Mario tried, Tony George tried and as a fan I noticed the efforts. I think they both understand what the fans would like.

UsacIrl

[indycoolest]

Racing legend shares his views on state of sport

October 27, 2005

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?"

MARIO 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."

[Turn13]

Let's speed this up , in reverse chronology:

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/sho...+reunification

Rick Mears says "The IRL has given and given and given,"

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/sho...+reunification

"Everyone agrees it would be better to have a single series. However, we have extended an olive branch on several occasions, but always to no avail. We no longer work with that possibility in our future planning.”

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/NewsListing.asp

"I've said before that while there are advantages in reunification, it's not necessary for the survival or growth of our series. What's really important is developing our product to the point where people really want to see it. That's what we've put a lot of effort into and it's working. Is reunification important? In the final analysis, no.

"I'm really bored talking about it," Kalkhoven added about any hopes of working with the IRL. "It's very simple. There is no merger, there are no merger talks. This subject comes up every year, and frankly, both series should be concentrating on what they need to do to continue to grow. That's it. It's as simple as that and I'm really bored with the subject. I'd much rather talk about where the drivers are going and where the series is going, because that's what I'm concentrating on."

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/sho...+reunification

"Hey guys, it's very simple -- there is no merger. There are no merger talks," Kalkhoven said. "It is as simple as that and I am really bored about the subject."

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/sho...+reunification

"At different times over the last 10 years I think I've said both, that "yes' it needed to (be one series) and today I'd rather just not comment on it because everyone has an opinion, and I'm not sure mine matters any more than anyone else's," he said. "The reality is, they're in business, we're in business and we're competing not just against each other but against a lot of other sports-entertainment properties. It's tough out there whether there was one, two, or three."

By all appearances, however, he tried to put Champ Car out of business when he made a $13.5-million bid on all of CART's league-owned engines and the sanctioning rights to the Grand Prix of Long Beach - Champ Car's marquee event - in U.S. Bankruptcy court, citing in legal papers a desire to create a "unified, market-driven North American open-wheel series." Judge Frank Otte accepted a $3.2-million bid from Forsythe, Kalkhoven and Gentilozzi, saying the IRL bid could be devalued by litigation from cities whose races George intended to fold.

[UsacIrl]

Sheesh

Isn't it a shame?

Splits are not a brand new thing. It happened many other times in other forms of racing for ages as well.

I guess I'll just have to accept it is gonna stay that way for more years.

I will say this though as opinion,

F1 IS NOT NOW what it was as is obvious.

Cart or whatever it was is not that now. I had thought when tracks were going belly up that maybe the groups could work it out.

So somethings could be better in motorsports clearly and this is not a new thing exclusive to the 1990s and the 2000s.

One side blames the other but only one side is bankrupt and only one is viable. Only one side of the issue still hosts races that make and break careers. Street races are too boring and F1 also has too few lead changes in my opinion.

Who won in Long Beach a few years ago? Few know. Not the case for the Indy races.

But it is still a shame, - today TV$$$$ and "control" as opposed to fans that pay the $ to watch. Just BIG MONEY riding rough shod over the motor sports fans.

[Doc Austin]

First, welcome to Track Forum. You sound like you are a pretty good fan.

I doubt I would want to go to the 500 for the first race reunified because of the rancor displayed by the fans and others.

No one will let ever anything just go and enjoy the racing. This is why I'm about ready to give up on open wheel. I would have blown it off long ago if I didn't like so many people at Track Forum. I still watch the races, but after all the years of reading so much negativity, I've sort of been talked out of believing there is any magic left in it. I've never seen so many people so gleeful to kill another Santa Claus. It's really quite remarkable how the fans have soured each other.

[carl s]

No one will let ever anything just go and enjoy the racing. This is why I'm about ready to give up on open wheel. I would have blown it off long ago if I didn't like so many people at Track Forum. I still watch the races, but after all the years of reading so much negativity, I've sort of been talked out of believing there is any magic left in it. I've never seen so many people so gleeful to kill another Santa Claus. It's really quite remarkable how the fans have soured each other.[/QUOTE]

Doc,
It's time for your weekly bikeride to the...

[Turn13]

Don't let concern about the fans split stuff stop you from going to the track. You can find fans of every "political" persuasion at the Flag Room, at Camp n Brew, at the USGP, and at IRP (as well as, I'm sure, at Sears Point, Watkins Glen, or any dirt track, for that matter) and when they're on the scene in person and out from behind the computer screen it really becomes much more universal and a lot more fun.

[Doc Austin]

Doc,
It's time for your weekly bikeride to the...

Nice dead link there, carl. Even google doesn't know what it is.

I ride every day. 25 miles on weekdays, and 50-75 a day on weekends. I've got enough great riding here in the Florida sunshine for 53 weeks out of the year. The other week I'm at the Rolex, but my guy there says next year I can bring my bike and ride the track between practise sessons. That means I'll miss two days of riding next year, but that's better than the four days I didn't ride this year.

If you aren't in Florida, well, too bad for you.....IMHO, of course.

Don't let concern about the fans split stuff stop you from going to the track.

People generally have better manners when you're close enough to them. I don't know what gets into people when they get on the internet.

[carl s]

Sorry if the link to the picture of the Sponge Muse' is dead - it's supposed to showh a picture of this (ru running windows 95?)
http://www.city-data.com/cpicv/vfiles9100.jpg


When everyone's peddling on the Pinellas trail then evryone is respectful towards one another
http://www.pinellascounty.org/trailgd/PDF/Tarpon.pdf

[Doc Austin]

Sorry if the link to the picture of the Sponge Muse' is dead - it's supposed to showh a picture of this (ru running windows 95?)
http://www.city-data.com/cpicv/vfiles9100.jpg

Still a dead link, dude, so it's a little difficult to address. However, the word "Sponge Muse" gave me a little google ammuntion, and here's what I came up with:



Sure, that's we're all like in Florida. It sucks being trapped in paradise, but we're just saving the rest of you from the utter doom of being gleeful and happy all the damm time.

When everyone's peddling on the Pinellas trail then evryone is respectful towards one another

I'm at the severe disadvantage of not knowing what the hell you're talking about , but if you're in Florida and get to Pinellas County, let's get on the trail and check out the rollerblading honies.

[carl s]

Hey, enjoy

As for the dead link,
My wife says the same thing
And I have no reflection in the mirror
Maybe I've crossed over and won't deal with it

[Sybil D. Sobydianz]

I can see the photo, carl.

[carl s]

I can see the photo, carl.

gracias amigo

Well........
What's that say about Doc

[JSR]

No one will let ever anything just go and enjoy the racing. This is why I'm about ready to give up on open wheel. I would have blown it off long ago if I didn't like so many people at Track Forum. I still watch the races, but after all the years of reading so much negativity, I've sort of been talked out of believing there is any magic left in it. I've never seen so many people so gleeful to kill another Santa Claus. It's really quite remarkable how the fans have soured each other.

Are you serious? If so, it's time to stay away from the racing forums and decide for yourself what to like and not like.

[Turn13]

What's that say about Doc

It's a vision thing, you wouldn't understand ...