Champcar and Trans Am. No more...

[Spike]

It appears this honeymoon is over.

CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES STATEMENT REGARDING THE TRANS-AM SERIES



INDIANAPOLIS (December 12, 2005) – What follows are statements from the Champ Car World Series regarding its future with the Trans-Am Series. As of today, the Champ Car World Series will no longer be affiliated as the sanctioning body of the Trans-Am Series. Any use of the following quotes should be attributed to Champ Car President Steve Johnson.

“We have elected not to renew the licensing agreement with the Trans-Am Series. Any further comment on the matter should come from Trans-Am.”

“Trans-Am had been a mainstay in road racing for many years and has been a popular component of our three-day festivals of speed for the last two seasons. We have enjoyed having the Trans-Am series compete at our events, our fans enjoyed the series and we wish the series, and all its competitors, the best of luck in the future.”

[BrentJackson]

Gentilozzi has ripped that series apart, hopefully the SCCA or the American GT series will get the name.

[Spike]

I wish the Trans Am that we've seen floundering all these years was more like the "real" Trans Am from years ago. Maybe I'm too nostalgiac but I really liked those cars.

[BrentJackson]

2000-2001 Trans-Am was AWESOME. Great racing, quality fields, fast cars.

Then PG bought it.......and downhill it went.

[aportinga]

I wish the Trans Am that we've seen floundering all these years was more like the "real" Trans Am from years ago. Maybe I'm too nostalgiac but I really liked those cars.

I would not be suprised with the release of the next gen Camaro that this may be in the works. After all we are seeing the re-birth of the retro muscle car in a recessive auto market. If a "going back to a grass roots" effort can be made on behalf of the manufactures to market the new Charger/Challenger, Mustange and Camaro then they'll do it.

Personally I thinnk it could work so long as it was cost contained. It could be rather exciting as well

[Jim Wilke]

Since T-A is PG's baby, I wonder if this means he is being edged out the door. KK and GF are increasingly more involved and we see less and less of PG. Rumor I heard a year or so ago was that PG's share of OWRS/CC was shrinking since the other 2 were adding more money to the pot and PG wasn't. At some point it had to occur to them, 'Ya know, we're still investing hard cash in the series, PG isn't; to make it even worse, we have to write checks to PG for T-A. What's wrong with this picture?'

[jonovision_man]

Since T-A is PG's baby, I wonder if this means he is being edged out the door. KK and GF are increasingly more involved and we see less and less of PG. Rumor I heard a year or so ago was that PG's share of OWRS/CC was shrinking since the other 2 were adding more money to the pot and PG wasn't. At some point it had to occur to them, 'Ya know, we're still investing hard cash in the series, PG isn't; to make it even worse, we have to write checks to PG for T-A. What's wrong with this picture?'

Sure sounds like it...

jono

[Doc Austin]

Good for champcar. They need to be an all formula car weekend. The new Atlantic series seems like it fill the void just fine. If they can pick up some FF2000 races (or any other feeder formula car series) that would make one hell of a formula car weekend.

Trans Am isn't going away. Someone will pick it up. Scott's group seems really committed, and hopefully they will get a chance.

It won't happen, but the TransAm would be a perfect fit on a Grand American weekend. They way I see it, champcar fans in general don't care about TransAm or any other sportscars, but sportscar fans would really embrace a TransAm/Grand American weekend.

[Richard Kimble]

When given a choice,TV viewers actually preferred TA to CC,so who's the loser here?

[Jakester]

It won't happen, but the TransAm would be a perfect fit on a Grand American weekend.

Why bother...Grand Am GT is becoming what TransAm used to be: tube frame chassis with 'silhouette' bodywork very close to production. And World Challenge GT is what TransAm was before the tube frame days, medium level modified production cars with a modicum of factory backing.

It's a shame to see the oldest continuous running road racing series come to an end. I'll be surprised if TransAm has a 2006 season. Last year TransAm was down to less than 10 full time competitors and even with GT1 and GTA 'field fillers' couldn't put a 20 car field together.

Paul G didnt help, but TA was on a downhill slide since the loss of Ford/Chevy/Dodge factory backing.

[Cygni]

I believe Trans-Am's license for use of the name Trans-Am expired this year. Isnt really surprising that instead of trying to keep that hobbling horse around without the Trans Am name, they instead picked to simply end the series. Probably the most sound choice by all involved. There are a few series that embody what Trans Am was really ABOUT... mainly Grand Am Cup and Speed World Challenge. Tube frames aint the stuffs of Trans Am, imho.

[indycool]

More here:

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/roadracing/auto/21191/

Hey, Jakester, we agree on one! I, too, think it's a shame that the nation's oldest road racing series has come to an end....remember a great race in one of its heydays at Mont Tremblant with Donohue, Revson, Follmer, Johncock, Jones, etc., in the field. Follmer blew an engine and stopped in a bad position, He ran to the marshal and yelledto wave the oil flag. He didn't, so Follmer grabbed the oil flag from him and waved it himself. Some wonderful talent in T-A back then.

[Cygni]

Again, this isnt CC cutting ties to PG (although i wish they would)... PG isnt associated with Trans Am anymore either... Trans Am is just a name, afterall:

“With Champ Car’s decision not to renew the Trans-Am name in 2006, SCCA is considering its options of how the name might be utilized in the future," he revealed.

"These options include, but are not limited to, licensing the name out to another organization for a racing series or utilizing the name ourselves.”

[Doc Austin]

Paul G didnt help, but TA was on a downhill slide since the loss of Ford/Chevy/Dodge factory backing.

No pattern there, aye?

I believe Trans-Am's license for use of the name Trans-Am expired this year. .... There are a few series that embody what Trans Am was really ABOUT... mainly Grand Am Cup and Speed World Challenge.

I don't know why SCCA can't lease the name to one of those. It's better than letting it just die off.

[indycool]

Agree, Doc....excellent ideas.....someone posted a few months ago about the possibility of World Challenge taking the T-A name. Sorry that it looks like John Clagett will be looking....solid guy and was very dedicated to the series. Been with the SCCA before, and that had to be difficult to work for Gentilozzi.