O2 Racing allowed back to Indy lights

[raskav]

IndyCar and team owner Mark Olson have resolved issues stemming from a race in 2011.
Olson, the owner of Indy Lights O2 Racing Technology, was suspended from the series through the end of 2012. He allegedly encouraged others to break contracts with IndyCar and withdraw from the Indy Lights race in Milwaukee in June 2011.
O2 Racing Technology was the only entrant to withdraw. The suspension was upheld on appeal.
Derrick Walker, IndyCar's president of competition and operations, said in a joint statement Wednesday it's time to have the ''slate wiped clean.'' Olson said he's grateful to IndyCar and looks forward to ''opportunities to work together in the future.''
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/indycar-lights-team-owner-resolve-215711305--irl.html

[IPS-Indy]

I'm guessing Herrington has a clean slate too, but I really doubt either are even interested in returning.

[Miguel]

I hope O2RT got a big fat apology from IndyCar. It's ridiculous that it had to take a change of ownership of Indy Lights and change of management in IndyCar for O2RT to be allowed back in. I'll be cheering extra hard for O2RT next year, it speaks for the characters of the people in the team to first call out a team for cheating and the organization to sweep it under the rug, and than after being treated very poorly by IndyCar, to make a return to the series.

[uncommonsense52]

I hope O2RT got a big fat apology from IndyCar. It's ridiculous that it had to take a change of ownership of Indy Lights and change of management in IndyCar for O2RT to be allowed back in. I'll be cheering extra hard for O2RT next year, it speaks for the characters of the people in the team to first call out a team for cheating and the organization to sweep it under the rug, and than after being treated very poorly by IndyCar, to make a return to the series.

Did they break the contract they signed? If so, sounds like they're scum, and deserved the suspension they got.

My two cents, at least.

[lizardfolk]

What exactly happened in 2011 Milwaukee?

[jcolbert]

What exactly happened in 2011 Milwaukee?

02 said what a lot of people had been feeling for a long time, that a certain dominant Lights team was getting away with cheating. It was their contention that Indycar was aware of what was going but was letting it go on anyway for whatever reason. So at Milwaukee they tried to organize a boycott among the non-super team drivers of the race (or qualifying or something) to draw attention to the situation. All of the drivers agreed to go through with it but when the time came, only O2's driver Dempsey made good on what he said. Supposedly Indycar had made all sorts of threats to the various teams and drivers not to attempt a boycott and apparently their message got through. For their part, O2 were kicked out indefinitely.

[Miguel]

Did they break the contract they signed? If so, sounds like they're scum, and deserved the suspension they got.

My two cents, at least.

That kind of corporate thinking is exactly what is wrong with the world today.

[FormulaFox]

That kind of corporate thinking is exactly what is wrong with the world today.

Aside from the "scum" aspect there's nothing wrong with the belief at all. Contracts exist for a reason, and if there's a legitimate reason to break one it's more often than not an unenforceable contract to begin with - contracts that meet all legal requirements rarely end up in a situation where there's a good reason to break it early(and when they do, it is usually broken by mutual agreement, absolving all parties of liability).

It speaks volumes that I never heard any specifics about O2's accusations. The fact that they seemed unwilling identify them publicly makes me immensely suspicious of their claims.

[Privateer]

02 said what a lot of people had been feeling for a long time, that a certain dominant Lights team was getting away with cheating.

People in racing cheating?

I'm shocked.

It was their contention that Indycar was aware of what was going but was letting it go on anyway for whatever reason.

So did they ever announce what this was?

[jcolbert]

So did they ever announce what this was?

Did who ever announce what?

[Miguel]

Aside from the "scum" aspect there's nothing wrong with the belief at all. Contracts exist for a reason, and if there's a legitimate reason to break one it's more often than not an unenforceable contract to begin with - contracts that meet all legal requirements rarely end up in a situation where there's a good reason to break it early(and when they do, it is usually broken by mutual agreement, absolving all parties of liability).

It speaks volumes that I never heard any specifics about O2's accusations. The fact that they seemed unwilling identify them publicly makes me immensely suspicious of their claims.

I doubt the contract O2RT signed, had anything in it saying "we are IndyCar and we will not allow for cheating, unless you are Team X". And still, if you sign a contract in good faith, and then are being treated unfair, of course you should speak out against that.

[Todd Gack]

How sad do you have to be to "cheat" in Indy Lights?

The fact that it took 2 years to "welcome" Mark Olson back is laughable.

[Grinder-Tank]

How sad do you have to be to "cheat" in Indy Lights?

The fact that it took 2 years to "welcome" Mark Olson back is laughable.

Doesn't matter, the gack is back. That's all that matters.

[IPS-Indy]

How sad do you have to be to "cheat" in Indy Lights?

That's the whole thing, in a series where an additional 30hp can get you the pole or a win, and you get caught using a product that was enhancing engine performance, but nothing was done about it, the other teams are going to complain.

[NaBUru38]

Contracts exist for a reason, and if there's a legitimate reason to break one it's more often than not an unenforceable contract to begin with - contracts that meet all legal requirements rarely end up in a situation where there's a good reason to break it early(and when they do, it is usually broken by mutual agreement, absolving all parties of liability).

Exactly.