Road racing assured for IRL how about IPS?

[carthead]

In an effort to expand the IRL with road courses in the future do you see road racing events added to the IPS feeder series? TG stated he plans on having the IRL to be THE prominent racing series in the future including NASCAR and Formula one. Shouldn't the IPS drivers be skilled in road racing to enhance his or her skills when they reach the tip of the ice berg so to say- IRL?

I know IPS is even more cost contained but the INDY LIghts series ran a variety of tracks for years. Heck the Grand Moff himself even drove in some. (Named ARS back then I gather).

I think it is a legitimate question as I feel costs could still be minimized, say with a 13 race schedule or so with 3 road courses.
A driver who wins that championship I feel would be much more experienced to say move onto the eventual 22 race IRL schedule with 4 road courses.

Just my .02

[slinger]

If they're going to do the one, they might as well do the other.

[indyracefan]

Originally posted by slinger
If they're going to do the one, they might as well do the other.

...very true.

I would almost imagine that will be a 'given', I mean the whole idea is to get driver's acclimated to rear-engined cars & tracks that the Indycars use. So if Indycars are going to do it, might as well have the IPS cars there as well....I mean this is the series that supposed to be the 'stepping-stone',...right?!

[autoracingfan2]

Why wouldn't it run the road courses?

Also, those Atlantic teams are going to have to go somewhere next year. Just think, IndyCar and IPS both with 25 to 30 cars on the starting grid for each and every race ---- That would be great.

[slinger]

I wouldn't count on Atlantics going anywhere. If CART survives, they'll stay there. If it doesn't, they'll likely attach themselves to another series, perhaps ALMS or Trans Am. They were around long before CART and long before Toyota got involved.

[Lucky161]

Yes, absolutely. They need to be learning the skills needed to run in the new IRL with road races. You know, like writing checks.

[slinger]

Right. Maybe they could first go to Derek Daly's school just to sharpen their skills a little.

[BigWheelHawaii]

The whole Auto Cross Road Race Deal should be done with the IPS cars,,,, the Hole Taco,,, including the rice, and cheese...


All spec, sealed engines included, sealed set ups,,, everything sealed, tires, shocks, springs, right down to, Danica Patrick's hot pants, and including Paul Newman's Depends,,, all sealed... You want to keep this clean, don't you ? Only excluding the paint and numbers, everything else, sealed... I know,, I know,,, what about the engine contracts... And that's a big one,,, that and COST CONTROL...

They all have to cost the same... Less than two hundred thousand, including a full tank of fuel... Costing less then, a full blown, conversion of the existing IRL cars, and the testing that will be required, if anyone took this Auto Cross nonsense serious... Just like the first Mini Coopers, or Go Carts from Sears and Roebuck,,, all sealed... Don't take it to serious, that way the Auto Cross Crowd, the keepers of the"Cash Cows",,, they could spend a little more time eating cheese, smelling roses, and sampling fine wines, from bota bags... Or slopping down Red Moutain, from gallon juggs, supplied by Linda Vaughan, you make the choice, it's your show, IRLers...

Maybe, let all that want to, Badge the Spec engine with their own team valve covers... Another idea, let who ever wants to, supply the engine to all teams... The winner of a bidding war, can supply the engine, all sealed, lowest bidder, wins.... The technology of the internal combustion engine, is just a little over one hundred years old now... So who really cares, it makes good script, but its no big deal... From F-1 to the Briggs and Straton, that powers your lawn mower, they are all basically the same, only some cost a little more... You only have to add fuel, a source of combustion, and they go boom, simple an't it... LOL Get back to me, on this one, I may have left a couple of loose threads, hanging... Like if your "Lawn Mower" is down on power, just send it to Cozzie, they can fix anything, even a Chevy.... LOL

This is not because, Auto Cross is second rate, F-1 today proves that it isn't, and there is a market... Just keep it SEPARATE, and then let the Road Race Show Series, stand by it's self... You will also boost the availability of the IPS equipment, in time... When not used by the Big Name Drivers, on a "Road Race weekends, then if someone wanted, they could run them in conjunsion with some of the USAC shows on pavement, on the Bull Rings, right on up to the Big Tracks, with the IRL cars........ Teams that want to run Auto Cross do so, but the Teams that can't affort it, don't... It would be more of a pure "Exhibition Series" just like the CART shows are now.... LOL,,,, I couldn't help it... It would be one answer to the Corporate Auto Cross Fairs, that some say are so popular, though....

I would up the horse power, and down size the car, from today IPS car... Less ground effect, more horse power... The clutch and transmission, big problem,,, maybe even paddle shifters, what ever works out to be the cheapest, in the long run...

But Folks,,, it just hit me,,, there will be no Road Racing in the IRL in 2004 or 2005... Maybe in 2006, not unless Tony Freeze's the up date cycle, it will never happen in 2005 either... NEVER...

I think now, this is all, just a big rip, maybe kind of testing the water, so to speak, for Tony.. Maybe, just to needle the poor "Pookester" a little, that and to needle whatis left of the CART-oids stll scattered around... At least Tony, can needle Paul Newman,,, a little, that's worth the price of addmission... That is what, me thinks now, anyway... Or maybe it's just a few more nails, being driven by the "Boy Prince", just to worry any participant, in a potential CART deal, and if that's the case good for him... After all the crap, they have passed out, the CART crowd deserves it, ten fold...