Calling Out Cavin's Latest Work

[NDGator]

I think the Curt has pulled tidbits together to write this article, not actually something he sat down with TG or FN and had an interview. If he pulled tidbits then his word and integrity should be called into question now. If there was an interview of some sorts to back up his comments, then I stand corrected.

Here are excerpts from the article: Bold is Cavin's questions, regular is his comments, italics is my take.


Why is the IRL venturing off an all-oval format?

It's a function of demand, league president Tony George said.

TG was on Autosport a few weeks back. His comment was that when the RC made economic sense for the IRL, they might be added. He added that they do not make sense in the current tense.


How does CART play into the future of road racing in North America?

George said the IRL will not poach events from CART. But if CART folds, the IRL will be there to pick up some of the marquee events.

"We have to be prepared for anything," George said.

TG did not say that quote, but did indicate no poaching, notice Cavin used no quotations in this reply.


What are the projected road-racing costs for the IRL?

No quote from TG

I wonder why?


When will the IRL's 2004 schedule be announced, and will it have a road race or two on it?

Ken Ungar, the league's senior vice president of business affairs, continues to project a mid-August unveiling, perhaps at the Aug. 17 race in Kentucky. The only new venue committed is Milwaukee, a one-mile oval. Yep

George said there are no current talks between any road-racing venues and the IRL. TG did day this

"There might be an opportunity for us in 2004, and there might not be," he said. "There might not even be one for (2005). But we'll be ready when the time comes, whenever that is." TG said no for 04 ,but did make the 05 quote

All 81 of the IRL's races since 1996 have been on oval tracks.

George's idea of a full schedule is 18 to 20 races. The IRL has 16 this season, with Milwaukee to be added. Talks with Las Vegas, another oval track, recently broke off when the two sides couldn't agree on a date.

George said the IRL will remain an oval-dominated series. His expectation is to have no more than three or four non-ovals.

I believe he did say this was the limit, not the expectation.

Here is the link from the article

http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/1/062223-1981-036.html

I guess what upset me is this article was set up for Brickyard weekend from info gleaned (IMO) from many weeks earlier, and passed off as a sensation piece from inside info.

I don't want to bring the weekend events down, but why not bring up the lack of ticket sales, after all the bleating all May. Maybe they are afraid the stands will be full again Sunday,

I routinely take notes if someone important is on the show. I have not seen anyone else take notes, though they may have a recorder in the pocket.

Sick of the games...

[Mackie]

I don't think "Calvin" half-azzed it.

Having attended the "state of the series" PC from the Fontana portion of the TitW for the past two years, I can tell you that all those quotes are the same ones that George made both years with one exception, this year he said that he talked about the possibility of road racing with a few CART venues concerned with the future of the series, and their part in it. I got the impression that those venues were testing the waters prior to doing a "Cleveland" on CART. A "Cleveland" is an attempt to schedule IndyCar as a way to get CART to lower the sanction fee.

Living in Indy, where access to Tony George is easy enough for the beat writer for the hometown paper, I expect "Calvin" has easy access to George, either by phone or in person, there should be no reason to "tidbit," or "mail in" the piece. The fact that it comes at BY time suggests that "Calvin" may have run into George at the track and asked him again, since the topic has freshened over the past week.

Dan or Matt at TSO can support my contention about the PCs, Dan was there in 2002, Matt in 2003. The Fontana TitW is one of my favorite trips, I can't wait to go back in 2004.

As for road racing, the key words are "be prepared," not that it is a done deal. With CART on the ropes, IndyCar has to be ready to help the venues that are successful and want to continue with this type of racing. With CART able to race on, or be replaced by a more viable series, the need for IndyCar "roading" would diminish, actually, it would become moot. In this case, I like the moot part.