#&@*!!!!!!

[Truth Detector]

"Right now there's no one pursuing me in the IRL."

- JJ Yeley

[MichaelP]

And this is a surprise how?

[Truth Detector]

I guess I'm guilty of thinking the IRL's team owners aren't as stupid as they must be?

[NDGator]

Kelley - Corteco (Al brought it)
Kelley - Delphi (if up for grabs, Renna has lead)
Penske - MTP (Frankly, 1/3 series best in seat)
Penske - MTP (Frankly, 1/3 series best in seat)
Panther - Pennzoil (Frankly, 1/3 series best in seat)
Nunn - Hollywood (Felipe brought it)
Nunn - Pioneer (guessing that Tora brought it)
AGR - 7/11 (4th best in series in seat)
AGR - Jim Beam (Herta may have put name on this if up for grabs)
AGR - Alpine - (Herta is doing nicely in backup role)
Hemelgarn - Showing how to make a million in racing right now (could be a seat available, but has IPS boys running too)
Rahal - Lite (Brack is a champ, spell Danica, but could be a good shoe seat)
Ganassi - Target (great driver, but known to hire at will)
Ganassi - Target (great driver, but known to hire at will)
SAF - Panasonic (guessing a ride buy)
Menard - J-M (Reported JJ will not work with current spotter)
Cheever - Red Bull (A second seat here would be a shot for a merican)
Cheever - Red Bull (Rice is in until sponsor or Rice wants out)
Foyt - Conseco (Nepotism at its finest)
Foyt - Ride Buy (bring cash will race)
D&R - Purex (Driver is Owner)
D&R - Sidepod (not available, seat only there for the IRL princess)

I count five possible, but not likely - A Target car is one Tomas crash from availability. Cheever could add another. Menard could do anything, anything. AGR could have a spot, but likely to go to the CART old guard. Hemelgarn is negotiable.

Then there is the dormants

Beck,
Blair,

Both capable of winning,

Then there is the d(o)orma(n)ts

PDM, worked out well for Sammy,
Trucelli,
Cahill,
Xtreme/310 Crew,
add a few

[Mav-1]

Why do we beat this to death?

Yeley is signed with Ford. There is no Ford (well the Chevy Gen IV) in the IRL. Case closed. Yeley can spout off all he wants, but there is no way Ford is going to allow him in the IRL.

[hdolan]

"I guess I'm guilty of thinking the IRL's team owners aren't as stupid as they must be?"

The Vision...

[MicroRacer]

What do you expect. 90% to 95% of the current owners in the IRL would not ever look to the short track ranks for drivers. That's the way it is in the IRL NOW. With more CART teams coming to the IRL in the future this will only get worse.

[manson]

I think we can bury the Yeley/IRL dream for good. I can see how this is getting old for those who really don't care about J.J. staying in openwheel.

I've still got my eyes on Dave Steele, who at least is willing to run and IPS race now and then. He could never aqccomplish what Yeley has done this season in USAC as he isn't much a dirt track guy. But he's awsome on pavement. Had his shot in Busch and walked away from it.

Give me a Steele or Tracy Hines for every road race the IRL adds and I'll be reasonably happy.

[Turn13]

It is a bummer, but Yeley's rocky IRL start in his "younger years" seems to have hurt him in the eyes of some team captains, even though I think the lessons he learned made him a much more mature driver.

However, with drivers on demand like Barron and Herta, who can come in as subs and win, it just shows that the "talent-based" rides have tough competition- even for a record-setting short tracker like J.J.

[$noopy]

The future for short trackers in the IRL keep getting dimmer. With more ex-CART teams and RRing coming, it will be even worse.
I doubt that any of the current owners are smart enough to hire Yeley or Steele unles they bring a suitcase full of money. To most of them talent starts with the letter "$".:mad:

[frankie13]

Another thread on why JJ Yeley is not in the IRL? What a surprise.

[grogg]

Maybe if JJ would put on his resume that he was a mid-pack club racer he would generate more interest from the old boy network of car owners.

[StatMan]

guess I'm guilty of thinking the IRL's team owners aren't as stupid as they must be?

Or maybe they don't have the necessary sponsorship?

[Turn13]

Originally posted by grogg
Maybe if JJ would put on his resume that he was a mid-pack club racer he would generate more interest from the old boy network of car owners.

Besides Fernandez' Yasukawa, AJ's grandson, and either Buhl himself or his protege, who would you say is obviously less qualified than Yeley?

Remember, this is with proven winners like Barron and Herta (who, yes, screwed up today) not even having full-time rides.

I do wish there were a few more teams ( or second cars on a team or two) with soild sponsors who could hire not only Yeley, but the next hot shoe from several feeders, as well as a Steele or a Kahne.

It will probably take some new team owners stepping up, who have some knowledge or connections to USAC. Given the poor performance of some teams, even with all the League's efforts at "parity", it's obvious they would have their work cut out for them.

[diftw]

mav-1 nailed it-no way Ford lets him go to the IRL.

Unless.......

naw, Dan Davis ain't gonna let it happen.