Paul Tracy Speaks to the L.A. Times (and they ask about the IRL)

[JoeBob]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-000...lines%2Dsports

Interesting article on "The Roast." I wonder how he was feeling that day. He said: "Anybody who knows me knows that I'm a fairly normal guy." Uh... okay.

And of course, the reporter asked what he thought of the IRL:

"They've had good finishes. They've done a really good job of keeping the camera angles out of the stands. There's nobody there."

On Reunification:

"Sooner or later, one's going to have to fold or compromise. I don't think either is going anywhere. CART has compromised a lot by changing our rules, changing our engine formula, not racing in the month of May [in deference to the Indy 500], but there's been no compromise back from [IRL President] Tony George, which is frustrating. CART has made steps [toward a unification] and there's never any response back. How many times are you going to ask a girl out and have her turn you down before you say forget it?"

On car counts:

"We have 20 good, quality cars. Formula One has 20 cars, and they have four good cars and the rest are crap, and no one says F1 is dying."

And of course, the question we've all be waiting for: Is he dating porn star Jenna Jameson?

"I met her a couple of times, but there's no connection. I don't know how people started talking about that. Maybe you can hook me up."

[trow]

CART Forum???

[Micki]

Originally posted by trow:
<STRONG>CART Forum???</STRONG>

Hello...did you read this post?

[trow]

Is that starr or has stumpy stole your login, again?

Paul Tracy is CART! We had a thread a couple days ago about what PT has to say about the IRL. It turned into a slugfest. People will come in and make it into 1000 posts of war back and forth. If the guy is racing at Indy in May it might be considered IRL, until then ... Frankly "starr" I don't care to see it again, ok!!!

[Jacoby]

Frankly, I like to know what people are saying about the IRL.

[Truth Detector]

So McLaren's F1 cars are crap, eh?

[trow]

... 7G is open for business!

[Micki]

Put as many smilies in it as you want TROW, you are not the moderator here, and you do not control discussion on this forum.

Also, I very higly doubt that Stumpy would post on a Paul Tracy thread....if it were Andretti he couldn't help himself...it's like crack to him.

"starr"

P.S. you probably would have read it on the CART board anyhow.

[Truth Detector]

Did you say "Andretti"???

Slooooowly I crept....

[manson]

The CART contingent is obviously going on the offensive in the press. So be it.

Indy is just around the corner - heading out there right now for ROP (weather permiting).

Drop the flag!

[Micki]

“We took a gamble and made a big change between sessions and it didn't pay off,” Andretti noted.

Twhat the **** did that two-wing strategist say... "big change"... perhaps a driver change would get the car out of the back of the pack...

P-13... pathertic...

[silvercrown]

Someone should ask Paul Tracy what worse:

Racing in front of 15k fans, or telling 60k of them to go home, because we just cancelled the race on Sunday morning?

Paul Tracy means nothing to me. Just a crash prone loud mouth. (And yes, i thought that before the split)

[IndyIRLman]

First of all what Tracy said about the crowds is true. It is also true what he said about the finishes in the IRL.

As far as Tracy's comments on reunification, I just don't think Tony cares how many concessions CART makes. This is what Tony wants the IRL to be and if CART or some of their drivers want to participate it is his way or the highway.

And as far as F1 I think there is more than 4 good cars but not many more.

Thats just my opinion I could be wrong.

[CamKing]

Originally posted by JoeBob:
<STRONG>
And of course, the reporter asked what he thought of the IRL:
</STRONG>

This is what is ticking off the CART guys. It use to be that the IRL wasn't even on the media's radar screen, now everytime they question someone from CART they ask them about the IRL. Long beach is CART's premier event, but they just can't stop talking about the IRL. I live about 15 miles from Long Beach and the only artical in yesterdays sport section about the GP was "Mario hates the IRL".
Remember what the media coverage was like for the '96 Indy 500, now the shoe is on the other foot.

[ April 13, 2002: Message edited by: CamKing ]

[Brian R]

Originally posted by silvercrown:
<STRONG>Someone should ask Paul Tracy what worse:

Racing in front of 15k fans, or telling 60k of them to go home, because we just cancelled the race on Sunday morning?

Paul Tracy means nothing to me. Just a crash prone loud mouth. (And yes, i thought that before the split)</STRONG>

I believe Tracy has finished first or second in 30 of his 173 CART races (about 17%). Not a bad showing for a driver who is frequently trashed on this board.