Calkins: Retire

[spottersview]

Listen to the voices in your head: it's time to get out... And before I start being negative, let me say the Calkins family are some of the nicest people in racing.
I've been reading this site for a while now, but had to sign up for a name yesterday to comment on some things, including someone's comments on Buzz. Someone suggested he use his MBA and become a top young owner in the IRL, great idea.
I spot for a top IRL team, and totally admire the job his spotters have done (for example Richmond and St. Louis). I have seen Buzz struggle really since his crash in Loudon in 97 while testing. Sometimes a driver, following a big crash, lose a little nerve. Everyone would understand, even someone as tough as Foyt has admitted being a little fearful inside a car.
I've talked to former members of his team, and they agree: Buzz has lost it. His eyes look like he's seen a ghost before he gets in and his hands shake. He now has his old engineer back from 1996, Ken Anderson, but the results at Fontana and Phoenix looked even worse.
There's a long list of ready and unemployed drivers out there. I'd love to see what that team and car (now with Ilmor power) is capable of.
I'm sorry if this ticks some people off, but the truth sometimes hurts.

[Danny Noonan]

Ditto. Whatever Buzz "had" is now gone. Too many good drivers out there to have Buzz lapping around at the end of the pack.

[Heath Hamilton]

buzz is still running at the level that made him so great the first year of the IRL.

[IndyJim]

I like Buzz, and the scene of Buzz's dad when he put the car in the show last year at Indy shows how much this family loves the sport.

Yet, at the very LEAST, this team needs a second car and driver, so some comparisons can be made. We were hoping Ritchie Hearn would get a ride in second Team Bradley car but that never happened.

It is an old cliche, but the great drivers are the ones that can straddle up to that "edge" as much as possible without going over.

Buzz never seems to be close to the edge. He seems content to be a racer, and run around without going for victories. I guess there is nothing terribly wrong with that, but at some point it is time to put the hammer down once in a while, or else give someone else a chance.

I hope he gets it together and can find some competitive fire, as he is a great guy.

[mnkywrch]

If the guy is spooked, he should be out of the car.

[missile]

When did Ken Anderson re-join the team?

What happened to David Cripps and Greg Case? Have they moved on to another team?

Cripps is very high on Hearn. He engineered his car for Hearns' win at Vegas in 96(?). I believe that is why you saw Hearn around the Bradley garage last year.

[fastfred]

A rerun of a previous post with some additional comments:

Team Bradley used to be one of the most polished professional outfits in the IRL, but it has seemed that they have gone down hill on and off the track.

I'm not sure the issue here is the skill of Buzz, but the business operation of the entire organization.

From observations at the tests...the team looked disorganized and unprofessional.

This team moved it's operation from Denver to Indy last year stating that it would give them an advantage of being close to the "racing community." While the team resides in Indy, I am told that Buzz and the leadership(owner) still live in Denver...this doesn't show the level of commitment needed to run a successful program. I understand that many drivers and owners are not in the same place as team headquarters, but for a driver and owner as hands on as team Bradley I find this to be one of the links to recent failures.

With Penske coming to the IRL, IRL teams need to revist their business plans (or get one) to be able to keep up with a class out fit such as Penske...not only on the track but off, where sponsors place a great deal of importance!

I give credit to Buzz and agree with Buzzfan on his championship, but this is 2002 not 1996 and times are a changing...get with the program or get left behind!

I will always be a fan of Buzz and his team whatever happens...he is always a class guy and good for the league, I hope they can find the formula to be a success!

Will they be at the test in Miami this week?

[Indyknut]

He seems content to be a racer, and run around without going for victories

That's not a racer, that's a driver. A racer is...

ones that can straddle up to that "edge" as much as possible without going over

[fastfred]

Cripps is very high on Hearn. He engineered his car for Hearns' win at Vegas in 96(?). I believe that is why you saw Hearn around the Bradley garage last year.

I met the Bradley marketing guy in Fontana and he said they have been really trying to find sponsorship for the primary car as well as a second ride, but with the current state of the team and economy, things are difficult...maybe if they can find sponsorship beyond Buzz's dad, Buzz can get out of the car and become more of an "owner."

[RightRear]

Originally posted by mnkywrch:
<STRONG>If the guy is spooked, he should be out of the car.</STRONG>

Just ask Stan Wattles at Indy last year.

[mnkywrch]

Originally posted by fastfred:
<STRONG>

I met the Bradley marketing guy in Fontana and he said they have been really trying to find sponsorship for the primary car as well as a second ride, but with the current state of the team and economy, things are difficult...maybe if they can find sponsorship beyond Buzz's dad, Buzz can get out of the car and become more of an "owner."</STRONG>

Well how do they expect to get sponsors if the driver is too spooked to go fast?

I mean, think about the logic here:

No performance equals no sponsors
No sponsors equals no money
No money equals no performance

They've got to put someone who can perform in the car before they can expect to find a sponsor.

[RightRear]

Originally posted by spottersview:
<STRONG> I spot for a top IRL team, </STRONG>

Just what we need around here......another one of you spotter guys. And here we thought Dog was going to be bad enough!!

[fastfred]

Well how do they expect to get sponsors if the driver is too spooked to go fast?

I mean, think about the logic here:

No performance equals no sponsors
No sponsors equals no money
No money equals no performance

They've got to put someone who can perform in the car before they can expect to find a sponsor.

I agree...I think that was why he looked so distrught and expressed frustration in the sponsor search.

[Bryan_Weber]

Nice guy....zero talent. It is no wonder he doesn't have a sponsor. He doesn't have any shot at victory.

[GlennH]

Originally posted by Bryan_Weber:
<STRONG>Nice guy....zero talent. It is no wonder he doesn't have a sponsor. He doesn't have any shot at victory.</STRONG>

...couldn't find a way to tell us how strongly you feel, eh?