Hmmmmmmmmmmmm..........

[dog-ring]

Very interesting press conference....................

[skypigeon]

Enlighten those of us without access, o' spotting one!

[jkg]

Very interesting indeed! TSO just sent an update out, so don't want to steal their thunder.

[damilt]

OK, which press conference covering what subject?

[dog-ring]

The Robert Clarke and Brian Barnhart press conference.

It did kinda knock my socks off !

[Powercat]

Transcript

[CrewChief]

Very interesting indeed. The pool of engines distributed by the IRL was unexpected, at least from me.

[dog-ring]

Transcript

That's not all that was said......................

[Powercat]

A few interesting quotes from my perspective...

Q. Brian and Robert, I was wondering if all the teams are going to have the same format of relationship with Honda. The factory Honda team didn't have that relationship this season. That's how it's going to work?

ROBERT CLARKE: Yes, all teams will have exactly the same program. We've outlined a program where basically the engines will be serviced at both HPD and Ilmor. Those engines will be shipped and held as a pool of engines. The IRL will basically, from a list of engines that are in the pool, select engines and randomly provide them to the teams. There's no chance of any impartial treatment.

Q. Robert, you said that the IRL will distribute engines; Honda will not distribute engines?

ROBERT CLARKE: Actual delivery will be through Honda. The selection of the engine, based on a serial number, will be through the IRL.

Q. I hate to harp on the equality point, but this year Andretti Green I believe, I realize they have the same engines as the rest of the Honda customers, but seems like they had a favored relationship with Honda through Nick Wirth. Is AGR going to continue with favored nation status or is there going to be a way to make a level playing field for everyone?

ROBERT CLARKE: It will be truly level. The chassis development program that we had through AGR has been terminated. Every team will get exactly the same product and support and service from Honda. We can guarantee that.

BRIAN BARNHART: I guess I'd like to address that from a league standpoint. As we move into a single supply scenario here, there really is no option to have anything other than a completely level playing field for all the participants.

The way we were structured in 2003 and '04 and '05, actually our agreements with the competing engine manufacturers allowed for special treatments to certain teams. They were referred to in our contract as "factory teams." In that environment where competition was being encouraged, to allow them to challenge their engineers and to be interested in the competition of engine manufacturers, we allowed for them to have different specs for the participants as they continued to develop their engines. I mean, that's not even necessary now under a single supply. Honda, HPD, Ilmor, all of them, certainly cannot do anything other than the same thing for everybody. They cannot be anything except completely impartial under single supply.

However, I think we've got tremendous opportunities from a league standpoint and from an Indianapolis 500 standpoint moving forward to challenge Robert and Honda and the engineers from HPD and Ilmor with our technical specifications. We're moving into an Ethanol blend in 2006 and complete 100% Ethanol fuel in 2007. I think there's endless challenges that we can add whether they're a single supplier or not in terms of specifications that can challenge them, whether it has to do with fuel economy, alternative power sources, engine use and reliability. There's a number of technological challenges that can be added into their performance standpoint that will challenge their engineers and keep them excited and interested to be a partner in the IndyCar Series.

[cheeseczar]

Well...I suppose it's better then a poke in the eye with a dull stick.

[irloyal]

Great, Socialized Racing.

I am not impressed.

[mesquite]

Damage control. Plain and simple.

[FenderFree]

I still wish they could've included a race-by-race price.

1.4million for a 14-race season is exatly $100,000 per race.

If they charged $110,000 per race that would make it viable for a part-timers but at the same time not opening a loophole for full-timers to save $$$.

According to the new plan, my theoretical $110,000 would get my a random Honda engine like everyone else. Only I would have to cough up another $110,000 for the next race.

[Indy-hp]

Instead of last season with regular Toyo's, Penske Toyo's, regular Honda's, and AGR Honda's spreading the field out pretty far, the potential is now there for some really, really tight racing in '06 in which anyone can win. It is "growth" for the IRL to drop to one motor supplier? Didn't look like it to me at first glance but,.............maybe so...............

[sweaty]

Maybe the next step will be allowing engine builders back in.