Originally Posted by Aces&Eights:
That's BS. If they could run roadster-style cars before, they can sure heck run them now.
Never said they couldn't. What I said is that would be an unsafe formula....furthermore, explain to me how you plan to get those cars up to 235 mph. Also, explain to all of us how you plan to get butts in the seat to watch one of the three most prestigious races in the world after explaining to everyone that you are going to step in the time machine and turn back the clock in technology, safety, and speed. Sounds like riveting stuff......
Originally Posted by Aces&Eights:
You're obviously a Penske/CART fan and loathe and disdain us dirt racers, Tony George and racecars w/o wings, so why are you here with your "2" posts? You make out like TG torpedoed everything, but there were already issues before he made his move and it was common knowledge. I left out the derisiveness this time, just for you.
Yep, I loathe dirt racing so much and have such a disdain for you dirt racers that I find myself sitting in the stands of Eldora and Lawrenceburg a few times a year. I love being entertained by what I loathe......
Absolutely CART had issues, but it also didn't need to take dropping a nuclear bomb on the thing to fix those issues. Both sides were culpable in the split happening. I think those owners really underestimated the amount of money that Tony was going to pour into it to ensure victory and ownership of the whole thing.
What I really want to know, is how does an owner who doesn't get into this thing until 1968 by running Donohue in a few races and really doesn't get kicking full time until the 70's have enough clout to override and strongarm a sanctioning body and it's owners into a decision to drop dirt from the schedule after 1970. It has always sounded way too good to be true to me. Perhaps your answer might lie in the direction that the collective sought in regards to their product.
In regards to the post on it being hypocritical to not want to stuff money into a dirt car but turn around and stuff it into lower rear engine formulas, well, at this level it's a business. Those owners have this thing called vision. They know the direction things are going and they can see what's coming. In a series that didn't run more than 5 dirt races from 1965 onward and got rid of them completely after 1970 why would you be socking your money into a dirt car when you can put into a lower level formula car and not only prepare future drivers for the top level but sports cars as well?
That white paper I speak of? Gurney and those guys didn't want to destroy Indy, they've said as much in interviews and it's right there in the paper itself. What they wanted was to take something that had huge potential and was being neglected by the current group and build it.
Yeah, you got Hewitt, Kinser, etc in there after 1996. My question to you is, where are they now? Why is that? Well, your answer lies in the result of that split that you so desired. In 1995 there were 45 drivers who attempted to get into the field. Two chassis and 6 engine options. Now you have one chassis and two engine manufactures who are limited on what they can field.
For the life of me I will never understand why anyone would think what happened as a good thing nor will I ever understand why anyone would want to take one of the oldest and most prestigious automobile races in the world and water it down just so they can say they got to see one of their local heroes in the race....someone who more than likely isn't even going to be a blip on the radar screen of the world.
I have absolutely nothing against Buddy Lazier, and there were some talented people in that 1996 field, but to say that was the same as going out and beating a field that included Al Unser, Jr., Jacques Villeneuve, Bobby Rahal, Jimmy Vassar, Michael Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Nigel Mansell, Mario Andretti, and Paul Tracy...well I know who I would want to prove myself against and it wouldn't be the wattered down version. It essentially went from major league to triple AAA overnight, but hey, you got your heroes there by God.