[thebus79h]

Originally Posted by v8j it is (^$#!>, :{&#@?/ !!!!! smoke and mirrors some 1 is going to get an indy lights 1/2 azz ride big deal. they usac/irl have put a glass ceiling on an usac/open wheel racer getting a real ride. the last open wheel driver to get a legimate ride was Jack Hewitt/Bob Parker ride

Proof in the pudding as to why people never cease to amaze me. This is the best thing that has happened to USAC, the IRL, the Speedway, and every single darn driver that races full time with USAC.

And yet... still complaining.

This is an awesome deal, and I can't wait to see it actually happen. Randy Bernard is the best thing to happen to the IRL, hands down, nobody can disagree with that. The things that he's already done are going to make the sport much much better. The whole engine lease deal is somewhat rediculous, but so was the last few yeas under TG. But with the new car in 2012 being so much cheaper, along with an engine package that isn't going to be near what it is right now, maybe we can get some of the teams back like PDM, Treadway, and those other teams that made the series what it is, and in doing so, bringing back drivers that we all know and love. Problem is it's still going to take money to get to that level, but the great thing about it is it's going to be pennies on the dollar from what it is right now. If you have a sponsor that is willing to shell out a million (which won't get them much of anything in nascar), you can have a competitive team, compared to now, with the HUUUUUUGGGGEEEE costs that are involved. Yeah, a million is a lot of money, but it's a lot cheaper than 4 or 5 million.

[Vukie]

Things to consider about Indy Car budgets. It's easy to talk about the cars and engines, where do you cut the overhead at the shop? It all adds up, no easy answers.

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/sho...IndyCar-Budget

From 2006
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/sho...79735-ICS-Cost

[staggerman]

I expect to see every fan show up and buy a ticket for the races in which a USAC guy has a ride. Better fill up those stands for all the years of complaining we have had to endure.

[Gregg]

Originally Posted by staggerman I expect to see every fan show up and buy a ticket for the races in which a USAC guy has a ride. Better fill up those stands for all the years of complaining we have had to endure.

If Clauson makes it to Indy Cars I will be at Kentucky at least, maybe Indy.

[767]

No matter what happens here someone is going to complain. Things sound like they are going in the right direction. 1 thing I am really getting tired of hearing "no connection between usac and indy car...." Take a look at things, should there be? How many road course races do usac driver run each year? I know this board is very biased because we mostly watch sprint cars go around in ovals each week. Facts are Indy cars race on many differnt types of tracks. Usac races on ovals. If I was Chip or Roger there is nothing in usac for me unless we are talking about a ride down south. I really think its time for usac to start investing into something that turns right and left rather than another spec midget series. Heck maybe Indy Car should give all of the current cars to usac when they make the switch. Maybe we could get some mid week racing going on Putnam Park. For any driver to get a full time ride in Indy car, they have to be competitive on a road course.

[Pine]

This thread has been bugging me all day, you diehards need to help me out, because I'm missing something here....I get the part about Levi, Clauson, Hines, Darland wanting to get to the IRL $$$$$$$$$. But how is this good for USAC??? How is fast tracking your CHAMPION right out of the Series, good for USAC??? For a Series thats "somewhat" hurting for stars and cars, how is losing your Champ every year, good for USAC???

USAC tried to jump on NASCAR's coat tails and lost. Now they want to give their series Champion to the IRL, I don't get it. It seems to me, USAC would want their Series to be a destination, not a stepping stone (higher purses, better point fund ect.). I'm sure glad that Williams Grove's Champion don't go on the Outlaw tour every year...

Not complaining and not being negative, I just don't understand it....:38:

[racefan20]

Originally Posted by Pine This thread has been bugging me all day, you diehards need to help me out, because I'm missing something here....I get the part about Levi, Clauson, Hines, Darland wanting to get to the IRL $$$$$$$$$. But how is this good for USAC??? How is fast tracking your CHAMPION right out of the Series, good for USAC??? For a Series thats "somewhat" hurting for stars and cars, how is losing your Champ every year, good for USAC??? USAC tried to jump on NASCAR's coat tails and lost. Now they want to give their series Champion to the IRL, I don't get it. It seems to me, USAC would want their Series to be a destination, not a stepping stone (higher purses, better point fund ect.). I'm sure glad that Williams Grove's Champion don't go on the Outlaw tour every year... Not complaining and not being negative, I just don't understand it....:38:

Pine, the ride is for ovals only. As Randy Bernard said the other night on Don Kay's show they dont want to set them up to fail. Last year out of 13 races only 5 were on ovals plus they had 2 open tests at Indy and Kentucky. Since it has basically come down to BC and Levi I doubt that either one would be satisfied racing just 7 weekends all year. I'm pretty sure you would still see them just not on those weekends.

[racephoto1]

I guess if you can't be the top rung on the ladder, you want to be the rung that puts you there.

[Vukie]

Originally Posted by Pine This thread has been bugging me all day, you diehards need to help me out, because I'm missing something here....I get the part about Levi, Clauson, Hines, Darland wanting to get to the IRL $$$$$$$$$. But how is this good for USAC??? How is fast tracking your CHAMPION right out of the Series, good for USAC??? For a Series thats "somewhat" hurting for stars and cars, how is losing your Champ every year, good for USAC??? USAC tried to jump on NASCAR's coat tails and lost. Now they want to give their series Champion to the IRL, I don't get it. It seems to me, USAC would want their Series to be a destination, not a stepping stone (higher purses, better point fund ect.). I'm sure glad that Williams Grove's Champion don't go on the Outlaw tour every year... Not complaining and not being negative, I just don't understand it....:38:

Maybe USAC will get a couple of extra Silver Crown races with the connection with Indy Car. Milwaukee and New Hampshire for example.

Just a couple of quick thoughts:

1. Tony Kanaan was paid $3 million this year by Andretti, lost his sponsor and lost his ride.

2. No one has mentioned the USAC drivers who have competed in Firestone Indy Lights during the last eight years -- Ed Carpenter, Jay Drake, Cole Carter, Aaron Fike, Brandon Wagner, among others. Add to that Craig Dollansky of the World of Outlaws and Geoff Dodge, who won a ride as Knoxville Nationals Rookie of the Year. There was another sprint driver who ran down at Lawrenceburg who's name I don't recall. Only Wagner had (has) a multi-year plan aimed at getting him to the Indy 500. None, that I know of, had a sponsor step up and say "let's go IndyCar racing", or even Indy Lights racing.

3. Randy gets it. I'm very glad he does. He has an uphill fight that will only succeed if the USAC driver is funded for the oval races, at least initially. Most USAC drivers do not have half a million or so laying around so they can move up. They're just trying to pay the rent and eat at Taco Bell.

4. In 1955, USAC was created primarily to guarantee a supply of quality drivers to Indianapolis. Starting in 1956, it used the traditional divisions to achieve this, and even tried some new ones -- like creating a road racing division that had Roger Penske as one of its former DRIVING champions. When CART, and NASCAR, came along and destroyed it's whole purpose of existance, the club had never been able to successfully redefine itself. That's after 30 years.

5. I really hope this works, just as I did for Dave Darland and Dave Steele 10 years ago. Our traditiional drivers deserve it. However, it only will succeed if someone is willing to step up and help finance it.

What value is there in getting to kick the tires if you can't drive it off the lot?