Rahal/Letterman out.....
 

Re: Rahal/Letterman out.....
 

While not running the Indy Cars, he is still doing an ALMS effort with BMW M3's.

Re: Rahal/Letterman out.....
 

guess ethanol got pissed about the brazilian ethanol only supply deal huh????

Re: Rahal/Letterman out.....
 

we'll be lucky to have 33 again this year. This whole deal su(ks! period :thumbsdown:

Re: Rahal/Letterman out.....
 

It sucks but it's a sign of things to come.

Jim Morrison

Re: Rahal/Letterman out.....
 

It's been coming ever since Honda and Toyota took over the sport and moved it right back into the same predicament that CART was in when the IRL was formed. Why are they running $million leased engines when there is a whole cottage industy of engine builders out there who could be building good motors for less than $75K? It just boggles my mind by how far Tony has let the sport slip away from his founding principles. The motors are just one part of it, too. By 2002, it looked like the sport was turning the corner. Small teams (by Indy car standards) were competitve, there were some American circle trackers in decent rides (along with foreign road racers), fantastic racing, costs seemed to under control to the point that these small teams could survive and compete and several venues that were drawing good crowds such as Texas, Kentucky and Charlotte. The foundation for a great American sport was there. It's gone now.

Re: Rahal/Letterman out.....
 

Unfortunatly The million dollar lease engine is part of the sport. For a NASCAR truck running Toyota their engine lease is over 900k and before the current economic situation GM was in process of rolling out a new truck motor that would put the year lease up from 600k to almost 900k. You do not have to lease your engine in NASCAR but there is no way you could be competive or keep a decent engine up with the ever changing NASCAR specs with out a lease

Re: Rahal/Letterman out.....
 

Blame Penske, and Ganassi. Look at the timeframe, when they got into this series, the Hemelgarn's, and Dryer and Reinbold cars started the decline.

Re: Rahal/Letterman out.....
 

Why are they running $million leased engines when there is a whole cottage industy of engine builders out there who could be building good motors for less than $75K?


75K times 18 (17 races and a second engine for Indy) =1.35 million.

Cheaper to Lease..

Re: Rahal/Letterman out.....
 

I have never understood why they don't run unlimited engines in Indy? Like back when they tried the 6 cyl chevys, ford cosworth etc. What changed all that?

I lost my love for Indy years ago when Penske dominated it every year and they slowed the cars down so the women could drive em and reduced pit road speed to 55mph????? What the He** is that in a race??? Well it isn't racing, its made for TV entertainment just like NASUCK!:moon: