Quote:
Originally Posted by LEADERS EDGE
I know this will hurt some feelings on here, but I find it hard to believe that if the cars where any cheaper that a huge migration of sprint car guys would make the leap to Indy Cars. The reason the cars are built the way they are is because that is the safest way to go. There is a reason why they went back to the engine lease. It is MUCH, MUCH CHEAPER to do so. No motor guys, dynos,engineers, machines and no matter what, yours is as good as theirs. While I don't believe that formula should be used in the sprints and midgets because there are plenty of free lance builders with the parts and knowledge to provide a quality product, it works for the IRL..
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I respectfully disagree. From 1996 to 2003 a bunch of new owners emerged (see list below) and they employed a bunch of midget, sprint, silver crown and supermodified drivers. (See list below). Some were very successful. Why did these owners not field cars before or after that time frame? Maybe because the rolling chassis were not as in$ane as they are now and they could
purchase engines and rework them themselves.
I'm not against the guys and gals racing in the IRL today. Most of them absolutely deserve to be there. In fact, I'm becoming a big fan of the "thunder from down under" Ryan Briscoe. Anybody that rides out a crash like he had and still desires to race is OK in my book. I'm just saying that there is a way to make it less expensive, therefore enlarging the entry lists. People are all googly about a possible 40 car entry list this year. Really? Does anyone remember when it was over 80? 100? It could well be again. Apparently the IRL management likes the annual discussion of "will there be 33 this year? "
That's what bums me out about Tony George. He was headed in the right direction. He was rebuilding Indy Car racing into what it once was. If the early days of the IRL sucked so bad why did Ganassi trickle back? Then Penske? Then Toyota? Then Honda? You get the picture. And once they all came back what happened? Instead of sticking to his original business model.....he let the series become CART again. Well congratulations CART, you lost the battle, but you absolutely won the war. Welcome back. Since 1996, every IRL season has kicked off with an oval track. Did anyone notice this year it has kicked off with TWO street circuits? Whatcha make of that?
Anyway....let's track down these former IRL car owners and ask them why they don't have cars entered anymore:
(can you just imagine the Indy 500 entry list if they did?)
Cahill...Byrd...Knapp...Cobb...Nienhouse...Kelley. ..Pelfrey...McCormack...PDM...Chastain...Treadway. ..Immke...Blueprint...Hubbard...Pagan...Tri-star
and multi car teams such as...
Galles...Hemelgarn...Menard...I'm sure I'm forgetting some others. The point is the entry list would be 65+
Here's a list of Saturday night short trackers that got seat time in Indy Cars due to the original IRL formula.
(apologies to the ones I miss...)
Stewart...Hamilton...Parsons...Dismore...Carlson.. .Kite...Tyler...Boat...Michner...Hollansworth...Be echler...Leffler...Didero...Durant...Drinan...Stee le...Yeley...Fisher...Johncox...Treadway...Gosek.. .Kinser...Hewitt...Hillenburg...Witherill...Krusem an...Reeves.
I was watching a tape from the 2000 IRL Texas race recently and in the field were Boat, Beechler, Yeley, Carlson, Hamilton, Dismore, Reeves, Kite and Fisher.
Who do we have now? Fisher and Carpenter. (obviously because of the family connection).
Like I said earlier, I appreciate the talent of todays' drivers and they deserve to be there. But so do America's short trackers and there is a formula to make it happen. Just my humble opinion.
David.