How can Champ Car possibly speak from a position of strength? It seems to me that Tony George has all the cards in this game. How is Champ Car going to have a season of their teams have either disbanded or gone over to the IRL?

I am sure it's more complicated than I'm making it out to be, but I don't see what the hang-ups are at this point.

If not for a misinformed judge c car (cart) would have been dissolved a couple of years ago. Arrogance that has followed this group for years is not going to die easy. I think Tony is trying to let them in with some dignity. I just hope it's not too late for Indy Car racing in general. One can only hope that the series is not too weighted with road courses as the ovals are usually on edge of your seat racing.:headbang

If I was a team owner
1 Knowing IRL season was a go either way
2. Knowing that CCWS is in deep trouble.
3. A deal out there of chassis and motor.

Id already be working on my IRL car

Chuck, who again would say take it or leave it. It might not be any better for this season but next they'll be the only game in town and from what I've seen THERE are NO big numbers of CCWS fans, At least not In North America:respect:

Duel, I too am not thrilled at the prospect of adding more road courses. A couple are OK, but I definitely prefer the ovals. Besides, that was the point of the IRL anyway.

It makes me sick at the arrogance being displayed.

It's a done deal now says Indycar.com.

http://www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=10557

Speed tv is also reporting that an agreement in principal is signed by all three

Chuck

You know, through all of this.... I think both sides actually enjoy yanking people around on all this. When talking about things, you can't let everybody outside of the talks in on everything. A, "we are working on things, but there will be a merger", would have been nice. Sad when teams have to call Miller to see what's up.

This of course isn't bad news. Let's hope it turns into really good news down the line.

Owners of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League completed an agreement in principle Friday that will unify the sport for 2008.

Gerald Forsythe, co-owner of Champ Car, signed an agreement in principle in Chicago, joining his partner Kevin Kalkhoven and Indy Racing League founder and CEO Tony George who had signed late Thursday in Indianapolis.

A press conference about the agreement is expected to be forthcoming.

From the IndyCar website -

Being a somewhat skeptical person when it comes to corporate communications, it kind of looks to me like TG sat down to dinner last night after he signed the deal he wanted. Everything that has happened since has been KK & GF holding out trying their best to end up with the minimum amount of stick snapped off in their behinds. They've been negotiating at a disadvantage for some time now.

I bet that meal tasted good.

When you bring nothing to the table on your side, that's the way it goes. They are lucky to get anything IMO. They were going out of business regardless.

The key to the whole deal is having one series. They key is not what KK and GF bring to the table, which was pretty much zero IMO.