Well, that's not a fact. That's your opinion. You are absolutely 100% entitled to it. Other people may feel differently. So don't state your opinions and say they are facts.

Actually that is a fact ! If I had enough money I could very easily buy myself a ride and run the whole schedule.
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For better or worse, the IRL lives. For better, CART is dead.

You need to re-read my post. I am speaking of your "shallowest talent pool" as an opinionated statement. I was not commenting on the ride buying.

The IRL started out as a great concept. Put American drivers in Indy cars back on the ovals where they belong. Arent those the words he used to get all of us to buy into the IRL ? The guy has done alot of good for the sport but has done alot of bad also. He seems to contradict himself in alot of ways. One of the funniest was the Larry Curry deal. He was quoted as saying that there was no place in the IRL or the sport for a person like that and the next thing you know Larry is running Vision racing !
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Prof. Pat, you probably know many more than I, but I was speaking with Brian Gerster before the start of the little 500 and he told us all about his IRL Rookie Test out in Phoenix; He said Tony G. helped make that happen for him too.



Never say Never?

Where there is smoke there is fire Something is up.

Yes.....If you have enough money you can get a ride. Just like any other series. That said, what does it matter? Just because a guy brings money that doesn't mean a driver who doesn't has no room in the sport. The fields aren't full and if you are a driver who can win races and make a team money, then you can get a ride.

I realize nobody believes that but it is true. Just because Milka buys a ride that doesn't mean Jerry Coons is out of a ride. That car wasn't going to race anyway. The argument could then be made of why doesn't a person like Jerry find the sponsorship to do it.(Not picking on Jerry, just a name everyone here knows.) We live in the weathiest nation in the history of man kind and people are always complaining of the wealthy foreigners buying up all of our rides. If someone wants it bad enough, go get your deal together.

Just one mans opinion.

Lets also remember that if were talking quarter midgets or F1 racing always has and always will be about money. Unlike stick and ball sports it takes more than talent. Wether it be making deals or pressing flesh networking with potential finacial help. Or bringing it to the table yourself its a hard fact......Just my take on it.-Tom

Ever since I have been particpating on this board the talk of ride buying continually crops up, I have several questions and observations hopefully you can help me with. First question what dollar amount is required to buy a ride? When did the ride buying start? What racing divisions survive on ride buying? As sponsorship money dries up will ride buying become more and more prevalent?

Unless I am misunderstanding, my observation is we are always talking about ride buying in the IRL and that foreigners are the only ones that can afford it. PSullivan, provided an impressive list of racers with open wheel short track racing experience that have competed at Indy, I know several of the people on that list personally, I also know they had to take a sizeable amount of money with them for their chance to drive at Indy. What was it called when they got their chance to run in the Indy 500, when they brought money to the race team?

How many USAC teams require a driver bring cash or sponorship money to obtain a ride in the USAC divisions?

Patti