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Author Topic: IRL / Champ Car Merger  (Read 6112 times)

Offline cosworth151

Re: IRL / Champ Car Merger
« Reply #15 on: February 19, 2008, 06:23:42 PM »
Speed TV is now reporting that the merger is a done deal and will be made public tomorrow, 20 Feb. Looks like this is it.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline cosworth151

Re: IRL / Champ Car Merger
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2008, 04:59:12 PM »
21 Feb, 16:41 GMT:

The Press Association has said that there will be a press conference for 11am on Friday in Indianapolis where they will announce the long American open-wheel racing war has come to an end. It was delayed 24 hrs to allow Champ Car chief Kevin Kalkhoven to return from the UK. IndyCar will purchase Champ Car's "intellectual properties", including the historical database.

Speed TV is saying that the Long Beach and Motegi races will both take place on 20 April, and will both count towards IRL points. They say that the current IRL teams will run their Dallara-Hondas in Japan, while the current Champ Car teams will run their Panoz-Cosworths (  :yahoo: ) for one last time in California.

Most sources say that the Edmonton, Mexico City and Surfers' Paradise races will come over to the IRL schedule. No word as to what will happen to the rest of the Champ Car races, including Road America. Road America is one of the oldest and proudest road courses in the US.

Right now I’m telling everyone on our staff, it’s situation normal. The news is screwed up, but certainly if Champ Car were not to come to Road America this year we would certainly try to get whatever open-wheel series was out there, going forward,” Road America President George Bruggenthies said yesterday.

So far, not a word about it on the IRL, IMS or Champ Car sites.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline cosworth151

Re: IRL / Champ Car Merger
« Reply #17 on: February 22, 2008, 02:38:41 PM »
Things don't look quite so good this morning (22 Feb, 09:30 EST, 14:30 GMT).

This just went up moments ago on The Detroit Free Press website.

Quote
"We're closer than we've ever been," Champ Car spokesman David Higdon told the Associated Press on Thursday.

However, a joint statement issued late Thursday by the IRL and Champ Car suggested that more time will be needed for an agreement.

"The ongoing talks between the Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series will continue into at least Friday in regards to the unification of open-wheel racing," the statement read. "Any confirmation of unification will be made once an agreement is in place. There are no plans for a news conference at this time. Much progress has been made toward unifying the sport."

This was up this morning on the IRL's website, IndyCar.com:

Quote
Unification talks continue

The ongoing talks between the Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series will continue into at least (Feb. 22) in regards to the unification of open-wheel racing.

Any confirmation of unification will be made once an agreement is in place. There are no plans for a news conference at this time. Much progress has been made toward unifying the sport.

Nothing at all about it on the Champ Car or IMS sites.

More as it comes in.

Cos
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline cosworth151

Re: IRL / Champ Car Merger
« Reply #18 on: February 22, 2008, 06:09:56 PM »
22 Feb, 13:00 EST, 18:00 GMT


From The Indianapolis Star:

Quote
Another round of meetings is scheduled for today, according to IRL spokesman Fred Nation.
IRL founder Tony George and Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven discussed unification of the sport during dinner at the Eagle's Nest, a restaurant atop the Downtown Hyatt Regency hotel, but they did not complete a deal.

Nation said there is no cause for concern even though a news conference planned for this morning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was put on hold.

"Absolutely not," he said. "They made a heck of a lot of progress, but they're not over the hump yet."

The IRL is seeking full rights to Indy-style racing, including its history and trademarks. All future races will be held under the IndyCar Series banner, and Champ Car's owners are not permitted to operate a rival series based in the U.S.

From The Cleveland Plain Dealer:

Quote
Mike Lanigan, the promoter of the Cleveland and Houston Champ Car races said Thursday he is "in a fog" like everyone else.

"I've talked to [Kevin] Kalkhoven, once, and Gerald Forsythe, once," Lanigan said of two CCWS owners. "The only thing they've told me is they are in discussions. No one has told me Cleveland and Houston are out, or that they are in, quite frankly."

Lanigan said he is for unification between the two open-wheel series, but it always has been with the understanding Cleveland, in particular, would be part of the deal. Last fall, Mi-Jack and the city of Cleveland signed a five-year race agreement through 2012.

"We have a huge amount of money invested in Cleveland and Houston," Lanigan said. "But the light at the end of the tunnel for us was always unification. That would bring Houston and Cleveland closer to profitability. I always thought Cleveland was near the top of their radar screen. And maybe that will happen. But I don't know anything right now."

Another sticking point is the schedule conflict between IRL's Honda 300 race at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course, and Champ Car's Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton, both set for July 20. Reportedly, Edmonton has been offered July 27 or August 3. The Mid Ohio race has series engine supplier Honda as title sponsor, and is a short distance from Honda's major US facilities in Marysville, Ohio.

The Mid Ohio race is credited with the possible demise of the Cleveland race. It is only about 70 miles away and one month later than Cleveland.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

 


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