Did you see the press conference today with the main participants involved in the merger of the IRL and Champ Car? In my view this is a situation that has been manifesting for 12 years and this merger may be too little too late! When Tony George drafted a plan to form The IRL in 1994 it was the start of the destruction of one of the finest racing series this country has known.
So what good has transpired in the last dozen years? Oh yeah, the Brickyard 400 has become more popular than the Indy 500. The stars of Nascar are now a household name. Can you for the life of me name one famous IRL driver? There is that one guy who's married to Ashely Judd and the pretty girl who hasn't won a single race!
But on a more serious note, can we assume that this merger has any chance of resurrecting open wheel racing at a high level? Or is it in such disrepair were the only race that will be on their calendar is The Indy 500? Why has it taken so long for intelligent men to finally realize that one series was the only answer. Even a man as influential as Roger Penske couldn't bring Tony George to his senses.
But from the ashes of the fire maybe something positive can become of this unification. This hopeful fan would love to see this series grow and thrive in the years to come. But as an open wheel fan I feel I have been cheated out of 12 years of good racing, years I will never get back. Like a prison term we are now all on probation, with the hope that we fare well and return to a constructive life on the open wheel stage.
So what good has transpired in the last dozen years? Oh yeah, the Brickyard 400 has become more popular than the Indy 500. The stars of Nascar are now a household name. Can you for the life of me name one famous IRL driver? There is that one guy who's married to Ashely Judd and the pretty girl who hasn't won a single race!
But on a more serious note, can we assume that this merger has any chance of resurrecting open wheel racing at a high level? Or is it in such disrepair were the only race that will be on their calendar is The Indy 500? Why has it taken so long for intelligent men to finally realize that one series was the only answer. Even a man as influential as Roger Penske couldn't bring Tony George to his senses.
But from the ashes of the fire maybe something positive can become of this unification. This hopeful fan would love to see this series grow and thrive in the years to come. But as an open wheel fan I feel I have been cheated out of 12 years of good racing, years I will never get back. Like a prison term we are now all on probation, with the hope that we fare well and return to a constructive life on the open wheel stage.
2 comments:
Say a prayer that something good will happen this year.
Ferrari will set the pace once again this year. I would like to see a surprise winner but don't count on it.
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