CHAMP CAR Close To Bankruptcy?

(from autosport)


Team owner Derrick Walker predicts that Champ Car is close to the end, amid rumours that series bosses are planning to file for bankruptcy.

Negotiations are ongoing between senior Champ Car and Indy Racing League officials to reach an agreement on a merger between the two, but Walker isn't convinced Champ Car can survive if the amalgamation doesn't go ahead.

He told the Associated Press: "It has all the makings of the end of Champ Car. I don't know how it's going to be done, but I think Champ Car is going to shut down."

But Champ Car executive vice president David Higdon denied that the series is shutting down: "We've been hearing these rumours since Friday and, as we've continued to say, our doors are open and people are working.

"We are proceeding with our plans and will keep operating as Champ Car."

Walker claimed several teams have not received last year's prize money, and decided not to field his cars in the first pre-season test at Sebring last week, instead choosing to start work on switching his team to IRL for this season.

"About a month ago there were several teams that had never been paid prize money, I don't know whether that was resolved," he said.

"My truck was on its way to Sebring and I turned it round because nobody in Champ Car could tell me what was going on. We've put our energy into IRL and will work toward that until someone can show me that Champ Car is really going to happen.

"I'm praying for a merger but you have to be careful what you wish for. It costs about $1.3 million to show up for the IRL races so that's the money we've got to find."

There have been no developments on the proposed merger since IRL boss Tony George returned from talks with Honda in Japan yesterday. He was hoping to move to date of the Motegi round on April 19 to allow the Champ Car race at Long Beach on April 20 to be added to the IRL schedule.

IRL spokesman John Griffin last night said: "Our executive team got back from Japan earlier today and we continue to work and see what we can accomplish here in the immediate future."

 

I heard this same info yesterday morning.

 

So sad, I remember before last season started how they were talking about having 24+ car fields.....just a waste of a great formula.

 

I hope so, whatever it takes for one series.

 

Jim, I could not agree more. I hope the same, whatever it takes to have the best drivers in one series as well as the best teams.

 

+1 here in Indy.

If and when they come together, and I feel its important for open wheel in the US, I hope they are able to put together a good mix of courses. As a fan, I want to see:

1) Speedway - Indy, Michigan, Texas, etc. Lots of speed, lots of passing, lots of 2-3 wide through turns
2) Road Courses - Mid-Ohio, Sonoma, etc. Terrain changes, challenging, etc.
3) Street Courses - Long Beach, St Pete, etc. - Challenging, but has limited passing. Enjoy wandering around live, but not so much on TV. If they can design a road course that allows some serious passing opportunities, I'm all for it, just not sure there's a course out there that can achieve that. (truth is, I'm not a fan of whoever wins pole seems to win race by default of being at the front to the train).

I think they could run a second race at Indy using the F1 track. Should be interesting to see how it plays out after the changes for MotoGP. Besides, it'd be easy for me to attend 2 open wheel races in my backyard...call me selfish for this wish. (I did send this suggestion into IMS, but doubt it got anywhere.)

For increased interest and competitiveness, I also think we need to see:
1) Multiple engine choices - Chevy, Cosworth, Honda, Toyota, et al
2) Multiple chassis choices
3) Drivers and possible global teams - Barzil, Mexico, other Central/South American teams? Can we turn IRL/CHAMP into an Americas Event?!?! Run races in Mexico City, Brazil? Increased global exposure might be what the marketing doctor needs to convince sponsors to pony up the $$$ to support an international series.
4) I'm still out on forced induction vs N/A engines. I think the "Power to Pass" in CHAMP is silly. Either you have it, or you don't. But that's me.

Anywho...there's snow on the ground here in Indy this weekend and I'm needing a racing fix, so expect me to be parked in front of the TV tomorrow pulling for the open wheel guys down at Daytona. Spring weather....can you please come more quickly?!?! I need to drive.

Love to hear what the rest of you think.

 

You better turn your TV on now. The Dual 150's are on. JV was running in the top 5.

 

+1 Excellent Post.

 

I went to the inaugural race in Vegas last year and had a great time and heard Champ Car had a three year deal with the city. I was disappointed to find out that it wasn't on the schedule for this year. Bankruptcy would explain it. It would also probably explain why the Phoenix race at the end of last season was cancelled.

 

In the meetings before the last two gp's at Portland they have expressed that it could be their last year there if they didn't get the required ticket sales but they still are there every year. They are scraping along but they always seem to find their heads above water.

 

First, I'm not a NASCAR fan, but I'm needing a racing fix, so I was listening to DW talk about NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow. He said they are the same on the outside, but the suspension is changed depending on whether they are running a Super Speedway or a small track like Bristol. It makes it less expensive for smaller teams to compete. So it got me thinking about Open Wheel...

IRL is supposed to be coming out with a new car for 2010. I have not read any specs, so no clue what they are planning. So here's my thought:

Is it remotely possible to design a chassis that will work well for speedways, road and street courses. Team swap in teh appropriate suspension to meet course requirements. Maybe attach on a different nose or rear wing, but the main portion of the car is "standard". Thought is it might make it less expensive for more teams to become active. Fear is that something that does everything does nothing well.

Look forward to hearing thoughts/opinions about this hair-brained idea.

 

Report by Robin Miller on Speed - it's going to be very interesting to see what occurs this week with the attorneys and with both series having starts soon. This will make the Grand Prix of Houston very interesting - it would be wonderful for ALMS to be the MAIN EVENT.

Carol

 

Carol,

Did they re-locate the Houston race? I looked at the track map and it looked different.

 

Rumors of an announcement tomorrow. Funny, Robin Miller says teams from CC are calling him because they know nothing. I'll bet Dalaras are being sourced this evening.

 

do it away with it all and promote formula 1 more. nascar has the circle racing market cornered.

 

And what, pray tell, will that accomplish ?

We don't have an F1 race here, and even if we did, it would be just one race....

We need a decent open-wheel series.
I don't think I like IRL, CC or nascar because all three of them are an IROC series.... ALL run 'spec' chassis now, and two
of the three are pretty much spec motors, because every single part you put on a car MUST be on the 'approved' list.
Smells like a 'spec' list to me...

I'm still saying: bring back the old F-5000 series - run stock block motors, and any part you put in it is legal - as long
as that part is off-the-shelf and available to everyone. Mechanical fuel injection or carbs only, no EFI... basically a
nascar motor in an open wheel car...... 'should' work...

 

Eventuallu IRL and CART will merge and become something woth watching

 

....supposedly going to happen Thursday.... (the first part of your wish anyway.......)

 

Let's not forget the whole CART thing happened because of King George.

I miss the real Champ cars Mercedes, Ford, Honda, Toyota
I miss the real power, the hi-rev SA Engines
I miss the Drivers

IRL with a single motor choice with low power cars with awesome drivers is not a great formula

I used to go to the CART race in Nazereth PA every year. It was great, got to talk Mario several times and with a pit pass you could be there all weekend with the mechanics, talk to the drivers (Andretti, Unser Jr., Montoya, Tracy, and all the Brazil guys name I can't spell) etc. The Supercharged cars had tremendous power, and sounded great.

CART is dead, champcar is just the dissolving memory.

Maybe IRL can build again once Champcar is gone.