123 replies to this topic

[Peter Perfect]

I've just read that Tomas Scheckter may be dropped before his next race after colliding with his teammate and boss Eddie Cheever. The article said that he'd crashed out of 6 of his last 10 races.

How long ago was it that he was test-driving for Jaguar and looking for a F1 race seat? His career seems to have nose-dived.

[LuckyStrike1]

Has he ever been a hero though?

[Peter Perfect]

OK, perhaps not hero but he was looking for a F1 drive.

[LuckyStrike1]

Yeah I know. But I think that chance of a F1 drive dissapeared out of the window when he was caught with a lady of the night and got sacked from Jaguar. And all his crashes in IRL won't make it any better for him - if he can find a career in American single-seaters or in sportscars he should consider himself lucky I guess...

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by LuckyStrike1
Yeah I know. But I think that chance of a F1 drive dissapeared out of the window when he was caught with a lady of the night and got sacked from Jaguar. And all his crashes in IRL won't make it any better for him - if he can find a career in American single-seaters or in sportscars he should consider himself lucky I guess...

Well "fast Eddie" still drives for Jaguar and he is not famous for "keeping it in his trousers"

VAR1016

[LuckyStrike1]

Originally posted by VAR1016


Well "fast Eddie" still drives for Jaguar and he is not famous for "keeping it in his trousers"

VAR1016

The difference being of course that he doesn't have to pay for it and doesn't get charged for it ;)

[DEVO]

Cheever is going to sack him the last I heard... the funny thing is that Scheckter was about to lap Cheever (teammate), only Cheever didn't give him enough room and blamed Tomas for the last incident... the other 5... i don't know.

[John B]

He's led a ton of laps this year, as much as you can without a win....I'm curious about how all these road racers now in the IRL (Scheckter, De Ferran, HCN) will do when/if they go back to road racing series - does a couple years spent on the ovals result in 'road rust?'

[shaggy]

He is third in the number of laps led.
Twice he has crashed while trying to lap his owner (Eddie underaCheever). It is those two crashes against his owner that have sealed his fate.

Once again, this shows that oval racing is not really that hard for a road race driver who has somewhat decent talent and is in a good team. It is mostly about car setup. The problem is in knowing when and where to pass; different tracks have different grooves and Tomas just keeps forcing the issue in places where he shouldn't even try (I read that 6 other drivers had already crashed in that same place and, yet, that is where he tried to lap his underaCheever boss).

It is believed that Buddy Rice will now take his place - at least something good will come out of this.

shaggy

[The Rock]

Well its never great for your career when you punt your teammate out of a race and worse when its your boss,i suppose Jody must have told him about getting ahead in life,i think Tomas must have gotten abit mixed up then ;)

[tgic4ever]

I heard that Max Papis is getting tested as well. I feel bad for Schecky, he was one of the few guys in the IRL I took notice of.

[Captain Cranckcase]

I don't think the guy should be fired, he has a lot of potential. He's at worst the 4th best driver in the IRL IMO.

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by LuckyStrike1


The difference being of course that he doesn't have to pay for it and doesn't get charged for it ;)

Ha-ha! Well a number of experiences have served to convince me that either way you pay

VAR1016

[RiverRunner]

The reason why TS is gonzo is because he has about ten times the skill levels UnderaCheever ever had,everytime the kid straps it on,he kicks his boss's ass.
If anything,Eddie should fire himself,and get a driver that can give his own teamate a run for his money.
With Red Bull and Walkinshaw pulling the strings on Eddie Munsters team,if he cans TS he'll be pushing his cars around the track by the end of the year.
No engines and no sponsor,how's that taste Eddie?

[Psychoman]

As much as I like Cheever, I agree. Tomas has done wonderfully, the only person he's managed to knock out is his boss somehow (well there was that tangle with J. Lazier at Nazareth too...), if he gains some patience he will kick serious ass. He should keep him around for 1 more year.

[The First MH]

Originally posted by RiverRunner
The reason why TS is gonzo is because he has about ten times the skill levels UnderaCheever ever had,everytime the kid straps it on,he kicks his boss's ass.
If anything,Eddie should fire himself,and get a driver that can give his own teamate a run for his money.
With Red Bull and Walkinshaw pulling the strings on Eddie Munsters team,if he cans TS he'll be pushing his cars around the track by the end of the year.
No engines and no sponsor,how's that taste Eddie?

Bang on!

[klthomas]

Cheever has got to be one of the biggest idiots I've ever seen in racing. Totally clueless.

[Lada Lover]

If Cheever is dumb enough to let Tomas go that's OK. I'm not very smart and even I know Tomas is a great driver. Someone smarter than I will certainly pick up the gem Cheever throws away.

[prettyface]

That last crash, Cheever had more than half a car of good track below and still didn't make room for his star teammate. I don't blame Scheckter in the least. He probably has been a bit of a prima donna, but at least he's providing a lot of the excitement in the IRL, and I don't mean the crashes.

[vroom-vroom]

You guys are being a bit unfair to old Cheever, I reckon. Maybe you forgot that he was THE most promising American driver of his era (on merit). IIRC, he won his first British F3 race when he was 18 (against a strong field), won in F2 in an Osella, was considered a rainmaster, and got to the level of being the next big thing in F1. Unfortunately, he was at the wrong place at the wrong time in F1 (Fisichella syndrome) and was quickly forgotten, but fact is, he was incredibly fast. So, yes, in retrospect he underachieved, but the expectations were for him to be the next American WDC.

[Megatron]

Cheever himself has crashed in four of the ten races. His money supply and engine boys are on the verge of leaving (will Red Bull stay?), and with the threat of more CART teams and the Honda and Toyota folks coming in, Eddie's "vision" might become blurred.

I think Tomas is the least of his problems. I think hes the fastest IRL driver out there.

[Locai]

Originally posted by tgic4ever
I heard that Max Papis is getting tested as well. I feel bad for Schecky, he was one of the few guys in the IRL I took notice of.

That would make sense because Papis drove the third Red Bull car at Indy.


Scheckter has done quite well in the IRL. In fact, he's put to shame many of the veteran drivers (including Cheever). He's led a ton of laps, too. He led the most laps at Indy this year...unheard of for a rookie (unless your last name is Montoya).

His problem is that he's been totally unable to finish a race! He's broken enough equipment to make Jarno Trulli proud! I've been watching most of the IRL races mainly just to see Scheckter and the Penske drivers. I keep expecting Scheckter to actually keep it together until the end of the race, but it hasn't happened yet.

He'll end up with a drive somewhere next year. I don't think he'll end up as even a test driver in F1, but he could very well find himself in either the IRL or CART...just not driving for Cheever.

One other point. TeamCheever was the main team for Infiniti. With Infiniti pulling out of the IRL next year, I don't see Cheever getting the kind of support that Infiniti gave him. If that's the case, Cheever could drop back to the back of the pack. I don't think that Scheckter should really even want to drive for Cheever next year. I'd like to see Scheckter move over to CART and get back to road racing.

[Joe Fan]

Tomas Scheckter deserves to be canned and replaced with some USAC sprint car driver who can handle and take care of decent equipment. I was at Kansas Speedway watching the race a few weeks ago when he crashed out while leading late in the race. There was speculation that a tire went down but I am sure that this was an excuse given out to save him public embarrassment because he lost control of the car too far out of turn two for it to be tire related. If it was a tire, he should have bobbled going into turn one or coming right out of turn two.

Even if it was tire-related, the way he was driving provided no sympathy to his tires on a blistering hot day where temperatures were in the mid 90's. This kid doesn't race smart and try to conserve tires or fuel at any time during a race. Leading a bunch of laps is meaningless if you're loaded up on the wrecker before the race is complete or if you have worn out your tires in the early part of the last run and unable to battle for positions late in the race.

As far as last week's crash, it was totally Scheckter's fault. Eddie could have moved down a little but it is a moot point because Scheckter tried to pass too late in the corner. He then drifted up into the marbles and lost control of the car. Nashville just isn't banked enough for two cars to race through a corner like Texas. All in all, Scheckter should have spent a year in the new Infiniti Pro Series where he could have went through the growing pains of learning how to oval race and tore up cheaper equipment while he was at it.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Wow, 'the vision' invades Atlas.

[tifosi]

Originally posted by Peter Perfect
OK, perhaps not hero but he was looking for a F1 drive.

Hell, Im looking for a Formula One drive also

[KenC]

One, Tomas has shown himself to be very brave and quick. However, he has also shown himself to have poor racing judgement, making quite a few ill-timed moves leading to crashes. Unfortunately for him, the IRL is NOT F1, and the teams have limited budgets. Eddie can't afford all of Tomas's crashes whether he is at fault for them or not. Eddie gets development motors from Infiniti/Renault and has sponsorship from Red Bull, but did you notice that his sidepods were bare? He's got one foot on a financial bar of soap as Infiniti is leaving next year. Clearly, one doesn't want drivers racing at less than their fastest, but Tomas has to recognize the team's financial situation and drive accordingly. Don't break the car, and score some points.

Plus, one facet of mature racing, is knowing the tendencies of the drivers you are racing with. Cheever is very, very difficult to pass; and he never takes the blame for accidents. So, any driver, even more so, a teammate, has to be aware that passing Eddie, late-in-a-turn, in a corner that has seen multiple accidents before, is likely to lead to tears.

[tgic4ever]

Its interesting that both Schecky and Townsend Bell appear to have lost their rides in the same week! 2 of my favorite drivers gone!


I guess i ll cheer for Hornish in the IRL now( he was honest during the Indy 500 appeal), and Ill cheer for everyone but Servia in CART.

[Nikolas Garth]

With Hugh Grant successfully resurrecting his career, I think there is still a glimmer of hope for Tomas Scheckter.

[KenC]

Originally posted by tgic4ever
Its interesting that both Schecky and Townsend Bell appear to have lost their rides in the same week! 2 of my favorite drivers gone!

I guess i ll cheer for Hornish in the IRL now( he was honest during the Indy 500 appeal), and Ill cheer for everyone but Servia in CART.

I think Townsend is very promising as well, but Patrick needs results, and couldn't wait out the steep learning curve of a rookie. Ideally, Townsend would have joined a multi-car effort, where the pressure to get results would have been a little less.

As for Hornish, I still want to know how he got into the closed pits at Indy for service after the first yellow?!? On the replay, you can clearly see him driving around the post-crash remains under yellow. There should be no time gap between the yellow and the closed pit sign. Another driver who got into pitlane, drove thru without service, so as not to incur a penalty. How did Hornish escape that? Is this another instance of IRL communication problems?

And as for the last race, I've always seen a car blackflagged for flapping bits of bodywork. Why wasn't Hornish flagged for that rear wheel flipup that was about to fly off?

Do you think Brian Barnhart, IRL chief steward, is playing favorites?

[Ross Stonefeld]

Yes

just look at the incidents at Nazareth Schecker and Hornish Jr were involved on, and consider the penalties each of them got. Granted Tomas had more accumulated during the season but Hornish's was one of the dumbest oval moves ive *ever* seen

[CART]

Cheever also thinks ALL forms of racing began in indianapolis.

http://espn.go.com/r...eever/0714.html

tgic, You can't root for Hornish in the irl. You must choose a ride buying brazilian.

[Dmitriy_Guller]

Not a bad strategy for Cheever, earning $20 for each motivational article will sure help with finances for his team.

[MLC]

"Unfortunately, he (Cheever) was at the wrong place at the wrong time in F1"

I agree that Cheever showed great potential in the lower formulas, especially in 1979 in F2. However, he did have a season in a championship challenging car (1983 Renault) and never even looked like winning a race. Unfortunately, he had a shot but just didn't have what it takes to be a top F1 driver.

[vroom-vroom]

Originally posted by MLC
I agree that Cheever showed great potential in the lower formulas, especially in 1979 in F2. However, he did have a season in a championship challenging car (1983 Renault) and never even looked like winning a race. Unfortunately, he had a shot but just didn't have what it takes to be a top F1 driver.

Pretty unfair again to old Eddie, IMO. In 1983, he got hired by a Renault (aka Prost) team entirely devoted to their WDC contender, Alain Prost, and IIRC, ALL Renault resources (spare car, engineers, developments, etc) went to the later as Renault was desperate to win a WC and keep Prost. From what I see on Forix, old Eddie had 8 mech DNF over 15 races in that season. He was essentially the 1983 season Barrichello of team Prost or worse.

[The First MH]

From Cheever's Website: Cheever Red Bull
Buddy Rice to Drive No. 53 Red Bull Cheever Racing Infiniti at Michigan

Young American racer Buddy Rice of Phoenix, Ariz., will drive the No. 53 Red Bull Cheever Racing Infiniti in the inaugural Michigan Indy 400 on July 28. Rice joins Eddie Cheever Jr. and Tomas Scheckter at Red Bull Cheever Racing.
"We have a commitment to ourselves and Red Bull to win races,” team owner and driver Eddie Cheever Jr. said. “Buddy, who has been very impressive in testing with us, is joining the team to give us another shot at winning on Sunday. Given our performance at the superspeedways this season, I am hopeful that with three cars in the field Red Bull Cheever Racing can leave Michigan with a victory in hand.”

Rice, 26, passed his Indy Racing League rookie test Tuesday at Kentucky Speedway. He is currently scheduled to race only at Michigan. His relationship with Red Bull Cheever Racing started last November when he tested for the team at California Speedway. He signed a testing contract with the team in June.

“This is an excellent opportunity. Red Bull Cheever Racing is one of the top teams in the IRL and they’ve been fast all year,” Buddy Rice said. “Red Bull has been very supportive of my career since 1998 when they signed me as one of their athletes. This is really what we have all been working so hard to achieve.”

This season Rice has driven in three sports car races for Miracle Motorsports in the Grand American Rolex series. He competed in the Toyota Atlantic series from 1998 to 2000, racing against IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr. in 1999 and winning the championship in 2000. He started racing go-karts at age 11, winning several national titles.

Rice will drive the Dallara chassis with the same Red Bull paint scheme found on the No. 51 car driven by Cheever, and the No. 52 car of Scheckter. All three cars will be powered by the Infiniti Indy V8 engine and use Firestone tires.

Go Tomas

[tgic4ever]

I doubt he will keep both guys, this could just be Red Bull putting their foot down and not allowing Tomas to be fired. I think whoever does best this weekend has the upper hand in staying with the team. Ofcourse the best solution would be to have Old man Cheever remove himself and focus on running a 2 car Scheckter-Rice team...but that makes too much sense.

[flyer72]

I'm happy that Scheckter is still in IRL. He is a fast driver and should at least have a full season behind him before being judged.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Buddy Rice doesnt deserve to drive the pit karts. But hey as long as Scheckter stays I dont care about Rice.

[KenC]

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld
Buddy Rice doesnt deserve to drive the pit karts. But hey as long as Scheckter stays I dont care about Rice.

Is it just me, or does every single American driver that comes up thru the CART ranks, always get a putdown from you? Sour grapes?

[Ross Stonefeld]

Because I know how fast they arent? He spent 3 years in Atlantics with the absolute top team, not having won in the level before that. He finally won the title in his third season almost losing it entirely to a rookie.

Chip says he's gonna put him in F3000 so he tests for the top team, they didnt want him.

He tests all year for Rahal, Rahal doesnt keep him.

He tests for sponsor Red Bull's IRL team and gets passed over in favor of Scheckter.


Maybe he's just not good enough? His midpack status in Atlantics this season pretty much confirms that.

[RiverRunner]

Actually,Ken,I agree with Ross,although I may not have put it in those terms.;)
Scheckter will have two teammates to try to lap now,poor kid...

[The First MH]

Lets hope he transfers that pole into a win!

[Megatron]

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld
Because I know how fast they arent? He spent 3 years in Atlantics with the absolute top team, not having won in the level before that. He finally won the title in his third season almost losing it entirely to a rookie.

Chip says he's gonna put him in F3000 so he tests for the top team, they didnt want him.

He tests all year for Rahal, Rahal doesnt keep him.

He tests for sponsor Red Bull's IRL team and gets passed over in favor of Scheckter.


Maybe he's just not good enough? His midpack status in Atlantics this season pretty much confirms that.

Seemingly lost in all this is the fact that Rice couldn't find money to get into F3000, Miller quit CART and Rahal had to hire Gigante poster boy Jourdain, and yes, he did get passed over by Scheckter if Scheckter is THAT quick, then perhaps thats not a career ender.

Rice may not be the next Phil Hill, but he isn't the Tom Jones either.

[Ross Stonefeld]

He's a mid pack driver. He's solid, but he's not the great lost talent everyone makes him out to be. He had full Red Bull backing at Rahal, had nothing to do with Miller.

[Lada Lover]

Tomas is leading an IRL race again today.

[The First MH]

Cheever does the bonehead move, even by self admission, and Sheckter wins, maybe to fight another day! Congrats Tomas

Cheever should fire himself

[Duck]

Jeeze, I thought Buddy Rice was nothing more than midpack-at-best driver according to one source..... not even deserving to drive the pit carts.

[tifosi]

I couldn't believe 'Shithead' Cheever cheering for Sheckter at the end. His sorry ass should have been curled up in the motor home in the fetal position like the whining little baby he is. Great job Tomas, coming back from a bad-luck pit stop to take the win. Also good job by Sarah Fisher coming from a lap down to battel with the big boys after Atlas F1 unanimously determined she had no business at all being in a race car. Overall a damn good race, sure as hell beats the hack out of that CART snore-fest going on. CART makes F1 look like flag-to-flag wheel to wheel action every lap. Mandatory pit stops????? WTF is up with that????? NASCAR buy CART or something?

Tomas Shekter Great job with NO support from boss and third rate pit crew (who also did a damn good job)
Buddy Rice Foirst IRL race beats the Billion Dollar Penske boys
Helio and Gils More money than Ferrari BAR and Toyota combined
Sarah Fisher Godd run with an totally inexperienced weekend-warrier team. Has no bisiness being in a car, boobs to big, get back in the kitchen as determine by AtlasF1 members but still runs up front.
Eddie Cheever Come back to F1 and u can join cry-babies like Eddie Irvine and Jacques Villenueve

[The First MH]

Tifosi: Except for the last name,

[Ross Stonefeld]

Originally posted by Duck
Jeeze, I thought Buddy Rice was nothing more than midpack-at-best driver according to one source..... not even deserving to drive the pit carts.

I take it this is your first oval race