63 replies to this topic

[Math Soucy]

Originally posted by Jhope
One thing about the race that really had my blood boiling was the Allmendinger penalty. How the hell can OWRS justify the penalty after it was bloody obvious that A.J needed to come in or risk destroying the whole left front of his car, as well as possibly putting other cars at risk with tyre debris? It was a safety issue that needed to be adressed fast. I found that he was unlucky enough to *just* miss the pit entrance, but to add insult to injury, he got penalised for doing what he really had to do. This is not a JPM type penalty, this one is just plain stupid, and OWRS officials should burry their heds in the sand.


oh, what the hell was up with the laughable shock covers flying off?

I agree that Allmendinger should not have been sent to the back of the grid prior to the re-start as it was a matter of safety; however, I believe the stewards might have re-positioned his car or something of that nature. Had they left AJ in position, he would have improved his track position over leading drivers who pitted together. Difficult circumstance to score in any event.

[JPMFan]

Originally posted by ColdHeart
This is the last year for CC at Montreal. Next year they will be replaced by the IRL which is why the IRL schedule announcement has been held up; Montreal asked that they not announce the race until after the CC event. CC released their '06 schedule showing Montreal but they did not have a contract and won't get one.

ColdHeart,

Where is Montreal on the 2006 IRL schedule? Still standing by your statement that CC doesn't have a contract in 2006 and won't get one??

[McGuire]

Originally posted by JPMFan

ColdHeart,

Where is Montreal on the 2006 IRL schedule? Still standing by your statement that CC doesn't have a contract in 2006 and won't get one??

I see no indication that IRL was ever a serious player for the Montreal date. NASCAR is the threat to Champ Car there, though the current deal does run through 2006.

In one breath Normand says everything is fine with Champ Car; in the next he says wouldn't it be wonderful to have NASCAR there. And of course there are only two sanctioned events on the track.

The absence of half the grandstands at this year's race was very curious. Only one small section on the front straight -- it looked like a little league baseball game.

[WANG]

Yeah - sort of funny that they are also dropping 3 ovals.

So much for the "carry on the unique identity of open-wheel, oval-track racing at its highest level."

Here's the new IRL Schedule.

http://www.indycar.c...p?story_id=5437

[Ross Stonefeld]

they didnt add any road courses though, so its just a smaller schedule.

[McGuire]

Originally posted by WANG
Yeah - sort of funny that they are also dropping 3 ovals.

So much for the "carry on the unique identity of open-wheel, oval-track racing at its highest level."

Here's the new IRL Schedule.

http://www.indycar.c...p?story_id=5437

no, this schedule is all about TV.

The most interesting points here (other than the end of Phoenix and Fontana) is no Pikes Peak. It has no Cup date either so a sale of the track might be near. Also, IRL somehow got Eddie Gossage to let go of the race after Indy.

[WANG]

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld
they didnt add any road courses though, so its just a smaller schedule.

They tried to get Long Beach this year and many rumors suggest that Montreal and Mexico are on their radar as well - so says Ken Ungar of the IRL.

So again why did we need 2 open wheel series?

[EVL29]

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld
they didnt add any road courses though

They didn't add any.....or none added the IRL?

[Ross Stonefeld]

I hate to get into political grammar so here goes "there are no new road courses on the schedule"

[Bumper]

I don't buy their reason for a smaller schedule to "better serve the fans". Surely the fans would be better served with a longer schedule? I wonder what the real reason is for dropping Cal Speedway for example.

Originally posted by WANG
They tried to get Long Beach this year and many rumors suggest that Montreal and Mexico are on their radar as well - so says Ken Ungar of the IRL.

That quote is 2 years old though.

[WANG]

Originally posted by Bumper
I don't buy their reason for a smaller schedule to "better serve the fans". Surely the fans would be better served with a longer schedule? I wonder what the real reason is for dropping Cal Speedway for example.



That quote is 2 years old though.

He just stated that (Mexico/Canada in the IRL future) yesterday during the schedule release.

[Berner]

Further clarification from press release re Montreal's future plans (source: Flagworld)

Clarifications from the management of GPF1 Inc. concerning the presentation of motorsport events in 2006 in Montreal (dated 13 Sept 2005)

source: Normand Prieur/France Larrivée

In response to rumors emanating from the specialized motorsport press, here and elsewhere in North America, Mr. Normand Legault, president and chief executive officer of GPF1 Inc., has issued the following clarifications today, concerning the presentation by his group of motorsport events in 2006 on the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve:

- No contractual agreement exists between any enterprises in the GPF1 Inc. group and promoters of the Indy Racing League, Nextel Cup, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series championships for the presentation of an event in Montreal in 2006, nor even, at this date, for subsequent years;

- The contract binding our group to Champ Car World Series foresees the presentation of a round of that championship in Montreal in 2006, a round already included in the calendar recently made public by the organizers of the championship;

- We want to take this occasion to state that, contrary to what has been reported by certain media, during and since the recent Molson Indy Montreal, the organization - with the co-operation of its sponsor - devoted a significantly higher budget to the promotion of the event, as well as increased advertising and publicity efforts, than for any of the three previous editions. These investments were supported by the co-operation and availability of drivers Alexandre Tagliani and Andrew Ranger and their sponsors, both with the media and with the hundreds of fans they met during summer tours of several Quebec towns.

- While awaiting publication by the FIA of the definitive calendar for the 2006 Formula 1 world championship, our group is busy preparing for the 2006 Grand Prix of Canada, which it again expects to be a success.

[WANG]

Robin Miller had word that Gerald Forsythe threatened to pull NASCAR's races in Mexico - which he controls, if they supported an IRL race in Montreal - which according to the City is only allowed 2 races per year.

Lots of things going down this week that have seemingly turned the tide and given ChampCar the upper hand.

Now if they can only get Road America, Mid Ohio and a few of these "lost" ovals back on the schedule we'd have a decent race series.

[McGuire]

Originally posted by Bumper
I don't buy their reason for a smaller schedule to "better serve the fans". Surely the fans would be better served with a longer schedule? I wonder what the real reason is for dropping Cal Speedway for example.

Obviously it's a consolidation. They are culling the weakest events off the calendar, and compacting the schedule so it does not compete with the NFL on television, and to sustain interest over the season with no large gaps between "episodes." The TV people call this "mindshare." From many angles the new IRL schedule is all about television.