Dakota Siwash wrote:
(what does a ChampCar or IRL Championship get them these days anyway?)
versus an Indianapolis 500 win and likeness on the Borg-Warner trophy
and Indy 500 winners ring and forever fame. If the schedules had been
compatible (they were not - thank you ChampCar!!! :-( )I wonder if
Newman-Haas (sans Newman who will not play - he's into "Cars" movie
these days, hehehe) would have been at Indy this year? I believe Carl
Haas wants to be there!

The split is painful to the executives, money folks, egos, but mostly
fans and to the drivers and the drivers dreams. I am sure the drivers
would say they want to win an Indianapolis 500! Any driver that says it
is not important to them I would think they are not telling the truth
from their heart.

I love the Indy 500, and pray (as I have done for 10 yrs) to bring the
open wheel racing community back together, for the sake of the fans and
for the sake of the drivers and their dreams.

These days, more Americans know who Barbaro is than an open wheel race
winner. Sad! :-( (God Bless Barbaro, BTW!)

Congrats Sam, Marco and Michael. Awesome race!

Cheers!
S.J.

"S.J." <nospam (AT) starnet (DOT) net> wrote



Sure, keep telling yourself that.

Do you really think Bourdais would give up his CC championship for a 500
win? ... No way. It's illogical to think that one race, even the 500, means
more than a championship. If that was the case NONE of those guys would be
racing in CC at all, and would just be concentrating on winning the 500. Why
would teams/drivers spend so much time for a whole season of racing with CC
if they could spend a fraction of the money and try to win Mindy? . . .

"Jason Hoehn" <jason.hoehnnospamplease (AT) shaw (DOT) ca> wrote

It is the truth
face will still be on that Borg Warner Trophy, and a new crop of 33 will be
racing for the privilege to join him.

Carey in Manvel

will be
racing for the privilege to join him. <<<


Right.

Ask Kenny Brack, Buddy Lazier and pretty much anyone who's won the 500
in the last ten years how much it's helped their careers...How much
more of a household name they are...
Ask 10 people on the street who won last years race, then ask those ten
people "who was that girl in the race"


True, face on a trophy, a ring, and "Indy 500 winner" listed in their
obit, but not a whole lot other than that

Dave-E wrote:
Any driver would like to win an important race. The Indy 500, even
though its lost almost all its impoortance, is still arguably the most
important open wheel race in the U.S. As such its important to have on
a developing driver's resume. Its clear it has helped other drivers get
better opportunities in better series.

The B-W trophy does not have the importance it had a dozen or so years
ago.

Any driver would like to win an important race. The Indy 500, even
though its lost almost all its impoortance, is still arguably the most
important open wheel race in the U.S. As such its important to have on
a developing driver's resume. Its clear it has helped other drivers
get
better opportunities in better series.

The B-W trophy does not have the importance it had a dozen or so years
ago. <<<

Well said.

Don't fuck with the Jesus wrote: <--------- really pathetic
agreed, it may not have advanced all their careers. None the less, they
are listed as Indy 500 winners throughout the many years, and their
names are engraved on that infamous trophy. Most names people have never
heard of, nor do I think many were involved in "memorable wins". Yet,
they are Indy 500 winners!

I'm willing to bet Sebastian Bourdais would love to be on the list if
the Champ Car schedule permitted, and Newman-Haas fielded a car! He'd be
there in a hearbeat! :-) Even if his goal is F1 and an F1 World
Championship beyond Champ Car. Shoot, there are former F1 drivers
listed, and subsequent F1 Champion drivers listed after they won Indy 500

And lets not forget former F1 champs listed who tried for Indy 500 win
AFTER winning F1 championships - Nigel Mansell comes to mind. He said
after winning F1 he still wanted an Indy 500 win as final goal.

The split the last 11 years has indeed diluted the prestige for our
generation of race fans and drivers, but history will still write the
books as Indy 500 winner even in the age of the split since 1996.

Brack is injured, if not, I think he would still be a good/better racer.
Buddy Lazier was a fluke for sure, a result of the split, otherwise,
he's be selling insurance on the streets. :-) Needs to give it up.
Rice is a good racer, could go on to more wins I think.
Kudos to Little Al to try again for another win. Shows the perseverance
and passion as a comeback kid.
Cheever may have been a fluke, none the less, he won. He could retire
again too (please)! :-)

The prestige continues for everyone who has won. :-) Always introduced
as "Indy 500 winner".

Go Michael! Hope he comes back again next year to race with Marco and
they are 1-2! Michael still knows that Indy 500 win is important! As
Little Al said after 1994 win, played over time and again "You just
don't know what Indy means!"

http://www.indy500.com/modules/pdf/s...%20Winners.pdf

Cheers all - I enjoy the info, updates, bickering, knowledge, etc. here. :-)

S.J.

(Perhaps delusional, but hoping the series come together again after 11
frickin' years! I'm getting too old for this! :-) )

"S.J." <nospam (AT) starnet (DOT) net> wrote

Or they have never been to Indy. I made my first trip this year, thinking
"why did I agree to this", but now I "know what Indy means". Champ Car needs
get their head out of their ass and do something to generate serious
marketing interest or fall in line because they have nothing to market by
comparison if they are just going to continue to be the same as the IRL but
with slightly different cars and tracks. Not that the IRL product is
exciting outside of Indy. Flat-foot racing is boring without the serious
rewards and accolades of an Indy 500 crown. Luck of the yellows and car
setup determines the win in the IRL more times than not. But because of
Indy, business will just give away serious money. Sorry Champ Car, but I
getting tired of waiting for the big announcements: you need a new gimmick,
and quick.

At the moment, with two series there are more races, more drivers and team
members employed. Of course they are not making much money, but.....

This old Bob wrote:


Why Bob, I didn't know you cared.


And you should have stopped by to say hello.