armpit wrote:

I have very grave concerns about the survival of open wheel. The split
has damaged it so much that regardless of the survival of one series or
the other, it will likely never recover. The IRL is lying to themselves
and their fans if they think that the demise of OWRS will help them.

I wonder whether fans could expect some kind of governmental
investigation with anti-trust implications should that happen. Maybe TG
can't buy everybody.

"RickyBobby" <nascar42 (AT) cox (DOT) net> wrote


Carey in Manvel

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 10:14:07 -0600, Cal Vanize <nospam (AT) nothere (DOT) net>
wrote:

[snip]

You've got to be kidding! IRL and CCWS are each privately held, and
neither has a dominant position. Who is either monopolizing against?

There could have (maybe even should have) been an investigation over
the bankruptcy of CART, a publicly traded company that went belly-up
after spending all its IPO money to sponsor its own teams. But they
were apparently small potatoes in the scheme of things.

Ken Plotkin

Ken Plotkin wrote:
Touchy, touchy, touchy....

You're reading more into the post that what was there.

Seems funny that IMS just suddenly decided to restrict entries to their
[at that time] primary race and bought a series that was favored and
encouraged to race at the same time. Kinda sounds like restraint of
trade. But a few congressional hearings would help to overcome any
misconceptions by the fans. Certainly you would be in favor of
discovering the truth, wouldn't you.

It would be interesting to see what somebody like Pelosi of Kennedy
would say. They're open wheel racing experts, aren't they? Maybe it
would be better for open wheel if they got directly involved in the IRL
to help them with their series. Bring them into the spotlight with a
few congressional hearings. Maybe ask Tony about the finances of the
IRL or how he supports some teams.

How could being truthful hurt?

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 14:29:58 -0600, Cal Vanize <nospam (AT) nothere (DOT) net>
wrote:


Not touchy. Just amused.

You mean in 1979? There wasn't a government investigation. CART sued
IMS. As I recall, they won on the grounds that the race was open to
all. After that, IMS declared the 500 to be an invitational event.
They never did get to test that theory.

If you're thinking of 1996, all the CART teams were invited.

Probably as expert at open wheel as they are at anything else outside
of politics and pork barrel.

But IMS is still privately held, so its finances aren't open. Unlike
CART's final year, when they were a public company and disclosed all.

I would be astounded if either IRL or CCWS is subsidizing teams to the
extent that CART did that year.

There are always ways that anything can be made to hurt. Thinking of
politics, look at what Ken Starr did to people who had done nothing
wrong...and protected some who did.

Ken Plotkin

Ken Plotkin wrote:
Right, as long as they fit into the 25/8 "let's lock 'em out" rule


That would make them the perfect companions to TG.

You're right. Maybe Ken would make a comeback as the special
congressional investigator to look into the George family.

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 15:56:09 -0600, Cal Vanize <nospam (AT) nothere (DOT) net>
wrote:

The rules were the same for everybody. All teams were invited to
enter the whole IRL season.

But if there's an investigation, include the way CART revoked board
membership for anyone who entered the 500.

Anyway, TG was ahead of his time with 25/8. NASCAR is now doing 36/6.

Didn't we have this discussion before? :-)

Ken Plotkin

"Ken Plotkin" <kplotkin (AT) nospam-cox (DOT) net> wrote

recycle their version of events in the hopes that reality will eventually
come to have some kind of resemblance to their delusions. Me? I
occasionally screw up and think that they might be capable of a mature
discussion. I don't really think that it is possible, so I just ignore.

Hey, we won first time out this weekend, and with a new driver. Our car
count was a little low, but should be up another 50 percent or more in two
weeks.

Carey in Manvel

On Mar 4, 4:18 pm, Ken Plotkin <kplot... (AT) nospam-cox (DOT) net> wrote:

The "CART Six" were granted an injunction to participate in 1979, but
the issue wasn't resolved in court. The subsequent switch to
invitations, grandfathering the previous year's field, made the issue
moot.

Carey Akin wrote:

Beyond count without using a 9-digit calculator.


and think that they might be capable of a mature
So what. You won and the car count was low. Was it more than one or is
that the reason you won?


Carey, the King of racing (he heads up a touring car racing series) has
spoken. Yes, folks, the most important man in racing (just ask him) has
blessed us once again with yet another fine comment.

Its not that he says anything unimportant, its that what he says is not
coherent.