Re: Isn't this really?

 On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 15:54:37 GMT, Billy Chapel
 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

 >Isn't this really "reunification"?
 >
 >CART going under/down the tubes/out of business/etc. really leads to
 >the "reunification" so many have stated they want for the sport of
 >open-wheel, right?

Well, IMO, no it wouldn't. The 'reunifiation' I believe most fans want is an
agreement between the two current series, to resolve the split amicably,
combine their existing resources and bring back a strong 'pre-96
Indycar' -type series. Going from two competing weak undersupported series,
to one weak undersupported series doesn't really help much.

>Stands to reason that nearly all, if not all, current CART teams will
>move to the IRL,

Most of the big teams, probably, although some could jump to NASCAR. The
smaller ones could end up elsewhere, or in oblivion. I doubt Dale Coyne, or
his IRL equivalent (sorry, not up to speed on the IRL teams yet) could
compete against all the big CART *and* IRL teams in a combined series,
either in racing or financial terms.

>All of those teams and drivers, not to mention sponsors and suppliers,

Why sponsors and suppliers? If they get their fingers burned by a series
collapse, they could just as easily say "well, bugger this open wheel crap,
lets sponsor/supply something people actually watch" and disappear to
NASCAR. That solves nothing.

>The IRL has said it will add road courses,

They have? As far as I know, all they've said is that if there is no CART
they might do some testing runs (Mid-Ohio?), and they'll consider it. If
you've a link to the IRL making a definite statement that they intend to go
road racing, I'd like to see it. Genuinely.

> and street circuits like
>Long Beach have already stated they would gladly host IRL events, so
>there would be the variety and diversity that many have stated they
>want, right?

1 Street Course, 1 Road Course and the rest Ovals does not make diversity.
Would you consider NASCAR to be a diverse series with its 2 road courses per
year? (And no, before you say it, I don't think the 2 Ovals on the current
04 CART schedule is particularly diverse either). If the IRL was to add a
whole bunch of events where they turned right, that would be more like it,
but even if there is no CART, the most I've heard mentioned is the
possibility of Mid-Ohio and Long Beach.

>There will be no more sponsor or media confusion

If all that happens is one weak series disappears and the other weak series
remains, there'll be precious few sponsors or media to confuse.

>or back and forth
>rhertoric about "which" series is racing, and no more back-biting,
>sniping, flaming, etc. between one series and another, right?

So what would you do with all that spare time then?

Come to think of it, what *would* RASI and RASC actually ever discuss?

>Series may have a different name, and a different man at the top, but
>will actually be much the same as it was prior to 1996, right?

Does that mean TG will then split away from the IRL and form his own rival
series? ;-)

>So, in reality, "reunification" is happening by default, so why would
>anyone be upset or angry about it?

If it were to produce a genuinely diverse, genuinely popular, genuinely
competitive, genuinely high-quality racing
series/championship/league/whatever you want to call it, I'd be neither
upset or angry, but relieved and looking forward to the start of its season.
If all that were to result would be 2003-circa IRL with Long Beach,
Mid-Ohio, Forsythe, and Newman Haas thrown in, it solves nothing, except
that I still won't get to see it live because it'd still be televised on a
subscription-only channel I don't have.

Tim
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