[Shotimes] OT IRL/CART merger needed

[Dave Kegel]

I don't think there's an IRL or Champ Car driver out there that doesn't
want a merger.  Hopefully the owners can agree on something soon.

I personally prefer champ Car to the IRL although I watch both.  Now
that the IRL has added road and street courses, they're not all that
much different.  I think the big ovals are too dangerous though (another
death just this month), and would prefer less of those (as I'm sure
would most of the drivers).  I prefer the Champ Car car's myself.  Much
harder to drive given their wing packages and I have always loved the
turbocharged Cosworth V8s much more so than the normally aspirated
motors of the IRL (a lot of history there as well).  The majority of the
good drivers are in the IRL now though.

Take all the drivers and put them in Champ Cars and take the best races
from both series and make one series out of it.  You'd have the Mexican
and Canadian races, which are huge draws, Indy and Long Beach which are
traditional favorites, not to mention Road America, The Burke Lakefront
airport race, Milwaukee mile, and other great events.

Just my $.02.

Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net
[mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Donald Mallinson
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 2:30 PM
To: 'v8sho'; SHOtimes
Subject: [Shotimes] OT IRL/CART merger needed


I fall on the side of Tony and the IRL, but believe that they MUST merge

for the good of the sport.  A mix of oval/road course events is the way 
to go.  Ovals make more money from ticket sales, and road courses are 
more fun to watch on TV.  A mix is just natural, and most drivers will 
have no problem with that.

Here is what the most recent winner in CART had to say, a very brave 
statement!  (From Valvoline Track Talk online newsletter):

Don Mallinson

Yes, He REALLY Said That:  Sebastien Bourdais, on the state of Champ Car

and the IRL. "Both series are struggling so bad financially, and the 
teams can't put programs together and the drivers aren't getting paid 
anymore . . . If they don't try to make it (merger) happen, it will die.

I think it's very straightforward. Either we succeed at this unification

or we'll all be out of jobs very soon."
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