I know new Indy Racing League boss Jeffrey Belskus can count to 16. By all accounts, the former chief financial officer
is an accounting whiz. So he should realize he has a problem.
This week in Edmonton, only 16 cars will line up for the Firestone IndyLights race. It seems the swooning economy is drying up the developmental pipeline to the IRL.
Indy Lights teams are often grass roots efforts funded by family, friends and sponsors with a personal connection to team owners or drivers. Those backers are often the first to bail when the economy goes south. Even some of the feeder series’ more deep pocketed owners have downsized the season after their Wall Street portfolios have been battered.
Last year, the IndyLights series averaged nearly 23 cars per race for its 16-race schedule. There was no race with fewer than 20 entrants and only one below 22. This year, through 10 races (including tomorrow’s Edmonton race), the entrant list is averaging 21, with two 18-car fields and two 16-car fields.
Belskus surely knows that IndyLights is a key training ground not only for drivers, but crew members and team owners who could (and should) populate the highest level of the sport in the next five to 10 years.
In recent years, there’s been a lot of focus on what’s just around the corner for open-wheel.
Now that we’re unified …
Just wait until we get a title sponsor next week, month, year …
When the new Versus TV deal gains traction …
When the economy turns around, then we’ll …
Now that Tony George is gone …
After a while, these statements become a blur of high-speed quips that are more hope than promise for near-term success that still seems as elusive as a vapor. Meanwhile, the stars of whatever tomorrow this series may have are vaporizing before our eyes.
And the long-term future of the series …
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JUSt wate till SPArta, youll see a full field.
I guess you guys have not been paying attention to NASCAR Trucks or the Nationwide series or many of the feeder series for other sports. The economy is bad and many are losing sponsors and teams. When the economy turns around, they will come back. But of course the haters know best. I mean I am sure they are all captains of industries and could run a race series better than those who run them now.
I'm an IMS fan, Racing Fan, and IndyCar fan....in that order. I continue to believe, and have for years (maybe with false hope), that cooler heads would prevail, and that constructive criticism would go a long way in improving the product. I have to admit though, after all of these years, I'm really starting to wonder. Please Mr. Belskus, listen to the criticism of those of us that ARE fans. The haters have some good points every now and then, but their motives usually aren't genuine. But if there are more folks like myself that are fans and losing patience....there isn't much time.
That is sad, but it explains your post. Anger and hate are sad things to only have left. I hope things go better for you.
SSD,
More of the same, you could just put blah blah blah and that would be the sum total of your posts on here. No info, no ideas, just hate. At least Dahooey has realized that is what he has to offer. I am sure, in time, you will realize it as well.
the IRL: who wants it?
:lol: You're still spewing this complete load of Hulmanista fiction? Your statement contains nothing factual (other than Anton the stupid starting the cancer that is the earl). There is nothing to argue with. You are completely, totally, full of crap. Not surprising from a Hulmanista, gomer shillbag.
You know, there's medications available for delusional thoughts. You clearly need them.
Hey Anthony, this site doesn't work for me in FireFox! The box to enter the security code doesn't show up! Using Innernet Exploder is almost as evil as the earl. Funny article, but point the blame where it belongs - Anton, who started the mess. It is enjoyable to watch it fail miserably repeatedly, but it's long past time for it to just keel over and die.
What the idiot is failingly attempting to refer to is the bankruptcy after the 2003 season which ended up with Anton the brilliant bringing the wrong currency (and some horrendously overpaid legal counsel lacking even a basic understanding of the proceedings) to the court when KK, GF and PG bought the remnants of CART and turned it into CC. The second time would be when CC folded up for mergification (there was a bankruptcy filing to wind up the company).
Both happened a long time away from 1996 when Anton was getting his farce rolling, flying and spine-busting. It's one of many issues that show the utter absurdity and delusion of earlboi repeatedly asking the same 'question' that is nothing but a diatribe of made up nonsense.
If someone were to repeatedly ask here why the green and purple horsies in the sky are always breathing fire, it would have the same merit - none.
It's garbage masquerading as actual people like him that add fuel to the abject hate and indifference the 'league' has repeatedly earned over its miserable, worthless existence. It's not as if anyone except the very few other Hulmanista vermin believe his delusional drivel, I don't know why they persist in this campaign of flat-out lies, it hasn't helped their cause at all. But asking the delusional for explanations for their actions is rather pointless. He would just make up more nonsense as an answer anyway.
What's ultimately even more insane about his repeated belaboring of his fiction is that he's trying to use it to portray the earl as something that is somehow 'better'. As if it would have lasted more than a day without the Hulman trust pumping hundreds of millions into it, never turning a profit ever. If it was a real business, it would have folded in under a year. Just pathetic. And incredibly stupid to try to use as some sort of argument in favor of the rotten 'league' existing. Stunningly dense. Mental ward-level crazy.
Anthony - could you ask some of the other business writers at the IBJ what they would like to see become of the land IMS is on after the place is bulldozed? :lol:
Talk about fantasy, the Hulmans have not spent $600 million on the IRL, the number I have seen most often is half that, but even that is just a guess. What is funny, though is that you think that such a wonderfully run race series with the entertaining races you claim they had, and the Stars and the Cars and the big dollar sponsors, and the big dollar teams and the big races except for one could somehow be out spent? That is rather laughable. It really has more to do with the mismanagement of cart and all of its successors.
Stan,
You really show your hate for the IRL, TG, and the IMS. You need to realize you hate and that is why you lash out with attacks and insults when people try to have mature conversations on these blogs. As a wise man once said, once you have to resort to insults and attacks, you have lost the argument. The sooner you realize that, the better off you will be. Address the hate in your life, and learn to control it, otherwise it will control you. Ok, enough of the Dr. Phil moment.
Brett,
While I am not a fan of Wikipedia for facts, it has the most readily available info on it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champ_Car
Because of the loss of its title sponsor and two engine providers, CART's shares plummeted to 25¢ (USD) per share. It declared bankruptcy during the 2003 off-season and the assets of CART were liquidated.
In early February, 2008, the CCWS Board of Managers authorized bankruptcy, to be filed on February 14, 2008. On February 22, 2008, an agreement in principal was reached and signed that merged the Champ Car Series with the IRL. The memorandum sold the CCWS' sanctioning contracts (notably Long Beach) and intangible assets, along with the Champ Car Mobile Medical Unit (at the time known as the Holmatro Safety Team), to the IRL for $6 million.
The assets of CCWS were sold at auction on June 3, 2008.
It was fairly simple to look up, but glad to help you out.
And of course since you were all silent on the rest of my post, it appears that you are agreeing that the rest is correct. I know it is hard for you to admit TG has done anything right, but your silence speaks loudly enough.
It is all over but the internet forum shouting folks. Two and one half seasons to go, barely, and game over for Indy Cars.
You may be correct about many issues, however I'm so relieved that you are so much wiser than men like Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi, Kim Green, Carl Haas, et al.
Too bad you couldn't have turned your wisdom into a workable plan for the dastardly villains you have so much hate and scorn for. Not saying you're wrong, but man, you are so filled with hate, you must be yelling at the world (perhaps including yourself in the mirror).
I am not touting one race, I am asking why a successful series as you claim it to have been would fail repeatedly. I mean wasn't it the greatest thing since sliced bread?
Yes it was the greatest thing since sliced bread!
NO forriners
NO Jap motors
NO Enjun leases
NO street parades
NO Road courses
NO brazilionaires
ONLY ovals
ONLY 'Mericans
ONLY Ford Chebby and maybe Dodge
ONLY US
ONLY gomers
:lol:
how did that work out?
The IRL: It didn't work out...
we want better cars...wahwahwah
we want turbo engines....wahwahwah
on and on and freakin on
http://thescore.ibj.com/content/?p=1086
The IRL: never a new idea, only worser.