Ryan Hunter-Reay is jumping from the frying pan into the fire. An Indy Racing League press release today said in a “win-win
situation for all involved,” Hunter-Reay is departing Tony George’s Vision Racing team to pilot A.J. Foyt’s car. The deal
was finalized last night with a blessing from George, his cash-strapped team with one fewer car to finance.
The deal, however, looks like a lose-lose for Hunter-Reay. I’m sure Izod officials are pleased since Hunter-Reay, the clothing and apparel company’s spokesman, will at least be on the track. But for the man known to fans as RHR, it must seem a long way from where he was last year, piloting a Rahal Letterman car that was competitive enough to find its way to victory lane once.
Hunter-Reay all but said during May that George had him driving a bucket of bolts around the famed Brickyard. Hunter-Reay intimated that George’s other driver (and stepson) Ed Carpenter had much better equipment. He was clearly unhappy.
More than a few motosports insiders were surprised some of Hunter-Reay’s comments didn’t get him sacked. Well, they might have, had George not had Izod’s multi-million dollar league-sponsorship and promotional deal hanging over his head.
In all fairness, Hunter-Reay did take second at this year's season opener at St. Petersburg. But on ovals, where it’s at least as much about the equipment quality as it is about driving skills, Hunter-Reay has stunk.
So now, the Izod cover boy will be driving for A.J. Foyt, who hasn’t fielded a competitive car in, well, a very long time. I’m not even sure Foyt has a full-time engineer on staff. Foyt was last seen pounding out a wing with a dead-blow hammer on IMS’ pit lane. Oh, pardon me, that was 1989. But at least Hunter-Reay can explain to the television audience what went wrong while wearing his Izod hat.
Bobby Rahal, meanwhile, said if he can put a sponsorship package together he’ll be back in the IRL next season. He’s indicated that he’d consider Hunter-Reay to pilot his entry. If that’s the case, certainly Hunter-Reay would gladly tell Foyt “See you later alligator.”
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TOney spent hundreds of millions of dollars of the family money, to prop up his failure, and now he no longer has access to it. Why is Toney condensing his Visions?
:popcorn: waiting for mIndy's spin straight from Fred
People LIKE me,,,,,,,
Peace in racing. Just you wait to see what happens on Monday,,,,,,,,,,
I'm positively interested in this outright fraud ceasing in permanence.
And tell the IBJ advertisers, whoever they are, I don't see them. Firefox with adblock rocks. Regardless, the worldwide disgust and contempt at that effer TG and his 'league' is most certainly not a positive, and anyone who would try to sell a product based on the kind of hate the earl engenders should not be employed in any capacity at all. Anywhere. Ever. :D
Foyt's scheissewaagens are bigger deathtraps than the Vishun junk. RHR should book a room at Methodist. Or Conkles.
Yeah, but IZOD's money doesn't going into the deal (they put it on the car out of loyalty), it goes into those stupid commercials.
Perhaps he should form an alliance with the other team owners and try to get a series together that isn't beholden to IMS for its existence. You know, where more than one event has a decent crowd, maybe some tv ratings, that sort of thing. :lol:
RHR and Vitor will be lucky to land IRL seats next season and will do so only if someone is injured or cannot produce expected cash and even then they will probably be Riced out and Yasakawaed into memory.
Oh, and to whoever it is that keeps posting the NHL as proof viewers know how to find Vs. That's a brand Vs. has spent a considerable amount of time and $ promoting, and certainly isn't in it's first season with Vs. It's called building a brand, something IBJ readers and business savvy individuals should be familiar with. Nice of you all to give Vs. a legitimate chance to grow the brand of IndyCar (whether you love or hate the league). When Vs. took over Hockey, no one was watching, in fact, they weren't even sure they were going to continue to have an NHL.
I have probably watched a grand total of 3 hockey matches in my life....but I'm watching now (on NBC). Funny though, having watched IndyCar programming on Vs. one would think I would feel compelled to watch hockey on their network (based on your logic). I'm guessing it works in the reverse. Those that tune in for the NHL really aren't feeling compelled to come back for IndyCar, it's not their thing. But the thing is, it's a sports network, and over time YOU WILL get crossover fans. Hell, I may even watch a hockey match on Vs. next year, I'm definitely enjoying the match tonight. WOOT.
Did you gals finally get it when the sisters took Tony's balls away?
I am loving every minute of this and am patiently waiting for the sisters to pull the plug once and for all.r
All the race contracts have an exit clause essentially saying if the IRL chooses to end a race agreement it can do so at any time and vice-versa. Even the 500.
Fact.
Oh, that's right, it's in Gerry's basement with slot cars!
Get a life.
How long will Helen Keller Racing be around for Carpenter?
You must really be out of excuses when the only thing you can come up with is CCWS bankruptcy. The only reason the IRL isn't bankrupt is because of Tony's inheritance. KK and Co. and CART didn't have silver spoons up their butts. And TG's just got ripped out. I can't wait for the IRL to be gone. Good riddance.
Who’s going to run IMS? Murphy hears it will be a prominent Indianapolis criminal defense attorney. To oversee marketing, a former Gamecock lineman will come out of retirement.
:)
Mark my words: IMS is sold in two years time. The 500 goes on as usual, maybe even better.
One can only hope.
If danica were to go to NASCAR or, god forbid, US F1, the IRL loses about 2/3 of their advertising revenue right away. Not good for the struggling series. They have nothing to blame their failure on now. CART/CC is gone. NASCAR is no longer the 800lb gorilla, the ABC contract that so many IRL'istas derided is pretty much irrelevent now.
The IRL has saddled itself with most of it's races on a niche cable channel (Not that they had a choice, nobody else was beating down the doors to televise anything but the 500). It also still has little name recogniton, besides Danica, and she's turning out to be a one hit wonder.
As for the Speedway being sold, that would be the only thing that saves it. Look for the Indy500 and a 6 or 7 race series surrounding it, mainly at Road/Street courses, as that's the only thing getting the IRL any eyeballs. Indy, Long Beach, Mid-Ohio, Texas, Chicago, A Canadian race and kansas
I was doing what you guys obviously can't, having a life. While you were posting about a series you hate on a Friday night, I was enjoying dinner at a boat up restaurant with friends. Then spent the whole day yesterday out on the lake, not getting home till midnight. Now after perusing what the TG/IRL haters are up to, I will be spending the rest of the afternoon pool side (go away clouds) at a friends house for a cookout.
I am sure you guys will still be here rattling off your hate filled tirades about a series you hate, because you have nothing better to do. Sad really.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb6WZFBHz98
You girls just keep crying and get used to it.
You love sucky racing and the rest of us normal people don't.
The life you claim to have can't be much if you are responding to me.
Good work Count, Da Hooey etc.
Hopefully the stupid 'everything's gonna be alright' IZOD commercial will be history soon.
Sorry Alan, I don't get my feelings hurt that easy. If I did, I would never have stuck around as long as I have on these boards.
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By the way, I would have taken that comment as your alledged sarcasm had you not thrown in that comment which they did. Perhaps you didn't think anyone would believe you unless you made that comment in an attempt to certify your accusation. More bogus......