One IndyCar Series executive has been fired and another one demoted, according to SpeedTV.
SpeedTV reported late Tuesday night that Terry Angstadt, president of the series’ commercial division, has been fired,
and Brian Barnhart is being relieved of his duties as chief steward and director of racing.
IndyCar officials did not return calls seeking comment, but late this morning series officials released a statement confirming
Angstadt's departure and Barnhart's change of duties.
IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard has been hinting for weeks that big changes were coming after another season of marginal business
growth and controversial on-track officiating.
Angstadt and Barnhart were the last major links to Tony George’s tenure with the series. Before Bernard was hired,
Angstadt had lobbied Hulman-George family members and Speedway CEO Jeff Belskus to let him replace Tony George.
Angstadt, who has been in his position since 2007, will be replaced by Marc Koretzky, who served as director of business development for IndyCar this past season. Koretzky was in charge of many of the promotional activities in the week leading up the Las Vegas race. Before joining IndyCar, Koretzky worked with the NFL as director of operations for Super Bowl committees in Atlanta, Houston and Detroit.
AutoWeek reported that Angstadt resigned, but sources within the series told IBJ his departure was not voluntary.
"I want absolutely nothing but long-term growth for IndyCar," Angstadt told Autoweek.
Barnhart will remain with the series as president of operations, handling some aspects of operations and logistics, according to series officials, but will not have anything to do with officiating races for the open-wheel series.
According to SpeedTV, the possible candidates to replace Barnhart are former CART driver Scott Pruett, American Le Mans Series chief steward Beaux Barfield and longtime CART team owner Steve Horne, who has maintained all along he’s not interested in a full-time job.
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Randy Bernard, you must read this blog because you are executing 'point for point' the ideas expressed by a group labelled here as "HATERS".
While your overall grade is still "F" for your two years of service, I will give you a bump to F+ for finally getting it, a bit.
Your job is safe for today, tomorrow the organ grinder shall begin once again the familiar song of "Take this job and shove it", sung in C. Sayonara, Randy-san.
I say fire Bernard. Now. Immediately. Close out the IndyCar Series altogether. Hire USAC to run a 2012 Run Watcha Brung Indy 500, and maybe two or three other races, then start up a new series, on a very small scale of six or seven races a season, plus Indy, with Indy Cars based on the old March/Lola type models of the 80's, with Indy being the only big, fast track.
The sport is essentially dead. But it can be saved with a focus on the Indy 500 and a half dozen small races at places like Iowa, Gateway, maybe even a roadie at Mid-Ohio, Barber is ok. But it is not and will never be again a big deal. It will never me heyday. It is small time with one big event.
Newman Haas Racing has closed shop and will not race in the IRL series anymore.
Makes ya wonder if cars woulda been done by now and IF Randy Bernard wouldn't have botched up the whole series in 2011, IF AOW in general is even sustainable anymore.
Randy, RESIGN immediately. It all has been a horrible failure....
The EVOLUTION of AOW via the Tony George family et al is on track! Not oval ones, but who's counting.
You got a point, no tears for Newman Haas. They had a good run and it burdens the IRL, so no problem.
Hey, whens the Wheldon death investigation gonna be released? Can't be nothing but positives in there I bet....probably confirm your fenceposts and flukes position, eh Defender?
Oh, wait...
It's December 2nd...no schedule and no investigation results...no new car. YUPPERS, and they just fired the Chief Steward and VP of Commercial Sales.
And all you got is mediocre teenager comebacks about Newman Haas? How pathetic...is that a European carry-all you are swinging.
HeY D, when the finance report coming out? Did IRL make money this year? Bwahahhahahahhha!
VIBRANT!!!
-Investigation: Dan Wheldon died because his head hit a metal fence post at high velocity during an accident. The doctors who performed the autopsy pinned the cause of death on 'blunt force trauma,' which is consistent with what my eyeballs saw at the track. That is really all the investigation I need. Those who seem to be out for blood, blame or bellyaching usually have other issues with which to deal.
-I would also like to see a schedule; preferably one with the oft-promised balance of ovals to non-ovals. Randy Bernard has stated the specific reason the schedule is not officially released yet is they are working on closing the Wheldon accident. Be patient and show a little class. I am.
-IMS and the Indy Car Series are privately held. They do not release their financial data for public consumption. They have released the fact that attendance rose last season, as did the television ratings (that matter...not the 12+ overnights that cause laughable histrionics among the Internet television executives). The 1,327,000 or so attendees of measurable Indy Car functions in 2011 bolster the claims.
-Given the rise in attendance and ratings combined with budget and staffing cuts that have occurred over time at IMS/Indy Car,combined with increases in corporate sponsorship and advertising, a profitable Indy Car for 2011 is certainly probable.
-With regard to the reassignment of Brian Barnhart...I thought that is something for which the obsessed have been howling to happen for years. So now that it happens it's bad news?
-Angstadt was replaced by someone with more relevant experience in the sports area. Perhaps the new guy will devote some effort now to the cultivation and management of oval racing, something forsaken by his predecessor.
Is there anything else I can clear up for you today?
You and IMS can tiptoe through the tulips all you want, but, INSTABILITY in the series/league now in 2011/2012 is at dangerous levels. I know you consider this vibrant evolution....but just like the Dodo, evolution can lead to extinction. The Dodo didn't care...either.
And that new car....it is visually unappealing, slow and unbalanced and frankly...looks to be designed by some genius over at Trackforum with an aesthetic skewed in the absurd.
Onward and upward!
We're nearing 30+ on the IRL/Indycar "thrown out of tracks" meter. In just 15 years!
That's NEW thrown out of tracks RECORD! AND...They're ON IT!
Oh, and Chief....Indy Car STILL has a long way to go to catch up to the twice dead series many to which many still feel Indy Car should aspire.
Failed cart/champcar venues (41 or so):
Texas Motor Speedway (Colossally so)
Hawaiian Super Prix (Fantasy)
Korea (Fantasy)
Trenton
Ontario
Pocono
Mexico City I
Mexico City II
Mexico City III
Riverside
Cleveland
Road America
San Jose
Spain
Assen
Zolder
Detroit
Denver I
Denver II
Laguna Seca
Portland
Meadowlands
Quebec I
Quebec II
Quebec III
Sanair
Miami I
Miami II
Miami III
Vancouver
Rio
Vegas I
Vegas II
Vegas III
Houston I
Houston II
Brands Hatch
Rockingham
Germany
Monterrey
Chicago Chip Clip
But given most of the owners who killed that series, twice, slithered back to to Indy Car, it may not be long before it catches up.
Those numbers will never be beat.
RIP Dan Wheldon.
CART and Champcar never set themselves as protectors of any tradition or style of racing. They just wanted to create a great series that was based around Indy and Indy-style racing. Nothing more.
And, it has to be said they were very successful at it up until the point where the Hulmans decided that success was really theirs.
Anton Hulman sold his and the family's power moves as protecting traditional oval racing.
What is the state of that oval racing? Even Disciple moans about the lack of ovals as it is today. Yet, who is in charge?
What protection of what tradition?
Yes, CART and Champcar died, and anyone with a brain knows they didn't do it all on their own. But what is done is done. Dead is dead.
However, what about the people with the big race and what about all that protection the big race and The big track would afford them?
Who has the power and who fails to protect what they set out to protect?
I think clear thinking individuals truly grounded in reality know the answers to that question. All bluster aside, it is hard to fide from the facts as they are.
The reality of the last few years reflects the struggle they have had to maintain and even grow what was already successful. There are now less ovals than the twice-dead series had in their worst days.
To me, that is a sad fact and a great demonsration of the reality of why a group of racers deciced they needed to take matters into their own hands in the late 70s and do what needed to be done to enhance the sport.
In todays reality, it does not appear either Indycar as it is, or anyone inside or outside of the powers-that-be are ever going to have that level of success to enhance the great race and the great track again.
So anyone that gloats about still being in business does so with a hollow argument and shows a shallow character.
Oval saviors...what is this, the Syracuse Post-Standard?
newman Haas left the IRL because it's a money pit...ALMS they are going to. Must really suck propping up a failed concept such as the IRL/Indycars with a crappy unbalanced rocketship launching boat anchor that the DW12 is.
What a travesty...naming the failure of a ICONIC car after the late Dan Wheldon. What an insult to this fine person who gave his life for Randy's folly in Las Vegas. Off with their heads at IMS. Randy resign immediately!
Those numbers will never be beat."
Are you sure about that?
cart drivers killed in their 16 year run include:
-Jim Hickman
-Jeff Krosnoff
-Gonzalo Rodriguez
-Jovy Marcelo
-Greg Moore
Serious impairment:
-Alex Zanardi
-DaMatta
Non-drivers and spectators:
-Lyle Kurtenbach
-Jean Patrick Hein
-Gary Avrin
-Kenneth Fox, Michael Terry Tautkus and Sheryl Ann Laster.
That particular 16 year run between 1979 and 1995 (and then a few years without Indy) had its share of tragedy. Fortunately safety has always been advanced in tangible fashion by IMS and the Hulman-George family.
We are all particularly interested in fencepost and catch fence advancements, perhaps even touch upon the "our cars don't fly" concepts touted by IMS/IRL and the safety advancements there too.
Tony Renna died in vain, so too will Dan Wheldon.
The only agenda here is to find REAL solutions, not petty 'tangible' ways of giving back to the sport. Still waiting on safety advances from Disciple...
-Jim Hickman
-Jeff Krosnoff
-Gonzalo Rodriguez
-Jovy Marcelo
-Greg Moore
...and the serious injuries to
-Alex Zanardi
-DaMatta
...and the deaths of non-drivers:
-Lyle Kurtenbach
-Jean Patrick Hein
-Gary Avrin
-Kenneth Fox, Michael Terry Tautkus and Sheryl Ann Laster?
Get going. Put your facts where your imagination is.
Paul Dana, what came of that?
The full 2012 schedule, what came of that?
It's December 6th, Disciple. Call your buddy Mr. Bernard, meet for lunch at Steak & Shake, and have him pound out a shcedule on a napkin, preferably not one already used.
While you guys settle in for seconds, ask him to produce a Wheldon Report.
Let's go!
It seems plausible that the death inquiry could recommend changes that could impact design of the new vehicle...too.
Aren't the cars scheduled to be delivered in 3 weeks?
Quite a pickle, eh?
Dallara Automobili's are basically little aeroplanes. That would be the old beater car and the new monstrosity. Doh! Now what?
Texas is the second biggest event on the sched, Bruton says they better at Vegas, and Fontana may fall into question if the little uglies can't turn in and turn out without being all crossed-up and elbows out at 200-plus, raising the scary specter of another October 16th. Ooooohhhhh boy, if I am Mr. Bernard figuring out where to put the Tilt-O-Whirl sounds a whole lot better. Mmmmmmhhhhmmmmmm. And if they ash-can him, he can collect unemployment if he can't find a rodeo right-quick to get a hitch on too. Sure sounds better than banging un-helmeted head against the wall for dolts like the H-G clan, Chip Ganassti, Rodg the Codg, little Lord Andretti, and Dallara's Einstein's, not to mention all the while having a Robin Miller nipping at your ankles all day and barking and yipping pen pal Tony Cottman's name.
Good times. Good times.
Looks like the investigation into Wheldon's death will reveal NOTHING, if, they are delivering cars on Dec. 15th.
Been 8 years and nothing came from the Brack/Renna wrecks...why would anyone think any thing would come from Wheldon's death?
And in that light, what if these decisions are being made for Mr. Bernard?
I guess what I mean is, what if these scheduling decisions are being made from deeper within the power structure of IMS?
After all, if you are tasked with not spending "family" money and can only create profit, then those being shaken from the tree may be nothing more than fall guys...falling from that tree.
Well, at least the fall isn't as far as it used to be. The tree doesn't appear to be as big these days.
That's when you know the haters are correct. And it's all on the Hulman family watch...
More from SpeedTV and Trackforem...the car is so bad they are strapping 35lbs ballast onto the front end shaving 35lbs off the engine/gearbox. Car will NOT make weight and is scheduled to be delivered in 9 days.
Word is they are blaming the ICONIC Committee for this travesty of AOW. All because the Hulams own the sport into the ground. They should sub-divide the speedway and sell for housing/refuse collection. be done with it.
Maybe Texas will reconfigure for the IRL....bwahahhahhahha! Randy's pipe dream...
More than $5 million of the debt â including taxes owed to Baltimore and payments to vendors â is past due,
Uncertainty about the safety of the track, new car, old car, Wheldon death investigation forced this to happen on RANDY'S watch.
Fire him now...this is a disaster waiting to happen, again.
We ain't fakin', whole lotta shakin' goin' on.
(Hat tip to Jerry Lee Lewis!)
More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/jerry_lee_lewis/#share
Hmmmmmm, they dump Las Vegas because of dangers...yet, Texas has similar racing and has maimed several IRLers with that pesky catchfence snagging airborne IRL crapwagons?
How many more deaths/broken backs/feet shearings is it going to take to get the point across to these morAns that racing on 1.5 milers is placing way too much risk upon the sport...FIRE RANDY immediately for having no control and tempting fate again.
The man knows death. He should be able to promote the 2012 Texas race(s) well. Remember, Mr. Bernard said the sport needs to have chaos and danger as the centerpiece. Gnarly wrecks are in!
Between Eddie G. and Mr. B, they should have millions of eyeballs tuning in this June to see who goes up and in!
I would suggest the investigating begin. If, indeed, public dollars are supporting IndyCar teams and/or the building of the Dallara race car, there needs to be an accounting of the money relative to the promises made. Of course, a promise is worth about as much as a Disciple stat, so what was in the writing?
I have a feeling this is going to turn out uglier than the actual car.
Maybe the great Indy 500 is in total jeopardy after all. But if they save it by getting USAC to officiate a run-watch-brung, it may get back to a decent race with a hald dozen support events at places like Iowa and Phoenix. Unquestionably, its heyday is long gone. Terry Blount said it was in danger of becoming "minor league" and "niche". Ha! Been there done that awhile now.
Mr. Bernard needs to be shown his exit papers for signature.
And could some IMS figures be headed for jail?
Berry berry intrasting.
Those desperately and obsessively seeking a smoking gun probably ought to begin with sme sort of crime first. Until then, I encourage those who are suspicious to visit the sparkling Dallara facility later this week. It's open to the public and lots of new Dallaras will be on display.
Win-win.
"IndyCar has only 14 (races for 2012) at the moment, with the June 9 event at Texas Motor Speedway in limbo amid financial discussions."
Eddie Gossage also said in a Dallas Fort Worth article they want the IRL there with the "new 2013 cars"....what does that mean?
Financial discussions? Arguably the most successful IRL oval after Indy 500, what could be wrong in Texas? Fans suddenly stop buying tix? IrL raised sanction fees? No sponsors? IRL buying out of contract?
Anthony, can you do some research please and explain what all of this means? Thanks in advance...
irl blog defend
I can't tell know when any actual shrieking will be going on. I doubt there is much...not enough interest.
But I can tell you some of us are laughing heartily regarding the current "protection of oval racing" currently underway at IMS under the not-so-capable hands of the Hulman/George family.
And the nice thing...no black helicopters needed. Just a quick trip through some Indy fan forums and blogs by the defenders of the series lets one know all they need to know.
You might want to keep an eye on The disciple one though. He seems to want to blame everyone but those that have been in control now for four years.
I think he is seeing little CART people running around under his bed and hiding in his closets at night.
They must be coming to get him!
Racing has always been dangerous, especially IndyCar racing. But it is in such desperate shape now, it cn ill-afford another horrific fatality.
The whole entire sport is in question. Dire times, dire times. People are just not interested in it. You know that. Death pushes them even further away.
Smart people understand the inherent risks in auto racing. Ridiculous assumptions that such an accident cannot occur in any discipline on any track is incredibly naive, but hardly surprising given your child-like proclivities and Indy Car obsession.
But since you are challenged, let me give it to you in a very small, simplistic, bite: Mr. Bernard needs to review the Briscoe-Barron incident before moving foward on a Chicagoland race. A second death such as Wheldon's, while acceptable to you perhaps, will be unpalatable to many, and the media would cease on it to further criticize your dying sport.
Street and road races where the ugly, ill-handling little beasts can only muster speeds on the lower hundreds at least minimizes the "inherent risk" these cars have magnified so greatly through poor planning, design, and execution in your series.
Indy is dangerous enough. They may kill someone there with the new little ugly. Let's not push the envelope at places these porrly-designed, ill-handling, bad race cars have an even greater chance of maiming and killing.
I am glad you are simply an outsider fan with a vivid imagination and not in a power position. That requires intellect.
Texas remains unchanged, and so does Chicagoland. The catch fence awaits more IRL victims...IS that what we really need? We've learned NOTHING from Brack/Renna, or Dana and Wheldon, and now we want to keep Texas and promote Chicagoland?
ARE YOU DRIVERS FREAKIN CRAZY? How many more deaths are needed before you guys straighten out these killers that run this series?
I am still curious as to what safety advancements resulted from the deaths of:
-Jim Hickman
-Jeff Krosnoff
-Gonzalo Rodriguez
-Jovy Marcelo
-Greg Moore
...and the serious injuries to
-Alex Zanardi
-Christiano DaMatta
...and the deaths of non-drivers:
-Lyle Kurtenbach
-Jean Patrick Hein
-Gary Avrin
-Kenneth Fox, Michael Terry Tautkus and Sheryl Ann Laster?
One thing that did not result from those incidents was the SAFER barrier, whose development facilitation, initial implementation and funding was provided by IMS. cart dragged its feet on the HANS, but Indy Car didn't.
Meanwhile, somewhat back on topic, the 1.5 mile ovals should have a place on the annual calendar, particularly Chicagoland, Texas and the flatter and more racy tracks in Kentucky and Kansas (for my money the best barbecue in the nation). Add four more smaller ovals plus Indy and a 2 miler, and a mix with almost as many non-ovals would be an enviable mix.
If whining drivers do not want to drive on them, I suggest they find anbother discipline or line of work.
If loudmouthed, obsessed road racing enthusiasts don't want them either, I suggest they go watch Formula 1.
My grandson's 2012 Little League "Majors" schedule arrived today and we have not even had try-outs yet to determine what team he'll be on. That will be March 5-9. April 3 Opening Day, Ward Shell Pirates versus the Steve's Pizza House Rangers, 6 PM, Southwest Park. How is it, Mr. Bernard, a two-year old little league in a new neighborhood can complete an entire 24-team, three league schedule in December and your series cannot?
Mr. Bernard? Mr. Bernard? We're waiting!
The IndyCar Series is just a terribly sucky series.
I can't believe Dan Wheldon had to take a reaper on this crap.
While racing in general is dangerous and risky, isn't the repetitive airborne IRL/Indycars enough to banish this type of racing from ovals of these types?
However, in hindsight Las Vegas is not suitable for Indycars, the car was not the problem, the track design caused the crashes, and fenceposts there are track-side of the fence, also "pack racing" is common and accepted, apparently from this point forward.
Who's idea was it to race there? And they inspected the track and tested on it...
In my opinion, culpability rests firmly on the Speedway for it's inept approach that caused this horrific accident. Typical.