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View Full Version : Open Wheel Merger?


uncledirty
February 22nd, 2006, 21:54
Looks like it could happen in 2007.
http://www.speedtv.com/articles/autoindustry/auto/22207/
kaw500
February 22nd, 2006, 22:25
I'd sure like to see it happen.
stuckthrottle
February 22nd, 2006, 23:06
about time.
Chris_Wilson
February 22nd, 2006, 23:22
I hope so. And I hope they put the Phoenix mile on the schedule.
Never been a fan of superspeedways but I thought the old pre-split races at Phoenix
were some of the best racing in motorsports even though I'm more of roadrace fan.
Chase 2
February 23rd, 2006, 07:57
The split killed open wheeled racing allowing NASCAR to grab all the spectators and potential sponsors. NASCAR has done such a good job of promoting themselves; I don't think open wheeled racing could ever come back as strong as they once were.
FlyHiFlyLo
February 23rd, 2006, 20:30
The split killed open wheeled racing allowing NASCAR to grab all the spectators and potential sponsors. NASCAR has done such a good job of promoting themselves; I don't think open wheeled racing could ever come back as strong as they once were.



yep I agree, I don't see any series providing 50 well exposed personalities 39 weeks a year for a very long time time. NASCAR sure has built a great spectator sport. I'm so sad that the Indy 500 has suffered so much by the hand of Bill France Jr. and Tony George.
zetapsi827
February 24th, 2006, 11:00
The split killed open wheeled racing allowing NASCAR to grab all the spectators and potential sponsors. NASCAR has done such a good job of promoting themselves; I don't think open wheeled racing could ever come back as strong as they once were.


I agree also. It was stupid to split the fan base. You need to have all superstars racing against each other, not a few here and there racing a bunch of chumps. That puts butts in the stands. That and Danica Patrick :D . Besides, NASCAR has the good ol American Boy image going for them in their marketing which keeps them going strong. Open wheel racing started introducing too many foreign drivers that fans could not relate to.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for diversity in all sports, but i think American fans could not attach themselves to foreign drivers. I believe Americans have too much National pride to have someone beat them at their own game (sore lossers). Take the World Baseball classic for example. Most Americans don't care about it. I can't believe why this event isn't embraced. What are we afraid of the Cubans?? Maybe the Domicans (they are sooo stacked). This is also a reason why they have not embraced soccer. Open wheel saw its death with the loss of drivers like unser, foyt, andretti and the entries of montoya, fernandez, castroneves, etc.
Offspring
February 24th, 2006, 11:03
Tony George tried to capitalize on the biggest race of the year, by creating a series based around it...he screwed OW up at that point...now after the fiasco of the F1 race there last year, he is looking at the prospect of the Brickyard 400 being the biggest race, which is wrong, they need to get this resolved and return the Indy 500 race back to what it was, and to unite all the OW teams into one series again...
Chase 2
February 24th, 2006, 11:31
I agree also. It was stupid to split the fan base. You need to have all superstars racing against each other, not a few here and there racing a bunch of chumps. That puts butts in the stands. That and Danica Patrick :D . Besides, NASCAR has the good ol American Boy image going for them in their marketing which keeps them going strong. Open wheel racing started introducing too many foreign drivers that fans could not relate to.

I strongly agree with the foreign drivers. The bottom line is who wants to watch a bunch of rich South Americans drive around in circles? For that matter who wants to watch roundy rounds?? NASCAR roundy rounds suck too. Naw, just make that NASCAR sucks too. Better yet, who cares about any races on that hard black stuff?:D
firedog
February 24th, 2006, 11:45
I hope that they do a merger as well...Talked with Kevin Kalkhoven yesterday. He was in the ski shop I work at, great guy, sounds like he might do the 1000 this year along with some of the other Champ Car drivers. Didn't ask about the merger as it said in the article "If people truly care about open wheel racing in America, then please go away and leave Tony and I alone."

Paul
Jack
February 27th, 2006, 10:34
Isn't F1 down on fan base aswell? Is this a world wide thing or just here in the US? Or is it just me?