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IndyCar
MILLER: Brazil Over Cleveland?
The fact IndyCar is going to Brazil and not Cleveland in 2010 is disappointing on many levels and ironically humorous.
Rio's oddly shaped oval made for tricky racing in the CART days. Let's hope the new track is as good as Cleveland, which will be hard to top. (LAT)
The fact IndyCar is going to Brazil and not Cleveland in 2010 is disappointing on many levels and ironically humorous on another but speaks volumes about the reality of staging an open wheel race in this country.
Despite the fact we all loved the fast, wide-open, bumpy challenges of Burke Lakefront Airport from 1982-2007 and promoter Mike Lanigan was pushing Cleveland to bring it back next year, there wasn’t enough civic or corporate funding to make it viable.
So, instead of most of the Indianapolis-based teams making that short drive to Lake Erie next summer, they’ll be packing for a 4,000-mile jaunt to sugar cane country in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil next March.
But, unlike CART’s many forays around the world which included six trips to Rio de Janiero from 1996-2000 and the IRL’s annual trip to Japan, this new venture outside North America promises to be profitable – for the series and, more importantly, for its teams.
CART made big sanction fees part of its DNA (Germany, England, Australia for example were all $4-5 million) but the problem was that none of that money ever made it to the teams.
The rumor is that the promoters in Ribeirao Preto, a very wealthy city of 650,000 that’s also the home of three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, are going to shell out the largest sanction fee ever – maybe as much as $6-7 million.
And, in addition to receiving free airfare, rooms and meals, the IndyCar teams will all collect a six figure paycheck – in the vicinity of $125,000-150,000 – to make this arduous journey more palatable.
“We’ve said all along that any foreign races must be lucrative for the league and for our teams and this model in Brazil includes both,” said Terry Angstadt, president of IndyCar’s commercial division.
“We’re very excited about getting this deal done.”
Tony Cotman, the IRL vice president of competition, is optimistic the Preto circuit can be racy.
It’s going to be a street circuit with elevation and it will be pretty fast,” said Cotman, who made several trips to Brazil to also check out venues in Rio, Brasilia and another unspecified location. “It’s going to have a couple of long straightaways and we can create some passing zones.
“It’s a long way from being finished and there’s a lot of work to do but at the end of the day it should be a fun track and there’s three and a half million people within a 60-mile radius.”
%s
Of course, the bottom line is how can Ribeirao Preto spend all this money and be profitable at some point? That was always the downfall of CART’s away races (except for Australia which was funded by the government and absorbed tremendous losses).
Castroneves should be a big draw, along with Tony Kanaan and Rafa Matos, Mario Moraes, Vitor Meira and possibly Bruno Junqueira gives the Brazilian promoters plenty of local flavor.
Yet even with Emerson & Christian Fittipaldi, Raul Boesel, Andre Ribeiro, Mo Gugelmin and Roberto Moreno, plus sponsors Hollywood, Brahma and Marlboro, the Rio CART races never drew much of a crowd so it will be challenging.
Before it assumed EVERY conceivable thread of CART’s identity, the IRL brass and some of its new owners pooh-pooed races outside North America (I believe it was Team Penske’s Tim Cindric who expounded about the virtues of staying in the USA and now he’s decided Brazil is a good thing).
The fact IndyCar is going to open the season earlier is a good thing and, if Brazil is a winner for the series and its teams, great. If it’s a one-year marriage, so be it, as long as everyone gets paid (ask CART about that).
As for Cleveland, there had been talk of trying an oval/road course doubleheader on the same weekend and there was a lot of enthusiasm but, in the end, not enough moolah.
“I do want to run Cleveland in 2011 and everyone from the Mayor’s office on down has been extremely cooperative but the economy isn’t helping me,” said Lanigan, who also co-owns the NHL team of Graham Rahal and Robert Doornbos with Carl Haas.
“When I do it, I want to do it the right way and have the proper sponsorship and marketing.”
Angstadt acknowledged it’s still on IndyCar’s list.
“There’s still a high level of interest from Cleveland and we’re going to leave the door open for 2011,” he said.
SHAME ON IRL TECH
The IndyCar technical staff hit a new low last weekend by making Greg Beck’s 3G team jump through hoops for no reason.
Under-funded and under-staffed with only three full timers, 3G is obviously unappreciated as well. After busting their butt to make Texas following a crash at Milwaukee, Beck’s boys tested at Watkins Glen and then came back to prepare for Iowa. Jacques Lazier was some six mph off the pace in practice and, just before qualifying, 3G was told to pull out of line because it was carrying a couple of components that lessened drag (which judging by their speed had obviously given them a major advantage).
It was a moot point since qualifying was scrapped because of weepers and they had to start last anyway. But then, after going through tech three times on Sunday morning, Beck was informed he couldn’t run without backing plates. So, with some help from KV Racing, Owen Snyder, Rick Hurford and Tony vanDongen scrambled to try and meet the IRL orders before the green flag.
“It’s on us to meet the rules but we went through tech four or five times and nobody said anything,” said Beck.
So let me say something.
This is a small team of longtime racers that hasn’t yet received its promised funding from rookie Stanton Barrett (who is probably done until Motegi) and its borrowing trailers and parts to get to each race. It gave the IRL a 20-car grid last week and will give them the same number this Saturday night at Richmond.
These guys aren’t cheating, they’re scrambling and they deserve to be treated with respect and common sense. The crack IRL tech crew didn’t catch these “major” violations and Les MacTaggart and Kevin Blanch need to quit playing hardball with 3G.
It’s as embarrassing and low class as NASCAR picking on Carl Long.
~Robin
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, SPEED, FOX, or NewsCorp.
Robin Miller became an Indy-car junkie in late 1950s and stooged for his hero, Jim Hurtubise, at the 1968 Indy 500. He went on to work as a vent man and board man on Indy pit crews from 1971-77. Miller bought a Formula Ford from Andy Granatelli in 1972 and raced it in SCCA until 1974 when he purchased a midget from Gary Bettenhausen, competing in the USAC midget series from 1975-82.
Robin flunked out of Ball State College in 1968 and began working at The Indianapolis Star sports department in 1969, covered motorsports there from 1969-2000.
In addition to his broadcast work. Miller's also covered IndyCar racing for Autoweek, Autosport, Car & Driver and On Track magazines over the past 35 years.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
Despite the fact we all loved the fast, wide-open, bumpy challenges of Burke Lakefront Airport from 1982-2007 and promoter Mike Lanigan was pushing Cleveland to bring it back next year, there wasn’t enough civic or corporate funding to make it viable.
So, instead of most of the Indianapolis-based teams making that short drive to Lake Erie next summer, they’ll be packing for a 4,000-mile jaunt to sugar cane country in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil next March.
But, unlike CART’s many forays around the world which included six trips to Rio de Janiero from 1996-2000 and the IRL’s annual trip to Japan, this new venture outside North America promises to be profitable – for the series and, more importantly, for its teams.
CART made big sanction fees part of its DNA (Germany, England, Australia for example were all $4-5 million) but the problem was that none of that money ever made it to the teams.
The rumor is that the promoters in Ribeirao Preto, a very wealthy city of 650,000 that’s also the home of three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, are going to shell out the largest sanction fee ever – maybe as much as $6-7 million.
And, in addition to receiving free airfare, rooms and meals, the IndyCar teams will all collect a six figure paycheck – in the vicinity of $125,000-150,000 – to make this arduous journey more palatable.
“We’ve said all along that any foreign races must be lucrative for the league and for our teams and this model in Brazil includes both,” said Terry Angstadt, president of IndyCar’s commercial division.
“We’re very excited about getting this deal done.”
Tony Cotman, the IRL vice president of competition, is optimistic the Preto circuit can be racy.
It’s going to be a street circuit with elevation and it will be pretty fast,” said Cotman, who made several trips to Brazil to also check out venues in Rio, Brasilia and another unspecified location. “It’s going to have a couple of long straightaways and we can create some passing zones.
“It’s a long way from being finished and there’s a lot of work to do but at the end of the day it should be a fun track and there’s three and a half million people within a 60-mile radius.”
%s
Of course, the bottom line is how can Ribeirao Preto spend all this money and be profitable at some point? That was always the downfall of CART’s away races (except for Australia which was funded by the government and absorbed tremendous losses).
Castroneves should be a big draw, along with Tony Kanaan and Rafa Matos, Mario Moraes, Vitor Meira and possibly Bruno Junqueira gives the Brazilian promoters plenty of local flavor.
Yet even with Emerson & Christian Fittipaldi, Raul Boesel, Andre Ribeiro, Mo Gugelmin and Roberto Moreno, plus sponsors Hollywood, Brahma and Marlboro, the Rio CART races never drew much of a crowd so it will be challenging.
Before it assumed EVERY conceivable thread of CART’s identity, the IRL brass and some of its new owners pooh-pooed races outside North America (I believe it was Team Penske’s Tim Cindric who expounded about the virtues of staying in the USA and now he’s decided Brazil is a good thing).
The fact IndyCar is going to open the season earlier is a good thing and, if Brazil is a winner for the series and its teams, great. If it’s a one-year marriage, so be it, as long as everyone gets paid (ask CART about that).
As for Cleveland, there had been talk of trying an oval/road course doubleheader on the same weekend and there was a lot of enthusiasm but, in the end, not enough moolah.
“I do want to run Cleveland in 2011 and everyone from the Mayor’s office on down has been extremely cooperative but the economy isn’t helping me,” said Lanigan, who also co-owns the NHL team of Graham Rahal and Robert Doornbos with Carl Haas.
“When I do it, I want to do it the right way and have the proper sponsorship and marketing.”
Angstadt acknowledged it’s still on IndyCar’s list.
“There’s still a high level of interest from Cleveland and we’re going to leave the door open for 2011,” he said.
SHAME ON IRL TECH
The IndyCar technical staff hit a new low last weekend by making Greg Beck’s 3G team jump through hoops for no reason.
Under-funded and under-staffed with only three full timers, 3G is obviously unappreciated as well. After busting their butt to make Texas following a crash at Milwaukee, Beck’s boys tested at Watkins Glen and then came back to prepare for Iowa. Jacques Lazier was some six mph off the pace in practice and, just before qualifying, 3G was told to pull out of line because it was carrying a couple of components that lessened drag (which judging by their speed had obviously given them a major advantage).
It was a moot point since qualifying was scrapped because of weepers and they had to start last anyway. But then, after going through tech three times on Sunday morning, Beck was informed he couldn’t run without backing plates. So, with some help from KV Racing, Owen Snyder, Rick Hurford and Tony vanDongen scrambled to try and meet the IRL orders before the green flag.
“It’s on us to meet the rules but we went through tech four or five times and nobody said anything,” said Beck.
So let me say something.
This is a small team of longtime racers that hasn’t yet received its promised funding from rookie Stanton Barrett (who is probably done until Motegi) and its borrowing trailers and parts to get to each race. It gave the IRL a 20-car grid last week and will give them the same number this Saturday night at Richmond.
These guys aren’t cheating, they’re scrambling and they deserve to be treated with respect and common sense. The crack IRL tech crew didn’t catch these “major” violations and Les MacTaggart and Kevin Blanch need to quit playing hardball with 3G.
It’s as embarrassing and low class as NASCAR picking on Carl Long.
~Robin
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, SPEED, FOX, or NewsCorp.
Robin Miller became an Indy-car junkie in late 1950s and stooged for his hero, Jim Hurtubise, at the 1968 Indy 500. He went on to work as a vent man and board man on Indy pit crews from 1971-77. Miller bought a Formula Ford from Andy Granatelli in 1972 and raced it in SCCA until 1974 when he purchased a midget from Gary Bettenhausen, competing in the USAC midget series from 1975-82.
Robin flunked out of Ball State College in 1968 and began working at The Indianapolis Star sports department in 1969, covered motorsports there from 1969-2000.
In addition to his broadcast work. Miller's also covered IndyCar racing for Autoweek, Autosport, Car & Driver and On Track magazines over the past 35 years.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
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