The momentum CART built up through the 1990s dissipated soon thereafter. (LAT photo)

CART became an international success story in the 1990s in spite of the owners, whose greed and selfishness eventually killed CART and sent them scurrying like rats to the Indy Racing League.

Champ Car came from CART's ashes in 2004 before its self-immolation.

So now Tony George, who started the IRL in 1996 because he wanted to be king, sits alone on the throne.

He's got the same opportunity Bernie Ecclestone had in the late '70s when he started FOCA (Formula One Constructors Association). Ecclestone gave up being a car owner to run F1 and, obviously, elevated it to new heights.

Nobody on this planet gave George more grief during the past 13 years than yours truly and I'm not suggesting he's a shrewd schemer like Bernard. He got sucked into the ISC/NASCAR vortex by Bill France Jr. but now understands they're anything but his ally. He tore open-wheel racing apart in 1996 but came up with a sensible solution and finally managed to put it back together.

So now he needs to step down as a car owner and step up as The Man.

"I don't think I'm quite ready to do that, I'm having fun with my team," said George recently on WIND TUNNEL. "Besides, I've got a lot of good people working for me who are capable of making good decisions and running the show."

That remains to be seen. The IRL has been a revolving door in marketing and sales, although Terry Angstadt appears to have people optimistic for the first time in a long time.

Hiring Tony Cotman was a smart move and hopefully TG will listen to Champ Car's former chief steward about cars, engines, tracks and all things racing.

But Indy-car racing needs a figurehead and we're not talking about Gene Simmons.

George has racing in his DNA, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as his playground and an international persona. Is he the perfect public speaker? No. The most savvy businessman? Probably not. Able to close a big deal in a board room? Who knows?

But maybe he's wised up in the last two years. Being a car owner seems to have given him a new appreciation for the whole process. He was either smart enough or desperate enough to copy CART's formula for diversity and that says something.

Now he must figure out how to get American manufacturers and drivers back in the qualifying pictures at Indianapolis. He must get costs under control. He must do what is best for ALL of open wheel and for its future.

The original IRL concept failed, just like car owners running the show. So forget the past 13 years, all the venom and weasels on both sides. If you have passion for open wheel, you know it's going to take everyone pulling together.

George might not be the ideal choice to lead as much as he might be the only choice.

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED Channel
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED