MILLER: Indy Family Feud

IndyCar

MILLER: Indy Family Feud

Mari Hulman George has always been a big fan of thoroughbreds and now she’s housing her son's Trojan Horse.

Robin Miller | Posted February 24, 2011 Indianapolis, IN

Randy Bernard poses with Josie George, Mary Hulman George and Nancy George in November of 2010. Miller wonders whether Bernard will be replaced in that picture by Tony George before too long. (LAT)

After Tony George was re-instated to the Hulman & Company board of directors last week, the IndyCar community found itself buried in an avalanche of anxiety.

Fans, drivers, mechanics, owners, sponsors and promoters were burning up phone lines or furiously typing e-mails and they all asked the same questions:

1. Is this good or bad?
2. What does this really mean?
3. Will it affect Randy Bernard?
4. Should we be concerned?

Here’s the short-form answers:

1. Not good.
2. Too early to tell.
3. Probably.
4. Damn straight.

Just when almost everything in INDYCAR racing seemed to be moving in a positive direction for the first time in 16 years, this thunderclap of potential negativity seemingly came crashing out of nowhere.

George, who had walked away from his positions at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy Racing League and Hulman & Company after having his power usurped in June of 2009, had been campaigning to get his former job(s) back for more than a year.

His supposed bid to purchase the IRL last summer (with investors) went nowhere and his attempt to re-join the IMS board a few weeks ago was blunted before he finally got the nod to come back to the family business.

It’s not difficult to gauge the reasons behind TG’s change of heart.

First, without the family checkbook to draw from, his Vision Racing team folded. He lost two decent paychecks by resigning his positions on the board at IMS and Hulman & Company and there’s always been that rumor he was hurting financially.

Having the guy who carried the biggest stick in the open-wheel war from 1996-2008 back in the fold with a seat on the board wouldn’t appear to be that big a deal.

With the new power structure at Hulman & Co. in place, will Tony George return to his former place atop the IndyCar Series? (LAT)

Heck, it’s only one vote, right?

Or, as one car owner said: “I think its fine that Tony is back. He’s not going to mess with Randy.”

Don’t be so sure of that.

First off, I’m sure George has to be mighty jealous about all the rave reviews directed to the man who took his place at the top. Bernard has given Indy car racing direction for the first time in decades.

He smartly hired Tony Cotman to get the new rules, cars and engines in place. He got General Motors back in the game, held onto Honda and also nabbed Lotus. He wisely dumped ISC as a partner and hooked up with Bruton Smith.

Bernard also reduced the series’ staggering losses to a reasonable number in his first year. While George ran the IRL like a country club, Bernard came in and began running it like a business.

And Bernard also dumped the moniker that connotes bad memories (IRL) for INDYCAR.

It’s believed George has been privately critical of Bernard for wanting to break the track record at Indy and for wanting to offer $20 million if a driver could win Indy and Charlotte on the same day.

To put it mildly, he’s not a fan of Bernard.

Page 1 of 2

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robin Miller

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR

INDYCAR: Miller’s Mailbag, 5.24
It's time for SPEED.com's weekly IndyCar Q&A with Robin Miller's…
USAC: Honda To Sponsor National Midget Championship
Honda announced it would be the title sponsor for USAC’s National…
MILLER: My Annual Indy 500 Quiz
It’s time for Robin Miller's annual Indy 500 quiz.