NASCAR tells IRL to go pound sand

OK, they didn't quite say it so blunt, but in effect NASCAR refuses to help the IRL grow by letting them race with Cup on the same weekend. If the France family does not own the series they are not going to help it grow and take sponsorship away from the series they do own. Tony George was naive and gullible when he thought he could grow his IndyCar series on the coattails of NASCAR. Nope. Simply isn't going to happen. This ESPN article outlines all the reasons why.

Bill France Jr. encouraged Tony to start the IRL, thereby splitting up CART knowing right well it would destroy their primary competition. We would not be one bit surprised if France even told Tony, "Do it Tony, we'll help you." Tony fell for the trap and has in the process destroyed the sport of IndyCar Racing. Oh sure, it's alive, but hardly anyone notices, so it may as well be dead. This will be Tony George's legacy that he'll take to his grave.