IndyCar team owners reject new IndyCar
08/25/10 The economy is still bad, the housing market (which is a major driver of the economy) is in the toilet and no one has confidence in the administration in Washington. Because of this lack of confidence people are not spending and businesses are not hiring.
So we cannot be surprised to hear SPEED.com reporting that the owners within the IndyCar series last weekend in Sonoma delivered a near unanimous message to IndyCar – They don’t want a new car for 2012. Why spend money on a car they cannot afford if sponsors are not spending?
“Yep, that’s what they told me," acknowledged Tony Cotman, who has been hired to write the new rules for the 2012 car and engine. “I told them I didn’t agree but my job is to put together a new car deal and not respond to an owner’s revolt.
“That was a league matter."
Where is the sponsorship going to come from if the economy is bad and the IRL TV ratings even worse?
The owners within the IndyCar series seldom can agree on anything but SPEED.com can reveal that last weekend in Sonoma they delivered a near unanimous message that carries some seismic repercussions.
They don’t want a new car for 2012.
“Yep, that’s what they told me," acknowledged Tony Cotman, who has been hired to write the new rules for the 2012 car and engine. “I told them I didn’t agree but my job is to put together a new car deal and not respond to an owner’s revolt.
“That was a league matter."
"The league decided to do a new car and never consulted the teams and we’re all wondering how we’re going to be able to pay for new equipment given the current economy and value of the series," Eric Bachelart of Conquest Racing told SPEED.com.
“We asked Tony (Cotman) what our investment would be for a new car and he wasn’t able to tell us so we’re all a little bit uncomfortable."
Another owner, who requested anonymity, was more blunt.
“This isn’t a revolt and we aren’t going to start another series, it’s plain and simple, we don’t have the money to buy new cars. Roger (Penske) and Chip (Ganassi) are saying the same thing. But the IndyCar series signed a deal with Dallara to spend our money without us signing off on it and we’re the guys writing the checks.
“What are they going to do if nobody buys it?"
“We signed contracts with Honda and Dallara and we worked in good faith with the state of Indiana and we are not going backwards," said IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard. "Their main concern was reducing costs and we have.
“Gil sent out three pages of questions and I don't remember many owners mentioning possibly delaying things until 2013. This wasn’t a big deal then, so why is it a big deal today?
“We have great momentum right now, fans have asked for this and 75 percent of them believe we have made the right decision and they’re excited," said Bernard. “We’ve got new sponsors and we’ve got 29 cars competing this weekend and I’ve heard from a lot of new car owners that want to join.
“Now all of the sudden they want to change but it’s too late."