Tracy may not get ride because he wants to be paid
And this is due — if one is to listen to IRL insiders — to the fact that Tracy actually wants to be paid to be a race car driver.
Imagine a professional athlete who puts his life on the line every time he gets behind the wheel of a race car capable of travelling at speeds of more than 200 m.p.h. asking to be paid?
The latest word out of this continent's top open-wheel racing series is that while IRL founder Tony George and team owner Derrick Walker want to get Tracy into a car in Edmonton, neither is willing to pony up Tracy's asking price to get it done.
Tracy, too, has told anybody who wants to listen that he would love to be in Edmonton.
But the Thrill from West Hill has learned in his nearly 20 years of top-level racing that if you work for nothing, that's exactly what people think you are worth.
Earlier this season, he agreed to drive the Forsythe Championship Racing Panoz at Long Beach and according to sources close to Tracy, he has yet to be paid for that adventure.
So he has taken the "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" approach to negotiations this time and who can blame him? Slam Sports
07/04/08 The possibility of Paul Tracy driving in the Rexall Edmonton Indy is inching closer to the finish line. Slowly, however, and time is running out.
Derrick Walker, owner of Walker Racing and one of the Champ Car teams who isn't competing on the IndyCar circuit this year, said Thursday it's at a "go-or-no-go" point with the availability of a car one of the key issues.
"We're still moving ahead . . . but we are running out of time. I would say early next week is the deadline, we should know by Tuesday," Walker said.
Tracy, who is heading to England on Wednesday, said he's still game to get into a car for Edmonton even with the limited time he would have to prepare.
"I've had no time in the car . . . but I told Derrick to just let me know, I'm game. I know the track . . . I've been on the podium . . . and a lot of the guys will be going there for the first time."
Walker said he's still in the process of getting interested financial backers on board and while the whole issue looks doubtful, he is "very optimistic" about getting enough funds to put together a program to race in Edmonton July 24-26 and pay Tracy to be the driver.
"Paul is one of the most costly drivers, because he's been around a lot and brings a lot to the track," Walker said.
His salary, however, isn't the main issue. That remains the car itself. Walker is hoping to lease a car from Tony George, owner of the Indy Racing League and the Vision Racing team, but hasn't been able to get confirmation a car will be available.
"It's not the top priority (for George), of course," noted Walker. "They keep racing and crashing, so that delays the decision on whether a car will be available. I'm waiting for confirmation. Part of the problem is that with unification there's a shortage of cars. At the moment, I'm at the mercy of leasing a car from Tony."
A.J. Foyt IV crashed one of the Vision cars last weekend at Richmond.
"That was definitely a setback," said Walker. Edmonton Journal