Champ Car to lose key sponsor and team
"They have just announced they are closing down," goldcoast.com.au quotes Wilson as saying. "They have just told me and the crew. They don't want to carry on. This weekend I will have to see what my options are.
"The fact that the team is closing down is disappointing, but it happens all the time in motor racing. You just have to pick yourself up and try to get into another good position. I had quite a few people inquire early in the season if I was available for next year and at that time I wasn't. Maybe now, when the news gets out people will start calling up again."
10/12/07 We hear the RuSPORT employees have been told November 15th will likely be their last day and to expect to see the team up for sale. Too bad because there will be some very talented individuals on the market looking for a job. Forsythe Championship Racing is already running ads in AutoWeek looking for more people so one would expect that some of the RuSPORT people could end up there.
With the loss of RuSPORT, one might assume that car count would be an issue next year for Champ Car. "Not so," Kevin Kalkhoven told AutoRacing1.com. "I'm not worried about car count at all next year."
10/11/07 We continue to hear that with CDW gone after this year, the RuSPORT Champ Car team will also fold unless a replacement sponsor can be found fast.
09/29/07 A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, I read somewhere that the new owners of CDW made the decision in May to no longer sponsor the team. Is that what happened? Lisa Gerber
Dear Lisa, Nothing could be further from the truth. Since the transaction hasn't closed, the new owners control nothing, and haven't/can't influence a single thing about any of CDW's business operations yet. No the truth of the matter is that CDW is leaving for the reasons we stated below. It's a sad tale of how to piss off a good sponsor and drive them right out of the sport. Mark C.
09/26/07 Correction, CDW has told RuSPORT that they will not be back in 2008. CDW has not yet said to Champ Car that they are not returning. We hear they hope to keep racing together with Wilson.
09/26/07 This rumor is upgraded to 'fact' today as AutoRacing1.com has learned that CDW has decided not to return to Champ Car in 2008. We heard CDW was unhappy the day the two teams merged and especially troubled when Jeremy Dale was let go. Rumor has it that RuSPORT might not be back either now that CDW is gone.
09/18/07 A reader asks, Dear AutoRacing1.com, Isn't there any way Champ Car can keep CDW and Wilson from bolting to the IRL or ALMS? Pat Baretta
Dear Pat, First of all there is no confirmation that they are leaving. We would think that CDW and Wilson might stay if a deal could be done to put them in Bourdais' NHLR seat and move McDonald's over to American Graham Rahal's car. That would be a win-win for everyone as we would think McDonald's can do more in the way of marketing a young American. Of course that would mean RuSPORT would lose them, but if they leave the series they would lose them anyway. Mark C.
09/17/07 The move by CDW and Justin Wilson to Andretti Green Racing could be with their ALMS program rather than their IRL program.
09/17/07 Robin Miller reported on Wind Tunnel Sunday night that Champ Car is losing the only sponsor it has that activates its sponsorship, CDW, as a car sponsor in 2008. "Not good for Champ Car," Miller told Dave Despain. He also speculated that Justin Wilson might go to Andretti Green Racing in 2008. Recall back in May we reported that CDW was furious over Jeremy Dale being fired and they were very unhappy over the merger of RuSPORT and Rocketsports. While many may not have believed us then, if this rumor of CDW leaving is true, you know where it all started.