Will Champ Car’s model work?

A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1, I read with great interest Mark Cipolloni's latest article (see Home Page) on the Champ Car owners media gathering in Houston. I agree that things are not as bad as they were once thought but I still don't see where the growth is going to come to sustain the current Champ Car series. The bottom line is that the series needs a stable sponsorship base that it could rely on year in and year out. Donald Mason

Dear Donald, Obviously sponsorship coupled with cost containment is the key to sustainability. The owners have done a good job with cost containment, now they need to start landing more sponsors. Easier said than done. We like the international mix of Champ Car because that could be an important avenue for future growth. We also like the super strong Atlantic Series that is cultivating some of the most skilled young drivers in the world. Driver turnover is certainly a problem that needs to be dealt with. As for sponsorship, we are told by high-ranking individuals within Champ Car that a number of key sponsorship deals will be announced. The owners have the attitude of slow and steady progress, while fans and the media demand more instant gratification. Mark C.