Why is champ cars dying on its arse?

Limey Boosk

Champ cars has thrown up some of the best motorsport racing in recent years. Who remembers the Zanardi seasons from 1996-1998? They must be some of the hardest racing in motorsport history.

It now looks as though Fernadez is jumping ship to go to IRL He'll be taking all his Mexican support with him.

How did champ cars get into such a pickle? Its ten times better racing than the IRL?

Gerry

I used to watch this when it was on eurosport, absolutely great stuff. I like the way the cars are much tougher than f1 cars, they can actually go off the track, smash through a sign, and be in perfect nick Where can you watch it now, sky sports?

gs39t

I dont know the exact in's & out's, but i believe it had something to do with an engine deal a few years ago that started to kill the series. It's hard to believe that such a strong series a few years ago is now DOA

It was far better than the IRL; they had a great selection of tracks, including some of the classics (Long Beach, Laguna Seca, Surfer's Paradise)

Who can forget those last-lap battles between Zanardi and Herta at the corkscrew at Laguna? :cool:

Limey Boosk

Zanardi is a legend. Those three seasons in 96,97 and 98 were some of the best years of motorsport. Do you get BBC 3 on satalite?, they had a program on about Zanardi, interviewing him about his accident at Germany.

Hes in European Touring cars next year, I'll be off to Donnington to see him. Can't wait!!!

Kali

Originally posted by Limey Boosk
How did champ cars get into such a pickle? Its ten times better racing than the IRL?

Its quite simple and all down to sponsorship.. the more Champcars looked to further their appeal abroad the more homegrown and national sponsors they lost... since US regulations regarding tobacco sponsorship only allow a company to sponsor one team per sport, the sponsors made the decision to switch to IRL and keep their national exposure as high as possible... and where the money goes the coverage, the teams and the drivers go. But not necessarily the action or excitement .. I remember the 99 to 01 seasons where it was so much fun to watch.. unbelivably close racing and finishs at times.. one non-oval cicuit in particular where there was a 3-car race down the final straight to the flag.. was great stuff altogether.

daveirl

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gs39t

Originally posted by daveirl
Nascar is far bigger than Indy/Champcars ever was. Well in my experience anyway. Of course it is the ultimate white trash sport ever but hey it's entertaining!

You dont have to call it a "white trash" sport. If you dont like it, fair enough - but thats no reason to knock it. I'll admit on the surface it may seem to be (and basically was back in the '50's) but without going into too much detail, its not and hasnt been for decades. It's a multi BILLION dollar sport, and if it its your kinda thing (is for me) its easy to see why its so popular

CART was great, the IRL just never had any interest for me - it's a series that just never had anything great about it; nothing more than a filler season around the Indy 500.

daveirl

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ButcherOfNog

At least Justin Wilson will be driving in champ cars in 2004, he deserves a decent chance to show how good he is.

Doctor J

Originally posted by cableguy
The IRL series is starting to come good.Most the big names and teams have jumped on board now so it's really like the old CART series now.
Give it 1 or 2 seasons and I think it'll be just as good as CART used to be.

IRL is just sucky ugly slow heavy cars whose season doesn't count until the Indy 500 comes along. It's a meaningless championship, the Indy 500 winner gets more kudos than the championship winner. CART was developing into a better series than F1 (a lot more exciting anyway), now it's f*cked.

IRL will be exposed for the sucky series it is the minute those ugly shytmobiles take to a road course where they have to accellerate, brake and turn right. You'd be quicker in a bus.

demac

The IRL sticks to Oval or Super Speedway tracks whereas the Champ Cars race on both ovals and Road/Street circuits. There's some fantastic racing tracks in the US such as Laguna Seca and Elkhart Lake....

Cork driver Michael Keohane has been out there testing a Champ Car and rumour has it he's close to doing a deal.

http://www.michaelkeohane.com/

Go On Mick boy !!!!

Kersh

All you need do is tune in to a race. The Long Beach one was on the other night, and apart from a first corner accident, it was pure drivel.
The Brands hatch one last year was quite boring too. And we had to sit in the seat we were allocated in the stand, which sucked. I used to love champ cars.

PlasseyMinstrel

Originally posted by demac
The IRL sticks to Oval or Super Speedway tracks whereas the Champ Cars race on both ovals and Road/Street circuits. There's some fantastic racing tracks in the US such as Laguna Seca and Elkhart Lake....

Cork driver Michael Keohane has been out there testing a Champ Car and rumour has it he's close to doing a deal.

http://www.michaelkeohane.com/

Go On Mick boy !!!!

I'd rather he stick on the F1 route and try to hit F3000 He was doing quite well in F3 and I think he's got it in him. He's definitely very committed.

oneofakind32

What channel is cart on now? I know IRL is sky sports. ill probebly watch the indy 500 cus i never saw it before.
I recone micheal shumacher should go to the stats next as theres obvously no challenge left for him hear
Laguna seca is a legedery track ive been around it many times (in GandTurismo3). I realy dont see the atraction to oval racing at all.
Oh and another question hind of off topic dose sky have le mans