February 16, 2008
UPDATE FOR THE FANS: Walker Racing's Perspective
By Derrick Walker

Over the last 48 hours, we have received numerous emails, responses and questions pertaining to our Walker Racing perspective on the potential merger and our team status. So we decided that we would update you on what's going on and answer some of the questions that have been asked.

First for the update, not too much to report, except that we believe discussions continue with the IRL and Champ Car. As long as they continue to talk it's always good news, because that means the possibility of closure is still there. I think if you are asking most teams in the Champ Car and IRL paddocks: 'do you think a merger is good for open wheel racing, Champ Car, or IRL?' I think the majority would say it's a good thing to unite open wheel and focus on the real business of creating a valuable property that is singular in purpose and has in its inventory of races, the Indianapolis 500, which let's face it, is one of the all time great races in the world. The good news is they are still talking. The bad news is it needs to get done ASAP for numerous reasons, but for the sake of open wheel racing. We wait cautiously optimistic it will get done.

Now to the questions that some of you all have.

1.) We have had a number of emails asking the following questions: Why weren't we at the Champ Car Sebring test? Were we planning on jumping ship the whole time? Did we really go to a shaker test? Did we take the DP01 or the Dallara to the shaker test? Was it funding issues and Team Australia going away? What was the real reason for us not being at the test?

In answer to those questions, here is the timeline of events. The team was at the Ohlins shaker test prior to the first open test for Champ Car in Sebring. I became concerned as there wasn't sufficient information out there to suggest that there was a clear direction for Champ Car going forward. At that time, I didn't really know anything about a merger, but I was concerned because there were some ominous signs that maybe Champ Car didn't have a strategy and it was unclear to me as to where they were going to go for 2008. Coupled with that, the uncertainty of Champ Car's 2008 schedule had delayed monies owed to the team, and so being of Scottish birth, I decided to save some money and check out what was really happening in Champ Car. In hind sight, who would have believed I could have anticipated merger discussions, but in reality I wasn't that smart. There was no hidden agenda. We did test the DP01 at the shaker and we wanted answers to what was going on with Champ Car.

2.) Why do we have a Dallara chassis in our workshop? Do we own it and how long have we had it?

As I have said a couple times before to anyone that is interested, we have been looking at the IRL for some time as a program that we might include in our facility to run in conjunction with Champ Car. When we stopped work on the Panoz, while we waited for answers from Champ Car, it seemed a perfect opportunity to look at the Dallara package again. I asked Brian Barnhart if there was a team he would recommend who would willingly lend us a car to look at. As luck would have it, my good friend from many years ago, Kent Baker, had a car and had no hesitation in letting us borrow it. We have had the Dallara for a week now and I think we've had it down to the bare metal a couple of times, as the team has really dissected it, trying to understand it.

3.) Did you run in the IRL before?

I think if I recall, we were the first team to actually compete from Champ Car or CART as it was then, in the IRL. Initially, it wasn't viewed very favorably by the CART teams at the time, but of course what was not known until a little bit later, was that there were several other team owners that were considering competing in the IRL and did in fact do so. When we first raced in the IRL we did it because we had sponsors that wanted to be at the Indy 500 and we didn't feel right in letting them down. Later, we saw the opportunity to join the series with Sarah Fisher and we hired her to run a car. Then the last venture into the IRL was when we supplied the facility and the manpower to Pat Patrick's IRL entry in 2004 with little Al. As we like to say, we have always been non-political. We are a little company. We are in open wheel racing and like it or not we can't look at IRL and Champ Car and say it's one or the other. We have to look at them as viable opportunities for us and always try to find business where we can. Sometimes that can be in both or sometimes it can be in one or the other.

4.) What happens to Atlantics and your program?

The Atlantic series still remains as Champ Car does, a program that needs more detail and direction as to what will happen to the series. We have three excellent programs in the Atlantic series with Nigel Mansell's sons, Greg and Leo, and Kevin Lacroix. We have only just begun this program, having only done a few tests and all three entries are keen to complete the season, but as of yet we are on hold, because if the Champ Car series does merge, there is a lot of uncertainty as to how many events will still be on the calendar and that of course will effect Atlantics. I think Atlantics is a very viable series, well organized and as you can see from the grid, is very competitive and a great formula that has managed a lot of its costs and its rules to the point that is truly is one of the best open wheel junior series in the world. I can't believe that it will not land on its feet with whatever happens with the merger discussions.

We want to thank everyone for the fan response to our website and we will do our best to keep you all posted with our status and what we know, to the best of our ability.

Marv schrieb:

na schön, und wieder nix ausgesagt...

Ist eigentlich auch nicht seine aufgabe sondern die der Serienbesitzer aber ich finde es schwer i.O . das er wenigstens etwas schreibt...

Marv schrieb:

bei AR1 gibts nen neuen rumor dass CC sich für bankrott erklärt, könnte jemand der subscriber so nett sein und den posten?

Der letzte rumors bei ar1.com ist der hier und der ist von heute nacht...

quote's from Auto Racing1

Champ Car to file for bankruptcy to facilitate merger UPDATE #10 As this rumor bounces back and forth between a go and a no-go for the merger, today we heard from three different sources that the deal is done.

Most Champ Car teams were told to quit working on their Panoz chassis Monday and expect delivery of their new cars in a few days. Paul Tracy is coming to Indianapolis later this week for a seat fitting. And one of Champ Car’s co-owners admitted to a fellow owner there would only be one series in 2008.

After 12 years of warring that cost open-wheel racing much of its sponsorship, audience and momentum, common sense has finally prevailed.

SPEEDtv.com has learned that the Indy Racing League and Champ Car have officially, and mercifully, agreed to become one entity. A press conference could come as early as Wednesday if Kevin Kalkhoven is back from England in time.

Following nearly two weeks of negotiations between Tony George, Gerry Forsythe and Kalkhoven, an agreement is in place to bring several Champ Car teams and a handful of races into the IRL domain. It’s believed attorneys from both sides worked all weekend to finalize some kind of arrangement for the two men who claimed CART’s assets in bankruptcy court in 2004.

George, who started the IRL in 1996 when CART was in its heyday, would not confirm any deal when contacted late Monday night. “While it is true that I continue to believe we at the threshold of something long-overdue, we have not yet stepped across it,” he said.

But all signs point to this tumultuous chapter of American motorsports finally being closed.

“I’m supposed to fly in Indy later this week to get fitted for a seat and then we’re going to have to thrash to make it to the first test in Homestead,” said Tracy, the winningest active driver in Champ Car and its premier personality. “We don’t have any experience with those Dallaras and we’re going to need all the practice we can get but this is definitely the best thing that can happen for open-wheel racing.”

The IRL’s first open test is on the oval at Homestead, Fla. on Feb. 27-28.

Mike Lanigan, who co-owns a two-car CC effort with Paul Newman and Carl Haas in addition to promoting races at Houston and Cleveland, said he spoke with Forsythe on Sunday evening.

“Gerry indicated we were likely looking at one series,” said Lanigan, a Chicago native who started out sponsoring cars at the Indianapolis 500 in the early ‘90s. “I’m hoping to talk to Tony (George) about considering our two races, but having a unified series is certainly what everybody wants to see.”

Derrick Walker, a regular in Champ Car since 1991, said he expected “we should all hear something positive Tuesday or Wednesday” while Conquest Racing owner Eric Bachelart was asked whether he’d be in Champ Car, the IRL or one series this year.

“I think I will be in a unified series,” he replied.

George’s offer of free cars and engines, plus $1.2 million for any team able to compete the entire season, is expected to add a minimum of eight cars to the IRL grid in 2008.

Newman/Haas/Lanigan (two), PKV (two), Forsythe (two), Walker (one) and Conquest (one) are definites, while Dale Coyne is likely to field at least one car in ‘08, although he couldn’t be reached for comment on Monday. Minardi Team USA principal Paul Stoddart is a question mark, although partner Keith Wiggins may try to strike out on his own with one car. RocketSports is unknown while Pacific Coast Motorsports is believed to be headed to the ALMS.

With the IRL car count at 16, this would give open-wheel its largest fields since earlier this decade.

It also appears the Long Beach/Motegi conflict has been worked out. Earlier this month, George and Kalkhoven admitted there could not be unification unless Long Beach could be added to the IRL schedule and remain on its original date—April 20, the same weekend as Motegi. George and Honda’s Robert Clarke flew to Japan to meet with Honda of Japan (Motegi’s owners) and returned using “optimistic” quotes.

The fast, challenging airport circuit at Edmonton, which drew a legitimate 175,000-200,000 people during its first three years, will likely find a place on the IRL schedule as well. And Surfer’s Paradise, Australia was also being heavily considered.

It would bring the combined schedule to 19 races for 2008 and George is likely to consider other Champ Car circuits like Toronto or Mexico City for 2009.