The Hidden Man behind TG

[Madmaxfan2]

It is generally thought that TG is not a visionary type leader, despite his actions and wishes. So one must ask, who has influenced TG in forming the IRL? The usual suspects are AJ Foyt and Bill France among others. But who was the intermediary? Better yet, this intermediary is the only person to have been president of both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway. He was the first paid employee of USAC in 1955, a retired Director and Vice President of ISC, sat on the first Board of Directors for the IRL in 1994, and lives in Indianapolis. His name is John R. Cooper ( not of John Cooper of Cooper race car fame) and who I believe played a huge hidden role in the formation of the IRL. During his brief tenure of as IMS president (1980-1981), he was noted for two major actions. Keep in mind that USAC-CART rift had just occurred.
For a brief time, CART and USAC decided to from the CRL (Championship Racing League) to govern Champ Car trail racing. John Cooper wanted no part of that, so he reopened the sanctioning of the INDY 500 to all interested sanctioning bodies. This strong arm tactic forced USAC to give up the CRL, and the split became permanent. This action also planted the seeds of the formation of the IRL. Not content with that, Cooper proposed new engine regulations for either the 1981 or 82 race using stock block pushrod engines exclusively, banning the turbo-charged Cosworth engines. Cooper was replaced by Joe Cloutier, who Cooper initially replaced. It is safe to say that Cooper did not like CART and tried to hurt CART by his actions. All of this long before TG took charge of the speedway. He of course went back to being employed by the France family and the International Speedway Corporation. It is amazing that TG started the Brickyard 400, fell into the ISC orbit, declared war on CART with the formation of the IRL, and gave Cooper a Board Seat on the IRL Board of Directors. I think Cooper is the invisible influence behind TG, and had as much of a role as Foyt did in the IRL creation. Next time you want to criticize TG for the formation of the IRL, give a little “credit” to Mr. Cooper too.

[Ziggy]

hater ;)

[pchall]

I was thinking it was Andy Granatelli. Anybody behind Tony George would have to be really big and have access to lots of lubricants.

[Madmaxfan2]

I was thinking it was Andy Granatelli. Anybody behind Tony George would have to be really big and have access to lots of lubricants.
Right!? Your comment is funny.

[Eagle104]

i could be wrong, but i think he also made noise about bringing nascar to ims during his reign of terror there. i seem to remember some talk about it back then.

[JT265]

Toss in Cary Agajanian and Leo Mehl and you have a full crew for the ship of fools.

[Hink]

Northshore?

[Cam]

Sorry you are wrong..... 2 letters..... B E....

[Madmaxfan2]

Sorry you are wrong..... 2 letters..... B E....
That came later, I believe. Although, all the movers and shakers are hooked together some way or another. I found that out doing the recearch for this post. May be several men were hidden behind TG, but Cooper was there.

[Railbird]

Interesting theory Madmax.

No doubt TG was influenced by many but at the end of the day he was the one with his finger on the button.

The results are evident

[Wally]

"Next time you want to criticize TG for the formation of the IRL, give a little “credit” to Mr. Cooper too."

OK.......FJC! :gomer:

[Methanolandbrats]

I think it was Sammich who planted most of the seeds. Sammich hated road racing, he was too much of a Gomer to learn about puters and all that new stuff, he could have an audience with FTG at any time. Other people certainly played a role, but Sammich was the keystone. The irony is Sammich is now pizzed off at the very monster he created. :D

[Railbird]

"sammich" did his share of roadracing in his day, quite a bit of success IIRC. Don't ever let the current day persona cloud the fact that the dude was once a world class driver.

No doubt he was the face of the early day IRL but I still think the impetuous was hatched in the mind of the inheritor.

[Methanolandbrats]

"sammich" did his share of roadracing in his day, quite a bit of success IIRC. Don't ever let the current day persona cloud the fact that the dude was once a world class driver.

No doubt he was the face of the early day IRL but I still think the impetuous was hatched in the mind of the inheritor. Yes he did road race. Yes he was a great driver. However he hated the direction CART was going in and stewed about it for 15 years.

[Railbird]

ah, he was just pissed that he couldn't build his own cars with secret nitrous compartments.

Of course now that Billy Boat isn't around to wear the trick helmet he's faced with the same problem.

[SteveH]

Of course now that Billy Boat isn't around to wear the trick helmet he's faced with the same problem.

So that's why he sounded like he was on helium. :gomer:

[Spicoli]

Northshore?

dANG...CCJesus!

Good to see you at RA. :thumbup:







And the answer is.....................................

JAMES HUNT!

:RUNSBACKINTHECORNER:

[Audi_A4]

The secret has been revealed ... this is the man behind TG and all his evil doings.

http://www.1withgod.com/newman.jpg

[racermike]

Here is the real person behind TG!

http://www.bertisevil.nl/img/bertmug.gif

[pchall]

It's Gen. Burkhalter! Burkhalter. Burkhalter.

He's big enough and probably has all the German synthetic oil production in his back pocket!

[cart7]

I've always heard there was a society of IMS suits, Coultier being one, that ran the place after the old man kicked in the late 70's. Young TG was brought up thinking like these guys so it was no surprise when he spouted takeover and change from almost the day he took over the throne at the IMS. He was simply an easily (due to previous drug abuse and basically, he's not that bright) programmed drone being driven by an old guard that won't let go and move beyond the 1960's. The fact that Mari and the other sisters would rather socialize with the upper crust than deal with the day-to-days of IMS makes it that much easier. I also heard though that the so-called "internet rumour" of the girls getting tired of IMS bankrolling the IRL was no rumour, that there was fact to that story.

[Madmaxfan2]

Yes he did road race. Yes he was a great driver. However he hated the direction CART was going in and stewed about it for 15 years.

However, Cooper had the business connections, AJ doesn't. Yes, AJ publically moaned about CART, But Cooper was the inside suit, and lived in Indianpolis. It helps to be located near the person you are trying to brainwash, AJ lives in Texas.

[eiregosod]

access to lexis nexis brings forth documents that would have been hidden

in relation to 1980, look who suggested a stockcar race for IMS way back then!!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright 1980 The New York Times Company
The New York Times

September 7, 1980, Sunday, Late City Final Edition

SECTION: Section 5; Page 11, Column 4; Sports Desk

LENGTH: 692 words

HEADLINE: INDY 500 STAYING WITH USAC

BYLINE: By STEVE POTTER

BODY:
John Cooper, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, has announced that his track's Memorial Day 500-mile race will continue to be sanctioned by the United States Auto Club.

Last June, Mr. Cooper, citing his dissatisfaction with the sanctioning by the organization, invited the country's other four major sanctioning bodies to submit proposals to officiate at next year's race. USAC, whose offices are right down the street from the Speedway, reacted by rescinding an agreement it had made with the Championship Auto Racing Teams that ceded most of the rules-making power to the car owners' group. The car owners have organized all of the subsequent Indy-car races this season, and had USAC failed to retain the Indianapolis sanction, it would have been reduced to the status of a regional minor-league sanctioning body.

USAC is still faced with the problem of making up a series of races for next year. Only Pocono International Raceway in eastern Pennsylvania, which has a management agreement with the Indianapolis track, is certain to run with USAC. All of the teams will run at Indianapolis, but CART races have enjoyed good attendance this season, and the car owners have vowed to run their own series again next year.

Mr. Cooper also announced that the 500-mile race for championship cars would be the only event on the track's calendar next year, as it has been since before World War I. Mr. Cooper had expressed an interest in running a stockcar race on an August date next year, but apparently the track was not able to reach an agreement with NASCAR, the organization that sanctions most of the major stock-car events in this country.

The fate of the Trenton Speedway, a major track since the late 1940's, is in doubt. The 130-acre New Jersey State Fair Grounds was recently sold at auction, as part of the settlement for the taxes of the former owner's estate, to a local steel company owner, Sydney Sussman. The sale is contingent on court approval, which may not be forthcoming because of a low final bid.

Mr. Sussman's plans for the parcel of land are uncertain at this time. Roger Penske, who has built a business empire on his exploits as a driver and car owner, was the last person to attempt to promote Indy-car races at the 1.5-mile kidney-shaped track. A lot of fresh paint couldn't spruce up the aging plant well enough to lure paying customers into the grounds, and Penske decided not to execute his purchase option on the track last spring.

Another old New York-area track is undergoing a rebirth. Bridgehampton Raceway, out on the tip of Long Island, was one of the postwar birthplaces of American road racing. Through the late 60's, it was the site of major American events. Unlike Sebring, Daytona or Indy, no low-slung European grand touring cars were ever named for it, but it hosted many professional and club races.

From 1971 until last year, the track hosted no professional racing, and only a few amateur events. Next weekend the circuit will host a round of the Mamiya Formula Atlantic Championship.

The series prize money is put up largely by the contestants themselves, in the form of annual registration and individual raceentry fees for each car.

No one makes money at it, but the series draws most of the aspiring Formula One drivers in North America. Gilles Villeneuve, the Canadian Ferrari team driver, made his name in the series in the mid 70's, as did Keke Rosberg, another Grand Prix pilot. Howdy Holmes, 1979 Indianpolis rookie of the year, and Bobby Rahal, who drives for one of the top Can Am teams, are also graduates of Series Four single seat open cockpit cars.

The leader in the championship so far this year is Jacques Villeneuve, the younger brother of Gilles. The reigning world champion, Jody Scheckter, is retiring from the Ferrari team at the end of the year, and already the Italian racing journalists are talking about the possibility of a brother team.


Your use of this service is governed by Terms and Conditions. Please review them.
Copyright ©2004 LexisNexis Group a division of Reed Elsevier (UK) Ltd. All rights reserved

[Madmaxfan2]

access to lexis nexis brings forth documents that would have been hidden

in relation to 1980, look who suggested a stockcar race for IMS way back then!!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright 1980 The New York Times Company
The New York Times

September 7, 1980, Sunday, Late City Final Edition

SECTION: Section 5; Page 11, Column 4; Sports Desk

LENGTH: 692 words

HEADLINE: INDY 500 STAYING WITH USAC

BYLINE: By STEVE POTTER

BODY:
John Cooper, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, has announced that his track's Memorial Day 500-mile race will continue to be sanctioned by the United States Auto Club.

Last June, Mr. Cooper, citing his dissatisfaction with the sanctioning by the organization, invited the country's other four major sanctioning bodies to submit proposals to officiate at next year's race. USAC, whose offices are right down the street from the Speedway, reacted by rescinding an agreement it had made with the Championship Auto Racing Teams that ceded most of the rules-making power to the car owners' group. The car owners have organized all of the subsequent Indy-car races this season, and had USAC failed to retain the Indianapolis sanction, it would have been reduced to the status of a regional minor-league sanctioning body.

USAC is still faced with the problem of making up a series of races for next year. Only Pocono International Raceway in eastern Pennsylvania, which has a management agreement with the Indianapolis track, is certain to run with USAC. All of the teams will run at Indianapolis, but CART races have enjoyed good attendance this season, and the car owners have vowed to run their own series again next year.

Mr. Cooper also announced that the 500-mile race for championship cars would be the only event on the track's calendar next year, as it has been since before World War I. Mr. Cooper had expressed an interest in running a stockcar race on an August date next year, but apparently the track was not able to reach an agreement with NASCAR, the organization that sanctions most of the major stock-car events in this country.

The fate of the Trenton Speedway, a major track since the late 1940's, is in doubt. The 130-acre New Jersey State Fair Grounds was recently sold at auction, as part of the settlement for the taxes of the former owner's estate, to a local steel company owner, Sydney Sussman. The sale is contingent on court approval, which may not be forthcoming because of a low final bid.

Mr. Sussman's plans for the parcel of land are uncertain at this time. Roger Penske, who has built a business empire on his exploits as a driver and car owner, was the last person to attempt to promote Indy-car races at the 1.5-mile kidney-shaped track. A lot of fresh paint couldn't spruce up the aging plant well enough to lure paying customers into the grounds, and Penske decided not to execute his purchase option on the track last spring.

Another old New York-area track is undergoing a rebirth. Bridgehampton Raceway, out on the tip of Long Island, was one of the postwar birthplaces of American road racing. Through the late 60's, it was the site of major American events. Unlike Sebring, Daytona or Indy, no low-slung European grand touring cars were ever named for it, but it hosted many professional and club races.

From 1971 until last year, the track hosted no professional racing, and only a few amateur events. Next weekend the circuit will host a round of the Mamiya Formula Atlantic Championship.

The series prize money is put up largely by the contestants themselves, in the form of annual registration and individual raceentry fees for each car.

No one makes money at it, but the series draws most of the aspiring Formula One drivers in North America. Gilles Villeneuve, the Canadian Ferrari team driver, made his name in the series in the mid 70's, as did Keke Rosberg, another Grand Prix pilot. Howdy Holmes, 1979 Indianpolis rookie of the year, and Bobby Rahal, who drives for one of the top Can Am teams, are also graduates of Series Four single seat open cockpit cars.

The leader in the championship so far this year is Jacques Villeneuve, the younger brother of Gilles. The reigning world champion, Jody Scheckter, is retiring from the Ferrari team at the end of the year, and already the Italian racing journalists are talking about the possibility of a brother team.


Your use of this service is governed by Terms and Conditions. Please review them.
Copyright ©2004 LexisNexis Group a division of Reed Elsevier (UK) Ltd. All
rights reserved
Thanks for the response. Creditabilty can be attributed to my thoughts. I tired hard to find that info. It contained more a smoking gun than I thought.
However, it is up to TG to right the wrongs.

[Peter Venkman]

And here I was thinking it was just another fudge packer....