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trauma1
07-06-05, 11:59 AM
ftg loses his best track to go to canada and streeet race. the gomers at crack forum are in full meltdown, this is priceless :rofl:


from the Dallas Morning News:

Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said Tuesday there's a chance the IRL will not race at TMS in 2006 because of schedule changes the IRL plans to make next year.

"It's a possibility," Gossage said of losing the IRL date. "It depends on a lot of things, some of which are out of our control."

John Griffin, the IRL's vice president of public relations, said the IRL wants to keep a TMS event next year.

"But as I understand it, the ball is in Eddie's court," Griffin said. "We've given TMS two options."

The IRL wants a TMS race the Sunday afternoon after the Indianapolis 500. The other TMS option is the traditional Saturday night race the following weekend, but another speedway would have the IRL event immediately after the Indy 500.

Gossage finds both options hard to accept.

"Our IRL event is built on a Saturday night as the first race after the Indy 500," Gossage said. "It's a shame that a tradition which has been incredibly beneficial to the IRL suddenly is not important to them."

Since 1997, TMS has hosted the IRL race on the Saturday night two weeks after the Indy 500. Crowds for IRL events at TMS have been in the 80,000-100,000 range – more than any IRL race other than the Indy 500 draws.

TMS had two IRL events a year in 1998-2004 but had only the June race this year after finally gaining a second Nextel Cup race for November.

Griffin said the IRL wants a more compact timeline in 2006. The goal is to capitalize on the interest of the Indy 500 by running on three straight weekends after the Memorial Day weekend event.

Kansas Speedway is expected to take the June weekend TMS doesn't choose, but Gossage said he isn't sure about either weekend. He listed several reasons for not wanting to race the weekend after the Indy 500.

The June IRL event at TMS is paired with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Gossage said NASCAR officials have told him the trucks are not available to race on the first weekend in June next year. Gossage doesn't want to run the IRL weekend without the truck race, which is a profitable event for the speedway.

"And some of our sponsors and hospitality clients won't even talk to us until after the Indy 500," Gossage said. "Since you lose Memorial Day, that doesn't give you enough time to put everything in place. It has a financial impact."

Gossage also fears fewer cars would compete. Some of the lesser-funded teams could wreck cars at Indy and not have time to make repairs.

Weather is another concern. Gossage said the early June heat could be a problem for fans and drivers in an afternoon event.

That leaves the second June weekend. What about keeping the Saturday night race?

"We're considering whether we want to do that or not," Gossage said. "Some problems would have to be negotiated."

TMS contracts with the IRL have stated that TMS would get the event immediately after the Indy 500. That would no longer be true if TMS keeps the same date.

Gossage said he must reach a contract agreement with the IRL within the next 10 days to include an IRL event in the 2006 package for TMS season ticket holders. Order forms usually are mailed Aug. 1.

"We are doing everything we can to work this out," Gossage said. "I'm hopeful we can get something done. But we are way past our normal deadline. We need to do something quickly."
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Brickman
07-06-05, 12:08 PM
Fingers crossed, hoping they dump Texas.

KLang
07-06-05, 12:09 PM
The goal is to capitalize on the interest of the Indy 500 by running on three straight weekends after the Memorial Day weekend event.

Wouldn't that be pretty brutal on the teams?



I :laugh: at Gossage's comment about tradition. Doesn't he realize he is dealing with FTG?

cameraman
07-06-05, 12:13 PM
The June IRL event at TMS is paired with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Gossage said NASCAR officials have told him the trucks are not available to race on the first weekend in June next year. Gossage doesn't want to run the IRL weekend without the truck race, which is a profitable event for the speedway.

No trucks, no race. Hmmm.

Brickman
07-06-05, 12:16 PM
No trucks, no race. Hmmm.

California also use to have the trucks coupled with open wheel, no longer.

trauma1
07-06-05, 12:19 PM
but they will have a street race in canada :rofl: :rofl:
the vision continues, now it's a full blown hallucination :rofl:

Wheel-Nut
07-06-05, 12:24 PM
TG just doesn't know what Texas and Trucks means. . . .

racer2c
07-06-05, 12:34 PM
Fingers crossed, hoping they dump Texas.

They are not dumping Texas. Texas is dumping them.

Brickman
07-06-05, 12:38 PM
They are not dumping Texas. Texas is dumping them.

Not sure how you could spin that one that way at all.

They have a date. Stick to it and they have a race. IF the IRL alters the date they may not be able to race there.

Now if Texas said "we only have a date in January for you", you would be right.

Brickman
07-06-05, 12:44 PM
I do think that Texas doesn't need the IRL anymore because of their two Cup dates, they ding their season ticket holders enough, same can be said for Fontana and Phoenix, we no longer get the IRL tickets as part of the season package.

racer2c
07-06-05, 12:56 PM
Not sure how you could spin that one that way at all.

They have a date. Stick to it and they have a race. IF the IRL alters the date they may not be able to race there.

Now if Texas said "we only have a date in January for you", you would be right.

I'll try to keep the words small for you....1RL says these are the dates we want to change to. TMS says no. Bye Bye .1RL.

What's there to spin?

NismoZ
07-06-05, 01:24 PM
I too thought that was pretty simple to figure out. :) Spin can make one dizzy.

NismoZ
07-06-05, 01:27 PM
BUT...I can't believe TMS really wants to jettison an 80-100k + gate...It's just "one o' them negotiatin' deals." :)

Andrew Longman
07-06-05, 01:39 PM
BUT...I can't believe TMS really wants to jettison an 80-100k + gate...It's just "one o' them negotiatin' deals." :)

I think TMS is saying that if they have to run it without the Trucks and/or in the midday sun they aren't sure they'll get 80,000 or even enough to make it worthwhile.

Brickman
07-06-05, 01:42 PM
I'll try to keep the words small for you....1RL says these are the dates we want to change to. TMS says no. Bye Bye .1RL.

What's there to spin?

It's the IRL wanting the date change to keep the 500 buzz going, not TMS, they want to be the traditional lead race right after the 500, but of course they want to couple it with the Trucks, more cost effective to run both on same weekend.

Brickman
07-06-05, 01:51 PM
NASCAR hasn't even announced the 2006 schedule. Like I said, I don't even watch, listen to, check timing & scoring for Texas. I hope they both get in a pissing war and don't go back.

devilmaster
07-06-05, 01:58 PM
It's the IRL wanting the date change to keep the 500 buzz going


1RL says these are the dates we want to change to.

So you both agree..... whats the problem here? ;)

Jag_Warrior
07-06-05, 04:12 PM
Like I said, I don't even watch, listen to, check timing & scoring for Texas.

Why?

racer2c
07-06-05, 04:25 PM
Why?

I think he's worried Danikcle will get dizzy.

coolhand
07-06-05, 05:01 PM
this is the new IRL Vision, street courses, they never liked texas anyway.

Ozarkian
07-06-05, 05:10 PM
I'm really enjoying the irony of a racetrack telling Tony George that his series does not respect their traditions and heritage, and that they may take their ball and go home.

cameraman
07-06-05, 06:04 PM
Tony George can't seem to wrap his brain around the concept that the IRL race is a support race for the Craftsman Trucks. (Just like CCWS is at Las Vegas)
Clearly the Frances either can't or won't reschedule the truck race.
Could it be that they are not interested in helping the IRL :rolleyes:

.

Brickman
07-06-05, 07:57 PM
Why?

I never liked it. I remember starting a post at Speednet (way before the birth of TF) my "dissention" about Texas. It's because of the formula, the banking has always raised the level of those less capable, 24 degrees is too much under the existing formula regardless of the quality of the drivers. Chicago has 18 and Kansas has 15.

Oh and Splatlanta has 24 degrees too.

http://indymotorspeedway.com/atlwreck.jpg

RichK
07-06-05, 09:40 PM
BUT...I can't believe TMS really wants to jettison an 80-100k + gate...It's just "one o' them negotiatin' deals." :)

The latest American Airlines in-flight magazine has a story about Eddie. He's quoted as saying (paraphrased, I'll snag a copy on my way home this week): "Getting 100k through the gate isn't enough".

coolhand
07-06-05, 11:04 PM
methinks the IRL is getting complacent because of Danica

Jervis Tetch 1
07-07-05, 12:04 AM
methinks the IRL is getting complacent because of DanicaMy sentiments exactly.

devilmaster
07-07-05, 12:10 AM
methinks the IRL is getting complacent because of Danica

Nah, I think if anything, its TG's ego. They said earlier this year they'd be in Canada, all the while hinting it would be toronto. Now CC hasn't rolled over for them, and so part of me thinks Tony is looking for anywhere to run in the great white north.

La Belle Province is really a no brainer - they are die hard motorsport fans (trois rivieres comes to mind).

This to me looks like desperation to make good on outlandish promises, that once again Tony can't make happen.

FRANKY
07-07-05, 01:27 AM
methinks the IRL is getting complacent because of Danica

methinks everything Danica pertains to every explanation for anything IRL related at OC. As pointed out in the Danica pole thread, her shadow isn't bigger than she is, everything is conspiracy related and attributed to DP.

Is it true she's really Canadian and that's why the IRL wants to dump Texas and go to Canada? :gomer:

cameraman
07-07-05, 01:39 AM
It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the IRL needs to run a race the week after Indy to try to build a new following off of all that May hype. Too bad for the IRL the folks at Texas Motor Speedway and the Craftsman Truck Series don't give a damn.

FRANKY
07-07-05, 02:09 AM
It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the IRL needs to run a race the week after Indy to try to build a new following off of all that May hype. Too bad for the IRL the folks at Texas Motor Speedway and the Craftsman Truck Series don't give a damn.

The Trucks race twice in April, twice in May, and four times in June, they have six and eight days between races in June. They are at Dover (with Cup) the week after Memorial weekend, then comes Texas, then off to Michigan (with Cup).

So TMS is going to do it's best to keep the IRL there on Saturday Night, because the trucks will be there no matter what. The truck date can't be moved. The IRL could move someplace else the weekend after Indy and still be in Texas for a Sunday race. Three races back to back to back.