rabbit
09-20-05, 05:12 PM
cameraman posted the link to this interview (http://www.speedtv.com/articles/champcar/auto/19702/) on another thread (http://www.offcamber.net/forums/showthread.php?p=121627#post121627), but I thought it deserved its own thread.
Less than a week after being officially starting at his new job as Champ Car president, former SCCA honcho Steve Johnson faced the media to answer questions about some of the most pressing issues regarding the Champ Car World Series, including the possibility of reunification with the IRL (zilch), the series’ much-anticipated technical package for 2007 and ways to boost the current 18-car fields already for ‘06.
“We've got challenges in front of us, there are certain priorities,” he admitted. “I'd have to say our No. 1 priority is working with our race teams, putting healthy race teams out on the track for our fans and for our sponsors. Obviously marketing is a major area that we're working on, and television. Those are three high priorities as we move forward.
“We are in talks with several other teams, so I see that number growing, and growing rapidly. Speaking of growing, take a look at what's happened with Atlantics. I think they've sold now 36 or 37 Atlantics for next year, which is a real healthy sign for our entire sport.
“I've had a lot of discussions already with the team owners. We're in some major negotiations right now with several sponsors that are not only team sponsors but series sponsors. Boy, all I can say is stay tuned because we're going to have some big announcements coming up that has a lot to do with our teams as well as series. So things are actually looking very good there.”
Johnson revealed that the announcement of the 2007 Champ Car formula, which was initially expected to be unveiled ahead of this Saturday’s Las Vegas race, has been delayed as the sanctioning body remains undecided on multiple proposals.
“We're probably two weeks away from announcing the '07 chassis,” he said. “Without tipping our hat, we haven't selected yet who that is going to be. Whichever way we go, it's going to be a major win for the series as well as for the team owners. The car looks fantastic.”
He also confirmed that Champ Car’s current 15-race ‘06 schedule is not yet final, and that the series’ TV package for next year is also being finalized:
“It's no secret we're looking to add another race for '06. If Philadelphia has a secret, it's probably the worst-kept secret there ever was. But we are in discussions with Philadelphia as a market. The TV package is just not done yet. Again, as I said, they're on a call right now. We're working towards finalizing that and getting out very soon. The good news, all three of those are very positive. We look to have those done here in the real short-term.”
Finally, Champ Car’s new president again made official what the entire American open-wheel world already knows: the window of opportunity for a Champ Car/IRL unification is closed shut.
“What Champ Car is focused on is our business and our business model and we're not focused on what IRL is doing; we're not focused on what NASCAR is doing. I was asked about reunification. The only unification that I'm focused on right now is making sure that everybody that's involved with Champ Car is on the same page, moving the same direction with the same goals in mind. It's not a priority of mine to reunify or to focus on the IRL.”
Bravo. It's about damed time. :thumbup:
Less than a week after being officially starting at his new job as Champ Car president, former SCCA honcho Steve Johnson faced the media to answer questions about some of the most pressing issues regarding the Champ Car World Series, including the possibility of reunification with the IRL (zilch), the series’ much-anticipated technical package for 2007 and ways to boost the current 18-car fields already for ‘06.
“We've got challenges in front of us, there are certain priorities,” he admitted. “I'd have to say our No. 1 priority is working with our race teams, putting healthy race teams out on the track for our fans and for our sponsors. Obviously marketing is a major area that we're working on, and television. Those are three high priorities as we move forward.
“We are in talks with several other teams, so I see that number growing, and growing rapidly. Speaking of growing, take a look at what's happened with Atlantics. I think they've sold now 36 or 37 Atlantics for next year, which is a real healthy sign for our entire sport.
“I've had a lot of discussions already with the team owners. We're in some major negotiations right now with several sponsors that are not only team sponsors but series sponsors. Boy, all I can say is stay tuned because we're going to have some big announcements coming up that has a lot to do with our teams as well as series. So things are actually looking very good there.”
Johnson revealed that the announcement of the 2007 Champ Car formula, which was initially expected to be unveiled ahead of this Saturday’s Las Vegas race, has been delayed as the sanctioning body remains undecided on multiple proposals.
“We're probably two weeks away from announcing the '07 chassis,” he said. “Without tipping our hat, we haven't selected yet who that is going to be. Whichever way we go, it's going to be a major win for the series as well as for the team owners. The car looks fantastic.”
He also confirmed that Champ Car’s current 15-race ‘06 schedule is not yet final, and that the series’ TV package for next year is also being finalized:
“It's no secret we're looking to add another race for '06. If Philadelphia has a secret, it's probably the worst-kept secret there ever was. But we are in discussions with Philadelphia as a market. The TV package is just not done yet. Again, as I said, they're on a call right now. We're working towards finalizing that and getting out very soon. The good news, all three of those are very positive. We look to have those done here in the real short-term.”
Finally, Champ Car’s new president again made official what the entire American open-wheel world already knows: the window of opportunity for a Champ Car/IRL unification is closed shut.
“What Champ Car is focused on is our business and our business model and we're not focused on what IRL is doing; we're not focused on what NASCAR is doing. I was asked about reunification. The only unification that I'm focused on right now is making sure that everybody that's involved with Champ Car is on the same page, moving the same direction with the same goals in mind. It's not a priority of mine to reunify or to focus on the IRL.”
Bravo. It's about damed time. :thumbup: