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| |  | Date: Mon, 25 May 98 19:17:17
From: "Sherrie Alexander"
Subject: Great Article!
Thanks for your article and personal insights into the truly pitiful situation between the IRL and CART; especially it's impact on the Indy 500. No one feels good about the restrictions placed on participation in the greatest racing event of the year.
It is my opinion that the die hard fans of open wheel racing just want to see strong, competitive, fair and safe racing. Our loyalties are with the drivers -- not their 'political' affiliation.
While I understand the 'grounds for divorce,' I can't help but agree with you that there has to be some sort of solution that will lead to a reconciliation -- a resolve that will solidify and strengthen a single organization.
Both organizations have terrific talent and potential. Wouldn't it be great if we could pool the resources and assets of each to create the opportunity for drivers to compete in the greatest open wheel racing series in the world!!
On a personal note, your participation in the Indy 500 was sincerely missed. Your strong and heroic performance of last year sincerely demonstrated your passion for racing. It is that intensity and drive that is so inspiring to those of us who live vicariously through your efforts.
Robby, you are one of the great drivers who has the ability to win the Indy. Don't give up hope . . . there just has to be a solution.
Sherrie AlexanderSeattle, WA | Thanks for the moral support. Unfortunately I hope someonewill rise to the surface, capable of presiding over such complicated issues.It really takes someone knowledgable in open wheel racing as well asaccomplished in his/her negotiating skills. With the recent TV numbers nowpublic knowledge, it becomes even more evident that something has to give. Wejust need to find the right person.
Isn't that true of just about every successful business, if we just had theright people. People are everything! |
| | Date: Mon, 25 May 1998 21:09:46
From: "Jeff Jacobs"
Subject: Welcome back Robby
robby: I just read your article. My heart goes out to you. The fans of cartare sad the entire month of may also. I personally feel as if there hasbeen a major part of my life torn away from me. The speedway makes the hairon the back of my neck stand up every time I enter the gates. The historyand tradition is second to no other place on the face of the earth. Myquestion is this.... For cryin out loud, can't someone organize a commityto pursue every avenue possible to get back to INDY. I for one am tired ofthe mexican stand off and feel anything is possible. Persistance breaksdown resistance.
Sincerely, Jeff Jacobs | | Jeff - anyone who has every attended or participated at Indy knows whatwe are talking about here. It's all about passion. What we need to do iselect an ambassador to move this project forward. An ambassador appointed bythe people who know open wheel auto racing. Maybe we can get Peter Burke tostart a survey of the team who could make this happen. Thanks for yoursupport. |
| | Date: Mon, 25 May 1998 22:00:24 EDT
From: Moulten98, Jack Nubis
Subject: Tad bit of heartache?
Robby -
You've spoken a lot recently about how the past is the past and that you'dlike to move on to a positive future, which it seems you have joining CART andToyota. Your run at Nazareth was fantastic and I look forward to morethrilling drives from you as the year progresses. But through your column itseems obvious that not running Indy pains you a great deal. With a reunion ofCART and Indy not very likely, and further, CART seeming to be going as faraway from Indy and the IRL as possible, would you have been better off to tryand pursue a ride/career in the IRL? Your name and starpower, not to mentionyour status as a young American driver, would have been a welcome shot in thearm for the League and the 500. It also might have given me a reason to watchthe race.
Jack Nubis | | Jack, I think you've misinterpreted the support of the Indy 500 for thesupport of the IRL. Don't get me wrong here, I am a racer. If there wasenough time in a day and it wouldn't affect my career politically, I would tryto run all the races CART and the IRL. The item that pains me, Jack, is notbeing able to compete at Indy. The TV ratings debacle is further evidencethat what I am saying is true. Indy is now just another race as far as TV andadvertisers are concerned. Daytona and NASCAR now have the crown jewel. Wehave got to solve this situation quickly or we run the risk of having itforever seperated. Fan attendance will always be good. It's Indy. |
| | Date: Mon, 25 May 1998 22:39:59 EDT
From: TeamORT
Subject: Indy 500
I read your letter about the Indy 500. I agree that there should be some wayof letting the drivers/teams choose which venues to run at. I dont think thatanything is going to make that happen in the near future. My question is thatif winning Indy is so high on your priority list, why run in CART? I would bewilling to bet my life that there were top IRL teams foaming at the mouth foryour services. I think that to win Indy has been ruduced to winning a quartermidget race (unfortunately) In my humble opinion, your career would be betterremembered for bringing Toyota its first ever CART victory. P.S. I havedriven karts along side your sister.. she is very nice.
-Chris | | Chris: I appreciate what you have to say. My interest in Indy doesand has not detered my passion to help Toyota move to the front in CART. Wewill do that. I am just saddened by the whole situation. I am hopeful thatwe can, in the very near future figure out a way to make this work for all ofus. While the issue of winning Indy being compared to winning a quartermidget race is an interesting comparision, I bet Eddie Cheever and Owen Synderdon't feel that way. It's no coincidence that the winners at Indy have a longhistory there. One could bet that the winner would probalby come fromLuyendyk, Lazier, Boesel, Cheever or Hamilton(Galles Team). Thoseteams/drivers had all the experience at Indy. Of the 70 years of experience,I bet over 60% of the experience came from those guys. |
| | Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 08:26:12 -0500
From: jstephen
Subject: Indy Champ Car Formula
Robby,
I like your idea about a formula, but wouldn't it be more benificial topromote the Indy 500 as it was decades ago? Front engine cars, rearengine cars, aluminum chassis, carbon fiber chassis. Let the fans watch33 of the fastest cars in the world, no matter what league they may comefrom.
I have to say that I really like the articles you have written forspeedcenter and for speednet. It's great to get the thoughts andviewpoints of the drivers of the series, rather than just the spectatorsor reporters.
Keep up the good work..writing, and with Toyota.
Sincerely,
Jordan Stephen | | Jordan, the only problem with "run what you brung" is the cost issue.Although a loophole in the rules allowed Penske in '94 to run away with theshow. That is the problem. If there are no specific rules, the guys with themost money will win. Interesting, but that didn't happen this year or last.I love that part. |
| | Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 15:57:16 -0500 From: Mark Lockwood
Subject: Welcome back!
Welcome back to CART. I enjoyed your article on the Speedway. I live in Indiana and have always spent my Mays at the track. I hope something comes together soon. I have always been a fan of yours and was listening to your communications with your crew on my scanner during St.Louis. It seems like you have a pretty good raport with them. My question is this: How difficult is it for you and them to adjust? You have always been in a competitive ride. Arceiro/Wells, up to this point, has never had a car/driver combo capable of winning. They have never had to use much race strategy or had the importance of quick pit stops. Is this an adjustment that takes alot of time? Stay with it! Toyota is going to be a winner with you! | Mark: I hope you don't listen to too much of my scanner. I've been knownto go off. That of course was the old days. As you probably heard at St.Louis my guys are the greatest. Sometimes it's just frustrating for me. TimBumps, Gordon Koppick and Kenny Anderson are very calm guys. And are verysupportive even when things aren't going so good. You have those types of
days. But the adjustment period hasn't been too bad. The more races we havetogether the better we'll get. |
| | | Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 23:20:03 EDT
From: VetteLT196
Subject: Response to "a tad bit of heartache"
I have to agree with you Robby. It really is a sad state of affairs and Imiss the Indy 500. I no longer watch the race, since I don't know any ofthese people. Also, the IRL engines make the track sound like a NASCAR race,which by itself is not bad, as long as you are watching a NASCAR race. I likesome of the ideas you had to allow CART & IRL to compete together head tohead. I just hope that the message doesn't fall on deaf ears. I think thereal problem is ego, greed and prejudice. Tony seems to want it all and hasno ethics when it comes to loyal race fans. It seems that he has tapped intothe roundy-roundy drivers from dirt tracks across America and is appealing tothose people who only want to see "American" drivers (I hear this alot fromIRL fans). Well, I want to see the best racing possible and that means thatwe don't exlude foreign drivers like the unofficial policy of the IRL. Hey,when's the last time you saw an F1 driver come from across the pond to racefor the IRL or an IRL driver leave to race for F1. ( F1: another sore spot -Bernie & ESPN ) I know this letter is getting a little long, ( hope you gotthis far ) but I feel that if Tony doesn't come around in the next year, thenCART should go ahead with plans for a head to head race the same day as Indy.Maybe CART could race at LeMans or something. Enough already, it's time to(as you say) race on, and if that means without INDY, well so be it. I loveto see good oval racing, but not "all the time", give me a generous helping ofroad racing please.
A life long racing fan,
Lee van Gaalen
North Haledon, NJ
PS Keep up the good work, both racing and writing !!! | Lee: Great post.
There is something about the turbo chargedengines that drives all of us open wheel nuts. The heard of bees at the dropof the green is music to our ears. I suspect your right that if a dealdoesn't come together within the next year, we will probably be foreverseperated. Unless of course some guys decide to come back just to run atIndy. Only time will tell. |
| | | | "While the issue of winning Indy being compared to winning a quartermidget race is an interesting comparision, I bet Eddie Cheever and Owen Synderdon't feel that way. It's no coincidence that the winners at Indy have a longhistory there." | |
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