I think as with a lot of business proposals that come together, sometimes you look back and you think ‘maybe I should’ve done it this way or that way,’ but sometimes it has to happen pretty quickly. I think this is something that was worked on for a long time, not necessarily by CART but by the promoter, and all of a sudden it was time to say ‘we can do this.’ And then it’s a matter of saying, ‘well CART, do you agree or don't you agree, because we have a lot of work to do from the time we announce it to the race time.’ So you have to understand what they have to go through.

"I think for the most part everyone’s excited about the program, even the people that do have some complications because of it. I mean, I’ve got problems. I’ve gotta get extra money. It’s not a free race for me. But I’m excited about it for CART, for our drivers, and for the show - for motor racing in general."

Derrick Walker also expounds on the decision-making time frame. "I think the whole concept of the race came together fairly quickly, so it caught a lot of people by surprise. Obviously, if you’re a company like Honda, you have budgets planned a year, maybe a year and a half in advance. So finding additional money for an extra race at a late stage logistically and financially has an impact.

"My experience talking to Honda is that they’re clearly going to support all of their teams with engines. There is an additional fee to the teams because there is an additional race that’s been added to the series. So I think regardless of whether we went to Hawaii or went to Illinois or whereever, I think adding another race to the schedule would have some impact on our contracts with the engine suppliers, so there’s that issue. But you know, with Honda any discussions I’ve had have mostly been very positive."

"No, I haven’t heard any of those accounts at all," insists Steve Horne, no longer owner of the Tasman team but still running the ship as General Manager under Gerry Forsythe’s ownership. "No, I don’t think so. I think the Hawaiian event is very unique in concept. so I think it’s very early for everybody to draw conclusions about it...I think the fact that there is some controversy adds to the excitement, adds to the value, and builds up momentum going up to the event."

Forsythe now has two separate teams totaling three cars and dealing with two different engine suppliers. "Absolutely not. We’ve received written communication from Honda - I haven’t received from Mercedes - but no indication at all that either one of these manufacturers would not support this race. I can’t answer for Players or McDonald’s (if sponsors are complaining). It’s an opportunity for the CART organization and all the sponsors to promote the Hawaiian Super Prix on a worldwide basis, and I don’t think any manufacturer would want to not be involved in this race."

Although he did not make the trip himself, Bruce McCaw’s PacWest team made the first official foray to Hawaii this summer, with Mauricio Gugelmin running the first ever laps at Kalaeloa Airport on June 12. Regarding Mercedes or other team suppliers, "I’m not aware of any particular issues. It did come up on relatively short notice...well of course, it had been discussed for some period of time. I can’t speak to exactly when CART communicated the plans to the various suppliers and so on, but I think there were at least a few weeks’ notice.

"I think as far as I know, and this has been subject to some conversation at board meetings and whatnot, while time was fairly short, I think everybody was given the opportunity to comment on it before the race was set, and at that time there were no adverse comments to going forward on it, and I continue to believe, well, I’m sure everybody’s feeling a little pushed, but one, it’s a very exciting opportunity for our sport, and I think everybody recognizes the benefits that can come from this event.

"With everything in this business, somebody always has an opinion on everything. But fundamentally, I hear a hundred more positive comments than I do negative. It’s new, it’s different, it certainly has some level of being controversial because it is new and different. I think the owners - we discussed it long and hard before we committed ourselves to it...we looked at it and said this is worth a try. It’s an interesting opportunity; we should pursue it because it will bring attention to the sport that will be very positive, and I think that’s why we did it. That’s why we’re here...I think everybody who’s able to participate will be happy to be there, from the drivers to crews and team owners and sponsors. It’ll be a nice place to be that time of year, and hopefully it will be a very exciting opportunity."

Tony Bettenhausen had heard some of the grumblings. "I think it probably could’ve been handled differently. When you’re dealing with substantial budgets, they should be kept informed. But also, when you’re trying to make a big splash and have people know about it, the less likely you can keep it under cover."

One of those who knew about the Super Prix earlier than most was Robby Gordon’s co-owner Mike Held. "Actually, I was part of the executive committee back in ‘92 when the initial Hawaiian Super Prix was started. (HSP co-founder) Bob Kachler at that time was involved in that project, and we were planning on using Shelby Can-Am cars with a number of drivers, and part of my responsibility was to locate the drivers and get them signed up to the program...I was formerly an engineer with Bell Helmets, and obviously I had a personal relationship with most of the drivers that allowed the opportunity and the access to be able to get those guys signed on board.

"Unfortunately that program didn’t happen then. The merits and the idea behind the program is actually pretty intriguing. It was intriguing in ‘92, and it’s still intriguing today. So when the announcement came, it wasn’t surprising to me, because I obviously was in on it a few years ago, and the issue really at that time was an issue of funding, and who was going to provide the funding for the purse and promote it and that sort of thing."

Held sums up the thinking of the engine manufacturers, including his own. "I don’t specifically know what in our case Toyota’s position is with regard to that race. I know that there has been some discussion with other engine manufacturers, and they weren’t happy with the way the program was initially presented. From our standpoint, we’ll play it by ear and we’ll see what happens in terms of where we finish in the season and how the project looks at the end of the year, and we’ll see what happens from there."

So while Clarke and his colleagues may have some legitimate concerns, they’re anything but insurmountable in Walker’s estimation. "The impact to the budget is normal - come late and then they’ve got to find additional money, and they’ve got people to add because that’s the time when everybody’s taking vacations and getting over the season. So I don’t think it’s such a big deal, no, I don’t think it is...when they got the announcement, the engine manufacturers, if you talk about them in particular, Honda in particular, they just went away and calculated what it would cost the teams and said, ‘if this additional race is added, this is what it’s going to cost you.’

"It was just a matter of giving us the information, and teams didn’t say anything. They didn’t have a problem with that. They understand that’s a commercial issue - we’ll add more races to the schedule! But you have to look at it from the other side of the coin, which is the race is such a huge financial (gain), you know, prize money and appearance just getting in the race, being one of the qualified ones for the race, and there’s more than enough money there to pay for your additional engines that you use for that event. I’m surprised we’re really talking about it, because it’s not really been a problem."

The drivers, it seems, have heard even less of the grumblings over this issue than the owners. "No, I haven’t heard anything," says Al Unser, Jr. "As far as I know, it’s on, and we’re gonna be going for it."

PJ Jones concurs. "You hear rumors here and there, but as far as I know, they’re doing a lot of press, so it looks like it’s gonna be on to me."

For teammate Adrian Fernandez, it remains a non-issue. "No, we haven’t heard that issue yet. We have thought about it, but we haven’t had any situation with the sponsors or even discussed it with my team owner yet. It’s something that Pat Patrick will have to work out with my sponsors."

Tony Kanaan isn’t among the worried. "We haven’t heard anything about that; that’s out of my control. Actually I’m paid to do 20 races, and I’m not charging extra to go to that race! I don’t think we’re gonna have any problem with the sponsor. If we’re in the top 12, I think we’re gonna go. It’s gonna be a beautiful race; you guys are putting a lot of effort into it. It’s gonna be a good crowd and a lot of prize money, so I think everybody’s gonna go."

Ditto for Gil deFerran. "That’s pretty much the way I feel about it. It’s beyond my control - I have no control over the race - to influence the outcome of the race or if it’s gonna happen or not. So basically I don’t think about it. In my mind, it would be nice for it to happen, and as of now, I believe it is, and we’ll plan to have a nice holiday and nice race down there.

"I know always adding any race to the schedule sometimes puts a strain on the budget. But I think with the way this race is being put together, it’s probably gonna be good for any sponsor that’s gonna be involved with it, and it’s gonna be good for the series."

As far as the teams go, they need not worry about having to pay their own way there in terms of travel. "Traditionally," Held says, with regard to our international races or any overseas races that require travel like that, the promoter picks up the tab for the cars to get shipped there." While not revealing any specifics to date for invitations that supposedly have not been issued, Heard has indicated HSP will likewise pick up these costs.

"From that standpoint then, you’re basically talking about the costs to really go to a test," Held continues. "You have an engine program, obviously, that’s gonna cost you some money in terms of rebuilds and preparation, but that’s not out of the norm for most teams...the way the race teams operate nowadays, you have your crew basically on a year-round basis, so that part of it doesn’t really pose a problem."

"I’m sure that it puts a little strain on everybody’s budgets; it does ours too," says McCaw. "But at the end of the day, I think it’s a great opportunity, and I’m sure everybody is going to be there, and everybody is going to support it well, because it really is a unique opportunity for us."

What kinds of additional costs would then be involved at the teams’ expense? According to Walker, "there’s not that much difference from any other race. We’ve got employees to pay for, per diems, food, hotel, routine expenses, so it’s not an (exceptionally) expensive race to go to by any means...we’re still subsidizing; the manufacturer’s still paying a lot towards that, but each team would have to pay x amount for the additional engines they’d use."

"Certainly they do have concerns about flying people around the world," Bettenhausen concurs. "That’s the way it works for all our international races...the teams still have to pay for per diems for the team members and incidental costs. That’ll be the same situation in Hawaii."

Adds Horne, "well, logisitically I think it’s very easy from the teams’ point of view. We’re all used to travelling, and going to Hawaii is no big deal."