IRL vs. Champ Cars: What The Loyalist Fans Lose Sight Of
Written by George Katinger · October 15, 2005
If you cruise the internet and read various comments in racing forums from fans of Champ Cars and the IRL, you’d think the Civil War was kids play. And the war between the states was MORE civil based on the tone of the fans comments!
speedtv.com: OLSON: Growing Roots
Jeff Olson’s commentary is based on his experiences at the inaugural IRL road race at Watkins Glen this year. It also contains a message that should transcend the civil war that the two organizations are waging as well as the fans of both.
The important thing is the racing. Whether on ovals, road courses, street courses, or any hybrid form in between, it’s all about the racing experience. At least it should be. The ultimate tragedy of the competition between the two series is the alienation of large segments of fan loyalty. You can say that the fringe fans who are passionately opposed to one or the other are that segment that are willing to voice (or write) their opinions, good bad or otherwise. But it is breeding a division that may be impossible to heal. And it may be causing large numbers of potential fans to go to NASCAR instead of testing the waters of either league.
Either way Jeff’s article brings me back to what should be paramount in any racing fan’s criteria; the on track action as well as it’s historical importance.
Thanks Jeff.
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4 Responses to “IRL vs. Champ Cars: What The Loyalist Fans Lose Sight Of”
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CHAMP Cars are it and always have been. Sorry, but somehow I remember when the IRL, (Champ Car Want-to-be’s who couldn’t get a ride or compete), started their own series was to keep Open Wheel racing in the United States on OVALS, STAYING ON OVALS, along with Keeping cost down. Now it seems they are not only on Road Courses but also looking outside the U.S. Make up your mind, or did you find out that Champ Car is the best and as they are growing you’re now trying to keep up. They just needed a Great New Boss who will take it back to the LEVEL it once was before Tony George and his gang did what they did. If they run Indy great, if not WHO CARES. I’ll admit lots of history, but maybe it’s time for a CHANGE. Find or make another great 500 miler and let it become the NEW CHAMP CAR PREMIER similar to what was INDY but PLEASE don’t make it some 3-weeks plus. Indy still has F1 and they put on a GREAT show, Loved that! Then signed them up for next year. They have NASCAR and let those 2 keep Indy going. Everything goes around and comes around. Before you know it CHAMP Car will be right back competing with F1 and you know it will still run on OVALS in the United States and all the other great racing venues in the world. Street/Temporary Courses, OVALS, and Road Courses. Maybe a few IRL teams can still compete at the CHAMP Car level and go back. With TV seeing the increase in CHAMP Car viewing and interest, I just hope FOX or NBC can pick it up and make a great offer and get CHAMP Car back on PRIME time before ABC throws out some amount to try and get back their losses. Don’t have to like what was said just one opinion, but take a good look and go back to the START of this entire MESS. They had a great chance to start something that would match NASCAR/BUSCH or close. If they would have worked together at the start instead of someone or a group trying to take it all and do it there way.
Well maybe now will find out?
Great observations Spike, all of them, and accurate. I think all open wheel fans know the history of the two series, how we got here and where we stand. That wasn’t the point of the article or my comments.
Jeff Olson’s take was the importance of the historic aspect of the Glen and how well the IRL event ran. My take was the importance of racing in general and being there.
As race fans we need to come together to support our series as opposed to bad mouthing the opposition. Maybe, just maybe, the two can still reconcile their differences and save the sport: Or mutually grow and thrive. I hope for the former and have little hope for the latter.
CHAMP cars? Isn’t that that north-of-the-border cart league, the Canadian High And Mighty Primadonnas? The F1 wanna-be’s that couldn’t stand the speeds of Texas Motor Speedway? Not even P.T. wants to stay there.
Although I will continue to watch both series, in the knowledge that neither provide an ideal package.I’m reaching the stage in the political debate of the “split” where I will bury my head in the sand & have somebody wake me when it’s over.I just hope that there will be enough resourses left over to rebuid open wheel racing in the States when one side collapses.It appears, at the moment, that Champ has a better chance of longevity, for that KK deserves praise.Maybe the only way forward is for one series to bottom out, reunification seems unlikely.The article above highlights what keeps any racing series alive, the opinion & support of the paying public.