Source: AutoWeek.com
Indy Racing League boss Tony George signed an agreement to combine the IRL and Champ Car.
By CURT CAVIN
Open-wheel racing completed a wild week on Friday by ending up as one series.
Indy Racing League founder Tony George and Champ Car World Series co-owners Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven completed a merger by putting their names on a contract that gives control of the sport to George's IRL IndyCar Series.
Few additional details were given. A press conference is expected next week, perhaps at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the IRL will stage its first test of the season on Wednesday and Thursday.
George and Kalkhoven signed their portion of the deal Thursday night over dinner in Indianapolis. There was some confusion when a planned Friday news conference was canceled and Kalkhoven left the city, but George delivered the move of the week by flying to Chicago to discuss the particulars with Forsythe.
George returned to Indy with Forsythe's signature and a unified sport for the first time since he started the IRL in 1996.
George said he did not want to hold a news conference until he has details related to several key issues. He did not elaborate, but it's likely one of them involves the particulars of a doubleheader weekend April 19-20 in Long Beach, California, and Motegi, Japan.
The IRL is expected to see its 16-race schedule expand to 19 races this season with the addition of the Long Beach race plus Champ Car's events in Edmonton and Australia.
It remains unclear how many Champ Car teams will participate in the IRL, but it's safe to assume that at least eight will, led by the Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing team that won the past four series championships with Sebastien Bourdais at the wheel.
In a statement, IRL team owner Bobby Rahal said: "This is a great day for open-wheel racing and one that I and my Rahal Letterman Racing team have looked forward to for a long time. I applaud all of those that made this possible, but want to especially recognize all of those that made sacrifices and concessions to secure the future of open-wheel racing. I truly believe that this is the first step toward restoring open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis 500 to not only where it once was, but beyond."
Champ Car team owner Derrick Walker said: “It’s back to the future. It’s been a long road, but it has finally come together. From a fan and sports business point of view, one open wheel racing series in the United States has long been recognized as what fans and sponsors want to have both series together and I’m happy to say that Walker Racing embraces the decision.”
Other reactions
Tim Mayer, COO of International Motor Sports Association and the American Le Mans Series: "For 2008 we have six of our 12 races slated to be shared with the two open wheel racing series, three with Champ Car and three with the IRL. Many details have yet to be worked out, so it is simply too soon to know all of these answers, and we do not think it is productive to speculate. However, we believe that it will affect our participation in the events very little.
John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president: "This is a good day for fans who have long awaited a unification of the two series and we hope it is the beginning of a bright future for open wheel racing."
Erik Berkman, president of Honda Performance Development: “We are elated that the sanctioning bodies have elected to combine into a single, cohesive and powerful IndyCar Series.”
AutoWeek | Updated: 02/22/08, 8:11 pm et
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Champ Car, IRL reach deal - AutoWeek Magazine
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