Portland Champcar Race

Bartruff1 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-24-2008, 08:23 PM

Well, thanks to that SOB Tony George there will not be a race in Portland this year...the jerk won..

Silverback51 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bartruff1

Well, thanks to that SOB Tony George there will not be a race in Portland this year...the jerk won..

Sad indeed.

dave from mesa · #3 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 02:45 PM

Yeah, loved to watch them race on that track. Too many street races.
$crew tony george.

xracerbob · #4 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 02:49 PM

I used to love doing that race. The track is not bad, it could use some elevation changes but still a good place to race. We used to go to the mexican restaurant right on the river- always a great time. Sad to see this one going away.

#5 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 04:02 PM

TG is such a sleezeball, unfortunately he holds the best card with the Indy 500. That is where everybody in openwheel wants to be, especially sponsors. Did you guys see him last night on windtunnel? I thought Robin Miller would ask tougher questions, it appeared Speed put the muzzle on him. But like everybody else, I am glad that there is once again 1 series, which hopefully will gain in popularity again. Just wish there was a race in the NY Metro area.

ZOERA-SC7XX · #6 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 04:56 PM

CART also used to race at New Hampshire before TG got 'em tossed for his television series. I remember seeing Mears, Foyt, Andretti, and even Nigel Mansell put on great shows.
Even though we lost some great venues, maybe open wheel racing in America will be saved. At least there won't be fifteen car fields anymore.

Omathisen · #7 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 05:14 PM

Sorry about you losing Portland.
But we (East Coast) lost Loudon, Nazareth, Montreal and now Cleveland - where we used to go year after year. We have also lost Road America that we also used to go to. We went (flew) as far Las Vegas, when they raced there, and had air tickets and hotel room for Phonenix last fall. . .
I still recall the speech Roger Penske made at Nazareth, after one of his cars won the last race, and he promised to bring the series back the next year. . . a few months later he sold the track.
I do not like Tony George and his smirk much, but it is not all his fault. The owners and teams that went over to the IRL stabbed Champ Car in the back too (Penske, Rahal, Ganassi, Michael Andretti). Long live ego and greed.
And there were some stupid decisions made by CART and Champ Car too, like an early April race at Nazareth that snowed out.
Now we have to watch the series for which the Indianapolis Star writes that the most recognizable driver is Danicka Patrick -- girl driver turned fashion model who has never won a race.
Bear with me. . .

Bartruff1 · #8 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 05:43 PM

It was the whole bunch of the team owners and Cart owners that sold their stock THEN moved to the IRL...stabbed the road course open wheel fans in the back and took the Honda/Toyota $ to go to Indy...I hope Newman Hass Kicks Butt... I got to get over this....

Omathisen · #9 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 05:48 PM

You reminded of the stocks. We were stupid enough to buy some to support the series or so we thought. Turned out we supported the already-rich guys who sold theirs and cashed in, while we were stuck with a handful of souvenirs. With all the other stuff going on, I had forgotten about that. Hmm.

Bartruff1 · #10 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omathisen

You reminded of the stocks. We were stupid enough to buy some to support the series or so we thought. Turned out we supported the already-rich guys who sold theirs and cashed in, while we were stuck with a handful of souvenirs. With all the other stuff going on, I had forgotten about that. Hmm.

I was surprised that there was not a SEC investigation...when I bought the stock it had a cash value of (I think) 14 bucks a share and there was talk of a big NASCAR like TV deal...since I trade some, I was watching the insider trading and Penske and Rayhal and others were all selling the IPO shares they got when the Company was formed...I thought that was strange, but since Fortseyth was buying a lot, I wasn't to worried...but then the sob's that were selling droped out of the series and Champ Car hired the guy from Long Beach who spent all cash trying to get a field of 20 cars...I think I finally sold at 7 or so ...Gerald Forseyth must have taken a bath unless there was some sort of deal to buy his shares ??? Anyhow...no one ever filed a complaint....I got to get over this !!!